Hi, i'm interested in peoples impressions of this bird. If i manage to upload OK, i've included the original pic to compare and contrast with the surrounding birds, and then a crop to provide a bit more detail. I've got some thoughts on it, and i'll add some field notes later but i'm curious about first impressions to begin with.
Cheers, Mike.
Should've said, this was taken at Richmond Bank, and isn't meant as a quiz or trick. Just interested in peoples initial thoughts. Ta.
ReplyDeleteHi Mikey. On the small screen of an iphone this bird seems to have several Caspian features. I have no literature to hand as I'm in a boring meeting but I can see a longish looking pale lemon coloured bill, clear white tips on upper and underside to p10 on the primary (although doesn't argentatus show this too) dark in gonys spot, pale coloured legs, darker mantle than nearby argenteus, small head on a large body. However, the slender proportions of Caspian isn't evident on this bird and the eye doesn't seem particularly dark and beady. Will look properly when I get home tonight. Interesting bird.
ReplyDeleteA lot of people would have that as a Caspian but as Marc says does not look quite right shape for a classic Caspian but then I usually dismiss most claims of Caspian - never seen a real one yet in the UK, good number abroad which did indeed look like Caspian Gulls! Maybe being to cautious and binning good records because they are not "perfect" but think I will stick with that and would call this bird a probable hybrid Caspian x ? maybe Yellow legged Gull? Might get off the fence ons day and find a Caspian here in N Wales way overdue a twitchable/photoable one!
ReplyDeleteHi Mike
ReplyDeleteCertain features do look good for a caspo. Legs are longer tha normal herring although not obviously lanky like a classic bird, mantle colour is dark enough and with a blueish tinge, primary tip seems to have a lot of white, bill dull yellow and straight with black close to the gonys. Birds seems quite chesty, which i believe is a feature on caspians. Can't work out whether the eye is small and beady, but then some have yellow iris'. Certainly does not look like an argenteus herring. When i look at photos of caspians from other well known experts there are a number that i would not call. Will be intersted to hear of other people thoughts. We are all looking the the classic birds but there must be plenty out there that simply aren't classic looking. For me this is more caspian than anything else. Could be wrong though!
Legs and head dont look right to me although not really got a sausage. Wheres CJ Laridophile when you need him? Well done for the upload tho mikey.
ReplyDeleteInteresting gull Mike. It does look to show some good pro Caspian plumage features as others have said, but just a shame there aren't any clearer pix/video. While the 'shape' doesn't look quite right I'm always wary of assessing shape/size from one photo as it's too subjective.
ReplyDelete