Comments for Birding Frontiers

Comment on Essex Gull by Jan Jörgensen (JanJ)

Jan Jörgensen (JanJ) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 22:26:28 +0000

It seems that the bright yellow leg colour is the most problematic feature of Steve´s gull. Probably a vast majority of adult/near adult Caspian in midvinter lack such bright yellow legs, they can show bright yellow bills though.
Here´s one by Cristian Mihai from Bucharest in 09 Feb:
http://tinyurl.com/8xrc8t8

JanJ

Comment on Essex Gull by Amar Ayyash

Amar Ayyash — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:59:13 +0000

The wingtip pattern seems off for California. California Gulls have a more extensive amount of black on the outer primaries and the legs tend to be more greenish yellow.
Also, a winter CAGU would show some black subterminal markings on the bill at this time of year.

Comment on Smew Central by Gijsbert van der Bent

Gijsbert van der Bent — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:42:26 +0000

Hello Martin. The last bird is the Katwijk-bird? It’s so strange that we ‘never’ see this plumage, in spite of all the thousands of Smew we can see in the Netherlands if we want to. Maybe we have to look better.

Comment on Essex Gull by Steve Arlow

Steve Arlow — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:35:49 +0000

One of the off putting aspects of this bird being omissus is the small dark eye fairly forward in the face.

The lightweight slender bill with dark mark is more typical of Cachinnans whilst the head is small and rounded, there’s not a hint of anyt dark streaking around the head and neck.

The wing pattern seems to be a moixed bag of both argentatus and cachinnans whilst the leg colour is probably far to rich and intense to be a cachinnans, if this bird is then its got the brightest legs I’ve come across in the several hundred cachinanns I’ve now seen in the UK.

This bird just doesn’t want to give itself up to either being a argentatus, a cachinanns or michahellis. I leaning towards a michie x cachinnans hybrid at present.

Jan these images are the best I have of this bird, the others I took really don’t anything to help ID the bird.

Steve

Comment on Smew Central by Adam Hutt

Adam Hutt — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:23:43 +0000

Saw one like this years ago of a returning bird which began as a redhead and eventually after few winters became a corking adult male which gave amazing views on small pond in Whitley bay.

Comment on Essex Gull by seawatcheruk

seawatcheruk — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 22:27:09 +0000

Have a look at this, paler mantled I know but within ball park.
http://calidris.home.xs4all.nl/omissus.htm

Comment on Essex Gull by Dean Nicholson

Dean Nicholson — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:34:21 +0000

Wouldn’t it be possible from the shots to trait score this bird using criteria set out in the recent identification of Casp paper (part 2 – hybrids & less typicals etc) in BB?
Not entirely sure how accurate this would be without describing ALL features (for eg the tongue to underside of p10) but interesting to see where this bird would fall. I would have a crack myself but literally just leant my copy out so nothing to work off for the time being….
For what it’s worth i personally think this bird looks ok for a small fem type Casp but i’m also thinking can ‘omissus’ in it’s many guises be ruled out – i find that more often than not the complete band to p5 (which is quite broad on this bird) is lacking on Yellow legged argies, usually showing nothing more than i smudge confined to the outer web? This i’m sure is variable though….
A smart looking bird……nice one Steve

Comment on Essex Gull by seawatcheruk

seawatcheruk — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:28:25 +0000

Classic omissus.

Comment on Essex Gull by Hans Larsson

Hans Larsson — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 20:49:56 +0000

I´d go for a female-type Caspian! I guess this is the time of the year to find the brightly coloured ones. Here´s an example from Italy: http://www.surfbirds.com/community-blogs/birdingitalynet/2006/02/12/herring-and-caspian-gulls-at-zadina-ne-italy-today/

Comment on Essex Gull by Jan Jörgensen (JanJ)

Jan Jörgensen (JanJ) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 19:56:12 +0000

I`m so cought up with Herring involment when it comes to odd Caspians – meaning – if there are some mix in this gull it might be what Phil suggest, a possible Yellow-legged, in part explaining the bright coloured bare parts (?). The wholly white-tipped p10 and large mirror on p9 combined can be seen in some YLG. However, the long pale tongue in p9 (and possible p10) and possible p8 doesn´t look so good for a pure YLG. Again, what would exclude a pure (with bright-coloured bare parts) Caspian, It is after all England. I would love to see more pic of this exiting gull!

http://chrisgibbins-gullsbirds.blogspot.com/2011/01/primary-pattern-of-adult-eastern.html