Caspian Gull - 1st winter, Private Site, Essex 24th January 2009
This was a slightly darker bird than some in that the was fairly heavily mottled below though on a white ground colour, has fairly dark under wings and faint streaking just behind the eye. The bill looks rather large and robust but note the near lack of Gonydeal angle thus not eluding to the bulbous tipped impression given by Yellow-legged Gulls. The upper-tail coverts are bright white with minimal dark marks whilst in life the dark tail band really stood out against this and the white tail feather bases.
Note the neat and obvious white fringes to the greater coverts white are quite solidly centred. There is bare minimum pale inner primary window present. The outer primaries are very dark and the also very dark secondaries contrast with the greater coverts. This bird still had the long winged, rangy appearance in flight.
Caspian Gull - 1st winter, Private Site, Essex 7th February 2009
Compare with the in flight shot of the bird on 24th January above. This bird is in a similar pose but not the more typical pale/whitish underwing. The tail band is dark and prominent contrasting strongly with the white unmarked upper-tail coverts.
Caspian Gull - Larus cachinnans
First-years : In flight images
Caspian Gull - 1st winter, Private Site, Essex 4th April 2009
Same bird featured above and below.
The white head really stands out against the hind neck and neck side streaking whilst the underside is also obvious white. Note the limited undertail covert barring.
The tail band contrasts with the rest of the boldly white tail. Note the fine barring. From this overhead angle the white head can be seen to contrast strongly with the pale grey saddle.
Caspian Gull - 1st winter, Private Site, Essex 7th November 2009
The clean white head has a sharply defined rear boarder with the heavy hind-neck streaking. In life this bird was readily picked out from the crowd in flight by the contrasting white head and heavy neck streaking.
The upper-parts are pale grey with variable amount of faint anchor markings however there were two distinct black arrow heads on either side of the back on the scapulars, one can be clearly seen here.
The blackish tail band contrasts strong with the white based tail and upper-tailed coverts which have limited barring.
The dark secondaries are also contrasting whilst the inner greater coverts are solid at the bases and not barred.
Caspian Gull - 1st winter, Westcliff Seafront, Essex 13th March 2010
The clean white head has a sharply defined rear boarder with the heavy hind-neck streaking.
The upper-parts are pale grey with variable amount of faint anchor markings and spotting.
The blackish tail band contrasts strong with the white based tail and upper-tailed coverts which have limited barring.
The dark secondaries are also contrasting whilst the inner greater coverts are solid at the bases and not barred.
Caspian Gull - 1st winter, Westcliff Seafront, Essex 13th March 2010
There is limited dark barring on the under-tail coverts whilst the whole of the body is white, the belly unmarked with only faint markings on the flanks and neck sides.
The underwing is basically whitish but note the fine intricate brownish patterning.
Caspian Gull - 1st winter, Undisclosed Site, Essex 17th February 2011
White upper-tail coverts and tail feathers with even width blackish tail band and narrow tail barring produce a striking pattern.
The scapulars are pale grey with prominent 'arrowheads' with heavy hind neck streaking isolating the cleaner white head.
The wing coverts are solid centred with pale tips and inner feathers and the inner primaries are paler creating a 'window'.
Overall a striking bird.
Caspian Gull - 1st winter, Undisclosed Site, Essex 2nd April 2011
A couple of striking inflight shots, above and below, of the same individual.
The upper-side shot shows the paler inner window to the inner primaries, the strikingly contrasting small white head, the evenly broad blackish tail band with fine barring towards the inner rectrices. Note also the general lack of barring across the greater coverts and the long long wing.
The underwing shows the very fine pale brown markings to the wing coverts and the white head with neck streaking. Note the tail pattern.