Caspian Gull - 2nd winter, Hole Haven Creek
5th January 2008
The bill is only slightly pale at the base and is long and slender. The head is clean and strikingly white with the small dark beady eye forward in the face. There is light lower hind-neck streaking with a slight extension on the breast sides. The mantle and scapulars and nearly completely replaced with 3rd generation adult feathers but note the remnant darker 2nd generation feathers scattered around. About two thirds of the median coverts have been renewed with grey whilst the greater coverts become more solid dark towards the outer-wing. The central tertials and inner Greater Coverts have also been renewed.
Caspian Gull - 2nd winter, Hole Haven Creek
16th February 2008
Note the very large bill on this bird is still evenly sided with very little Gonydeal angle. The head shape and small beady eye are all classic features whilst from this view the long thin and pasty legs are obvious; note how much Tibia is exposed above the knee.
Caspian Gull - 2nd winter, Hole Haven Creek
5th January 2008
Same bird as above
Caspian Gull - 2nd winter, Hole Haven Creek
16th February 2008
The huge bill is probably the most striking feature on this bird. The classic small all white pear shaped head with small beady eye set well forward in the face make for a strangely disproportioned looking bird. The 'saddle' is completely unmarked save for a couple of darker marks at forward scapulars. The wing coverts are faded with dark centres whilst majority of the median coverts, inner greater coverts and inner tertials are replaced grey. The outer tertials are blackish with white tips and fringing. The black primaries have very small white tips.
Caspian Gull - 2nd winter, Dungeness, Kent, 18th January 2009 (above image and following two)
The head is small compared with the body but note the sloping forehead and and forward set small beady eye. The bill is dull yellow, has a tapering tip with a dark band across the end. The underparts are bright white with limited grey smudging the the flanks. This birds has already replaced a number of wing coverts, most notably the inner most Greater coverts and some central Median Covertsas well as the inner tertials. The remaining tertials are very dark centred with white tips. The primaries extend well beyond the tertials and there is an obvious mirror on the underside of P10, a feature not regularly encountered on the Herring Gulls.
Also note the obvious hanging rear belly.
Caspian Gull - Larus cachinnans
Second-years
Caspian Gull - 2nd winter, Private Site, Essex, 2nd January 2010
This bird took on a rather different appearance when in the shade however both lighting conditions still show a classic Caspian Gull. Here this bird, which was rather small, shows the classic small white head with beady eye, perhaps in this image though the head looks a little more rounded than is usually the case, due to the position of the bird and who the head is held high.
The slightly bulging neck is visible with greyish streaking and blotching mostly limited to the neck and breast sides.
Although a second-winter the greater coverts pattern is obvious, darker greater coverts bar towards the outer feathers and the dark based tertials.
Aged as a second winter due to the mostly pale bill, marble effect wing covert pattern and mostly plain grey scapulars, though still a few first-winter feathers still retained.
Stance is a rather aloof.
Caspian Gull - 2nd winter, Private Site, Essex, 2nd January 2010
A different bird to the previous image, this individual was much larger however a similar appearance to the wing coverts and scapulars is apparent. Here however note the long sloping forehead and long slender bill resulting in a snouty long faced impression.
The same bird is in flight below:
Caspian Gull - 2nd winter, Private Site, Essex, 20th January 2010
This bird is showing some odd traits.
Pro-Caspian features:
- Flat backed
- Long winged
- Long slender, kinked neck
- Head shape ad long snouty face
- Long slender and parallel sided bill
- White head with limited streaking
- Hind neck streaking
- Long, slender and pale pinkish legs
- Very dark brown based tertials
- Hanging rear belly
Non typical Caspian Gull features:
- Extensive white tertial tips and fringes
- Rather bluish scapulars/saddle
- Well marked under-tail coverts
- Very solidly dark brown greater coverts (broad band across wing)
- Extremely pale based bill
Bird is still most likely a Caspian Gull but these features raise questions: Is it within range of a Caspian Gull or are there argentatus Herring Gull genes at work.
Caspian Gull - 2nd winter, Private Site, Essex, 20th January 2010
In these images note the typical Caspian Gull albatrossing posture, the very blackish tail band and the small mirror on P10. Apart from the extremely well marked upper-tail coverts the whole of the outer-wing is as first-winter and not as a second winter, none of the inner primaries are next generation. It still looks good for a Caspian Gull here though.
Caspian Gull - 2nd winter, Private Site, Essex, 27th January 2010
A very long thin legged individual. Note although the bill is rather stout and not particularly long is it evenly parallel along its length and shows the dark cutting edges; dark line running the length of the bill.
All of the mantle and scapulars are fresh whilst the wing coverts are a mix of faded old and fresh new grey.
Aged as a second winter on the basis of moult stage and dark brown primaries with lack of white tips.