Gulls in Catalonia

19 October 2009

1w. Lesser-black backed gull (L. fuscus). 18.10.09.

1w. Lesser-black backed gull (L. fuscus). 18.10.09. A very patterned individual.

1w. Herring gull (L. argentatus). 18.10.09

Ad. Herring gull (L. argentatus). 18.10.09

15 October 2009

cy. Yellow-legged or Lesser black-backed gulls (L. michahellis or L. fuscus)?. 04-10-09.

1 cy. Yellow-legged or Lesser black-backed gulls (L. michahellis or L. fuscus)?. 04-10-09.

14 October 2009

1 cy. Lesser black-backed gulls (L. fuscus). 04-10-09.

1 cy. Lesser black-backed gulls (L. fuscus). 04-10-09. Two pale individuals.

1 cy, Lesser black-backed gulls (L. fuscus). 04-10-09.

1 cy. Lesser black-backed gulls (L. fuscus). 04-10-09. Some examples

Ad. Lesser black-backed gulls (L. fuscus). 04-10-09.

Ad. Lesser black-backed gulls (L. fuscus). 04-10-09. Some moulting adults

Ad. Lesser black-backed gulls (L. fuscus). 04-10-09.

The first three pictures are from the same individual from Belgium. Graellsii

This individual was ringed in winter in Tarragona some winters ago

This is intermedius from Norway.

Ad. Lesser black-backed gulls (L. fuscus). 04-10-09. Some colour-ringed individuals of known origin and one ringed in winter.

5 October 2009

3 cy Caspian looking gull (Larus sp.). 04.10.09

In spite I first identified the bird as a Caspian gull (Larus cachinnans), some comments have allowed to repair the mistake. Many thanks to Chris Gibbins, Visa Rauste and Theo Muuse!!

A short abstract of these comments is written below:

Caspian gull at this age stage should show white mirror on P9 and in this bird this is only visible in P10 (still growing in the 6th picture). In addition, the mantle is dark, the legs are short and the gonys angle is strong. In spite all the big gull species show variation, there are too much “bad” things for Caspian which are more important out of the species range.

However, the pink legs, the dark eye, the head and bill structure neither fit with michahellis. In addition, the extent of black in the primaries (up to P3) and the dark rachis in secondary coverts are also strange.

The final conclusion is that maybe this bird cannot be identified at species level so we left this as an unidentified gull.

1 October 2009

2 cy. Lesser black-backed gulls (L. fuscus). 26-09-09.

2 cy. Lesser black-backed gulls (L. fuscus). 26-09-09. Two examples

30 September 2009

1 cy. Yellow-legged gulls (L. michahellis). 26-09-09.

Bird ringed as a chick in the Ebro delta.

1 cy. Yellow-legged gulls (L. michahellis). 26-09-09. Some other intemediate examples

1 cy. Yellow-legged gulls (L. michahellis). 26-09-09.

1 cy. Yellow-legged gulls (L. michahellis). 26-09-09. This are the birds shoeing most extensive moults.

1 cy. Yellow-legged gulls (L. michahellis). 26-09-09.

1 cy. Yellow-legged gulls (L. michahellis). 26-09-09. Mainly juvenile looking birds. Late moulting individuals.

29 September 2009

1 cy. Yellow-legged gulls (L. michahellis). 26-09-09.

1 cy. Yellow-legged gulls (L. michahellis). 26-09-09. Herring gull looking individual. In this case, judging the tail patter, the pale coverts seem to be related with any pigmentation problem. In addition, the inner primaries are really dark.

1 cy. Yellow-legged gulls (L. michahellis). 26-09-09. Individual ringed in southern France with pale primary window and overall dark appearance.

28 September 2009

Ad. Lesser black-backed gulls (L. fuscus). 26-09-09.

Ad. Lesser black-backed gulls (L. fuscus). 26-09-09. Late moulting individuals

Ad. Lesser black-backed gulls (L. fuscus). 26-09-09.

Bird ringed in Norway.

An old Dutch bird.

Ad. Lesser black-backed gulls (L. fuscus). 26-09-09. Different moult stages

Ad-Near adult Yellow-legged gulls (L. michahellis). 26-09-09.

Ad-Near adult Yellow-legged gulls (L. michahellis). 26-09-09. Different examples

1 w. Mediterranean gull (L. melanocephalus). 26-09-09

1 w. Mediterranean gull (L. melanocephalus). 26-09-09. The ringed bird is from Hungary. Note how juvenile appearance seen in August is beeing lost.

26 September 2009

Ad Herring gull (L. argentatus). 26-09-09

After beeing out at Holidays and some days in the Tarragona festivals, today I've been back to the harbour. Many Lesser black-backed gulls, decreasing numbers of Yellow-legged gulls and the first Herring gull. The last looks the same individual observed in the area last 8 winters. According to other years phenology, the individual should be in the area for about one month.

Ad Herring gull (L. argentatus). 26-09-09. Note the differences between Herring and Yellow-legged gull.

Out of the leg colour, note the differences in size and structure, back grey tone, iris colour and primary moult stage.

18 August 2009

Ad. Lesser-black backed gull (L. fuscus), 09-08-09

Ad. Lesser-black backed gull (L. fuscus), 09-08-09. Maybe individuals of both graellsii and intermedius have already arribed back from the breeding grounds.