Mediterranean Gull (Larus melanocephalus), 3cy, 18.10.2008, Universitetsparken, Aarhus

Arten er en lokal sjældenhed i Østjylland, hvor den dog efterhånden ses med større regelmæssighed. Det er formentlig samme individ, som flere gange kunne ses i Århus Centralhavn sidste vinter og som ses her

Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans), ad, 3.10.2008, Lakolk Strand, Rømø

This Caspian Gull has relative long pale and characteristic yellowish thin legs. Most often when seeing cachinnans the thinner legs with longer tibia compared to argentatus is quite distinctive (less so in some female-type cachinnans).

The small eye is situated more frontal than in argentatus due to the flatter forehead and the colour is relative dark with a slight green peppering in the iris – most easily seen when light hits the eye directly. The eye in this cachinnans is paler than average, but certainly within their variation and when seen at some distance due to the peppering and the smaller size it stood out at being rather dark in contrast to argentatus. There is a thin red orbital ring seen at close range.

It has a good cachinnans jizz with a high push up breast, flat belly slightly dropped behind legs and long slim rear with the growing p9 and p10 just adding to elongated impression this species gives.

Additionally the upperparts are slightly darker than on nearby argentatus which was obvious in both overcast and sunny weather. It is almost in full summer plumage with a snowy white unspotted head and it has lost the distinctive dark spotted cachinnans neck boa. The distinctive black feather shafts on the outer primaries in the upperwing is commonly seen in adult cachinnans and in the stretched wing the grey tongues on the outer primaries are obvious when seen from underneath, on p5 there is a broad black band and even a little black dot on p4, on p10 the outer tip is all white, but also with at small black spot. There is a small white mirror on p9. The white apical spots are all relative small adding to the all classic cachinnans wing pattern.

In flight the hand is slender even though p9 and p10 is not yet fully grown and when seen from the underwing the black on primaries creates a classic cachinnans boomerang. On the yawning gull the bare part colour in the opened bill is spot on cachinnans being orangey-yellow at the base of the mandibles. The skin colour is typical blood red in michahellis and light pink in argentatus.

Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans), 4cy+, 3.10.2008, Lakolk Strand, Rømø

This Caspian Gull has relative long pale and characteristic thin legs. Most often when seeing cachinnans in Denmark the thinner legs and the longer tibia compared to argentatus is quite obvious. The small eye is situated closer to the forehead than in argentatus and the colour is relative dark with a slight green peppering in the iris – most easily seen when light hits the eye directly. The eye in this cachinnans is paler than average, but certainly within their variation and when seen at some distance due to the peppering and the smaller size it stood out at being rather dark in contrast to argentatus.

There is a thin red orbital ring seen at close range. The bill is relative long and without pronounced gonys angle. It has a good cachinnans jizz with a high push up breast, flat belly slightly dropped behind legs and long slim rear with the growing p9 and p10 just adding to elongated impression this species gives.

Additionally the upperparts are slightly darker than on nearby argentatus which was obvious in both overcast and sunny weather. It is not yet in full summer plumage as it has retained some of the distinctive dark spotted neck boa in contrast to the snowy white unspotted head. The distinctive black feather shafts on the outer primaries in the upperwing is commonly seen in adult cachinnans and in the stretched wing the grey tongues on the outer primaries are obvious when seen from underneath, on p5 there is a broad black band, on p10 the outer tip is all white. The white apical spots are all relative small.

In flight the hand is slender even though p9 and p10 is not yet fully grown and when seen from the underwing the black on primaries creates a classic cachinnans boomerang. On the yawning gull the bare part colour in the opened bill is spot on cachinnans being orangey-yellow at the base of the mandibles. The skin colour is typical blood red in michahellis and light pink in argentatus.

Mediterranean Gull (Larus melanocephalus), ad, 10.5.2008 Gjerrild Nordstrand

Sorthovedet Måge - Larus melanocephalus - Mediterranean Gull

Kumlien’s Gull - Larus [glaucoides] kumlieni - Kumliens Måge

Straight forward Kumlien's Gull

Identified as Kumlien’s Gulls because they have dark shading on the outer webs of p6-p10 reaching the the primary tips.

kumlieni, 3cy, 5.2.2012, Hirtshals Harbour

kumlieni, 4cy, 5.2.2012, Hanstholm Harbour

kumlieni, 4cy, 5.2.2012, Hirtshals Harbour


Putative Kumlien's Gull

Identified as a putative Kumlien’s Gull due to the fact that there is subtle dark shading on the outer webs of p6-p10, a faint 'ghost mirror' on P10 and the faint dark shading on p6-p9 reach the primary tips.

kumlieni, 4cy, 4.2.2012, Hvide Sande Harbour


Possible Kumlien’s Gull

Most have rather dark peppered eyes, light gray marbling on outer webs of outer primaries, faint pigmentation along the tip of the outer primaries (subterminal bands) and in several individuals photos give the impression of a diluted version of a “string of pearls”

glaucoides, 3cy, 4.2.2012, Hvide Sande Harbour

glaucoides, 3cy, 5.2.2012, Roshage, Hanstholm

glaucoides, 4cy, 4.2.2012, Hvide Sande Harbour

glaucoides, 4cy, 5.2.2012, Hanstholm Harbour

glaucoides, 4cy, 5.2.2012, Hirtshals Harbour

glaucoides, 5cy, 5.2.2012, Hirtshals Harbour

glaucoides, 5cy, 5.2.2012, Hirtshals Harbour

Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides), 4cy, 18.1-28.3.2003 Aarhus Harbor

Some believe this is a Kumlien's Gull based on the patterns on the outer primaries together with the strong and heavy appearance, relatively strong bill and the extreme nicotine-brown shawl. However, others find that a heavily pigmented Iceland Gull due to the low quality pictures of especially the flying bird cannot be ruled out.

After seeing this Glaucous-winged Gull in the same harbour I felt some déjà vu because of the fine ‘cross hatching’ in the brown shawl. When the glaucescens and this white-winged gull was seen at close range the brownish breast, neck and head was all covered with fine distinct transverse bars, most prominent in the breast streaking.




Kumliens Gull, 1.2.2003, Aarhus East Harbor, 3 photos. Photographer: Carl Erik Mabeck




Kumliens Gull, 4.2.2003, Aarhus East Harbor, 2 photos. Photographer: Peter Nielsen














Kumliens Gull, 6.2.2003, Aarhus East Harbor, 12 photos. Photographer: Peter Nielsen



Kumliens Gull, 11.2.2003, Aarhus East Harbor, 1 photo. Photographer: Henrik Laust Bøhmer

Common Gull – Larus canus – Stormmåge

Age Class: Denmark

Common Gull 1cy

Common Gull 2cy

Common Gull 3cy


Age Class: Norway

Common Gull 2cy February plumage variation in Norway


Individual observations:


Themes:

Common Gull with white mirror in p10 - 1 cy

Common Gull with juvenile plumage in late winter - 2005

Common Gull with juvenile plumage in late winter - 2005

Common Gull with juvenile plumage in late winter - 2011

Common Gull with heavy structure and large size - 2cy

Common Gull with extensive dusky head-streaking - ad

Common Gull with unstreaked white head in winter - ad


Subspecies heinei:

Larus canus heinei, ad, 8.1.2009, Universitetsparken, Aarhus

Common Gull (Larus canus), 2cy, 17.2.2005, Aarhus East Harbor

This Common Gull deviates from the normal late winter canus with the plumage being dominated by high numbers of juvenile feathers. This could indicate a bird belonging to at late breeding northern most population or one could speculate whether it could be a heinei but at the same time acknowledge that such identification is highly speculative without biometrics.

Note especially in these flight shots the extensive bold chevrons on both upper- and under tail coverts, the rump has some dark streaking and there is barring on the outer tail feathers. Another similar "moult retarded" Common Gull was seen at the same site just few days before.