2nd winter Caspian Gull

Fairly similar plumagewise to bird 7 except that this bird was smaller so probably a female.  Only seen on the 10th February.

Identification:

• Again, long and thin legged especially so above the knee
• Grey neck blotches forming a shawl
• Typically advanced plumaged with many adult type grey wing covert feathers
• Longish neck.
• High chested
• Long bill typically pale green/flesh with black sub-terminal band.  Compare to 3rd winter Herring Gull
• Lacks the white primary tips that are typical of a 3rd winter Herring Gull.
• Page down and compare to the rectangular and dark billed Yellow Legged Gull on this page which was sat just 10 metres away from the Caspian.

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Compared to the Caspian Gull, note:

• more extensive eye shadow
• deeper belly (but similar high chest)
• shorter tibia (but not always so)
• less extensive and less dense shawl
• squarer, flatter head.  However, the head is fairly small but it usually looks broader than the 'skittle-headed' Caspian from behind.
• Dark, short, broad bill
• Bulkier, stockier profile

Caspian Gulls Home Page