Late November Gulls

After many days with south winds and warm weather this morning, with a north breeze and partly cloudy skies, was perfect for gulling in Heraklion harbour. A good combination of Gull taxa present:






The star of the day was this Baltic Gull, (a male ringed as pullus in Finland in 1995) that came back again to winter here, for 3rd time:















The same bird with a presumed heuglini:














And again with a michahellis and 3 other adults of the fuscus complex, probably all three being intermedius, but what about the one on 1st winter plumage? :










Most probably a heuglini, pink legs, large size:












A nice looking michahellis:














And the most characteristic adult heuglini, a well known individual now!:















Two more of the fuscus complex, probably an intermedius on the back and a (female?) heuglini in front:












A Larus cacchinnans and a presumed intermedius:











Another "fuscus type" with 3 young birds, all probably from the same problematic taxon:
















Two different birds in 2nd winter plumage, probably one intermedius, one fuscus:


























What about this one? a western type LBBG or a Baltic? something else? any suggestion? :














Michahellis 1st winter:



















And michahellis on 2nd winter plumage:


















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I also give some picture of difficult cases, pictures taken on Nov 6.

A small-sized and short-billed Gull, a possible Larus armenicus:















An interesting young bird, probable michahellis, see bill:














A sub-adult Caspian?:















And another small-sized bird with a grey mantle lighter for being a heuglini or a graelssii, rosy legs, see it with a 1st winter michahellis:


















And alone:













1 comment:

Odysseas said...

They are not only Gulls but they are excellent Gulls Michalis!
Many greetings from Thessaloniki.