Heraklion harbour, 24 March 2011. A very good rainy day for Gulling!
Up and down pics show a Caspian in front and a YLG to the right. But what is that on the left?
The bill shape probably indicate an Armenian?
The folloing picture indiacate another Caspian in front right. Dark feathers and heavy built of the other beside show a "good heuglini" but the one on the left remains difficult, another probable Armenian?:
Yes! It is the same well-known male Baltic Gull from Finland! :
This one is my mystery one:
The bill shape and the dark eye provides a possibility of an eastern bird... a Steppe?
But lets see those ones:
The right bird looks a fine Armenian Gull, due to the shape/colour of bill:
The other bird looks a very typical "barabensis" in all aspects.
Quite small, almost same as the Armenian to the right.
Leg size alost as short as Armenian.
Darker upperparts than YLGs.
Looks flat forehead with dark eye.
The narrow and blunt-tipped bill seems immediate between Armenian and Caspian:
Another case of a "good" Steppe Gull on Crete have appeared...
