Oct 10 - many new Gulls

Rainy weather and the cold front from NNW brings always new good things -gulls- to Herakleion harbour!
About 3 Heuglin's - 3 LBBG of intermedius colour type - 5 Baltic - 1 Caspian - 1 most probable Armenian and one probable Steppe among several unidentifated 1st-winters and immatures and several tens of YLGs. Some of them following

A 2nd-winter Baltic:
Scandinavian LBBG with a Heuglin's:
Another Heuglin's:
A Caspian up right and a walking probable Steppe Gull:
Most probbaly a 1st-winter Armenian Gull, suggesting the same individual of the previous post:
More have to come !!

Oct, 4 / new arrivals

YLG - BG -LBBG intermedius - YLG - YLG

Presumed as 1st winter Baltic

Most probably Armenian 1st winter:
Same bird with a "fuscus type" bigger one for comparison:

Sep 2011 first winter arrivals

Two 3rd winter (not 100% sure for aging, probably 4 cal year?) dark gulls, early winter arrivals noticed today, Sep 30, in Heraklion harbour. The one to the right most probably Scandinavian LBBG, the other looks very good for Heuglin's:

This LBBG have problem in feets, injured?:
Finally a 1st winter individual - LBBG type on 23rd September:Waiting for more good ones!

Special things!

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...

Ένας νεαρός ψαράς - A young fisherman

Λεπτόραμφος γλάρος, πρώτου χειμώνα, 30 Γενάρη 2011 στο λιμανάκι του Κόκκινου Πύργου στη Μεσσαρά... διηγείται την περιπέτεια ενός ψαρέματος

Ist winter Slender-billed Gull on Kokkinos Pyrgos port, south Crete - 30 Jan 2011.

My name is slender... Larus genei and I will show you my foraging story..

Ψαρεύοντας στα ρηχά:

Fishing on shallow water:
αποτυχία.... no success...
Εσύ τι θες εδώ, θα μου πάρεις το ψωμί;;

I don't want co-fishing!
Ψυχραιμία..

Be cool...
Paparazzi...
Ας αποτραβηχτώ...

Lets go...
Ακόμη μια προσπάθεια:

To try fishing again:
Τίποτα ακόμη...

Nothing yet...
Αλλά λίγο μετά:

But in a little while:
Ας το αλατίσω λιγάκι...

Lets make it salty:
Τι ψάρι άραγε έπιασα; εεε μη φεύγεις να σε ταυτοποιήσω πρώτα!

What species is it? don't go away, I have to name you!
Δε θα μου ξεφύγεις!

I will found you little fish!
Να είναι φανερό, είσαι σπάρος Diplodus annularis!

Obiously, you are an Annular Sea Bream! Diplodus annularis

Πάλι προσπαθείς να δραπετεύσεις;

Again! Do you try to escape?
Τώρα τελείωσαν τα ψέμματα!

Lets finish this joke!
Δεν είσαι όσο μικρό φαινόσουν!

Not so little!
Glouppp!!!
Πάμε για το επόμενο...

Lets go for another one!

Interesting 1st winters...

This very dark bird needs more examination, I will appriciate any comments...
Comparing with a typical YLG:
November 3, Her Har.