2009-12-04 NSW
1DMKIIn + 800mm
I could not work out what this was, but Mike Chalmers has kindly commented as follows : -
"Your photo is first winter Yellow-legged Gull race mongolicus = Mongolian Gull. Reasons are :-
1. Relatively narrow well defined black tail band
2. Generally pale upperparts, esp head, rump and upper tail coverts [as well as greater coverts and tertials - see below].
3. Greater coverts have more white than dark in each feather [ dark in form of relatively narrow banding] giving impression of overall paleness contrasting strongly with darker flight feathers
4. Same to tertials which are whitish mostly with relatively narrow dark markings [usually anchor-shaped]
5. Chunky relatively deep bill supports id.
Heuglins would be much darker, as would Slaty-backed. Both would have wider tail bands with almost all of tail black in Slaty-backed.
Seems to have a spot of bother with its left wing with mangled middle primaries.
Have copied this to Geoff (Carey) to see if he wants to add anything.
Suggest you go ahead and
post to encourage others. Please keep taking big gull pics. Like I suggested last year, they would be
good to illustrate an updated paper on gull id in HK."
[
Last edited by John Holmes at 5/12/2009 07:46 ]
