Pallas's Gulls ~ Jisr az-Zarqa, Israel - Nov' 15

These smart looking gulls had to play second fiddle to the real main attraction which was Armenian Gull more about them in a later post, but for now its all about Great Black-headed Gulls ...

On the beach here at Jisr az-Zarqa where the Taninim Stream flows out then walking north along the beach to the second tower hide near another outflow, this section of beach held the roosting gulls with my maximum count 0f 32 Pallas's in the mixed flock.

They were not approachable and would flush from a long way off, always the first to go up, moving down the beach to resettle so as these weren't the target species I chose to accept long distance images and crop harder most images suffer from this choice but I had the other species on my mind ..

Pallas's Gull ~ Ad. W

Pallas's Gull ~ 3rd. W ~ ?

Pallas's Gull ~ 2nd. W

Pallas's Gull ~ 1st. W

So for now the Pallas's images will have to wait to be improved on with a return to Dubai in February next year ....... 

Caspian Gull ~ 1st. W ~ HCL23 ~ From the Ukraine to Dungeness - 10.10.15

With strong east winds it meant the day at the "Puddles" in the comfort of the car, on the beach the wind would have been directly in the face which isn't nice.

Between the Beach and the Puddles is a shingle ridge which acts as a bit of a buffer. The car is then positioned so looking out the passenger side windows is east with the afternoon sun behind in the west.

Then its just a matter of attracting the gulls to come in for scrutiny !!

Early evening and behind to the west is a small gathering away from the main flock, in amongst these was this ringed Caspian Gull ..

Once a few shots were fired off and I got RS & DW on the bird, it was a quick web search to reveal a Ukraine ring !!

It was tempted round to the better viewing side so close that I could read the metal ring with bins !!

To close, only just got it in the frame

Ukraine to Dungeness = 1650 km !!

Thanks to a quick reply  from Sonke Martens with the birds history ..

Yellow ring ~ HCL23 ..... Metal ring ~ L009123

Ringed by 
Микола Скирпан, Igor Shydlovsky
Natalia Atamas & Yurii Strus  

Ringed on the 20.05.15 at Lviv, Yaroviv, Ukraine ..

Sightings ...

02.09.15 ~ Westkapelle, NL ~ Roland-Jan Buijs

10.08.15 ~ Overijssel, Kampen, NL ~ C. Fikkert

10.10.15 ~ Dungeness, Kent, UK ~ M. Southcott

Thayer's Gull ~ Larus thayeri ~ California - Feb'15

Thayer's Gull ~ Larus thayeri

~~~~~~~~~~~

A medium-sized nearctic gull that breeds in Northern Canada and winters along the West coast of America.

Similar size and jizz as kumlieni, which the paler Thayer's is easily confused with ..



Thayer's Gull ~ juv 

Thayer's Gull ~ Juvenile ~ Venice Beach, Half Moon Bay - 16.02.15

General jizz is like Iceland with plumage resembling washed out American Herring.
Often shows a dark eye mask.
Raspberry pink legs.
Gentle expression.

Thayer's Gull ~ juv 

Thayer's Gull ~ Juvenile ~ Salmon Creek - 17.02.15

Scapulars often with anchor shapes or sub-terminal crescents

Thayer's Gull ~ Juvenile ~ Salmon Creek - 17.02.15

Darker outer web to primaries.
Dark secondaries creating a good contrasting bar against the paler coverts.
Broad dark tail. 

Thayer's Gull ~ Juvenile ~ Salmon Creek - 17.02.15

Tertials solid brown with pale edges.
Breast, belly & neck velvety.
Barred appearance to greater coverts.

Thayer's Gull ~ juv 

Thayer's Gull ~ Juvenile ~ Salmon Creek - 17.02.15

Darker bird, with small finer marks to greater coverts.
All black bill, dark eye mask. 

Thayer's Gull ~ Juvenile ~ Salmon Creek - 17.02.15

Thayer's Gull ~ Juvenile ~ Salmon Creek - 17.02.15

This image shows the dark outer web of the primaries and broad dark tail.


Thayer's Gull ~ juv 

Thayer's Gull ~ Juvenile ~ Russian River, Jenner - 17.02.15

Plumage variation is extremely variable from pale to dark forms.
Light plays trick also as the above standing image is the same bird as the flight images below.

Thayer's Gull ~ Juvenile ~ Russian River, Jenner - 17.02.15

Thayer's Gull ~ Juvenile ~ Russian River, Jenner - 17.02.15

Wing and tail patterns show the important dark outer web of the primaries, dark centered secondaries and broad dark tail.

Thayer's Gull ~ Juvenile ~ Russian River, Jenner - 17.02.15

Thayer's Gull ~ Juvenile ~ Russian River, Jenner - 17.02.15

Underwing showing the pale silvery flight feathers in contrast to the darker coverts and axillaries.

Thayer's Gull ~ Juvenile ~ Russian River, Jenner - 17.02.15

Thayer's Gull ~ Juvenile ~ Russian River, Jenner - 17.02.15


Thayer's Gull ~ juv 

Thayer's Gull ~ Juvenile ~ Russian River, Jenner - 17.02.15

One from the darker end of the scale.

Thayer's Gull ~ Juvenile ~ Russian River, Jenner - 17.02.15

Showing the extent of barring to the undertail coverts.

Thayer's Gull ~ Juvenile ~ Russian River, Jenner - 17.02.15


Thayer's Gull ~ juv 

Thayer's Gull ~ Juvenile ~ Russian River, Jenner - 17.02.15

And one from the extreme pale end of the scale ..

Just in these six birds it shows the variation, with the general features being virtually the same ..

Most birds hold on to there juvenile plumage, little if any moult is restricted to scapulars and mantle.
Moults directly into second winter plumage.


Thayer's Gull ~ 2nd. W 

 Thayer's Gull ~ 2nd.W ~ Russian River, Jenner - 18.02.15

Head & body moult some replaced with white feathers still some mottling to neck and breast.
Scapulars and mantle partially moulted to grey.
Coverts and tertials still first year type.

Thayer's Gull ~ 2nd.W ~ Russian River, Jenner - 18.02.15

Thayer's Gull ~ 2nd.W ~ Russian River, Jenner - 18.02.15

Worn and faded first year type wing with here only a few lesser coverts replaced.

Thayer's Gull ~ 2nd.W ~ Russian River, Jenner - 18.02.15

Broad dark tail against the worn and partially replaced uppertail is quite striking ..



Thayer's Gull ~ Ad. W 

Thayer's Gull ~ Ad. W~ Venice Beach, Half Moon Bay - 16.02.15

Dark eyed, small narrow greenish based bill, tipped yellow and rounded head.
Mantle mid-grey typically darker than AHG.

Thayer's Gull ~ Ad. W~ Venice Beach, Half Moon Bay - 16.02.15

'Over the shoulder look'
Thayeri Art

Thayer's Gull ~ Ad. W~ Salmon Creek - 17.02.15

 Short raspberry pink legs.
Head, neck & breast with streaks or mottling in winter.

Thayer's Gull ~ Ad. W~ Salmon Creek - 17.02.15

Thayeri wing pattern P9 with black on outer web
extending the white mirror along inner web.
Although absent here dark band to P5 is normal.

Thayer's Gull ~ Ad. W~ Salmon Creek - 17.02.15

Thayer's Gull ~ Ad. W~ Salmon Creek - 17.02.15

Thayer's Gull ~ Ad. W~ Salmon Creek - 17.02.15

Thayer's Gull ~ Ad. W~ Salmon Creek - 17.02.15

Thayer's Gull ~ Ad. W~ Salmon Creek - 17.02.15

Thayer's Gull ~ Ad. W~ Salmon Creek - 17.02.15

Thayer's Gull ~ Ad. W~ Salmon Creek - 17.02.15

Thayer's Gull ~ Ad. W~ Salmon Creek - 17.02.15

Thayer's Gull ~ Ad. W~ Alice Keck Park, Santa Barbara - 21.02.15

That's the California trip done,
and made so much easier with the site knowledge of Richard Bonser who also drove the whole trip !!

Thanks for driving and guiding ..

It was brilliant ...

When's the next one ?