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Bird photos, sounds and videos
| Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) Gulls, Terns and Skimmers (Laridae) | |
| Sildemåge ~ Gaviota Sombría ~ Silltrut | |
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2506
(3 photos)
2011-05-26 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark Subspecies: intermedius Adult. The back color is difficult to judge neutrally here, but the weak contrast between the arm and the hand indicate that it is an intermedius. Fuscus undoubtedly would be darker. And even though all northwestern subspecies occur in Denmark, it is still intermedius that is the most common in eastern Denmark. |
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2507
(6 photos)
2012-07-21 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark Subspecies: [intermedius] Adult with completely white tail. With only small white spots on P9 and P10 plus very small white tips to the remiges and the fact that there is not that much contrast between the color of the arm and the hand, this bird could be a fuscus. On the other hand, looking at the photo with the other gulls the bird looks more round and shows some contrast between back and remiges which lead toward intermedius. |
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2508
(4 photos)
2015-04-24 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark Subspecies: fuscus? Adult without other details than a completely white tail, and a very small apical spot on P10 which goes best with a fuscus. |
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2509
(9 photos)
2017-03-18 Isla Holbox (roo), Mexico Subspecies: graellsii Adult. A typical graellsii with big contrast between hand and back plus large white spots and tips to the remiges. We found two adult birds this day. As from now on the species probably is to be expected in the Yucatan peninsula during the winter months. |
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2510
(29 photos)
2017-03-18 Isla Holbox (roo), Mexico Subspecies: graellsii Adult. This bird seems darker than 2509, but still within the normal variation for graellsii - large contrast between arm and hand. It is very clear here how fragile the white tips to the remiges are under these conditions with salt, sun and heat. They look like they have almost been clipped off right along the edge of the black part. An elegant gull lying high on the water. |
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2939
(7 photos)
2019-02-22 Mazatlán (sin), Mexico Subspecies: graellsii Second winter type, advanced (Klaus Malling Olsen & Hans Larsson terminology). Obviously this bird stood less out than the also present Kelp Gull this afternoon. But was still spotted as unusual because of the darker mantle among the other gray-backed gulls present. Clearly darker than the many Ring-billed Gulls, but also showed a duskier tone than the few California Gulls present, of which none were adults but a few still had acquired adult back feathers making a comparison possible. And why this species? California has dark eye at all ages, and the bill would probably be longer and narrower plus the leg color is probably a bit too yellow for this species (other criteria apply as well). Western and Herring Gull excluded by leg color in combination with smaller size and finer build (other criteria apply as well). One of the clues when dealing with young birds is the darker inner hand, compared to the large gulls where both Herring and Western show a pale wedge between the arm and the outer hand. Even though there is a faint resemblance of a paler inner hand in this bird's spread wing, it is still within the dark enough range to fit a young Lesser Black-backed. On picture 6 the bird is the right-most one, and in company with the Kelp Gull, 3 California Gulls and 3 Heermann's Gulls. The back color is clearly a tone darker than the one of the California gulls. The subspecies is the one that is normally found in the Americas, and is well-supported by the tone of the back color. A fuscus would, besides of being totally unexpected, be as dark as the Kelp Gull and intermedius would be more of an average between the color of the Kelp and the California. I think it is purely speculative to consider the bird of a different species origin. Other yellow-legged species like Yellow-legged or Caspian are both species that in structure are more similar to a Herring Gull and most of them are normally paler on the back and wings than is the case with this bird. In picture 2 with Ring-billed Gull and in picture 5 with a Heermann's Gull. Klaus Malling Olsen, Alvaro Jaramillo and others consulted, and are agreeing with the identification. First for Sinaloa. Rare, First |
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3955
(1 photos)
2022-04-08 Søerne (København), Denmark Subspecies: intermedius Adult. Typical to find a roosting bird in spring, here in the center of the city. Resting before continuing soon, I assume. Neat and sharp with elongated rear part. |
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4017
(1 photos)
2022-04-22 Amager Fælled, Denmark Subspecies: intermedius Adult. Another spring passing bird, overhead. I never noticed that the feet on such a large bird can be "pulled up" completely. |
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4018
(3 photos)
2022-04-22 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark Fourth calendar year. Villahøj. Another single bird passing through. Probably intermedius. |
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4216
(7 photos)
Same bird: 54
2022-11-05 Dragør Havn, Denmark First calendar year. Probably intermedius since it didn't look slim and elongated enough to be a Baltic. In all a classic bird in complete juvenile plumage. There were many bread feeders visiting the harbor this Saturday afternoon, but somehow this bird was not interested. Despite of the herring gulls, black-headed gulls and the mallard very much being so. This bird was more interested in small pebbles that a young boy was throwing into the water. Eagerly it made an effort each time to catch the 'prey' before it disappeared in the deep; causing it to almost crash against the pier a few times. |
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4269
(4 photos)
Same bird: 54
2022-11-08 Dragør Havn, Denmark First calendar year. |
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4299
(4 photos)
Same bird: 54
2022-11-12 Dragør Havn, Denmark First calendar year. Continuing bird. |