Cach Review

So with yet another Caspian Gull in York yesterday! I decided to do a review showing all the different birds that between me, Chris Gomersall, Ollie Metcalf and Andy Walker we have managed to pick out of the 10,00 gulls that have been visiting Rufforth Tip

As the viewing conditions don't allow for precise feather detail to be photographed and so compare individual birds this way, the best way I think to tell individual birds from each other are on the amount of white on the tertials and the facial profile.

Bird no.1 has a very petite facial profile and a nice thin white line on the tertial fringe.

Bird no.2 has a very elongated facial profile and a fairly thick lip on the tertial fringe

Bird no.3 has a elongated facial profile and barely any white on the tertial fringe

Bird no.4 has a moderate facial profile and a thin white line on the tertial fringe

On this basis bird 1 and 4 seem the most similar. However I think that size compared to the Herring Gulls around them and having spoken to Chris I believe that they are indeed different birds.

And in this...

And that makes 5 different birds!

With hindsight we have discussed the adult that we claimed on 10/01 and have decided that it probably wasn't one after all and so won't be submitting it.

Having had a look at the birds in Sheffield, if I understand correctly they've had;

2x 1w

2w

3w

3x ad

The 2w is deffinatley different to the York bird and the latest first winter (photos here ) has not been seen in York, however the previous 1w may have been, its not bird 1, but I wouldn't like to say if it is one of the others.

Still plenty of time to find some more this winter!

Just goes to show that these birds were having in York will probably turn out to be the 4th-8th accepted records for the York area!!! MEGA!