Still mild in south Hokkaido..........................
We headed west this afternoon. Lots of common stuff on the sea: various ducks including Black Scoter, 3 species of grebe, some distant unidentified divers and several groups of Brent Geese.
There were several Peregrine too.
A pair flew off to mob a Stellers Sea Eagle high in the air (too far off to photograph though).
I'd seen this gull in one of the local harbours a few days before.............
I though it was just a Vega Gull but is clearly paler than the one behind. A Thayers Gull? It is a bit round-headed and short-legged but the bill looks a bit bulky. American Herring Gull? Maybe but probably not. Just within the normal variations of Vega Gulls? No idea but probably so. These large white-headed gulls all look the same, even in the books.
It is ringed, as you can see. I couldn't make much out '10 AS' was all I could read.
LWHGulls are mostly too similar for me, too. Perhaps whoever ringed it has an opinion as to what it is ?
ReplyDeleteIf it sticks around I can maybe see what is written on the ring............
DeleteJust a normal day in Japan - several Peregrines!Must be lots of food for them.
ReplyDeletecan't help with the gull Stu. It looks like Herring Gull but it would be interesting to know waht species went on the ringing database.
Hi Phil..........lots of gulls for them to eat, hope the ringed one survives..........
DeleteThese gulls can give even the most experienced birder fits and I am often reduced to recording "gull sp." in situations like this.
ReplyDeleteAt least we can photograph them and go back later for ID, something previous generations of birders could never do (well not easily or cheaply).
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