SBSG - Photographs and Info

Birds and Habitats in the SBSG area.
Photographs and Information.

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A series of photographs of Caspian and Yellow-legged Gulls.

Although some authorities have already split Yellow-legged Gull, Larus cachinnans, from the Herring Gull complex, the BOURC has currently not made the decision to do so. Meantime those authorities that have made the split are still debating the taxonomy of the various races of the "new" species. Some authorities consider that, at the very least, two races of Yellow-legged Gull, L c cachinnans and L c michahellis, should each be given specific status; Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans and Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis.

In the Sheffield area, Yellow-legged Gull has been recorded only in small numbers from about the early 1990's, mainly in association with roosting Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and mostly at Redmires or Middleton Moor in late summer. Caspian Gull is considerably more rare and in fact is on the list of 'species' for which the British Birds Rarities Committee require full supporting evidence, in an attempt to assess the true status of this race [or species].

This series of photographs of the two forms [species ?] was taken by Ashley Fisher at Poolsbrook CP in November and December 2000, using a digital camera through a Kowa telescope. The video grabs are from a Hi-8 video camcorder. Additional photograph by Martin Garner [2003].

Three photographs of the same 1st-winter Caspian Gull, 1st December 2000.
Four low resolution video-grabs of the same 1st-winter Caspian Gull, 1st December 2000.
Two photographs of the same 2nd-winter Yellow-legged Gull, 30th November 2000.
Two photographs of adult Yellow-legged Gulls, 30th November 2000 and October 2003.

Last updated 19th January 2003

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