Black 1.U0 from UK

Today morning  13.02.2012 at Dafundo, there were 200 Gulls at Dafundo, mainly LBBG, and only two of them ringed. Blue LRA.S from Belgium, regular at Dafundo, and a new ring from Paul Veron, ringed at Chouet Lanfill

Black 1.U0 , ringed at the Channel Islands, UK (Paul Veron)

3 rd winter Herring Gull, most probably ssp. argenteus was also present today, smaller than many LBBG but very pale, on mantle and scaps. Primary pattern reaching P5, and pale inner webs from P6 to P10.

Ringed Black Vultures from Portugal

A little bit bigger than a Gull,  this  European Black Vulture Aegypius monachus had been on recovery for about 3 years, his last stay was at CERAS - Centro de Estudos e Recuperação de Animais Selvagens, were he socialized with other vultures at the center for better release success. It was ringed, with green alpha-numerical darvic, and tagged with a PTT receiver by Carlos Pacheco.

Portuguese color rings for Black Vultures Aegypius monachus and Griffon Gyps fulvus , are Green or Red Alpha-numerical code on the right tarsus and they could also carry green wing tags, but I will come back to this subject in the future.

Last week the recovered Eurasian Black Vulture was released, in the Tejo Internacional area, in the first days he went SE to Caceres aerea , and returning back to East now soaring Sierra de San Pedro near the Portuguese border.

Castelo Branco landfill

Last month 31-01-2012 together with Carlos Pacheco, we went to Castelo Branco Landfill, hoping to read some color rings on Gulls and White Storks.
In two days only 8 color rings on Gulls; 1 Black Headed Gull from Denmark and 7 Lesser black Backed Gulls, 1 from Norway, 1 from Germany, 3 from the British Isles, 1 from Belgium and 1 from Holland, unfortunetly no White Storks were ringed in 80 individuals present at the Landfill.

January LWHG at Dafundo

First a few oddities at Dafundo, from the last month...

Could 2nd winter Ylg have such a window panel on wings?? P1 to P4 are pale on both webs, I thought that was a trait of Herrings and Ylg show in the majority of cases only inner paler web, but such a well marked bird on saddle and coverts seems better for Ylg allmost resembling Gbbg pattern. Structure also seems to point out Herring, with heavy belly and not so slender as our lusitanius, but the nominate species from the Mediterranean should allways be considered.

Some graellsii tone scapulars seem to show a large male Lbbg, with some kind of leucism, or even some Gbbg influence, tertials have large white end like marinus but primary projection was to long for the species. It was an heavy built gull, but not hudge.

Not the most usual 1st winter Yllg Larus michahellis at Dafundo, probably a bulky male from de Mediterranean, with moulted  greater, median and lesser coverts.

1st winter Yellow Legged Gull Larus michahellis

2nd winter Yellow legged Gull Larus michahellis

1st winter male Great Black Backed Gull Larus marinus

Trying to digest a conger eel...

Putative Baltic Gull at Dafundo

Today 02.02.2012 one probable Baltic Gull Larus fuscus fuscus was present at Dafundo. It  was a small and longish bird with at least old P9 and P10??? and growing inner primaries.

An allmost stern like jizz, and winter streaked hindneck are also good indicators for Baltic Gull. Unfortunetly it was not ringed, and better photos of primaries are essencial for a correct ID. I will try to relocate this individual again in the next days.....