Taimyr Gulls 2CY March 25th

I checked out the gulls on the beach in Tsu city on March 22 and found enough of interest to go back mid-week. I had after all seen both Mongolian and Glaucous Gulls neither of which are regular in the region, particularly the latter. On all three dates (including 25th-26th) there were good numbers of Taimyr Gull present.

When ever I visit this area in winter gulls are quite mobile along the beach, present in most places I stop over several kilometres and often too distant to identify on off-shore sand bars further south in Matsusaka which makes estimating numbers difficult. However there were at least 40 adult Taimyr on just the Tsu beach and at least 10 first winters.

I don't want to post too many images in one block so with those here I simply want to give a feel of how these birds look in a group. In a follow up I'll post closer shots of a number of these individuals to give an idea of plumage variation within a typical group.

When there are enough of them, young Taimyr Gulls tend to group together more readily than same age Vegas.

Three Taimyr and a first winter Vega in the background. 

With adult Taimyr.