1 cy Yellow-legged Gulls Larus michahellis: a sample of July birds from NE Spain

This post shows a sample of 1 cy michahellis, all photographed on the beach at Roses (a small resort near Girona, Catalonia, NE Spain) on the same day. They nicely illustrate variation in the plumage and structure of michahellis at this time (25 July, 2010). In another month when wear and moult have set in, these birds will be very easy to identify; but on this date many are, in my opinion, rather difficult to seperate from some Herring and some Lesser Black-backed Gulls. The post which follows shows the same sample of birds in flight.

In some ways this bird is a little reminiscent of cachinnans (it is rather gangly and has very simply patterned greater covs)

Note how weak-billed some young 1 cys can be.

Very simple fringes on all feathers, including gtr covs.

A bird with extensively pale feather patterns

1 cy Yellow-legged Gulls, Roses, Catalonia, Spain: birds in flight

Here are flight photos of the same birds at Roses (all taken 25 July 2010). The aim is to illustrate variability in the feather patterns on the tail, inner primaries and underwing.

Livingston's footsteps - travels along the Zambezi river

Work took me to Zambia for 10 days in early June. The trip was part of a joint project between Aberdeen and Glasgow Universities in the UK and various Zambian conservation agencies. The aim is to assess the ecological integrity of Zambian rivers and develop a rapid appraisal sampling framework that can be used in future monitoring. Thus, we spent our time sampling invertebrates, macrophytes and collecting water samples for chemical analysis. These are some of my photos from the trip; all were taken in the Zambezi catchment in and around Lower Zambezi National Park. Above is a sunrise over the Zambezi.
One of our sampling sites - a fantastic sand bed river on the edge of the National Park

Crocodiles limited sampling in some areas!

African Open-billed Stork

Hippos were numerous along the mainstem of the Zambezi.

Bateleur Eagle

Waterbuck

These wonderful animals need no introduction

Southern Boubou

White-fronted Bee-eater.

Another White-fronted Bee-eater; these nested commonly along the river banks.

Little work has been done on Odonates in Zambia; this is probably Trithemis annulata (Violet Dropwing)

Unidentified, but possibly Palpopleura lucia or a related species.