sub-adult armenicus: March

Flock of armenicus at Maagan Michael, mid March. Picture: Amir Ben Dov.

Amir Ben Dov visited several location in Israel on 23 March 2011; location where you normally find large flocks of gulls. The first place was Acer sea shore, where all adult cachinnans had left to their breeding grounds, and all adult armenicus had left as well. Amir only found about 500 non-adult birds of which most were 2nd CY (80%), and the other 100 birds were 3rd and 4th CY. The adult marinus, which has spent many winters at Acer harbour now, had left as well.

Next stop in the morning of 23 March 2011 was Maagan Michael. The picture here was exactly the same: all adult armenicus left the place to the breeding grounds, and the remaing group of about 800 non-adult armenicus consisted of:
70% 2nd CY,
25% 3rd CY,
5% 4th CY.

In Ramat Gan Safari 100 armenicus were present and the composition of the group was similar to that in Maagan Michael.

In the afternoon, Amir visited Ashdod, which is top location for fuscus. By mid March, the Baltic Gulls are at the peak of migration. Here as well, the adult armenicus and cachinnans left the place, leaving less variation in the group, with the only adult birds present belonging to heuglini and fuscus. Non adult birds were present as well, including many 2nd CY armenicus (most of the immature birds here probably this taxon).

Impression of Ashdod penetration ponds