Gulls in central Russia
(last update: January 2015)
Grzegorz Neubauer (Poland)
Sasha Esergepov (Russia)
Larus cachinnans? 2CY PVUN December 31 2014, Krems, Austria. Picture Wolfgang Schweighofer.
PVUN is another recovery of Greg Neubauer's Russia expedition initiated in 2010. This bird was ringed yellow PVUN, ringed as chick on June 15 2013 at Bolshoye Boloto, Ivanovo Oblast, Russia (56.30'N, 42.15'E). The bird was ringed by Sasha Esergepov.
Wolfgang's comment: "Today I was in Krems and looked for gulls. Really, the first large ones had arrived [after two years without gulls due to mild winters]. The first 2 Caspian rings - from Slowakia - after a long time for me. And then a yellow ring at the end: PVUN - the Russian series again, just at the same place, where Richard spotted the famous PVVS!"
PVUN is a bird in it´s 2nd winter, but definitely doesn't look like pure Caspian as we know it in Europe. Maybe it has some Caspian genes in it, but some features point to Herring Gull: pale eyes, the bill is still overall dark, many of the 2nd generation coverts have a bold patterns (like the row of MC and upper rows of LC) and the head and underparts are dark chequered and with much flecking on the crown and belly.
So far there have been several records of 'Greg birds' which have been photographed as well:
| PVNB 2cy | PVPS 2cy | PVSV 3cy | PVVS 1cy |
below: location of Bolshoye peat lake and scenery.
