'cachinn' a caspo

Two Caspian Gulls Larus cachinnans amongst a nice late-summer party of loafing gulls in Beds yesterday. We don't see many of these things in summer, so they are always an education. Interestingly, the most common age we find during July and August is second-summer>third-winter (just like the bottom bird above).

Both birds are moulting their primaries quite heavily, which is a nice pointer towards Caspo this time of year.