First-winter Caspian Gull Influx

So far this month I have seen at least eight different first-winter Caspian Gulls at Shawell. It is interesting that Caspian Gulls seem to arrive in small groups of the same age. Below are a selection of the first-winters I've seen. Only one has moulted many of its coverts. In Bucharest the majority were further advanced with their covert moult than the ones I'm seeing at Shawell. The brown closed wing formed by the solid brown coverts makes these first-winters distinctive.

I still wonder whether the increased number of Caspian Gulls I'm now seeing is a result of a real increase or whether I'm just better at picking them out nowadays?