Hi Mike,
No, this is not an incredible way to argue because it wasn't intended to be an
experiment using the Broome gull as a 'control'. I was just wondering if the NW
India birds, in turn, can be used as a valid 'control' for the Broome bird.
There has been a long discussion about these birds in India and apparently it
still has not been resolved which taxa winter in NW India. So, yes, the Indian
birds could be heuglini OR taimyrensis.
To the Broome bird: It still doesn't look like a perfect L. f. fuscus to me for
the reasons I discussed in previous mails. I know that some people favour L. f.
fuscus, but to my knowledge a number of people besides me have made the case
for L. f./h. heuglini, too. I agree that the bird is too dark for taimyrensis,
which I suggested based on iris colour and bill shape. I am interested in the
identification of this bird and contributed to it to my best knowledge.
BTW in case the bird will be proven to be a L. f. fuscus, I won't be
embarrassed at all.
Nikolas
----------------
Nikolas Haass
Sydney, NSW
________________________________
From: Mike Carter <>
To: Nikolas Haass <>; Tony Palliser <>;
Cc: 'George Swann of Kimberley Birdwatching'
<>; 'Rohan Clarke'
<>; 'Danny Rogers' <>; 'Tony
Palliser' <>; 'Jim Allen' <>
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2013 9:59 PM
Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Lesser Black-backed Gull at Broome tip
Nikolas, what an incredible way to argue? It
seems that you are saying that because you say that the Broome bird
is heuglini that is what it is and any evidence leading to a
contrary conclusion must be false. Surely the logical conclusion is that
the Indian birds are paler than the Broome bird because they are heuglini as
would be expected at that site whereas the Broome bird is fuscus as the
colour and other factors suggest.
Mike Carter
30 Canadian Bay Road
Mount Eliza VIC
3930
Tel (03) 9787 7136
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