mededelingen grael/sii. Judging from field observations of large and dark Common Gulls, measurements of trapped birds and museum skins, and from recoveries within the breeding range of L c heinei of birds wintering in Belgium, the FRG and the Netherlands, Common Gulls of this subspecies regularly reach central and western Europe. More studies are needed to reveal the true frequency of these occurrences.
verwijzingen Anonymus, 1985. Opmerkelijke ornithologische meldingen. Wielewaal 51 : 147-148. Devillers, P 1982. Larus canus heinei en Belgique. Giervalk 72: 107-110. Glutz von Blotzheim, U N & Bauer, K M 1982. Handbuch der Vögel Mitteleuropas 8. Wiesbaden. Kuschert, H 1983. Östliche Formen der Sturmmöwe (Larus canus ssp) als Wintergäste in Norddeutschland . Vogelwarte 32: 1-6. OSborn, K 1985. Possible Eastern Common Gull on Fair Isle. Br Birds 78: 454. Scharringa, C J G & Winkelman, J E 1986. Zeldzame en schaarse vogels in Nederland in 1984. Limosa 59: 119-126. Speek, B J & Speek, G 1984. Thieme's vogeltrekatlas. Zutphen .
Geert Groot Koerkamp, Oosterwechelseweg 14, 7433 CP Schalkhaar
Caspian Tern with bright red legs On 22 September 1987, along the Digue à la Mer, Camargue, Bouches-du-Rhöne, France, I observed a Caspian Tern Sterna caspia with bright red legs. The tern was in adult plumage, showing a red bill with a sm all yellowish tip. It was accompanied by 14 other Caspian Terns with normally coloured black legs. All were wearing an aluminum ring on the right tarsus. Visiting the same place on 23-25 September, I was unable to relocate the bird although at least 10 Caspian Terns were present every day. The literature does not mention the occurrence of red legs in Caspian Tern. Roland Staav (in litt) who has studied breeding Caspian Terns in Swedish colonies for over 10 years, has only once seen a bird with red tarsi. This bird which had been ringed as a chick on Stenarna, Uppland, Sweden, in 1972, was observed at Dannskären, Östergötland, on 20 June 1977. It had a white colour ring on its left tarsus. The bird was paired with a black-Iegged individuai, and they had two chicks. There is also a report of a juvenile Caspian Tern with orange legs in the Netherlands. The bird, accompanied by an adult, was seen on the beach in between Katwijk aan Zee and Noordwijk, Zuidholland, on 22 September 1957 (ten Kate 1959). Typically, juvenile Caspian Terns have brownish legs.1 would like to thank Trinus Haitjema, Gerald Oreel and Roland Staav for supplying information. reference ten Kate, C G B 1959. Ornithologie van Nederland, 1956-11 en 1957. Limosa 32: 37-69.
Gerard W M van Aalst, De Sikkel 4, 5384 HS Heesch 27