Despite the wind, I decided to got to Blackbrough End tip on Monday to have a look for some gulls. As I arrived, there was a group of mainly large gulls loafing around on the edge of the water. A quick scan through found nothing of note until a few more dropped in. The 2nd scan revealed this corking 1st winter Caspian gull. I managed to get a few shots before a buzzard flushed everything.
After about an hour, they started to dump some new rubbish on the edge of the tip and this attracted back a load of the large gulls that had buggered off earlier. As they settled on the side of the tip, this bird stood out from the crowd. Eventually they were flushed and came down to the water to bathe. In the strong wind and through a fence it wasn't easy to get many shots. The question to anyone out there is...what species is it. I am no expert but it looks different to the herring gulls but I can't seem to make Caspian or yellow-legged fit - can anyone help?
(middle of the flock shot below the black-headed gull)
A fly-over green sandpiper was a surprise for this time of year.
Did it really have a dark eye or does it just 'look' dark in the image. Looks like a slightly odd gull. Legs don't look lanky enough, bill too yellow and general shape looks wrong for casp but that small dark eye could be a pro feature.
ReplyDeleteThe p10, which I think is just visible on the final picture would be suggestive of Herring gull as there is quite a lot of white at the tip.
Saying all that I agree with what you have said- it doesn't quite fit anything well, I dont think its caspian though. I wouldn't be surprised if it were a female 3rd winter YLG in the end. just a hunch though due to shape/bulkiness and general appearence.
ramble over- (put it on bf id for a better answer!)