Blashford Lake - 5th February

After finishing a bird survey just outside of Totton I decided to head for Blashford Lakes to try for a Thayer's Gull that has been coming to roost on Ibsley Water after being found on 28th January. I was in the Tern Hide by 14:00 and managed to secure a seat before the masses arrived. Over the 2.5 hours I was there the trickle of gulls coming into the roost increased to a constant flow which continued even as I departed. In my time there I saw an adult Ring-billed Gull, at least four adult Yellow-legged Gull, at least five Mediterranean Gull, 1st winter Iceland Gull,  25 Goosander, Black-necked Grebe and a single Bewick's Swan. The highlight was a 1st year Caspian Gull, a British tick for me. But there was no sign of the Thayer's and I had to leave at 16:30, of course, come 17:00 the bird appeared in the roost by which time I was home.

Adult Ring-billed Gull with Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull and Common Gull - Blashford Lakes

1st winter Caspian Gull - Blashford Lake

Cornwall - 16th-18th October

We had a blank weekend so rather than lounging around the house and watching the rugby I pushed for a short jaunt to Cornwall, with only Friday, Saturday and Sunday available this was going to be a weekend where only Saturday was to be spent settled in our cottage. So, we set off on Friday at around 09:00 and by 12:30 we were at South Huish and while Sarah dealt with an overly tired and screaming Tobias on the beach I enjoyed a lovely Isabelline (Daurian) Shrike that had been present since 13th October. The bird showed well feeding on wasps mainly from around Ivy blossom and returned frequently to a telephone wire beside the road where, unfortunately, the bird was back lit and so photography was not the best. The shots below are taken with the Swarovski 85/TLS and Canon 7D2 combo. The top two in subdued, semi-overcast conditions and the final two with the sun shining - notice the apparent change in tone of the bird from cold buff grey buff to a warm ginger grey.

Isabelline (Daurian) Shrike - South Huish, Devon

With Tobias in a grotty mood we headed west, gathered some supplies, popped out for dinner and then relaxed in the cottage for the evening.

On Saturday I was up early and drove the 45 minutes from the cottage to Lands End, it was still dark when I arrived at 7:15 so I stood outside the car and listened to what was moving around in the gloom - small groups of Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, a Redpoll, Redwing, Fieldfare and Pied Wagtail were all audible. Once the light was up I slowly walked the main trail southwards through the Willow, the main target here was a Dusky Warbler that had been present for a couple of days but had always been elusive. I was not particularly confident that I would see this bird as the Willows here are quite impenetrable and i did not know exactly where the bird had been seen. But after a while a distinctive soft tacking was heard and the Dusky Warbler appeared low in the Sallow and Bracken. It was moving around actively but showed very little mostly being tracked by movements in the vegetation and that distinctive, repetitive call which to me sounds slightly synthsized. I only managed to take a single shot of this bird. Also here were a Siberian Chiffchaff, 6 Chiffchaff, Firecrest, 6 Goldcrest and 2 Blackcap. Overhead there was a steady passage of Fieldfare (35) and Redwing (20) plus small numbers of Siskin and at least 50 Chaffinch.

I wandered over to the Lands End complex and fairly quickly came across the juvenile Rose-coloured Starling that has been present with the Starling since 28th September. It was at first with the Starling feeding on grass but then flew into the carpark and then towards Bramble where it fed on the ripe fruit for a while. I heard it call on one occasion, a fairly Starling like churr. I then headed to Kenidjack for a quick walk before heading back to the cottage at Kenidjack there were 3 Chiffchaff and a Siberian Chiffchaff plus a handful if Redwing. It was time to head back to the cottage to collect Sarah and Tobias, we spent the afternoon on Sennen beach where there were 8 Mediterranean Gull and then went to Porthgwarra for a walk where little was seen but for 6 Stonechat.

Dusky Warbler - Lands End

Siberian Chiffchaff - Lands End

Rose-coloured Starling - Lands End

Rose-coloured Starling - Lands End

On Sunday I popped out briefly first thing for the 2nd winter Ring-billed Gull that had been on the Hayle Estuary since January 2015. I quite quickly located the bird distantly near to Leylant Saltings along with a Spoonbill. I didn't have much time so was only able to achieve rather distant views. Also present were 28 Mediterranean Gull, good numbers of the commoner gull species and many Wigeon and Teal, 3 Greenshank and a range of common wader species. It was time to head back to the cottage, load the car and head-off. We stopped for a walk at the beach at Marazion but I spent most of my time chasing Tobias with seaweed and throwing stones into the sea rather than looking for birds!

Ring-billed Gull  2nd winter Hayle Estuary

Walpole Park, Gosport - 17th February

On a glorious spring like day I popped to Merser Way in Romsey to see if I could get any views of the usual wintering Hawfinch flock. I have only heard of up to four this winter but in winter 2012/13 there were up to 40 birds. I wandered around the area of grassland and thorn hedgerows and had to content myself with some rather distant or obscured views and it was not possible to get any photographs so I pulled out as the dog walkers took over.

I then headed to Walpole Park in Gosport to get my annual fix of Ring-billed Gull but whenever I visit the site I ask myself 'why on earth did I come here', still, I had battled through the horrors of Gosport and so may as well settle and have a look at the gull. The Ring-billed Gull was just about the first gull that I set eyes on. It was standing on the edge of the northernmost lagoon looking pretty pleased with itself. An adult Common Gull was loafing around pretty close-by allowing a good comparison to be made.

Adult Ring-billed Gull

Adult Common Gull - Note the diffuse bill mark compared to the well defined ring, darker eyes, more diffuse head spotting, slighter bill and more dove like expression compared to the Ring-billed.

Adult Ring-billed Gull

 Adult Ring-billed Gull. Growth bars can be seen fairly clearly on the mantle feathers in this image. I learned something new, the study of growth rates of feathers by measuring growth bars is called ptilochronology, see interesting paper on the subject here

Ring-billed Gull showing the two small white mirrors on P9 and P10 

making a distinct triangular mark

Adult Ring-billed Gull

Common Gull - Note the darker upper parts and more extensive and better defined tertial crescent

Common Gull - First winter

Black-headed Gull - Just starting to gain its brown summer hood

Black-headed Gull - This bird was the most advanced towards full summer plumage of the 200 or so birds present

A flock of 35 Brent Goose were also present on the grassland between the northern lagoon and the main road and allowed fairly close approach. I am always amazed at the variation in plumage shown by these birds with seemingly no two being the same, I find it very difficult to be able to claim hybrids between this and that race and not really sure how one could be confident of an out of range 'Grey-bellied Brent' - but maybe thats just me.

Brent Goose - Adult birds with fairly well marked necklaces and contrasting belly and flanks

Brent Goose - 1st winter birds, rather brown looking with whitish edges to the coverts

Brent Goose - Adult with more uniform underparts

Brent Goose - 1st winter with very well marked necklace

Brent Goose - 1st winter, a very dull bird with brown body, white covert fringes 

worn away and no noticeable necklace 

Brent Goose - A fairly pale bellied bird

Brent Goose - Head study

After an hour or so at the park it was time to head off to my bird survey and as I did some of the Brent took flight and headed northwards inland to feed on one of the many playing fields in the Gosport area.

A Trip to the 'Lovely' Walpole Lake - 4th March 2014

I had a winter bird survey to carry out today near to Stubbington so I could not resist a short diversion to see the Ring-billed Gull that has wintered at Walpole Lake, Gosport since November 2003. Why it chose Walpole Lake I will never know! The bird showed well amongst the assembled gulls (Black-headed, Herring and Common Gull), Mute Swans and Feral Pigeons loitering waiting to be tossed bread. Having last seen this bird in 2009 I have to say I felt that the bird is looking a little aged why this was I cannot quite put my finger on but there was a certain crusty look to the bird. In 2003 this bird was found as an adult making it at least 15 years old. A quick Google search indicates that they can live up to 23 years but that three to 10 years is a typical lifespan. How many more years will this bird return?

Adult Ring-billed Gull (Simon Colenutt)

Adult Ring-billed Gull (Simon Colenutt)

Adult Common Gull (Simon Colenutt). 

Note this birds daintier bill lacking the defined ring, dark eye, large white mirrors in the wing-tip and darker upper parts which help to distinguish it from Ring Billed Gull.

First winter Herring Gull (Simon Colenutt)