A Short Video of Gulls at Shawell, Leicestershire

January 24, 2014, 1:55 pm

≫ Next: Update on the Med Gulls at Radipole Lake, Weymouth

≪ Previous: Siberian Chiffchaffs, Burton Marsh, Cheshire

Often in difficult conditions, poor light and wind, it is better to take video footage rather than still images. Also video can improve the quality of the imagery of distant birds. Last weekend I used the video feature on my camera to record the 'white-winged' gulls and also a second-winter Caspian Gull at Shawell. The video is achieved by mounting the camera to my scope and I think you'll agree that the quality is very good considering it isn't a true camera lens.

The video below has a few seconds of violence that should be rated 18, so luck away if your offended by brutality - eat your heart out Quentin Tarantino.

Best enjoyed by clicking on the YouTube logo.

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Update on the Med Gulls at Radipole Lake, Weymouth

January 29, 2014, 12:32 pm

≫ Next: A Quiet Time

≪ Previous: A Short Video of Gulls at Shawell, Leicestershire

After watching the Brunnich's Guillemot in Portland Harbour during December, Dave Gray, Colin Green, John Waters and I spent some time in the Radipole Lake car park photographing Med Gulls and also reading colour-rings on three of them.

First-winter Mediterranean Gull, Radipole Lake

I have just received the information back on the colour-ringed gulls and it is quite interesting:

White E425 was the least widely travelled since it was ringed as a chick near Antwerp, Belgium on 12/06/2010. It has wintered at Radipole Lake during 2010, 11 and 13. It was most likely there during 2012 also, but not recorded.

White 3P73 was ringed as a chick near Esbjerg, Denmark on 15/06/2007. It was on Pionierinsel Island, GERMANY on 23/05/2009 and during September of the same year it visited Belvide Reservoir, Staffs. It wasn't seen again until we spotted it in Weymouth on 27/12/2013 and it was still present there on 03/01/2014.

Green 542 was ringed as a chick at Pas-de-Calais, France on 17/06/2008. It was in Ayrshire, Scotland on 15/10/2008, Belgium on 12/06/2010; Netherlands on 08/11/2011 and Gormanston Beach, Meath, IRELAND on 03/08/2012. We spotted it at Radipole Lake on 27/12/2013 and it was still there on 12/01/2014.

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A Quiet Time

February 9, 2014, 12:31 am

≫ Next: Ring-billed Gull, Walpole Park - Take Two

≪ Previous: Update on the Med Gulls at Radipole Lake, Weymouth

Things have been a little quiet for me over the last couple of weeks. I tried a local site that looked like it might attract a Siberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita tristis.So far I've not located a Siberian one, but there are at least two ordinary Chiffchaffs wintering at the site and also a male and female Blackcap. I've also seen a Green Sandpiper there, so the site looks like it will be worth further attention.

Female Blackcap

Gulling at Shawell has been a bit slow, since the day of the 'white-wingers'. Just one Caspian Gull plus a Casp hybrid in three visits. Iceland and Glaucous Gull numbers appear to have dropped off in the Midlands at present, but hopefully they'll be back in March, as this is usually the peak time for them. Lesser Black-backed Gull numbers are increasing at the moment and as a result I've managed to read a few colour-rings. Amongst the small number of LBBG that have over-wintered are a couple of colour-ringed birds. J20T a Norwegian ringed LBBG has been present since November 2013 and I also recorded it in February 2013. Belgian ringed LBBG 7F Appeared in early December and was still present yesterday.

J20T

7F (white ring with code 7F is on the left leg)

In addition to these gulls, I read the colour-ring on a third-winter Great Black-backed Gull, which was ringed in Norway as a chick.

Great Black-backed Gull JP155

As I said, gulling has been hard work, as many of them are choosing to fly to flooded areas that are difficult to view, so I ended up entertaining myself digiscoping the moon.

Digiscoped Moon Shot

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Ring-billed Gull, Walpole Park - Take Two

February 19, 2014, 11:08 am

≫ Next: A Visitor From Finland

≪ Previous: A Quiet Time

Last February I volunteered to drive down to Fareham to pick up some important bits for work and I also took time out to see the nearby wintering Ring-billed Gull. The job needed doing again today, so I stepped forward once more.

The RBG had returned to Walpole Park, Gosport again and although it wasn't quite so happy to pose this time, I still got some reasonable images. The light wasn't great for flight shots, so I might just have to volunteer again next year!

Ring-billed Gull

Last year's trip down to Fareham - Ring-billed Gull

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A Visitor From Finland

February 22, 2014, 11:48 am

≫ Next: Kumlien's Gulls etc

≪ Previous: Ring-billed Gull, Walpole Park - Take Two

At Shawell the light was just beginning to fade when I noticed a Herring Gull with a yellow colour ring. The day had been a good one, as I'd already read 16 colour rings. I couldn't make out the code, so I fitted my camera and switched to live view and zoomed in. This doesn't work that well most of the time, but in between gusts of wind the image focused and the code C02CN was read.

Herring Gull C02CN

Checking the colour ringing website, I found just one scheme that appeared to fit and that one was based in Finland. I emailed the Ringing Centre at the Finnish Museum of Natural History and the next day I received a reply confirming that it had been ringed as a breeding female in 2007 - see map below for location.

As well as this bird I saw three Lesser Black-backed Gulls that had been ringed in Norway and also two from the Netherlands. Another highlight was a Great Black-backed Gull that was ringed in Gloucestershire, but was seen in Norway last summer.

Norwegian Ringed LBB Gull - JJ4G

Norwegian Ringed LBB Gull JV9E

English Ringed LBB Gull 4C1B (East Anglia Gull Group)

English Ringed LBB Gull - ACH (Severn Estuary Gull Group)

A Leucistic Black-headed Gull was also present, which I've seen before and it always provides a few seconds of excitement.

Leucistic Black-headed Gull

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Kumlien's Gulls etc

March 1, 2014, 2:26 pm

≫ Next: Moray & Nairn

≪ Previous: A Visitor From Finland

I normally spend my February trip to Aviemore playing in the snow, but gale force winds and white outs limited my outings into the Cairngorms to just two.

On the non-mountain days I spent my time birding. The coast between Nairn and Burghead provided some of the highlights, but trips to Gairloch, Gruinard Bay, Thurso and Scrabster were also memorable.

Gulls, surprise surprise, provided lots of entertainment. The list included a Bonaparte's, two Glaucous, two Kumlien's and five Iceland Gulls. The other highlights of the trip will feature in future postings.

The first Iceland Gull I saw was at a pig farm near Elgin. An adult was resting in a field close to the pig farm and for a while I thought I'd got a juvenile Kumlien's Gull, but on close inspection I realised it was a partially leucistic Herring Gull. It showed pale buff markings on the longest primaries, but structurally it was not right although at least it was educational.

At Gairloch I visited the outflow of the Kerry River where two juvenile Iceland Gulls had been reported. Three maybe four juveniles were there and involved in a feeding frenzy near the end of a pipe. I'm not sure if it was sewage or just the outflow from the fish farm.

Thurso and Scrabster provided real entertainment. On arrival at Thurso I found the regular Bonaparte's Gull roosting on an island in the river, but the light was really poor, so photography proved difficult. At Scrabster juvenile Kumlien's and Iceland Gulls showed well and posed for photographs. The first 'white winger' that put in an appearance was what I considered to be an Iceland Gull. It was much paler and the longest primaries were clean white. Once the Kumlien's Gull put in appearance there was no mistaking it.

Juvenile Kumlien's Gull

Juvenile Iceland Gull

After the excitement at Scrabster, I returned to Thurso. The Bonaparte's Gull had disappeared but what greeted me was every bit as good. Resting amongst the gulls on the riverbank was, what in the bright sunlight, appeared to be an Iceland Gull. I moved places, so I wasn't looking into the sun and quickly realised it was a Kumlien's Gull - get in there! I also realised that the gull next to it was juvenile Glaucous Gull.

In the photo below you can see the grey wash to the longest primaries. Initially I thought it was a third-winter because of the amount of grey on the mantle and scapulars, but Kumlien's second-winters are often said to show grey saddles. The actual grey wash was very obvious when viewed through my scope, I believe more so than in the photograph. The eyes were dark, which is a good feature, as many Iceland Gulls at this age have paler eyes. The flock of gulls were disturbed by a car alarm (to be honest I was disturbed by it as well). As they wheeled around I got back onto the Kumlien's, and from my position higher up on the river bank I saw the upperwing and the grey wash was most obvious on the outer primaries and the inner primaries appeared paler. I also noticed that the tail band was quite distinctive.

Second-winter Kumlien's Gull

Glaucous Gull

Bonaparte's Gull

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Moray & Nairn

March 2, 2014, 12:04 am

≫ Next: Playing in the Snow

≪ Previous: Kumlien's Gulls etc

Blue Skies, calm seas and spectacular birds - what more do you need?

At Burghead, last week, a Great Northern Diver was fishing inside the harbour, Long-tailed Ducks dazzled and Eiders 'ah-ooed'.

Confiding Purple Sandpipers and a flock of Pale-bellied Brent Geese graced the shores near the Nairn golf course and offshore divers and sea duck beguiled.

Male Long-tailed Duck

Immature Male Long-tailed Duck

Great Northern Diver

Eiders

Female Eider

Male Eider

Pale Bellied Brent Geese

Pale Bellied Brent Goose

Purple Sandpiper

Purple Sandpipers

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Playing in the Snow

March 2, 2014, 12:30 pm

≫ Next: Mussel-Pecker

≪ Previous: Moray & Nairn

Looking up from the comfort of my armchair I could just make out the lower slopes of the Cairngorm Mountains, but the summits were still hidden from view. The rattle of the tiles above told me that I would have to wait a while longer before setting off on my adventure.

The forecast looked good for Friday, so I cut my pieces of freeze proof cake, donned my multiple layers, fastened my boots and checked once more that I had all my safety equipment.

The plan was to slog my way up the steep ridge that arrives on the Cairngorm plateau below the summit of Cairngorm. The sun was out as I set off, but the wind was fierce. Crampons were soon needed, as the combination of slippery ice and strong wind threatened to dump me on my arse.

As I neared the plateau the visibility had reduced dramatically, but I was feeling strong and the summit of Cairngorm called. It was now time for goggles and my trusty balaclava.

Though it was very cold, the conditions were fantastic on the summit, but where was the weather station?

Cairngorm Weather Station 2014

Below is the same view, but in February 2012:

Cairngorm Weather Station February 2012

Eventually after a drink and a piece of fruit cake, I set off to do the Northern Corries route. The visibility once again deteriorated as height was lost. At times it was difficult to see anything. My navigation was good except for one occasion when the edge of Corrie an Lochain loomed large right in front of me. The cliff edge is quite jagged and real care has to be taken to avoid walking off the plateau in poor visibility - an 800 foot drop awaits the unwary.

Drifting snow and strong wind slowed my progress. It would have been easier to have done the route in an anti-clockwise direction and have the wind at my back. However, I do like to enjoy the weather! Plumes of snow spiralled across the plateau twisting this way and that.

Not once did I hear a Ptarmigan call. There is a saying that when Ptarmigan go down the hill, humans should follow.

I Wasn't Alone (this was one of the better moments on the plateau)

Reaching the Corrie I found a little bit of shelter from the wind, but this is also a dangerous place with lots of terrain traps. I found myself walking across a frozen lochan. I only realised this when I noticed a large crack in the snow. Peering through the crack, I could see I was walking on a layer of frozen snow held aloft above the frozen surface of a lochan (small lake). A hollow tomb lay in wait below me, so I carefully re-traced my steps and headed away from the danger. The main lochan was completely buried in snow. normally you can see blue ice just below a thin layer of snow.

At last I found some Ptarmigan - a female and three males hunkered down against the wind.

Male Ptarmigan

Looking Back Towards Corrie an Lochain

Quite a contrast to the previous days gulling, but both require dedication and just a little craziness.

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Mussel-Pecker

March 7, 2014, 12:31 pm

≫ Next: Germany to Senegal Via Shawell

≪ Previous: Playing in the Snow

Whilst I was birding the coast around Nairn last week I spoke to a wonderful Scottish lady who told me about the Mussel-Peckers. Initially I struggled to understand as she had a really broad Scottish accent, but eventually I worked out that she had said Mussel-Peckers. Shortly afterwards the penny dropped and I realised she was talking about Oystercatchers.

Mussel-Pecker was a new name to me and it put a smile on my face as I realised that I would be using this name regularly now.

A Couple of Mussel-Peckers

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Germany to Senegal Via Shawell

March 8, 2014, 11:42 am

≫ Next: Back to Shawell

≪ Previous: Mussel-Pecker

On July 24th 2013 I spotted a Lesser Black-backed Gull at Shawell with an orange ring and the code PB4.T. It had been ringed at Rainham Tip, Greater London on August 29th 2009. Late spring records from Helgoland, Germany suggest it breeds in that area.

In January this year John Wright from Rutland visited Senegal searching for Ospreys from the Rutland Water Osprey Project. As well as finding lots of Ospreys he also saw quite a few Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Amongst them, you've guessed it, was PB4.T. Quite a coincidence really and the saying 'it's a small world' fits these sightings well.

This is the furthest south a LBB Gull recorded in Leicestershire & Rutland has migrated.

John saw PB4.T at Tiougoune, Senegal, which is between Dakar and Saint Louis.

Thanks to John for allowing me to show you his splendid illustration.

Lesser Black-backed Gull PB4.T (illustration by John Wright)

Sightings so far for PB4.T

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Back to Shawell

March 8, 2014, 12:27 pm

≫ Next: A Close Look at Purple Sandpiper

≪ Previous: Germany to Senegal Via Shawell

It's back to Shawell now, but the memory of Scottish harbours full of 'white-wingers' is still fresh in my mind (not quite full, but it sounds good). I expected to find at least one 'white-winger' at Shawell but no such luck. I've had to be satisfied with encounters in the murky world of Caspian Gulls, plus a small influx of Yellow-legged Gulls. At least ten different Yellow-legged Gulls have been present this week.

The Caspian Gull below shows a good set of features, Long sickly flesh coloured legs; long parallel sided dingy yellow bill (dark marks on bill suggest immaturity); dark forward set eyes; small headed; long winged and the pattern of black and white on the underside of the longest primary feather (P10) is typical of a sub-adult Caspian Gull. The black subterminal mark on the bill and the upper wing pattern appeared slightly immature, so it is probably a 5th calendar year bird.

The shape of gulls can alter in a split second. One minute this Caspian Gull looked elegant and small headed and the next it could look hunched and larger headed.

Sub-adult Caspian Gull

Sub-adult Caspian Gull - note pattern on underside of longest primary feather

As well as the one above, I saw a first and second-winter plus a hybrid Caspian x Herring Gull. The first-winter was a female and really dainty.

First-winter Female Caspian Gull

Hybrid Caspian x Herring Gull

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A Close Look at Purple Sandpiper

March 9, 2014, 3:07 pm

≫ Next: The Peregrinations of M.CAV

≪ Previous: Back to Shawell

During my recent holiday, I was lucky enough to spend time photographing a small flock of Purple Sandpipers. The light was fantastic, but at times a bit too bright (never happy). Anyway reviewing the images later on I noticed that many of the feathers have a purple sheen to them. This is rarely seen apparently and it is this purple sheen that gives the species its name.

If this is true that it is rarely seen then whoever named it had really good eyes or perhaps they shot one and looked at it in bright sunlight?

Photographs often reveal things that are not obvious when watching a fast moving bird.

Purple Sandpiper, Nairn

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The Peregrinations of M.CAV

March 14, 2014, 2:07 pm

≫ Next: Pure Ice

≪ Previous: A Close Look at Purple Sandpiper

I recently spotted a Lesser black-backed Gull at Shawell A5 Lagoons in Leicestershire. It sported a green colour ring with the code M.ACV. This gull has been fitted with a data recorder, which uses GPS technology to record its movements. The data recorder has small solar panels to charge its batteries. The data is downloaded when the gull is within 5km of the base station in the Netherlands. In order to see the map showing its recent visit to Shawell I will have to wait until it goes back to the colony where it breeds.

Kees Camphuysen has kindly provided me with the google map, which allows you to look at its winter movements on a daily basis. During the winter of 2011/12 it visited Cotesbach Landfill site and presumably Shawell A5 Lagoons, but in 2012/13 it only got close, but appeared to stay on the Warwickshire side of the A5. With this mapping you can see where it rested on a factory roof in Daventry and that it visited a field near Huncote and also Cadeby. It also stopped off in Leicester.

This Gull has also been seen by Steve Lister at Albion landfill site near Albert Village Lake, Leicestershire.

The first map reveals all of its travels in winter 2011/12:

The next map shows both Shawell A5 lagoons and the nearby landfill site and also Draycote Water where it obviously roosted on many occasions (Draycote Water is down towards the bottom left hand corner):

The final map shows its visits to Cotesbach landfill site:

In summer they can record its whereabouts every 3 seconds if need be and that reveals some really interesting stuff. Amazingly it nips over to England quite frequently and it has been clocked flying back across the North Sea at speeds of up to 75 Kph.

MACV

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Pure Ice

March 15, 2014, 2:35 pm

≫ Next: A Good Weekend

≪ Previous: The Peregrinations of M.CAV

March is a good time for 'white-winged' Gulls at Shawell A5 lagoons, but so far this March I had come away empty handed after each visit. That all changed today when this little beauty arrived.

Adult Iceland Gull

This full adult was present for about an hour around lunchtime, although it spent much of its time sleeping. The light was very harsh, but my digiscoping rig allowed me to get the all important record shots.

Just prior to spotting the adult Iceland Gull, I found a splendid adult Mediterranean Gull. I've have only found three Med Gulls at the site in three years, so I was wondering if I'd been missing them. I spotted this one without difficulty in amongst the swarms of Black-headed Gulls. From my own experience I believe the reason I don't see many is because they are scarce visitors to the area.

Adult Mediterranean Gull

As well as the 'white-wingers', a second-winter Caspian Gull put in a couple of appearances. Also three yellow-legged Gulls came in: an adult plus a first and second-winter.

First-winter Yellow-legged Gull

The first-winter Yellow-legged Gull was a beauty. Large pale head with a mask around the eyes and a chunky black bill. The saddle was pale grey with distinct anchor marks. The coverts contrasted with the saddle nicely being dark brown. The tertials were almost black with fine pale fringes. Compare to the Great Black-backed Gull to its right.

Related posts:

keep Searching

Kumlien's Gulls etc

Iceland Gulls

White Wingers at Shawell

Glaucous and Iceland Gulls

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A Good Weekend

March 24, 2014, 1:04 pm

≫ Next: Reward for Putting in the Time

≪ Previous: Pure Ice

Plenty of sunshine and some good birds - can't be bad!

Some of my time on Saturday was spent gulling at Shawell and Sunday morning I shared my time between looking for Corn Buntings in the west of Leicestershire, doing the my bit of the 'winter thrush survey' and starting to look at the Peregrine survey.

I found five singing Corn Buntings at the regular sites and also a few pairs of Grey Partridges and a single male Wheatear. The large arable fields prove quite popular with Wheatears at this time of year as the crops are quite short allowing them access to the soil to look for food.

I only managed to get a record shot of one of the Corn Buntings. Unfortunately I didn't find one that would let me approach closely in my car. A few years back I was able to drive up close to a singing male, but that one no longer appears to be in the area. In fact I can no longer find any near Orton-on-the-Hill these days.

Corn Bunting

A Pair of Grey Partridge

At Shawell, on Saturday, the gulls were playing hard to get, but just before lunchtime they appeared on mass. Several thousand pitched down on the lagoons, which was quite a sight. No 'white-wingers' this weekend, but there was one very sleepy second-winter Caspian Gull. The bugger woke up while I was dozing off and ran to the top of the bank. Once I woke up and relocated it, it posed just long enough for a quick photo before disappearing over the bank.

Sleepy Caspian Gull

Second-winter Caspian Gull - the one with the nice long legs at the back

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Reward for Putting in the Time

March 30, 2014, 2:16 pm

≫ Next: More Fun at Shawell

≪ Previous: A Good Weekend

As you know, I've put in my time at Shawell A5 Lagoons and today I got some reward for my efforts.

I had been a good boy this morning so it was off to Shawell again for the afternoon. I was hoping to see five more colour-ringed gulls to bring my total for the site to 300. On arrival there was a couple of hundred gulls loafing about, but a Common Buzzard flushed them and they all flew off towards the nearby landfill site.

As there was only about half-a-dozen Common Gulls resting on the shoreline to my left I decided to eat my sandwiches. Suddenly they were all in flight right in front of me. Amongst them was a gull that appeared fractionally larger with longer wings. The Common Gulls were harassing it and as they chased it around I noticed that it was similar looking to the Common Gulls but slightly paler. It landed on the water and so I quickly got it in my scope. As soon as I saw it in the scope I was sure that it was a second year Ring-billed Gull.

The thing that struck me most from the view of it on the water was its strong looking bill that was pink based with a really distinctive black tip – somewhat similar to a juvenile Glaucous Gull. In my view I also had a same aged Common Gull and their bills were clearly different, as was the shade of grey on the saddle: the Common Gull being slightly darker.

Before I had chance to check out the rest of its plumage things kicked off again and the Common Gulls attacked it once more. Fortunately it came back down on the water. This time I was able to check the features again and I also saw that the greater coverts were similar coloured to the mantle. I had just enough time to check out the features that would rule out the possibility of it being a Herring Gull. It was smaller rounder headed and friendlier looking than a Herring Gull and it was also clearly smaller than even the tiniest female Herring Gull. The coverts also didn’t match those of a second or third-winter Herring Gull either.

All too quickly, as I hadn’t had a chance to photograph it, the Common Gulls attacked it again and this time they drove it away to the east and away from the lagoons. I lost it behind the bank between the two lagoons and despite rushing up to the other lagoon I didn’t see it again. As it flew away being chased by the Common Gulls I was able to compare the the wing and tails patterns.

Sadly it was over a bit too quick for my liking, as I pride myself on getting a record shot of the birds I find. Hopefully the records committee will realise that it was impossible to get a photo this time. Of course the record is subject to approval by the LROS records committee, but I'm happy with my Identification.

Below are some of my photos of other Ring-billed Gulls that were not hassled by Common Gulls:

First-summer Ring-billed Gull

Second-winter Ring-billed Gull

Adult Ring-billed Gull

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More Fun at Shawell

March 31, 2014, 1:23 pm

≫ Next: Adult Mediterranean Gull

≪ Previous: Reward for Putting in the Time

Over the weekend I visited Shawell twice. You may already have read my previous posting, so I won't go on about Sunday's adventures. A greater number of gulls were present at Shawell A5 lagoons on Saturday, the most numerous were Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Amongst them were a few gems. A couple of third calendar year Caspian Gulls provided much of the entertainment and two Yellow-legged Gulls were also paying a visit.

Third Calendar Year Caspian Gull

Fourth Calender Year Yellow-legged Gull

A pale winged gull was there during the afternoon. The initial excitement was short lived as this bird wasn't quite right. Its primaries were pale brown and the pattern on the coverts wasn't quite right for any of the real white-wingers. I have considered leucistic Herring Gull or Great Black-backed Gull, hybrid Glaucous x Herring Gull and maybe even a bit of Glaucous-winged Gull in the mix. The chaps at Draycote have seen it there and thought it was a leucistic Herring Gull, but structurally I didn't think it was quite right for a Herring Gull. It was pretty bulky with a large bill, but of course some Herring Gulls match those statistics - comments welcomed.

Mystery Gull

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Adult Mediterranean Gull

April 5, 2014, 2:06 pm

≫ Next: Glossy Ibis at Hicks Lodge

≪ Previous: More Fun at Shawell

I had a quick walk around Croft Hill and Quarry this morning. The exercise was good but the much hoped for migrants were in short supply. A singing Blackcap showed well as did a Willow Warbler, but other than that it was quiet.

Colour-ringed gulls at Shawell were next on the agenda, as I still needed two more to bring my total to 300 different colour-ringed gulls at the site (more on that later).

Lots of gulls were in the area, but they were not visiting the A5 lagoons in large numbers.

Amongst a group of Common Gulls was a splendid adult Mediterranean Gull. It stayed only for a short time, but long enough for Steve Nicholls to arrive and get good views of it. The images below were taken using a DSLR camera attached to my scope - not easy as the camera isn't able to auto focus.

Adult Mediterranean Gull

Mediterranean Gull with Lesser Black-backed Gull

A second-calender year Caspian Gull appeared on the shore amongst a gathering of 102 Common Gulls. Again it didn't stay long, but it did at least have a wander about on the shore showing off its nice long legs. At this time of year the first-winter birds are less distinctive as the feathers have faded and so the four colour effect is less obvious - white head, grey saddle, brownish coverts and tertials plus black primaries.

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Glossy Ibis at Hicks Lodge

April 8, 2014, 1:44 pm

≫ Next: Pied-billed Grebe

≪ Previous: Adult Mediterranean Gull

Having previously missed the Glossy Ibis at Rutland Water , I was excited to learn of another one and this time in Leicestershire rather than Rutland.

I left work just before 5 o'clock, casually eat my tea at home and then drove to Hicks Lodge. Luckily the Glossy Ibis was still present, although a little distant. Below is a poor quality screen grab from a short bit of video I managed to record. As well as the ibis, we spotted a Little Ringed Plover with quite a few white feathers on its wings and mantle. The white feathers didn't stop the other bird displaying to it however.

Just before 7 o'clock the ibis took off without warning and flew off in a north-easterly direction eventually being lost to view.

Second Year Glossy Ibis, Hicks Lodge, Leicestershire

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Pied-billed Grebe

April 11, 2014, 1:14 pm

≫ Next: More on Lesser Black-backed Gull MCAV

≪ Previous: Glossy Ibis at Hicks Lodge

After dashing off to see the Glossy Ibis the other night, it felt rude not to go for the Pied-billed Grebe at Rutland Water. Having seen a few Pied-billed Grebes in the past it took me a while to get into twitching mode, but once I did I was off like a Greyhound. Well like a snail would be more accurate, because someone blocked Rutland Water to me by putting Leicester in the way. It is always frustrating how long it takes to cross Leicester.

I got to see it yesterday morning and luckily it was one of those easy twitches where the bird is on show immediately. A first for Leicestershire and it just casually swam around in front of its admirers. It was a bit too far away for photography, as the crowd was keeping well back. Nevertheless I was able to get a few records shots of it by using my scope as a lens. Not the greatest birding adventure I've ever had, but it was good to get a rare bird at Rutland Water, as they often time their arrivals for when I'm on holiday.

Pied-billed Grebe, Rutland Water, 10/04/14

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