This morning didn't start to plan, as I was expecting sunshine not fog.
Nevertheless I set off to Shawell. The gulls were obviously lost in the fog somewhere, as there were none in the sand quarry. There was a few at the A5 Lagoons and I managed to read three colour rings including a re-read of the Herring Gull that was my 1000 colour-ringed gull at Shawell.
I moved back to the sand quarry opposite Gibbett Lane mid-morning and some gulls had gathered there. The first scan revealed nothing unusual, but as I scanned back to the left I picked up a juvenile Glaucous Gull. It was paler than the one I saw last week. Its bill lacked a fine pale tip, so it should be a second calendar-year bird.
Something spooked the gulls and they all took off. Amongst those that eventually returned was a juvenile Iceland Gull.
Steve Nichols managed to arrive in time to see the Iceland Gull, but another chap arrived too late to see it. Shawell is a very difficult location to twitch gulls, as the area they use is large and they are mobile. I do so well because of the time I put in and because I wait for the gulls to come to me.
I have now found 14 Iceland Gulls at Shawell and 15 Glaucous Gulls. In total I have seen 16 of both Iceland and Glaucous Gull there.
Nevertheless I set off to Shawell. The gulls were obviously lost in the fog somewhere, as there were none in the sand quarry. There was a few at the A5 Lagoons and I managed to read three colour rings including a re-read of the Herring Gull that was my 1000 colour-ringed gull at Shawell.
I moved back to the sand quarry opposite Gibbett Lane mid-morning and some gulls had gathered there. The first scan revealed nothing unusual, but as I scanned back to the left I picked up a juvenile Glaucous Gull. It was paler than the one I saw last week. Its bill lacked a fine pale tip, so it should be a second calendar-year bird.
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| Juvenile Glaucous Gull |
Something spooked the gulls and they all took off. Amongst those that eventually returned was a juvenile Iceland Gull.
Steve Nichols managed to arrive in time to see the Iceland Gull, but another chap arrived too late to see it. Shawell is a very difficult location to twitch gulls, as the area they use is large and they are mobile. I do so well because of the time I put in and because I wait for the gulls to come to me.
 |
| Juvenile Iceland Gull |
I have now found 14 Iceland Gulls at Shawell and 15 Glaucous Gulls. In total I have seen 16 of both Iceland and Glaucous Gull there.