Richmond Bank gulling

Adult Caspian Gull, Richmond Bank.

The Caspian Gull and the first winter Iceland Gull in the same shot

Pale, juvenile Glaucous Gull

First winter Iceland Gull

2nd winter Iceland Gull

Yellow-legged Gull (adult)

Yellow-legged Gull (different individual to the above bird)

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Saturday morning (12th) I headed up to Richmond Bank for a spot of gull watching. There were quite a few birders up there today which I suppose made finding gulls easier though the bright sunlight created a glare and didn't help matters. Anyway I walked up with Robert Adderley and we arrived to find another birder watching the sleeping Glaucous Gull. It was a presumed Glaucous at this point because we hadn't seen its head and bill and thus couldn't rule out the adult leucistic Herring Gull that has been kicking around. While we waited for it to wake Rob spotted a second winter Iceland Gull at the back and then shortly afterwards we confirmed the Glauc. Various other birders arrived and some were already there, hidden by the bushes.

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Shortly afterwards the first winter Iceland Gull was found and then Tony Conway spotted the adult Caspian Gull which appears to be the same bird Ian McKerchar found here in December. The Casp hung around a bit and even showed the typical displaying posture of a Casp. Stunning bird! Yellow-legged Gulls seem to be hard to come by - eventually I saw three adults. Also around was a Peregrine and 2 Buzzards with a Dunlin flying past calling and on the way back to the car park a Jay and a female Sparrowhawk being mobbed by a Crow. Around 4-5000 Starlings also flew over, off the tip, and briefly gave some swirling displays.

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HGF this morning had 48 Wigeon, 38 Tufties, 8 Pochard, 27 Coot and a Great Crested Grebe. In the garden were 11 Goldfinches and 20+ Tree Sparrows plus a cock Pheasant and a male Reed Bunting. In Waterworks Lane were 4 Grey Partridges and 30+ Linnets.

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Late afternoon I had a wander over to Rixton. A single Green Sandpiper was patrolling the muddy fringe on Moat Lane pool while 5 Bullfinches (2 males) were loitering in the bushes. Nothing much on the mosses though one of the fields off Woodend Lane has now flooded and looks superb for waders. Unfortunately it is next to the new fishing pools so any waders will probably get flushed by the anglers.