More Glaucous Gull

8th April 2014 - Exmouth

Once again (no) apologies for more gull photos but I dropped in on the Exmouth Glaucous Gull again this morning. As usual, it was hanging around the harbour entrance and obligingly flew down for a late breakfast of some bread and cornflakes. Of course, the idea was to bring in the rather more elusive Kumlien's Gull - it didn't. Still, not to waste an opportunity, I took a few more photos of this fascinating bird. These are some where I managed to get the whole bird in the frame - it was close.

Glaucous Gull 3cy - 8/4/2014 Exmouth

Glaucous Gull 3cy - 8/4/2014 Exmouth

Glaucous Gull 3cy - 8/4/2014 Exmouth

Glaucous Gull 3cy - 8/4/2014 Exmouth

Glaucous Gull 3cy - 8/4/2014 Exmouth

I didn't notice at the time, only when checking the photos later, but primary moult has started - P1 has been dropped on both wings; they were both present on the 4th. It would be great if this bird decided to hang around a few months so if you go down there don't let it go hungry - I admit sliced white bread and cornflakes aren't the healthiest diet, there's a fish shop round the corner.

So now we have a bird in it's third calendar year (it hatched in summer 2012), I suppose you could now call it a second summer (its first summer as a fledgling doesn't count) and, since it's now started growing its third set of primaries, it's in its third (moult) cycle; take your pick.