The Two Bird Theory: May 2014

Thursday, 29 May 2014

Ross's Gull

29th May 2014 - Topsham

Sometimes I wish I could invoke the 'two bird theory' of my blog title but, to be honest, it's best just to admit a mistake and try to learn from it. So here's my confession, my self-criticism, my part in the affair.

Yesterday evening 28th May I was called down to the Bowling Green Marsh hide to look at a small gull. Two Little Gulls had been reported on and off for about a fortnight - I'd seen one a week or so previously and was happy with it as a 2cy Little. Someone (massive kudos to them but not sure who, can anyone tell me?) had suggested one of the 'Littles' looked like a Ross's Gull, so a number of us locals gathered to try and settle the matter(!?).

My initial views - in fact my only views that first evening - were poor, the bird was always distant, frequently hidden by vegetation or other gulls and often head on. I got a few photos but nothing very useful.

Ross's Gull 2cy - 28/5/2014 Topsham

It clearly wasn't the gull I'd seen previously and it did look nice and white-headed and the wings appeared long and not quite how a Little Gull should look, I thought maybe it was a Ross's after all. Then I started to have doubts, the crown showed quite a bit of dark feathering from some angles and the bill looked a little too long maybe, at times there was a suggestion of a faint necklace but it was easy to put that down to posture and displaced feathers. It once and very briefly took off and landed but the only conclusion that could be drawn from a very blurred photo (courtesy of Dave Stone) was that there appeared to be a faint dark secondary bar and what I'd thought was a wedge-shaped tail looked more likely to be due to moult or feather breakage. Given all this the general conclusion was that it was most likely a somewhat odd Little Gull.

It still bothered me that I/we hadn't conclusively ruled out Ross's as the tail had not been properly seen so first thing this morning (29th May) I went down for another look. On the way I got a couple of calls telling me the bird had been reported as a definite Ross's Gull. A little puzzled, I got into the hide and soon found the subject in exactly the same spot giving exactly the same sort of views. Soon Matt Knott arrived and as we discussed the bird it took wing and I blasted off a few shots. A quick look at the back of the camera told me I'd got what I was after - a classic black-tipped diamond-shaped tail. So we'd got it wrong but it was a Ross's Gull after all.

Ross's Gull 2cy - 29/5/2014 Topsham

So, no doubt about that then and I just wish we'd had views like that the night before - it might have saved a bit of embarrassment.

Shortly after it flew across the marsh to feed in a small pool. It really didn't like the Black-headed Gulls and would often chase them off, helpfully providing much better views of the upperwings with white extending well towards the outer primaries and a diagnostic black patch on the back/rump.

Ross's Gull 2cy - 29/5/2014 Topsham

With hindsight I can now appreciate how different in shape it is to a Little Gull, particularly the length of the wings and the shape of the head. And is that a faint hint of pink on the breast? So despite what was a bit of a cock-up on the ID front (guilty, your honour), nobody got hurt, I don't think anyone missed it because of a wrong call and it's a fantastic bird and a great find - and I can still hope it might just turn up at the Rec.

Monday, 26 May 2014

Yellow-legged Gull - the cautious approach

25th May 2014 - Topsham

With not so much as a Med Gull to disturb the peace at the Rec lately I can usually rely on the big gulls to provide some interest. Here's a fairly good candidate Yellow-legged Gull with a mid grey mantle and of course, nice yellow legs.

Presumed Yellow-legged Gull - 25/5/2014 Topsham

On the plus side It appears to have a dark orbital ring and the red on the bill bleeds into the upper mandible, but on the other hand the colour of the gape doesn't appear to be red although it's hard to be sure. Structurally it's not that impressive, at the time it looked a bit on the small side compared with the accompanying Herring Gulls although at least the primary extension is fairly long. From these views I could see a large mirror on P10 - left wing only, the right P10 was missing, presumably broken. The big problem is that at no point did I get a look at the P5 tip to check for a complete black band. I waited as long as I could in the hope of getting a view or photos of the spread wing but, as the bird settled down for a nap, I had to leave.

Conclusion? From what I saw, and from the photos, there is nothing definite to count against it being a michahellis. But because I've seen rather too many apparently good candidates fail on the primary pattern test, it would be inconsistent not to be cautious and put it down as just a probable. On the bright side, it may turn up again and at least the broken/missing P10 should mark it out.

Monday, 19 May 2014

House building in Topsham

19th May 2014 - Topsham

Birding's rather quiet at the moment, a Little Gull and a Ruff at BGM but too distant to photograph, no Black-heads at the Rec so slim chance of the Bonaparte's Gull dropping in, and no puzzlers among the big gulls - for a change.

Meanwhile, the annual House Martin nest construction programme is underway, here on The Strand in Topsham.

House Martin - 19/5/2014 Topsham

Friday, 9 May 2014

The Yorkshire Connection...

...and the things I let myself get talked into

I really should have said no straight away - actually I think I did - but somehow I ended up agreeing to produce some drawings for the Yorkshire Bird Report. Although I was born in Yorkshire and more or less grew up there, by the time I took up birding seriously I was long gone; 'blowing down the back roads heading south' to quote Bob Dylan. In fact I think the last time I raised bins in the county was in 1985. An explanation is perhaps in order: Craig Thomas edits the Yorkshire Bird Report, he's also a colleague of my wife Carolyn at Natural England, Craig complained to her (no idea why) of a shortfall of artwork for the next YBR, Carolyn mentioned that I drew birds and would be 'happy to help', Craig said he'd heard of me but never made the connection with her (yeah right, maybe Worfolk is a common surname round his way), Carolyn asked me and I said (after some arm-twisting) OK if he's happy with some seabirds and definitely no ducks.

My complimentary copy arrived yesterday and it's a really impressive piece of work, 240 plus pages, beautifully designed and illustrated. And no, I'm not talking about my modest contribution, there are several (almost) double page spreads of Darren Woodhead's watercolours which are just stunning - in fact I'm getting real a case of talent-envy. I eventually sent them five pieces but only two were used, the Kittiwake and the Cory's Shearwater - maybe something about the head-on view appealed. Here are all five.

Kittiwake

Cory's Shearwater

Fulmar

Mediterranean Gull

European Storm-petrel

I'm a little embarrassed to say that at around this time I promised Mike Langman some pictures for the next Devon Bird Report - sorry Mike, I'll get on it.

Tuesday, 6 May 2014

Up and down the estuary

Exe Estuary - 5th May 2014

Yesterday being a bank holiday we did the bank holiday thing and cycled down to Exmouth, took the ferry to Starcross and cycled back round to Topsham. Needless to say, some birding was done on the way. Here are a few Sandwich Terns from the ferry.

Sandwich Tern - Exe Estuary 5/5/2014

And here's something you don't see that often, a tern in the water, looking quite at ease and perhaps waiting for its turn on the buoy.

Sandwich Tern - Exe Estuary 5/5/2014

Later I dropped in at Topsham Rec for the low tide gull gathering (laridophobes look away now). Among the 200 or so Herring Gulls and 20 plus Lesser Black-backed Gulls I found this interesting individual.

Yellow-legged Gull (probably) - Topsham 5/5/2014

Maybe it's just my suspicious mind but, although there are many things that look fine for michahellis and nothing that clearly counts against, I have a few doubts about this bird. I'll explain; first the pro-michahellis features:

the mantle is darker than Herring Gull but clearly paler than Lesser Black-backed.
the legs and feet are yellow and definitely yellow with no hint of any pink.
the orbital ring is dark and appears to be red.
the red gonys spot bleeds onto the upper mandible.
there's a lot of black on the outer primaries - see photos below (P10 broken on right wing).

Yellow-legged Gull (probably) - Topsham 5/5/2014

So what's the problem? As I said, maybe I'm over-thinking this but there are a couple of things that bother me:

the black band on P5 appears to be not quite complete.
the legs are not particularly intense in colour and look a little pale and washed out.
structurally the bird does not look impressive; although presumably a female, it's small and rather delicate, the legs are not obviously long with little tibia showing and the bill is not deep and 'square-tipped'.

On balance, I'd have to say this is probably a michahellis but I still wonder why I rarely see classic big birds with long deep yellow legs, heavy 'hatchet-tipped' bills and broad P5 bands.

As ever, all comments are welcome.

Saturday, 3 May 2014

Kentish Plover

2nd May 2014 - Dawlish Warren

I've been pretty well tied up with work and other commitments for the last few weeks, my regular visits to the Rec have only really been justified by the need to exercise the dog - and I suppose someone's got to check out the gulls. Obligations fulfilled and deadlines met, I decided to indulge myself with a day of 'proper' birding. I briefly considered driving the 60 miles to Northam Burrows on the slim chance that the Collared Pratincole was still present (turns out it wasn't) but soon decided I'd rather just nip down to The Warren and see what I could find for myself.

So, after wandering out towards the point, a couple of Wheatears (surely Greenland bound in May?), a few Whimbrels, Swallows and plenty of singing Whitethroats later, I find myself looking out over the sea at distant terns and an occasional skua - even more distant. While chatting with a few of the regulars, a few small waders appeared on the beach with the falling tide. A small plover hanging out with a couple of Sanderling turned out to be a rather smart female Kentish Plover - cheers, Lee. I haven't seen one for years and have never photographed the species before so, of course, I made the most of the opportunity.

Kentish Plover - 2/5/2014 Dawlish Warren

Kentish Plover, checking the sky for danger - 2/5/2014 Dawlish Warren

Kentish Plover, cute or what?- 2/5/2014 Dawlish Warren

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