31st July 2014 - Topsham
I paid my daily visit to the Ross's Gull. Today it was venturing further up river from its favourite spot opposite the Retreat, after nice close views on the shore by Newcourt Park (see photos below) it flew upstream and I followed, I found it feeding by the outflow north of the water treatment works.
On my way back I found this among the Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the spit.
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| pres. Yellow-legged Gull - 31/7/2014 Topsham |
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| pres. Yellow-legged Gull - 31/7/2014 Topsham |
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| pres. Yellow-legged Gull - 31/7/2014 Topsham |
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| pres. Yellow-legged Gull - 31/7/2014 Topsham |
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| pres. Yellow-legged Gull - 31/7/2014 Topsham |
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| pres. Yellow-legged Gull - 31/7/2014 Topsham |
The mantle is clearly darker than a Herring Gull and the legs are yellow (or yellowish, they are quite pale but that might not be unusual on a post-breeding bird), the bill looks a good shape, the orbital ring looks like it might be dark red (impossible to be sure from these photos) and there's a lot of black on the primaries - particularly so on P8. So why can't I just call it a Yellow-legged Gull? My suspicious mind - I've seen too many probable hybrids here in recent years, many of which have aroused doubt due to their odd primary pattern. The give away on most birds has been a broken black band on P5. The only problem with this moulting bird is that P5 is not visible yet (nor is P6). I waited a few minutes hoping it would fly and show the tip at least of a growing P5, I turned away for a few seconds and it vanished. I heard from Keith Birchall that an adult
michahellis had been reported here the previous day, it might reappear.
Meanwhile, as promised, here's some more of the Ross's Gull. Still looking decidedly tatty but primary moult progressing nicely; P1-5 new, P6 growing (though still too short to see) and P7-10 old, still no change in the secondaries and tail feathers though.
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| Ross's Gull - 31/7/2014 Topsham |
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| Ross's Gull - 31/7/2014 Topsham |
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