17th September 2014 - Topsham
It was a standard morning at Topsham Rec, I was checking the gulls and examining a fairly obvious hybrid - more of which later - when a couple of agitated and noisy Kingfishers shot past me. A few minutes later they were calling again, now accompanied by anxious Black-headed Gulls and Redshanks, when a Peregrine appeared over the reeds carrying one of the Kingfishers. I grabbed a few shots, my camera was on my 'gull setting' so the results were seriously underexposed; still, it's not something I've ever seen before and I'm pleased I got anything.
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| Peregrine with Kingfisher - 17/9/2014 Topsham |
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| Peregrine with Kingfisher - 17/9/2014 Topsham |
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| Peregrine with Kingfisher - 17/9/2014 Topsham |
Meanwhile back to morning's real business, the gulls.
A fairly obvious hybrid was in evidence again. The legs are pink - with a slight hint of salmon perhaps - and the head and neck are moderately streaked so no chance of mistaking this for a
michahellis. The primary pattern would seem to rule out a northern
argentatus Herring Gull, the only other possibility.
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| Hybrid Gull - 17/9/2014 Topsham |
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| Hybrid Gull with argenteus Herring Gulls - 17/9/2014 Topsham |
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| Hybrid Gull with argenteus Herring Gulls - 17/9/2014 Topsham |
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| Hybrid Gull with argenteus Herring Gulls - 17/9/2014 Topsham |
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| Hybrid Gull - 17/9/2014 Topsham |
Just to make things even more interesting this juvenile Great Black-backed Gull dropped in briefly. I took a few photos and only when checking them later noticed the yellow leg ring. It's
D:DB I think which would mean this bird was ringed in South Wales but I'm waiting for confirmation.
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| Great Black-backed Gull juv., colour ring D:DB - 17/9/2014 Topsham |
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| Great Black-backed Gull juv., colour ring D:DB - 17/9/2014 Topsham |
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| Great Black-backed Gull juv., colour ring D:DB - 17/9/2014 Topsham |
Update 17/9/2014 Just had a very prompt reply from Richard Clarke of the Goldcliff Ringing Group, the GBB Gull was ringed on the nest 8th June on Denny Island in the Bristol Channel, Monmouthshire (actually right in the middle of the Bristol Channel). This is the first subsequent sighting.
Hi Tim - amazing to get photos of the kingfisher + peregrine. I saw a peregrine with a kingfisher kill on Bowling Green a few years ago so it may not be that infrequent - doesn't seem right though does it! Perhaps the fast direct flight of a kingfisher is easy to 'read' for a peregrine.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Matt
No, doesn't seem quite right - much rather see Peregrines take out a few of the feral ducks knocking around here, come to think of it maybe a few Sea Eagles or Gyrs for the Canada Geese and Mute Swans! Better stop now, my prejudices are showing! Good point about the flight though, makes sense.
ReplyDeletecheers,
Tim