Just a Common Gull?

28th January 2017 - Topsham

Well this one stuck out like the proverbial. A distinctly dark Common Gull and thoughts naturally turn to heinei*. But there's more to it than a dark mantle of course; first, here's the bird in question.

Common Gulls (and a BH Gull) - 28/1/2017 Topsham

Common Gulls (and a BH Gull) - 28/1/2017 Topsham

Common Gulls (and BH Gulls) - 28/1/2017 Topsham

Common Gull - 28/1/2017 Topsham

Common Gull - 28/1/2017 Topsham

Common Gull - 28/1/2017 Topsham

Common Gull - 28/1/2017 Topsham

I'm handicapped by not having a copy of the recent Dutch Birding paper by Peter Adriaens and Chris Gibbins (it's now on order) but I did get some information from Gull-Research.org  and this fascinating video presentation by Peter Adriaens.

Differences between heinei and canus (my interpretation of the bird in question in italics):

- heinei averages larger and longer winged, though with much overlap,
    impossible to tell though it didn't look significantly larger
- heinei has darker upperparts (some approaching pale graellsii?), though some overlap with canus
    certainly darker than nearby 'normal' canus
- winter heinei white-headed with only fine dark spots/streaks concentrated on hind neck,
    head and neck no different to 'normal' canus
- pale iris in many heinei,
    appeared to be dark
- bill and legs of heinei tend to be brighter yellow.
    legs did appear a little brighter yellow, bill apparently identical to nearby 'normal' canus.

The important features of the wing are:

- heinei has a deep black subterminal band on P5; canus only thin or broken band,
    broad black band on P5 on the left wing, a little narrower and almost broken on the right wing
- heinei has black all the way to PC on P8; canus only 50-75% of length,
    black on P8 almost reaches PC on outer web, on inner web about 85% of length
- heinei has black on P7 outer web more than 80% of length; canus less than 50%,
    black on P7 outer web hard to judge but I estimate about 75%
- heinei has long black 'bayonet' on P6 for approx. 65% of length; on canus mostly 20-40% of length,
    black 'bayonet' for just under 50% of length.

There's clearly too much wrong with this bird to claim it as heinei but equally it seems to show features at odds with a 'normal' canus. Perhaps the best that can be said is that the darkness of the mantle and some features of the primaries indicate a possible canus-heinei intergrade. Once I've had a chance to read the DB paper I'll come back to this.

Thanks to Mike Langman and others who've already commented on photos posted on the twitter. More opinions welcome as ever.

 * Larus canus heinei breeds in Russia from Moscow area east to Lena River in central Siberia; it winters in SE Europe, Black and Caspian Seas, also China and Japan.

Waxwings

15th January 2017 - Topsham

Just got back from an arduous couple of hours at Topsham Rec checking the gulls for colour rings when the phone rings: herself is walking back into Topsham and has found a small flock of Waxwings (I specifically asked her to look out for them). After a call to Martin Elcoate and a quick look to see that Dave Stone's car (and presumably also he) is not home and I'm off on my bike. Five minutes later (wife's directions, like her map reading, not so good) and I've got the Waxwings; feeding on the remnants of the hawthorn crop between Clyst Bridge and Darts Farm. In bad light I managed a few useable (I use the term in its loosest sense) photos. I counted nine, which matches the number seen in Alphington Sainsburys earlier that day. I looked for the Topsham birds the following day/this morning and they'd gone. It appears the Sainsburys 9 are still on the run.

Waxwing - 15/1/2017 Topsham

Waxwings - 15/1/2017 Topsham

Waxwings - 15/1/2017 Topsham

Waxwings - 15/1/2017 Topsham

My kind of birding or, the blog still lives

January 2nd 2017 - Topsham

OK, it's been a while. Several reasons come to mind but mostly it's just idleness and bloody-mindedness. Early in the autumn I decided the theme for the season was going to be 'patch loyalty'. I'd turn my nose up at all the fancy vagrating exotica turning up elsewhere and spend my time in and around Topsham; yeah, I know I twitched the LG Shrike in September but that was only 40 miles away and it was a shrike, plus my plan hadn't fully developed by then. So I daily scanned The Rec for rare gulls, stood by suitable bushes at BGM and Highfield Farm listening for the calls of lost Siberian passerines, and checked the pools for transatlantic waders. The result - zero. Nothing to trouble the BBRC (or even the DBRC for that matter). I could have become discouraged; maybe it was the patch, maybe it was me. But The Rec has had some great birds in the past and I've even found some of them myself. This is where bloody-mindedness comes in to its own, persistence in the absence of encouragement or, no birds yet - keep plugging away. At this point I should be able to report a major rarity find but as you'll know that hasn't happened just yet. Still, a new year and all that; January and February to come and still the chance of a decent gull, we've turned the corner on winter and spring's now in sight. I decided to refresh my birding batteries, join the crowd for a day and spend a few hours just pottering around Topsham on my bike for some New Year's Day birding - I know it was the 2nd but the 1st was a shocker so I postponed. Maybe it was the weather, sunny though not warm, maybe it was bumping in to old birding mates, but more than anything it was the birds - nothing rare, just variety, a bit of spectacle and some real quality. I had a really great day; I also took a few photos.

First the Yellow-browed Warbler found by The Rec's other regular 'patcher' Martin Elcoate. Always a pleasure to spend time with one of these, I just wish they'd sit still a bit more often.

Yellow-browed Warbler - Topsham Rec 2/1/2017

 Tracking the bird and focusing through the branches was a little difficult at times.

Yellow-browed Warbler - Topsham Rec 2/1/2017

Yellow-browed Warbler - Topsham Rec 2/1/2017

 Showing the faint pale crown stripe.

Yellow-browed Warbler - Topsham Rec 2/1/2017

The tail feathers appear to be worn and pointed indicating, not surprisingly, a 1st winter bird.

Yellow-browed Warbler - Topsham Rec 2/1/2017

Constantly searching for, and finding, food - overwintering caterpillars presumably.

Bowling Green Marsh and the VP were, as expected, heaving with people, Avocets and ducks so after an hour scanning the estuary for a few year ticks I went on to Goosemoor. The long-staying Spotted Redshank gave its usual close views as it swam and probed for worms (ragworm?) as soon as the falling tide allowed.

Spotted Redshank - Topsham Goosemoor 2/1/2017

Spotted Redshank - Topsham Goosemoor 2/1/2017

Spotted Redshank - Topsham Goosemoor 2/1/2017

Spotted Redshank - Topsham Goosemoor 2/1/2017

  And possibly even more elegant, a fine Greenshank.

 Greenshank - Topsham Goosemoor 2/1/2017

Greenshank - Topsham Goosemoor 2/1/2017

Greenshank - Topsham Goosemoor 2/1/2017

I dropped back in on The Rec later for the low tide gulls and another seesion with the Yellow-browed Warbler. The gulls failed to deliver but the YBW continued to perform and our wintering Goldeneye and Long-tailed Duck looked good enough to photograph, so I did.

Goldeneye - Topsham Rec 2/1/2017

Long-tailed Duck - Topsham Rec 2/1/2017

Long-tailed Duck - Topsham Rec 2/1/2017

Long-tailed Duck - Topsham Rec 2/1/2017

A few final thoughts: is Topsham really the best place in the world? Why does birding these days feel like an episode of  'Last of the Summer Wine', and why is every other birder I know called Dave?