10th-11th February 2018 - Newlyn, Cornwall
A nice selection of Arctic/white-winged gulls in west Cornwall recently provided just the excuse for a rare trip to the far west and a visit to old mate and the gulls' best-friend Martin Elliott. Much time was spent at the fish dock at Newlyn Harbour where MTE has been feeding the gulls daily; no Kumlien's this weekend but a couple of Glaucous and one Iceland gave ludicrously close views. A few half-decent photos resulted.
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| Glaucous Gull 1st winter - 10/2/2018 Newlyn, Cornwall |
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| Glaucous Gull 1st winter - 10/2/2018 Newlyn, Cornwall |
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| Glaucous Gull 1st winter - 10/2/2018 Newlyn, Cornwall |
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| Glaucous Gull 1st winter - 10/2/2018 Newlyn, Cornwall |
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| Glaucous Gull 1st winter - 10/2/2018 Newlyn, Cornwall | | | |
All photos above of the same bird, a big beast of a gull - see below for how it deals with a Greater Black-backed. A pale and washed out individual - many relatively dark and biscuity still in February. Unusually for Glaucous, a few scapulars replaced already so a 1st winter, technically not a juvenile. Goes by the name of 'Boris' apparently.
A second Glaucous was also present, 2nd calendar year also but showing no signs of post-juvenile moult so technically still a juvenile.
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| Glaucous Gull juvenile - 10/2/2018 Newlyn, Cornwall |
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| Glaucous Gull juvenile - 10/2/2018 Newlyn, Cornwall |
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| Glaucous Gull juvenile - 10/2/2018 Newlyn, Cornwall |
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| Glaucous Gull juvenile - 10/2/2018 Newlyn, Cornwall |
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| Glaucous Gull juvenile - 10/2/2018 Newlyn, Cornwall |
And providing a little variation, a 1st winter Iceland Gull was also enjoying the handouts.
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| Iceland Gull 1st winter - 10/2/2018 Newlyn, Cornwall |
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| Iceland Gull 1st winter - 10/2/2018 Newlyn, Cornwall |
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| Iceland Gull 1st winter - 10/2/2018 Newlyn, Cornwall |
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| Iceland Gull 1st winter - 10/2/2018 Newlyn, Cornwall | |
No trace of any darkening to outer primaries so clearly nominate
glaucoides rather than
kumlieni (there probably was one in the area judging by an apparently darker-winged bird that came into the Mousehole roost later that day).
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| Iceland Gull 1st winter - 10/2/2018 Newlyn, Cornwall |
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| A gull's best friend - Martin Elliott with some satisfied customers |
An hour or so watching the evening roost at St. Clement's Island (Mousehole) produced at least one more Glaucous (a darker bird), a probable Kumlien's, two Yellow-legged and a couple of
argentatus Herring Gulls. Distance (300m) and atrocious light precluded any more photos.
