Away with the gulls again

26th November 2015 - Topsham

 

Gulls never let you down. When there's nothing else about there's always a few gulls to look through and, not surprisingly, the more you look, the more you see. Certainly, having just a handful of regular species to scan through does tend to concentrate the mind, even one as prone to wander as mine.

So, today I made my usual low tide visit to Topsham Rec and as usual there's a couple of hundred Black-heads, fifty or so Herring, a dozen Common, a handful of Lesser Black-backed and single Great Black-backed. After a superficial scan for anything really obviously unusual. i.e. rare, I picked out an adult Med Gull, a colour-ringed bird (white 34K4) with a long history (see previous post). It landed near another adult, this one did not co-operate but spent all the time sleeping (Med Gulls tend to be rather inactive I've noticed). While checking my photos later I noticed it too was colour-ringed - red, right tarsus (so probably a Polish bird) - and this has been around on and off for a week though I've yet to read the code.

Mediterranean Gull 34K4 >17cy - 26/11/2015 Topsham

Mediterranean Gull 34K4 >17cy - 26/11/2015 Topsham

Mediterranean Gulls - 34K4 at back, red c-r taking it easy - 26/11/2015 Topsham

Now, folks, it's time for my occasional feature - the Topsham Mystery Gull - no prizes, in fact probably no definite solutions.

Further up the river the big gulls have their own bathing and loafing area. A quick scan produced nothing but the usual Herring Gulls and four LBB but then I noticed this slightly different individual. Light conditions were not great and the bird was not close - the usual excuses, I know - but the main points are obvious.

Larus sp. ad (it's the one at the back) - 26/11/2015 Topsham

 It's clearly darker grey than the 'normal' argenteus HG and the legs look a bit different too, not quite so pink maybe. I started thinking nominate argentatus but the mantle looks a little too dark and the tone is odd, it should be a bluer grey. A view of the spread primaries would help so I waited for it to fly.

Larus sp. ad - 26/11/2015 Topsham

Larus sp. ad - 26/11/2015 Topsham

Not looking too good now, is it? The white mirrors on P9 and P10 are just about OK for argentatus (also fine for argenteus) but the amount of black is not ideal. Another odd thing is irregular shape of the black areas plus they seem to be a little paler on P8-10, almost like something went wrong in pigment production, like the bird couldn't decide quite what it wanted to be. Maybe it's an odd argentatus, maybe it'll have to go down as another hybrid?

As ever, comments welcome.

My oldest Med Gull yet

15th November 2015 - Topsham

I should now be writing about - and proudly posting 'top quality' photos of - a cracking 1st winter Caspian Gull that performed beautifully to a small but appreciative crowd at Topsham Rec over the weekend. Sadly, despite wishing really hard, said Larid did not put in an appearance. Instead I made do with a distant 2W on the Axe, an impromptu visit following a text from the estimable Steve Waite. No photos - it must have been at least 300m away - but great value and almost certainly the same individual as Mike Langman's 11th November bird, see Axe Birding for the details.

I've only once seen Caspian Gull at Topsham Rec - back in 2012, actually it was 2013 - but naively thought my chances of another were good this week. Meanwhile, I make do with colour-ringed Med Gulls.

Mediterranean Gull Adult (17yo at least) - Topsham, 15/11/2015

I've seen this individual on the Exe at Topsham for a few days now but only managed to read the ring on Sunday - 34K4. From the colour and code it was a Dutch or Belgian bird so I sent off the details to Camille Duponcheel. By very quick reply I learn that this bird was first ringed (as >3cy) in May 2001, in Antwerp, Belgium. So, if it was at least in its 4th calendar year in 2001, it fledged no later than the summer of 1998 making it now at least 17 years old (in its 18cy). It's been seen many times since first ringed (now on its second c-r); while apparently usually wintering in Somerset, it was regularly seen on the Axe Estuary in the winter of 2011/2012 and once on the Exe at Lympstone in November 2014. A few spring and summer sightings from the Antwerp area suggests that it returns there to breed.

As for the Caspian Gull, I know you're out there somewhere - just need to be there...

A nice juv 'mick', shame about the photos...

7th July 2015 - Topsham

What was shaping up to being another fruitless session at BGM was nicely saved by a timely juvenile Yellow-legged Gull. It sneaked it un-noticed but alarm bells went off immediately I saw it. Classic shape with long legs and noticeable primary projection, fairly deep bill with a prominent gonys. Head pale with a shady mask, pale below with chevrons on the flanks and on the white undertail coverts, the tertials had only thin pale fringes and the median and lesser wing coverts were simply patterned with dark centres and pale fringes - the greaters a little more barred. I didn't need to see it fly to confirm it but it did anyway, showing dark inner primaries and a classic black and white tail.

Sadly the photos - distance and strong sun - were up to my usual standard.

Yellow-legged Gull juv - 7/7/2015 Topsham BGM

Yellow-legged Gull juv - 7/7/2015 Topsham BGM

Yellow-legged Gull juv - 7/7/2015 Topsham BGM

Yellow-legged Gull juv - 7/7/2015 Topsham BGM

Yellow-legged Gull juv - 7/7/2015 Topsham BGM

Later, at the Rec, I'd hoped it might put in an appearance - it didn't, but at least I got some more photos of the 1st summer Little Gull. A bit closer than I'm used to but the light was still challenging.

Little Gull 2cy - 7/7/2015 Topsham Rec

Little Gull 2cy - 7/7/2015 Topsham Rec

Little Gull 2cy - 7/7/2015 Topsham Rec

Little Gull 2cy - 7/7/2015 Topsham Rec

Little Gull 2cy - 7/7/2015 Topsham Rec - a mid air shake

Finally, an adult Med Gull - they're still moving through though numbers have dropped off in recent days.

Mediterranean Gull ad - 7/7/2015 Topsham Rec

Mediterranean Gull ad - 7/7/2015 Topsham Rec

Mediterranean Gull ad - 7/7/2015 Topsham Rec

Colour-ringed Med Gull

6th November 2014 - Topsham

Most visits to the Rec of late have produced at least one Mediterranean Gull, occasionally up to four. Such numbers are pitiful compared to some Dorset sites less than 50 miles along the coast, or even North Devon - haven't yet figured out why they're so scarce on the Exe. I get the impression there's been a regular turn over of birds this autumn, sometimes one bird will hang around for a few weeks but, while numbers rarely get above 2 or 3, I think the total numbers involved could be a lot higher. Whatever, they're always a pleasure to see and doubly so when they sport a readable colour ring. No scope today so I had to do my best from photos.

Mediterranean Gull 2cy H9A4 6/11/2014 Topsham

Mediterranean Gull 2cy H9A4 6/11/2014 Topsham

It's a second winter (2cy) of course - just like an adult but with some black in primaries, much more obvious when flying.

Mediterranean Gull 2cy H9A4 6/11/2014 Topsham

Mediterranean Gull 2cy H9A4 6/11/2014 Topsham

The big question is; where did it come from? Recent (since 2008) Med Gull colour rings should indicate the country of origin by their colour and initial letter; so a red ring beginning H should in theory come from Hungary but await confirmation (now confirmed - see below).

This wasn't my only colour ring of the day, I took a couple of shots of Lesser Black-backed Gulls - interesting difference in grey tone between the adult and the 3cy - and only later noticed the yellow ring on the Black-headed Gull strolling past. The first one I'd ever noticed and I had no scope with me. The photo is far too poor to give any clue as to the code and I'm not even sure if I can work out the country.

Black-headed Gull (with Lesser Black-backed Gulls) - 6/11/2014 Topsham

Update 9/11/2014 - just received this information from the good people at the Hungarian Bird Ringing Centre: H9A4 was ringed as a pullus on 15th June 2013 at Bugyi near Budapest, Hungary. This is apparently its first subsequent sighting.

Mediterranean Gulls - a 3rd summer and an 11th winter plus

20th June 2014 - Topsham

While most of the the rare gull action is currently at Bowling Green Marsh, I'm still regularly  checking the situation at the Recreation Ground. There's usually a couple of hundred Herring Gulls, a dozen or so Lesser Black-backed and a couple of Greater Black-backed on the big gull spit on an afternoon low tide. A presumed hybrid - the broken P9/10 bird - occasionally drops in and impersonates a Yellow-legged. Small gulls are few and far between this year, severely limiting my chances of seeing either of the two rarities at the Rec. However, I see signs of numbers increasing with 20 or so Black-headed yesterday (including a juvenile) and a couple of Mediterranean Gulls also visiting. This looked like an adult, presumably the bird seen at BGM over the last few days, then I checked my photos. That black line on P9 indicates that this is a 3rd summer bird. Non Gull fans can skip this next bit - in fact it's in its 4th calendar year, the outer primaries are 3rd generation feathers and, as it's begun primary moult, it's now in it's 4th moult cycle.

Mediterranean Gull 3rd S - 19/6/2014 Topsham

Mediterranean Gull 3rd S - 19/6/2014 Topsham

 Some more photos of the same individual from this morning, they really are beautiful gulls and it's always a pleasure to see them.

Mediterranean Gull 3rd S - 20/6/2014 Topsham

Mediterranean Gull 3rd S - 19/6/2014 Topsham

 On the subject of Med Gulls, I finally got news of a colour-ringed bird I saw in November 2012 - the code was a little hard to read so I guess it took time to sort it out.

Mediterranean Gull adult PAJ7 - 14/11/2012 Topsham

This bird - Red PAJ7 - was ringed as an adult on 10th May 2005 in central Poland (to be precise near the village of Radyczyny which lies about 40 miles north west of Łódź - I just had to look that up, apparently it's pronounced something like 'Wootj').

So it was at least three years old (3rd summer at least) in 2005, therefore in 2012 it was ten years or older and in November it was an 11th winter at least (if my always shaky maths is correct). I did a bit of digging around and it appears to have been first recorded in Devon in 2008 - and several times since.

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.

More fun with gulls

17th March 2014 - Topsham

I'm beginning to wonder if there are any proper michahellis out there. Here's another two birds from Topsham Rec a few days ago. Darker mantle than nearby argenteus - though still considerably paler than graellsii, dark red orbital and gape and at at least one of the two had nice yellow legs. The only problem is the primary pattern - on the one bird I got spread wing shots of at least - large white mirror on P9, restricted black on P7 and P6 but with long black tongue on outer web and much white between the black and grey, also P5 has only two tiny black marks not a complete black band.

Hybrid or Yellow-legged Gulls - Topsham 17/3/2014

Hybrid or Yellow-legged Gulls - Topsham 17/3/2014

Hybrid or Yellow-legged Gulls - Topsham 17/3/2014

Hybrid or Yellow-legged Gulls - Topsham 17/3/2014

I don't know what these are, they may be genuine michahellis, they may be argenteus x graellsii hybrids and there may be real michahellis genes in there as well. If they are michahellis, then where are they coming from? And why do I see so many 'yellow-legs' that just don't quite match the classic type? Anyone else seeing these?

Meanwhile on a less controversial note, here's a Mediterranean Gull from the next day: a 2nd summer/3rd calendar year with a lot of black in the primaries - at the extreme end of the range?

Mediterranean Gull 3cy - 18/3/2014 Topsham

Mediterranean Gull 3cy - 18/3/2014 Topsham

Med Gulls

2nd March 2014 - Topsham

 

 I haven't seen a Med Gull at The Rec since mid December - today I found two. They're always a pleasure to photograph, especially when close and approachable. I first picked up an adult across the river, it soon flew over with a party of Black-headed and Common Gulls to hunt for worms on the partly flooded field.

Mediterranean Gull - 2/3/2014 Topsham

Mediterranean Gull - 2/3/2014 Topsham

 It was joined by another, a first winter, a little less striking than the clown-faced, white-winged adult but actually still pretty obvious even at a distance with it's long legs and eye-patch.

Mediterranean Gull - 2/3/2014 Topsham

Mediterranean Gull - 2/3/2014 Topsham

Mediterranean Gull - 2/3/2014 Topsham

Mediterranean Gull - 2/3/2014 Topsham

Now, just to go back to that adult for a minute. I managed a few flight shots and something interesting showed up when I looked at the pictures later.

Mediterranean Gull - 2/3/2014 Topsham

The small thin black mark on P9 makes this a 3rd winter bird, such marks are found in a quarter of males and half of females in their 3rd winter/summer (Olsen & Larsson 2004).

Reference

Olsen, K.M. & Larsson, H. 2004. Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America. A & C Black.

Mediterranean Gulls

2nd November 2013 - Porthcawl

In the absence of anything noteworthy happening in my small corner of Devon - and since it's been a couple of weeks since my last post - here are some photos from a weekend trip to Wales.

I see Med Gulls most days in Topsham, but rarely close enough to take any useful photos. Beaches give much better opportunities to get nearer. These were taken at Rest Bay, Porthcawl, South Wales in a howling gale.

Mediterranean Gull - Porthcawl 2/11/2013

Mediterranean Gull - Porthcawl 2/11/2013

Mediterranean Gull - Porthcawl 2/11/2013

Ageing Med Gulls is usually straightforward. The individual above is in its second winter, in other words it's carrying its second set of primaries - second cycle would be another way of putting it. The flight feathers are pale grey and white-tipped but with markings on P7-10; on this bird the black is extremely restricted and mostly on P8 - there's a barely visible dark spot on P7 and little more on P9 and P10. I did wonder whether it wasn't an older bird - often 3rd winters show small dark marks on the outer primaries (Olsen 2004) - but the dull yellowish bill is indicative of a 2nd winter.

Next is an adult with pearly grey and white-tipped primaries - with the typical thin black line along the outer edge of P10 - and a blood red bill.

Mediterranean Gull - Porthcawl 2/11/2013

Mediterranean Gull - Porthcawl 2/11/2013

There was just one first winter bird (below), still showing juvenile wing coverts and blackish primaries; the mantle and scapulars are nearly all new with just a few remaining juvenile feathers.

Mediterranean Gull - Porthcawl 2/11/2013

Conditions were somewhat challenging with poor light and, at times, near horizontal rain, even the birds were leaning into the wind to stay grounded.

Mediterranean Gull - Porthcawl 2/11/2013

Mediterranean Gull - Porthcawl 2/11/2013

I still think of Med Gulls as fairly uncommon. This might be my local bias - in Topsham I see about a hundred Black-headed Gulls to every Med Gull and more than a handful is notable. It's more likely that I'm seriously out of touch - I used to think of the species as a rare breeder in Britain but it seems there are more than 1000 pairs now breeding along the coast from Dorset to Kent (Holling et al 2012). I'm now starting to wonder why I don't see more.

References

Olsen, K.M. & Larsson, H. 2004. Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America. A&C Black.
Holling, M. et al. 2012. Rare Breeding Birds in the United Kingdom 2010. British Birds, 105: 352-416.