Out and about, Conwy coast Jan 21st - Putting learning into practice!
I've had a great day today, looking at mirrors, tongues, scapulars, tertials and lots of primary counting! Thousands of gulls along the coast between Rhyl and Abergele. Tried hard to get to know our local 'argenteus' properly in all plumages. At least three cracking 'argentatus' birds seen amongst them, 2 adult and a juvenile bird ( one adult at Abergele recylcling centre and two on Pensarn beach). Although scarce, perhaps they are more regular than we think here in North Wales. Yesterday in Teeside, it was very striking how many, if not most, of their Herrings were northern type birds, very different looking from our coastal 'seagulls'. A 1st winter Lesser black backed Gull was also at Abergele dump.
The most 'intersting' bird seen today was a possible 'heinei' Common Gull, with a dark mantled 2nd winter bird that was showing brown in the tertails and had a broken black tail band. In flight it was quite striking. It was in fields near the recycling centre - certainly a candidate. I need to learn more about this race.
Other birds today included the superb Black throated Diver on Rhyl Marine lake, fishing alongside the crab catching Great Northern Diver. Unfortunately it was reported to have flown off a few minutes after I left at around 10am. Water Rail was showing well at Pentre Mawr Park, Abergele with one drake each of Shoveler, Gadwall and Pochard on on the lake here and a lone female Goldeneye on the business park lake.
Great picture of the BTD by Pete Wood.
Nice stuff Marc. The "Holy Grail" is getting closer though as I had an adult Caspian Gull at Hoylake beach late morning.There are huge numbers of Herring Gulls there at the moment( including c200+ argentatus) along with two adult Yellow-legged Gulls.Far too windy for any pics unfortunately, but just thought you`d like to know that your one must just be around the corner!! keep checking and good luck!!
ReplyDeletecheers, Pete.
Superb Pete - sounds amazing. Hopefully just a matter of time for us. Went to Teeside yesterday on a birdingfrontiers gull day with Rob Sandham and Chris Jones - we've vowed to come up with one between us before the year is out!
ReplyDeleteNice selection Marc, did you get any photos of the juv agentatus?
DeleteYour heinei story recalls a bird I saw years ago in Liverpool Bay one winter while doing some boat based surveys. It was flat calm, freezing cold with perfect light and we passed very close to a flock of Common Gulls which included one adult bird with a distinctly darker mantle. I've not connected with any others since but will look hard at every gull in future :-)
Good find with the Caspian Pete - how regular are they in your area? We've got to be missing them over the border, I believe there was a good candidate on Bardsey a few years ago - seen but no images... only a matter of time before one is photographed.
Hi Andy,
ReplyDeleteNo photos I'm afraid- far too windy!
Argentatus still retain their juv feathers way into February unlike our argenteus which will have moulted into 1st winter by now. So any big brutes with a full set of juvy mantle and scapular feathers should be a big bad Argie. I'm pretty sure I had several others but only counted adults and the juv that had a full set of classic features.
Perhaps Pete can tell us more about the status of 'heinei'? Over the next few months thousands of common gulls start building up along the coast between colwyn bay and Rhyl- over the years I've seen several individuals with obviously darker mantles. Looking forward to hopefully digiscope a few gulls over the next few months.
Hi Guys, well Caspian Gulls are still rare in Lancs/Cheshire.There are about a dozen accepted records for Lancashire, with Fishmoor Resv near Blackburn having most records with Seaforth the rest( think theres one for the Fylde too).Cheshire is different in having the gull hot spot of Arpely Tip/Richmond Bank/Moore Nr.Several of us have concentrated on this area over the last four or five years and have found c40 Casps there.As you say they must be turning up in North Wales, Gresford Flash must get them and I`m sure this new place near Abergele will too.
ReplyDeleteAs for heinei Common Gulls, we used to get dark birds at Seaforth regularly in the 80s and early nineties which we classed as possible/probable heineis.But when new info came out about the difficulty in IDing them with certainty we gave up really.Still see the odd dark one at Seaforth/Crosby.I read a lot of Common Gull colour rings now, mainly from Norway but a few from Germany too.Maybe one day I`ll get a Russian one!
cheers, Pete.
Hi
DeleteMany thanks for the prompt replies - interesting stuff!
I feel a proper gulling trip coming on in the near future, might even venture past Bangor for a change ;-)
Good Birding & Best Wishes
Andrew