Shoreham Yellow-legged Gull (12 July 2014)

Saturday 12 July.  An adult Yellow-legged Gull was the highlight of an evening low tide visit to the Adur opposite Shoreham airfield.  I was probably fortunate to see it as a biat-digger was on the sandbar and the few gulls that were roosting there (none with colour rings) soon flew off.  Up to 2007 an evening low-tide visit from early July to late September pretty much guaranteed this species but not any more as this is the first I've seen here for neary two years!  An earlier walk around Mill Hill with Megan produced just a Whitethroat and a male Yellowhammer.  Twenty Swifts over the road/house in the evening.

Yellow-legged Gull - red orbital ring just about visible in this image as is the darker mantle 

disappointingly this is the only digiscoped image I managed with its bill fully in view.  It is also the most blurred but brightness and thickness of the bill are apparent

another image where the red orbital ring can just about be discerned

the darker mantle isn't quite so obvious in this image, nor are the legs

despite the foreshortening the bright bill looks thick and blunt tipped and the head quite hefty

one of many Marbled Whites seen on Mill Hill although few appeared as tatty as this one

Monday-Friday 7-11 July.  Up to 18 Swifts daily over our road/house, two Stock doves visiting our bird table and a Peregrine on Southwick Power Station chimney on 7th and two on 8th.