Mill Hill and Cuckmere gulls (23-24 October)

Saturday 24 October. Megan and I took Cookie to the end of Harbour Way and walked back along Sussex Wharf to Emerald Quay and the boardwalk back to the Fort. The tide was low and we saw an adult Mediterranean Gull roosting on the beach at the start, 15 Turnstones and 11 Greenfinches by the Fort and the same or a different Mediterranean Gull at the end. In the afternoon David Buckingham and I spent a couple of hours with the gull roost in the Cuckmere. Amongst about 1150 Great Black-backed Gulls we picked out three Caspian Gulls, 2 presumed female first-winters and a large presumed male adult, and a second-winter Yellow-legged Gull. Most of the Great Black-backs were sitting but amongst the closest standers 3 or 4 with colour-rings were seen briefly. Only one was read, a Norwegian bird I'd seen there last December. It was ringed as a pullus at Ballastholmen, Mandal, Vest-Agder, Norway in June 2008 and seen at Dungeness in October 2008, Mandal April-June 2012, May-Aug 2013, Apr-Aug 2014, 02/05/15, May-Jul 2016, Apr-Aug 2017, Mar-Sep 2018, Mar-Aug 2019 and Cuckmere 26/12/19.

Mediterranean Gull at Harbour Way when we arrived

Mediterranean Gull at Harbour Way 80 minutes later, hard to be sure if its the same

about to fly off as dog walkers we approaching along the beach

first-winter Caspian Gull in the Cuckmere

the other first-winter Caspian Gull seen

at the range we saw them it was hard to tell the difference between the two so it was just as well that both were present, in different parts of the flock, at the same time

adult Caspian Gull in the Cuckmere. This bird had been asleep with its bill tucked away for sometime before revealing itself although its mantle colour made it worth continually rechecking

it was a long-legged bird but unfortunately they were camera shy

second-winter Yellow-legged Gull in the Cuckmere

Friday 23 October. Putting out some recycling prior to taking Cookie up to Mil Hill I saw what turned out to be an Egyptian Goose flying my way and continuing west. I don't keep a garden list but I've not seen one here before. At Mill Hill 4 Crossbills flying west where the first vismig birds there that I've seen any colour on - at least two being orange. Also at Mill Hill were 17 Stock Doves (flying E), Buzzard, Cetti's Warbler (heard distantly), 2 Chiffchaffs, male Blackcap, female Bullfinch, 7 Linnets (flying E) and Siskin (heard). A visit to Buckingham Park with Cookie produced a Mistle Thrush, about the best one can hope for there.

Chiffchaff at Mill Hill

having caught a fly

now where's the next one?