Caspian Gulls in the Cuckmere (13 December)

Sunday 13 December. Strong southerly winds and a big high tide seemed good conditions for another visit to the Cuckmere to look for Caspian Gulls in the lower Cuckmere, particularly  having been disappointed with my efforts a few days earlier. I arrived at 10:45 to find two flocks of large roosting gulls, one of about 800 birds in the middle of the water meadows level with Chyngton Farm and the other about half the size opposite Harry's Bush but nearer the river. I stayed to 14:15, mostly with the larger, closer flock. I estimated there being 800+ Great Black-backed, 200+ Herring and 200+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls present. The Herrings included at least four I was confident were argentatus. There were at least 12 Yellow-legged Gulls, mostly adults but single first and second-winters too. I saw at least 6 and possibly 9 Caspian Gulls. At least three and possibly five were first-winters, one probably two second-winters, a third-winter/near adult and an adult so I guess pretty much a full-house. Some only appeared in the tightly packed flock briefly, either flying off, sitting out of sight or being stood in front of. All were more distant than I would have liked as can be seen from the images below. The strong wind was from the SSE and it was hard to find shelter while a few heavy showers didn't help either. My umbrella blew out of my hand and into a hawthorn bush while I was walking between the flocks (the distant one was mostly GBbGs and didn't warrant much attention) and the handle broke while I was extracting it. Despite all this it was a satisfying visit.

a first-winter Caspian Gull in the Cuckmere

digiscoped images do not really picked up plumage (DSLR images later are more true to life)

to far away for me to hear it call

a small bird, presumably a female

sky pointing

switching to DSLR gives better colours

expecting to fly

the underwing one always hopes for

it flew back round but I then lost it

another first-winter Caspian Gull in the Cuckmere

this was a large bird, presumably a male

showing a strikingly whitish underwing

and a bit of leg

a different larger first-winter Caspian Gull in the Cuckmere seen an hour earlier

the same or a similarly large first-winter Caspian Gull seen briefly in a different part of the flock fifteen minutes later

another Caspian Gull appeared then promptly vanished

I wasn't sure if it was a first or second-winter Caspian Gull (the bill looked pale based) and if the former whether one of those above 

second-winter Caspian Gull in the Cuckmere

identified mainly on head and bill shape and mantle colour

presumed third-winter Caspian Gull in the Cuckmere. Identified by bullet-hole eye and head and bill shape. Aged by brownish tinges on greater coverts. I never saw anymore of it 

adult Caspian Gull in the Cuckmere. Sleeping Herring Gull to its left

identified by mantle colour, extensive white on underside of p10, small dark eye and washed -out bill

its legs looked long and pale too

I thought this (centre bird) was a small first or second-winter Caspian Gull but wasn't certain

it flew and was presumably a second-winter

this second-winter had me puzzled, was it Caspian or Yellow-legged?

structurally it looked good for Caspian but something about it felt a bit off

another puzzler, was it an adult Caspian or did the dark around the eye suggest Herring?

argentatus Herring Gull (front right) and three adult Yellow-legged Gulls (one with head turned away and two sleeping) in the Cuckmere

the same birds as above with different heads turned

close up of the standing adult Yellow-legged Gull

adult and first-winter Yellow-legged Gulls in the Cuckmere

second-winter and adult Yellow-legged Gulls in the Cuckmere

Saturday 12 December. Megan, Nessa, Cookie and I went to Shoreham Fort and walked into town and back along the boardwalk. A single Purple Sandpiper on the wooden jetty at high tide was the only notable sighting. At low tide I took Cookie to the Adur where in fading light I saw 108 Lapwings, 2 Grey Plover and very few gulls.

Pied Wagtail on Shoreham Beach