interesting Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the Adur (6 October 2014)?

I took advantage of poor forecast to drive into work enabling me to call in at the Adur on my way home.  No sign of the Caspian Gull but two colour-ringed Lesser Black-backs, one seemingly from Denmark. Also a very striking looking adult Lesser Black-back which appeared to show features of Baltic Gull (L. f. fuscus) , but these are even harder than Caspian Gulls and it did not have the potential clincher - a ring!  Also on the Adur the Wigeon, a Curlew and Kingfisher were still present.

putative fuscus Lesser Black-backed Gull on the Adur

features shown by adult fuscus are small size, slim build with attenuated rear end, very dark mantle which primaries do not contrast with, single mirror on p10, small rounded white head with no streaking, long thin bill and shorter legs.  This image does not show the last feature very well (and p10 isn't visible, but is in a lower image) and note the rounded head.  Unfortunately intermedius can show these features too although this was a most striking individual (otherwise I doubt if I would have noticed it)

note the single mirror on p10.  This image just about shows on the far wing the well-marked border between the large white tips to p1-p4 and the (very) small white tips to p5-10 mentioned in the Advanced Bird ID Guide.  It also mentions primary moult normally starting in August when usually only p1 and p2 are moulted when suspended until in the wintering area in Africa.  This appears to be evident on the nearer wing.  Also a distinct lack of head streaking (noted in the Advanced Bird ID Guide for fuscus up to September/October)

note small size compared to Herring and ringed graellsii Lesser Black-back Gulls behind.  Note also pure white head

compared to the intermedius behind note the small size, pure white head, bright (slighly shorter) legs, very elongated rear and darker mantle.  Note too the larger leg of a Greater Black-back in the top of the image.  This bird shows it self a bit better in the next image ...

my only image with a Greater Black-back nearby. Not the best comparison but note the very small size and darker mantle 

the legs look reassuringly short in this image and the bill long and slender

shows the long wings very well, so long it was a wonder the bird didn't fall backwards.  This image is rather over-exposed in the low evening sun and shows rather more contrast/colour bleaching on the upperparts than was apparent in the field (and the other images) although fuscus can show a brown wash

adult intermedius and Greater Black-backed Gull from above images.  A pity the fuscus type wasn't in the front to show the step change in size.  Note intermedius primaries darker than mantle with large mirrors (c.f. fuscus type above), streaked head and very washed out legs

colour-ringed Lesser Black-backed Gull (N.FNU), ringed as a chick on Havergate Island, Suffolk on 12 July so graellsii.

colour-ringed Lesser Black-backed Gull (V1VN), probably from Denmark.  A darker bird than the above but both were noticably bigger and heavier than the putative fuscus

longer legged too?

Caspian Gull on the Adur (5 October 2014)

My ambition on checking the gulls on the Adur (at low tide, mainly for colour rings) has been to find a Caspian Gull, preferably a colour-ringed individual.  I've previously had a couple that I felt were but didn't feel I had got quite enough on to rule out a hybrid. Today's bird appears to me to be a classic.  According to the CR-birding web-site it appears to have been ringed in the Lausitz area of East Germany, inland near Polish border.  This is a mixed colony where Caspian Gull dominate although hybrids are possible so maybe a trait score is needed.  I'll post more when I find it out.

Today's low tide was mid afternoon and going after the tide had dropped seems a good time to avoid bait-diggers.  A reasonable number of gulls were spread along the Adur by the airport and I went down the west bank to have the sun behind me.  I soon saw a North Thames Herring Gull although it took a while to read the ring (FZ2T).  Then I noticed a very white headed gull which started ringing alarm bells.  That it had a green ring on added to my excitement but although I could read 3 letters it was standing in a dip and I felt it had a 4th.  I changed position to try and get a side view but it twisted to remain head on.  Eventually I got excellent views (and read the 4th letter on the ring).  I phoned Paul James, the only local I had a number for and continued watching and photographing the bird.  Fortunately Paul and Briget arrived before the bird flew off. 

an interesting very white headed gull (although this image is a bit over-exposed) with a green colour ring, my pulse quickened ...

first views of XNEK were not the most helpful wit the X being obscured and side and rear of the bird hidden

it looked very good for Caspian head on (note the very thin legs) but it seemed to take ages to get a view of its side when I felt my suspicions were confirmed.

Caspian Gull in flight

flight shot showing the white head and streaked neck shawl

the white head, grey mantle with darker feather centres, brown covers and black wings give the expected four-coloured effect.  Note also white thumbnail tips to dark tertials, long wings, small forward placed eye and at this angle longish parallel sided bill (perhaps the one feature that I might have liked to be more obvious)

forward positioned small eye and snouty appearance showing well in this image

 

small head, sagging belly and 'Annaconda having swallowed Capybara' neck

a classic pose showing plumage features and sagging belly

a small bird compared to the nearby Herring Gull so presumably a male

the streaked neck shawl just about visible in this image

it looked pretty much a classic to me

 

Caspian Gull passing Greater Black-back with dead eel

flying off over Old Shoreham Road, presumably to roost, at 17:46, long wings and drooping bill evident

final shot showing pale underwing

I eventually found out it had come from Brandenburg, about 100 km SSE of Berlin and had travelled 1004km west

Walking back after it flew off I saw another North Thames Herring Gull (XT6T) while earlier I had seen a Kingfisher, a Wigeon and a Curlew on the same stretch of river.  In the morning Megan and I had a walk around Cissbury.  Lovely and clear (Portsmouth's Spinnaker Tower clearly visible) but few birds and migrants represented by 2 Swallows, a superb Tree Pipit, 3 Blackcaps and 8 Chiffchaffs.

Curlew on the Adur

North Thames Herring Gull FZ2T.  Not one I've seen before.

North Thames Herring Gull FZ2T, easier to read when side on

North Thames Herring Gull XT6T

Kingfisher on the Adur

Wigeon on the Adur

Thorney and Pagham (4 October 2014)

Saturday 4th.  With winds forecast that were not conducive to birding at Beachy I decided to head west.  I was torn between seawatching at Selsey and looking for Bearded Tits at Thorney where Barry Collins had posted seeing 20 'high flying', something I'd not seen for about 40 years.  Heading towards Chichester the winds seemed too strong to see much in reedbeds but not strong enough for a decent seawatch.  Deciding I'd rather see beardies I continued to Thorney.  At the western end of the Little Deep I saw at least 5 including good but brief views of a male and juvenile in the nearest reed edge.  It was high tide and the usual creek at the western end of the Great Deep held 18 Greenshank and a Spotted Redshank, the same cheek where I'd seen 18 Greenshank and 2 Spotted Redshank on 1 March.  Also seen around the Deeps were a Firecrest, 4 Stonechats and a Wheatear.  My arrival at Sidlesham Ferry coincided with the rain which did not help in trying to read the green colour-rings on three of the 24 Mediterranean Gulls tat were roosting there. Also on the Ferry were a Little Stint (my first since 2012), 5 Avocets and a Greenshank.  The North Wall and Whyte's Creek produced 6 Spotted Redshanks, 42 Golden Plover (my first of the year!), a juvenile/first winter Yellow-legged Gull and at least three Jay (with another three over the A27 on the way home).  Herring Gull NM8T was opposite Shoreham Airfield at low tide along with 76 Ringed Plover and 33 Dunlin.

Greenshank at Throney Deeps, some were all blinged up

mainly Greenshank at Thorney Deeps

Long-tailed Tit at Thorney, regrettably the Bearded Tits did not perform as well as this

colour-ringed Mediterranean Gull on Sidlesham Ferry.  It looked like something 36J but might not have had a first character 

I couldn't make out any characters on this one

Little Stint in the rain through a misted up lens

my first since 2012!

Curlew from the North Wall

juvenile Black-tailed Godwit from the North Wall

juvenile/first-winter Yellow-legged Gull at Pagham

Herring Gull NM8T on the Adur.  Ringed in Essex in 2010 (when a 2CY) its reported appearances since have alternated between Shoreham and Warnham

Friday 3rd.  A Kingfisher flew away down Southwick Canal as I was crossing the lock-gates on my way to work.

Wednesday 1st.  A Peregrine on Southwick Power Station chimney, a single Sandwich Tern inside Shoreham Harbour and a Jay at Shoreham College.

Monday 29th.  A Peregrine on Southwick Power Station chimney and a Common and seven Sandwich Terns inside Shoreham Harbour.