Richmond bank gives high returns
After recently trying to turn herring gulls into caspian gulls it was great to finally get to grips with the real thing. I suppose caspian gull is one of those gulls that 'once you have seen one'. This 1st winter bird was so distinctive that there was no ifs or maybe's , it was a caspian gull. What struck me about this bird, apart from the white head,dark eye, and black slim bill was the wing coverts. They really contrasted from the mantle and scaps and were a rich brown colour. The long black wings were another obvious feature to this bird as were the long legs. I suppose its a relief to finally see a caspian gull and now I dont have to try and make every snouty, dark eyed herring gull into caspain gull. Thanks to my fellow merseyside gullers today, as one of them found this smart caspian gull. A lifer for me.
Also today there were 2 juv glaucous gulls, a juv iceland which may possibly be a second winter, a 2nd winter yellow legged gull , a peregrine and a water rail calling.
After recently trying to turn herring gulls into caspian gulls it was great to finally get to grips with the real thing. I suppose caspian gull is one of those gulls that 'once you have seen one'. This 1st winter bird was so distinctive that there was no ifs or maybe's , it was a caspian gull. What struck me about this bird, apart from the white head,dark eye, and black slim bill was the wing coverts. They really contrasted from the mantle and scaps and were a rich brown colour. The long black wings were another obvious feature to this bird as were the long legs. I suppose its a relief to finally see a caspian gull and now I dont have to try and make every snouty, dark eyed herring gull into caspain gull. Thanks to my fellow merseyside gullers today, as one of them found this smart caspian gull. A lifer for me.
Also today there were 2 juv glaucous gulls, a juv iceland which may possibly be a second winter, a 2nd winter yellow legged gull , a peregrine and a water rail calling.
The last 2 pics of the caspian gull illustrate how different a gull can look, from a relaxed posture to an alert posture.
Calling 
Long necked.
5 comments:
Hi Steve,
Speaking as someone else living to the west of areas where Caspian Gulls are in any way regular (in my case, Cork city in Ireland), I can understand entirely the relief that comes when one finally catches up with such an obvious candidate after years of wondering about odd Herrings! In my case, a friend and I found a 1st-w at Youghal dump last Feb, and it was very satisfying.
You've given me renewed hope of finding another one now, if the weather even clears enough to spend a day down there!
Harry
Absolutely agree Harry.It is a very scarce bird this side of the Pennines and what a brilliant bird to finally see.I have tried to turn many a snouty herring gull into a casp. Hope the weather picks up for you.
Good luck
Steve
http://corkbirding.blogspot.com/2007_02_01_archive.html
posts about the Cork Caspian from last Feb
A smart caspian gull Harry, There can't have been many casps in Ireland?
Probably 10 or more accepted records at this stage, though it's hard to be sure, as a few 'classic' birds from previous years have yet to be published, owing to the backlog in bird reports (last published Irish Bird Report was for 2004!).
Of course, the fact that large gulls are very much a minority interest within an already small birding community may make the species seem rarer than in actually is, but they ARE genuinely rare, or else those of us who DO look at gulls would see more of them!
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