A New Caspo

25th September - a quick visit in the morning to check for new arrivals - a Common Sand, big deal!  Hirundines were represented predominantly by House Martins today, with very few Swallows but still double figures of Sand Martins.  I left to see a nearby Little Stint at Eton Wick - why couldn't it be here?

Another early afternoon visit found slightly larger numbers of loafing LWHG, but still relatively low numbers - maybe 30-40 birds.  Amongst these, I soon picked out 3 adult Yellow-legged Gulls - 1 of these looked to be a returning bird from last year - I'll discuss this more in the next post.  I glimpsed the top part of a juvenile bird with interesting looking replaced scaps and when it stuck up a pale looking head, I was pretty sure I had a Caspian Gull.  It took another 20 minutes before it got up and it then flew fairly close to me and I was able to get some reasonable records - a big bird with a large bill, so probably a male.  I was able to scrutinise all the relevant features and the photos capture most of these of this juvenile moulting to 1st winter - including the nice pale underwing.