White Gulls

4th July - I popped down again early afternoon to see if I could read the red ring on the adult YLG.  Most of the LWHG still seemed to be present and the 2 adult YLG were sitting on the northern side of the spit, so I waited to see if they would move.

Whilst doing this, I noticed a white-winged gull flying towards the near spit - an adult Med Gull - it was c1:30pm and the gull landed and proceeded to preen.  It never looked particularly settled - after a few minutes it took off and landed on the back of the spit with the LWHG, it then returned to the near spit only to take off again fly a circuit and return.  The last time I saw it was just before a helicopter flew over, after which it had vanished having been on site for only 20 minutes or so.  It looked to be moulting its inner primaries and the hood was beginning to get a few white flecks in it. Some record shots below:

As I waited, I also took the opportunity to recount the waders seen this morning.  This time there were a definite 11 LRPs, 10 adults and the juvenile and 2 Common Sands.

Some time after 2pm, something unseen spooked the whole flock of LWHG and rather than taking flight and returning as they often do, they all circled higher and higher and left the site, so the red ring will have to wait for another day!

A little later, 3 Oystercatchers flew in and a leucistic Black-headed Gull also landed for a couple of minutes before departing - not as white as some I have seen, but quite distinctive nonetheless.

A Hobby flew over as I left to collect the kids.

Red-crested Pochard - Patch Tick!

4th July - a quick morning visit trying to dodge the showers.  Almost the first birds I looked at were 2 Red-crested Pochards sitting on the end of the far spit - unexpected at this time of year and a patch tick to boot, so very pleased!  They were both males, 1 in full eclipse and the other partial, still retaining some golden feathers in the head and some black on the lower neck/breast.  A couple of record shots in poor light:

Full eclipse

 

Partial eclipse

LRPs are still around in good numbers - I counted at least 10 this morning, all adults plus yesterday's single juvenile, but I could only see 1 Common Sand.

Yellow-legged Gulls continue to arrive, with 9 counted amongst the LWHG flock - there could easily be more.  These consisted of 2 adults, 6 2nd summers and a 3rd summer.  A new adult and 3rd summer bird at least.  There have been at least 12 different birds on site so far since June 6th and very probably more - the bulk of these have been 2nd summers and it is becoming difficult to keep track of these.  The new adult (though I did see it briefly yesterday, but only for a nano-second) has a red darvic ring, which is probably from the North Thames Gull Group, but I wasn't able to read it - hopefully it will stick around so that it can be eventually.

Some Movement and Some Juveniles

3rd July - an overcast and humid morning, but largely avoiding the showers.  I was hoping that yesterday's large number of reported Common Sandpipers (8 or 9) might still be present, however, on arrival mid morning it was obvious that they were not.  There were lots of waders around the spit edge though, including an ever growing number of LRPs - I counted 11 birds at one point, 10 adults and the first juvenile of the season.  Amongst these, 2 Common Sands were on the near spit and a newly arrived Green Sandpiper and first of the autumn was on the back of the far spit.

As ever, my attention turned to the loafing LWHG flock and almost the first bird I looked at was a fresh juvenile sitting down with its head in its back away from the other birds.  This was the first juvenile large gull I had seen this year and it looked good for Yellow-legged.  Eventually, it woke up, stood up, walked around and flew, confirming that it was indeed the first juvenile YLG of the season - it eventually flew eastwards, I assume towards Hedgerley landfill.  Luckily Dave P was on site and took some good record shots, which are shown below - my efforts in the light conditions would have been hopeless.  Features noted included a white upper tail, with a black tail band and a pale grey wedge up the back in flight; darker inner greater coverts; dark centred tertials with pale tips and edges, but not reaching the coverts; dark spotting on the edges of the undertail coverts only; large black bill; contrasting dark eye patch with paler head; long, thin legs.

There was possibly another juvenile YLG on site, but I was never sure whether I had actually seen 2 or the same bird in different locations.  The regular adult and 3 of the 2nd summer birds were also present.  It was also nice to see a fresh juvenile LBBG - another first for the season.

At about 11:05am, I happened to look up just as a Curlew was flying overhead, which was lucky as it didn't call once.  Also seen by Dave P, it flew in from the east and continued westwards.  Shortly afterwards, the Green Sand started calling, flew to the southern bay and looked a bit perturbed, which was explained when a second bird appeared alongside apparently having just arrived - Dave P's shots are shown below - Thanks Dave!

The 2 regular Oystercatchers had also arrived silently during this period.  The 40+ Black-headed Gulls that prefer to hang out on the tip of the near spit contained a juvenile - my first this year, but has been reported for a few days now.

June Med

29th June - an early afternoon visit on a windy day with some early showers giving way to sunshine.  A Common Sand was new in on the near side of the spit and after a quick scan a second bird flew around to the back of the spit.  The 2 Oystercatchers were once again present along with at least 5 adult LRPs and 3 of the regular 2nd summer YL Gulls were in with the LWHG flock.  4 Shelduck on the back of the spit were the first I'd seen at this site for a while.

I spent a bit of time scrutinising the Common Terns resting on the near spit.  Yesterday evening, Jim R had seen 2 birds wearing faded colour rings that were possibly birds ringed at this site as juveniles.  I have been looking at the terns here frequently and hadn't noticed any before, other than a bird with a single BTO ring, so wondered if I had just missed them or whether they were newly arrived from a failed breeding attempt elsewhere.  Anyway, this time of day was not great for terns sitting on the mud, they usually build up later in the day, but as luck would have it, out of 3 birds, 1 was one of yesterday's colour-ringed birds.  It bore a BTO ring on its left leg and a smaller colour ring on its right.  The top colour was definitely blue, but fading and the bottom colour just looked like a faded white.  This would possibly make it a bird ringed at this site in 2009.

Whilst looking at the tern, I noticed that a nearby Black-headed Gull also had a colour ring - a black one on its left leg with white A2NO, with a metal ring above the knee on the right.  This looks to be from a scheme in Germany and I await further details.  A poor record shot through some drizzle just about shows the code (if you use your imagination!)

A little later, a 1st summer Med Gull arrived in with the increasing flock of post breeding BH Gulls.  It had a wash and brush up and then attempted a quick nap, but was startled by something, though still there when I left.  I always think that this age looks a little scruffy, probably due to the patchy, spotty hood, which was quite extensive on this bird.

A male Blue-tailed Damselfly settled on the foliage next to where I was standing, but every time I tried to take a photo it flew to a different spot - I gave up in the end.

Returning Shovelers

28th June - a quick look before school pick up found a couple of Oystercatchers on the spit again - these birds are presumably visiting some of the other local pits when not being seen here.  The gull flock held 2 Yellow legs - an adult and yesterday's new 2nd summer.  Post breeding adult Black-headed Gulls are beginning to build, with maybe 40 birds now lingering on the spit.  However, birds of the day were probably the 3 Shoveler that were new in - a male and 2 females.  These birds were dabbling at the base of the east side of the spit.

It was vey hot and around the lake edge were large numbers of Common Blue Damselflies.  I grabbed a record shot of a male Black-tailed Skimmer that kept returning to the same lakeside twig.

1 of today's birds have a scratch!

More of the Same

27th June - 7 adult LRPs at midday, 6 together in the southern bay and a further single.  I assume that these are failed breeders from other sites.  No sign of any other waders on site though, but I expect the first returning adult Blackwits will be seen soon.

The gull flock held 5 Yellow-legged Gulls - all of yesterday's birds present again (adult and 3 2nd summers) plus a further new 2nd summer.  This bird was similar to yesterday's new bird, being a large male in similar plumage, but had noticeably broad white tips to its tertials.  They were actually grouped quite closely on the edge of the main flock, apart from the 2nd summer with the bleached coverts, which was sitting in its usual spot in front of the island away from the other gulls.  When I returned for a quick look in the late afternoon, most of the gulls had departed the site, but there were 2 2nd summers present, one of which was a dark eyed bird and so different to the earlier birds making a total count of 6 birds on site today and 8 or 9 so far this June - 1 adult, 6 or 7 2nd summers and 1 1st summer.

More Gulls....

26th June - a warm and sunny morning for once!  On arrival, 2 Oystercatchers were immediately obvious on the end of the near spit, but shortly later, a third bird flew in.  The male took a dislike to this new arrival and chased it off.  LRPs have built in recent days, with 7 adults reported over the weekend - presumably failed breeders.  Today there were still lots around the edge, but I was never sure that I had seen more than 5 - I wouldn't be surprised if there were more though.  An adult Little Egret complete with head plume was fishing on the back of the spit and 2 Hobbies flew through.

With little else to look at, once again my attention was drawn to the gull flock.  I eventually picked out 4 Yellow-legs - 3 of these were birds I had seen previously - an adult, a 2nd summer with bleached coverts and a single replaced grey central greater covert (this bird usually sits on its own in front of the island) and a 2nd summer with streaking around the eye.  The fourth bird was a new 2nd summer - a large male with a long bill, a black sub terminal band mainly on the upper mandible and long legs which were just beginning to acquire some yellow and still looked pale pink in some angles.  It looked taller and bigger than most of the birds around it.  I took a record shot at distance as it was in the usual gull spot on the back of the spit.

Doesn't look quite so big in the water

There were also 3 colour-ringed birds, none of which I could read: the usual white-ringed 2cy LBB Gull; a white-ringed adult Herring Gull and an orange/red-ringed 2cy Herring Gull.

Fortunately, when Dave P visited in the afternoon, the gulls were flushed from their usual spot and landed on the near spit.  This enabled him to get some better shots of the YL Gulls described above and also read 2 of the darvic rings.  His shots are featured below:

The adult bird

2nd summer with streaky eye, plus A7WD LBB Gull

The 2cy LBB Gull had a white ring with black A7WD and the adult Herring Gull had a white ring with black A6VH.  Both these birds are from a scheme in East Sussex that releases injured birds from the RSPCA and I await details - Thanks Dave!