Winter Gull'ing highlights: 2010 - 2011

I didn't really do much Gull watching in 2010, this is the first winter where I have had my car so that I am able to do some Gull watching of myself. My aim was to go out and find my own birds, I always feel encouraged with Gulls as you just don't know what could be lurking out there and anything could show up at any time. Desperate hoped the Slaty-backed Gull would head north were dashed when it remained in London and hasn't been seen for a good while now. So before I go onto the highlights here are the gloomy 'woe is me' parts of this seasons Gull watching:
- Slaty-backed Gull - I dipped this bird twice, why did I go all they way to London to see this again twice for?
- Iceland Gull - I missed a local bird that showed superbly well infront of the hide at Rainton Meadows.

So not to bad really as I am not so bothered about the Iceland Gull but I am very disappointed I dipped the Slaty-backed Gull twice! There will be others.....................maybe.

Now for the highlights. Undoubtedly taking number 1 spot was the Caspian Gull I had when I dipped the Slaty-backed Gull for the first time. It was a target bird for me this year so I am now happy that I have seen one of these cracking gulls. Sadly no images were taken and I just enjoyed watching the bird, the 'albatross like stance' is very noticeable.

Taking second position is the Glaucous Gull at Seaton Common tip in Teesside. I saw the bird on numerous occasions and yet still failed to get a decent photograph or video, thankfully Ian Forrest and John Bridges got some great shots of it. I hadn't seen a Glaucous Gull for over 2 years so it was a bird I was keen to see being a bit of a Gull freak.

(Glaucous Gull - © Ian Forrest)

(Glaucous Gull - © Andrew Kinghorn)

(Glaucous Gull - © John Bridges)

(Glaucous Gull - © Ian Forrest)

(Glaucous Gull - © Ian Forrest)

(Glaucous Gull - © Andrew Kinghorn)

Taking third position was the Iceland Gull for sure! It was a cracking adult bird which origins I believe to be Kumlien's Gull rather than Iceland. But hey it doesn't really matter because no matter what it is its still an Iceland! I saw the bird on several occasions and showed well on several occasions. Never yet did I see it on the common though, only ever on the tip. I also saw an Iceland Gull on the day I dipped the Slaty-backed Gull for a second time.

 (Iceland Gull - © John Bridges)

 (Iceland Gull - © John Bridges)

 (Iceland Gull - © John Bridges)

 (Iceland Gull - © Andrew Kinghorn)

 (Iceland Gull - © Andrew Kinghorn)

A self found Yellow-legged Gull on Seaton Common tip just before I stopped Gull'ing for the season was a bird I didn't expect to really see. A nice bird but didn't stick around long enough for me to grab a video or image, which I was gutted at!

I had a few Mediterranean Gulls during the past few weeks of Gull'ing I finally added a cracking partly summer plumaged bird to me Gull tip list. But the best bird was a bird found by John Bridges that was in full summer plumage (bottom video).  I also had the bird that spent the last winter in Great Lumley in Lumley again this winter, it was good to see him/her back.

(Mediterranean Gull - © Andrew Kinghorn)

(Mediterranean Gull - © Andrew Kinghorn)

(Mediterranean Gull - © Andrew Kinghorn)

Now lets move onto the 'natures accidents', the gulls that just aren't meant to be. The hybrids, the freaks of nature, the accidents, all of those could be used to describe these beasts:

(Hybrid Lesser black-backed Gull x Herring - © Andrew Kinghorn)

(Presumed Viking Gull (Glaucous x Herring) - © Andrew Kinghorn)

So all in all some excellent winter gull watching. Until next time, Foghorn out!