Ross's Gull in Cork

The final of the fourteen species of gull we encountered during our week-long Irish trip was this delightfully salmony adult Ross's Gull at Kinsale. Of course, a good proportion of Ross's Gulls show a pink wash to their plumage but they rarely come this bright (at least in the UK) - the most intense hue was around the bird's tail base, on the rump and the vent. This was another new Irish bird for me, and infinitely better than the utterly underwhelming Lancashire bird (that later died!). Just a shame about the appalling light that morning, not to mention the oil all over the belly and, as you'll see in the perched shot above, on the tertials too.

Ballycotton Laugher

Having managed to miss out on the 2005/6 influx entirely, the first-winter Laughing Gull encountered on the first day of our Irish trip (last Sunday - time flies!) was only the second I'd ever seen in Britain and Ireland. As such I lapped it up, and the bird put on a great show, regularly allowing us to approach within five metres. Shame the early to mid-morning light was average at best.

Ireland: half-time

Day three of a seven-day tour of Western Ireland has just concluded; there have been moments of brilliance but it just feels like we're a bit too late to the party for all these monster counts of Glaucs. Indeed, the weather has been great the past couple of days (after an average Sunday). Highlights so far include Laughing Gull, a handful of Ring-billed Gulls, 44 'wingers' (mainly Glaucs with the rest kumlieni and lesser numbers of nominate glaucoides), female King Eider, a few Pink-feet etc. Nothing big yet though. Let's see how the next few days go; hoping the wind later this week has some effect and brings birds back in to shore.

Lots more shots when I'm back home.

Laugher

3cy Ringer in the mix

Adult Kumlien's flies by

Juv Glauc

4cy Ringer

Semipalmated saviour...

.... of a pretty difficult weekend in Cork and Kerry. Also saw a really good looking near-adult Azorean Gull at Rosscarbery at dawn on 22nd, although it flew off pretty quickly. Much better than the 'thing' at Rainham. The best bird of Sunday 23rd was a Reed Warbler on Valentia Island.

Genuine Azorean Gull influx?

On Sunday, three possible Azorean Gulls were reported in County Cork - at Clonakilty, Rosscarbery and Ballycotton. The first two (a near-adult and a somewhat retarded 3cy) were photographed:

http://www.irishbirding.com/birds/web/Display/sighting/47823/Yellowlegged_Gull.html
http://www.irishbirding.com/birds/web/Display/sighting/47822/Yellowlegged_Gull.html

This adds a fascinating twist to the story of Azorean Gull in Britain and Ireland. Perhaps these streaky-headed, dark-mantled gulls are atlantis after all? Although not worth jumping to any conclusions just yet, it must be noted that we've been subject to a series of trans-atlantic weather systems since the first around 16th August - indeed, the gales that affected much of southwest Britain and Ireland during that first system stemmed right from the Azorean archipelago. Worth thinking about, at least. For good measure, here are a dew more shots of the bird I had at Rainham last Tuesday: