Juvenile Caspian Gull, Dogsthorpe Tip, Peterborough, 17 August 2017
Showing posts with label juvenile. Show all posts
Showing posts with label juvenile. Show all posts
Friday, 18 August 2017
Juvenile Caspian Gull in Peterborough
It's almost inevitable that I see my first juvenile Caspian Gull of the season in Peterborough around the Birdfair weekend. Here's the 2017 offering, with a strikingly dark tail and mucky underwing but otherwise looking pretty classic.
Monday, 22 August 2016
Another juvenile Caspian Gull
A quick lunchtime visit to Dogsthorpe Tip on Monday produced another juvenile Caspian Gull. This latest individual was particularly pale and distinct, despite scapular moult having only just commenced, and was also a massive bird.
The pit here is pretty big and most of the gulls are out of range for the DSLR but birds on the spit show quite well. When gulls take off from the spit and head back to the tip to feed, they tend to fly quite close by - so the views can be quite good with luck.
Juvenile Caspian Gull rivalling Great Black-backs for size
The pit here is pretty big and most of the gulls are out of range for the DSLR but birds on the spit show quite well. When gulls take off from the spit and head back to the tip to feed, they tend to fly quite close by - so the views can be quite good with luck.
Sunday, 26 July 2015
Juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls
Three juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls at Greenwich were a nice reintroduction to gulling after a spring and summer off.
Saturday, 11 January 2014
Thayer's Gulls: juveniles
It's only taken me eleven months to sort these out, but here's a first photo-blog concerning the gulls seen during my Californian trip last February. This first installment will take a look at some of the juvenile Thayer's Gulls seen during the week.
I was actually quite amazed as to just how variable juvenile thayeri could be, with the trip really changing my opinion on these birds in a European context. In fact, ever since coming back from California, the bird I found (but identified and left alone as a probable dark Kumlien's) in County Fermanagh back in January 2012 has repeatedly come back to haunt me - it's pretty clear it was easily in range of Thayer's Gull. Anyway, I digress... here's a few shots, with notes on each featured bird following the images.
A relatively dark individual with dark brown, solidly marked juvenile tertials and dark brown primaries. The scapulars, though heavily worn and abraded, are dark-centred, paling towards the fringes. The bill is beginning to acquire a pinkish tinge to all but the very tip.
This is a particularly bleached individual, with rather concolorous pale upperparts. The tertials, though quite pale and extensively pale-tipped, are still some of the darkest brown feathers on the bird, along with the tail and primaries - the latter of which seem remarkably unaffected by the sun when compared to the rest of the plumage. The bill is still extensively dark.
An open wing shot of the same bird shows the obvious pale window on the inner primaries, pale inner webs of outer primaries and obvious dark secondary bar as well as an all dark tail and heavily barred rump.
Another heavily bleached individual; birds like this are not uncommon after spending a winter in the Californian sun! The tertials are still very much uniform, though quite pale- the primaries (what is left of them!) are also a mid-brown.
A pale and slender bird with distinctly two-toned bill and heavily bleached upperparts - would this be identified as a Thayer's in Western Europe?
A bird that probably fits the general Western European concept of a 'classic' juvenile Thayer's Gull: dark bill (darkest at tip), uniform brown tertials, dark brown primaries with pale fringing, heavily barred undertail coverts as well as a uniform brown wash to the underparts.
Dark bill and dark brown 'shawl', but otherwise with rather pale, heavily bleached upperparts - note how some of the inner greater coverts are almost entirely off-white! The tail, tertials and primaries are also particularly heavily affected on this bird.
To me, this bird has more of a European Herring Gull feel to it (especially facially), and could get overlooked as such in Europe with the greyish-brown wash to the body and relatively sparsely barred undertail coverts. The tertials show some patterning at the tips, and the primaries - a dark brown - possess obvious pale fringes.
A much more distinctive individual to that above, with uniform brown underparts, dark centred juvenile scapulars, dark centred tertials (with patterning towards the tips) and dark brown primaries. The flight shot illustrates the heavily barred (and predominately chocolate brown) rump and uppertail coverts, the all dark tail and uniform chocolate axillaries. One of the nicest juveniles we saw!
Another heavily bleached bird that is unlikely to be confidently identified in a Western European context - can Kumlien's Gull be ruled out, even in California? The scapulars are extensively pale with pale 'horseshoe' markings to the tips, and the coverts are also largely pale. However, the tertials are quite uniform (despite being pale) and the primaries are uniformly dark with pale fringing. The tail is all primarily dark, but too is heavily bleached.
Here's another one that has an almost Herring Gull-like feel to it with quite pale (and blotchy) underparts. The undertail coverts aren't particularly heavily barred either.
Again quite bleached, but a really nice bird - classic in all respects. You can just about make out the silvery quality to the undersides of the bird's primaries.
Yet another heavily bleached bird - the primaries, tertials and tail have all suffered quite considerably. That said, plumage is otherwise typical Thayer's Gull.
I was actually quite amazed as to just how variable juvenile thayeri could be, with the trip really changing my opinion on these birds in a European context. In fact, ever since coming back from California, the bird I found (but identified and left alone as a probable dark Kumlien's) in County Fermanagh back in January 2012 has repeatedly come back to haunt me - it's pretty clear it was easily in range of Thayer's Gull. Anyway, I digress... here's a few shots, with notes on each featured bird following the images.
Juvenile Thayer's Gull, Venice Beach, Half Moon Bay, CA, February 2013
A heavy and thick-set individual, the bill is quite hefty and the bird possesses an almost Herring Gull-like structure. The upperparts are quite heavily worn and bleached. The tertials and primaries are the darkest parts of the gull, with the former lacking any internal patterning. Note the solid dark tail and heavily barred undertail and uppertail coverts.
Juvenile Thayer's Gull, Jenner, CA, February 2013
A relatively dark individual with dark brown, solidly marked juvenile tertials and dark brown primaries. The scapulars, though heavily worn and abraded, are dark-centred, paling towards the fringes. The bill is beginning to acquire a pinkish tinge to all but the very tip.
Thayer's Gull, Jenner, CA, February 2013
This is a particularly bleached individual, with rather concolorous pale upperparts. The tertials, though quite pale and extensively pale-tipped, are still some of the darkest brown feathers on the bird, along with the tail and primaries - the latter of which seem remarkably unaffected by the sun when compared to the rest of the plumage. The bill is still extensively dark.
An open wing shot of the same bird shows the obvious pale window on the inner primaries, pale inner webs of outer primaries and obvious dark secondary bar as well as an all dark tail and heavily barred rump.
Thayer's Gull, Jenner, CA, February 2013
Another heavily bleached individual; birds like this are not uncommon after spending a winter in the Californian sun! The tertials are still very much uniform, though quite pale- the primaries (what is left of them!) are also a mid-brown.
Thayer's Gull, Jenner, CA, February 2013
A pale and slender bird with distinctly two-toned bill and heavily bleached upperparts - would this be identified as a Thayer's in Western Europe?
Thayer's Gull, Petaluma, CA, February 2013
A bird that probably fits the general Western European concept of a 'classic' juvenile Thayer's Gull: dark bill (darkest at tip), uniform brown tertials, dark brown primaries with pale fringing, heavily barred undertail coverts as well as a uniform brown wash to the underparts.
Thayer's Gull, Petaluma, CA, February 2013
Dark bill and dark brown 'shawl', but otherwise with rather pale, heavily bleached upperparts - note how some of the inner greater coverts are almost entirely off-white! The tail, tertials and primaries are also particularly heavily affected on this bird.
Thayer's Gull, Petaluma, CA, February 2013
To me, this bird has more of a European Herring Gull feel to it (especially facially), and could get overlooked as such in Europe with the greyish-brown wash to the body and relatively sparsely barred undertail coverts. The tertials show some patterning at the tips, and the primaries - a dark brown - possess obvious pale fringes.
Thayer's Gull, Petaluma, CA, February 2013
A much more distinctive individual to that above, with uniform brown underparts, dark centred juvenile scapulars, dark centred tertials (with patterning towards the tips) and dark brown primaries. The flight shot illustrates the heavily barred (and predominately chocolate brown) rump and uppertail coverts, the all dark tail and uniform chocolate axillaries. One of the nicest juveniles we saw!
Presumed Thayer's Gull, Petaluma, CA, February 2013
Another heavily bleached bird that is unlikely to be confidently identified in a Western European context - can Kumlien's Gull be ruled out, even in California? The scapulars are extensively pale with pale 'horseshoe' markings to the tips, and the coverts are also largely pale. However, the tertials are quite uniform (despite being pale) and the primaries are uniformly dark with pale fringing. The tail is all primarily dark, but too is heavily bleached.
Thayer's Gull, Petaluma, CA, February 2013
Here's another one that has an almost Herring Gull-like feel to it with quite pale (and blotchy) underparts. The undertail coverts aren't particularly heavily barred either.
Thayer's Gull, Half Moon Bay, CA, February 2013
Again quite bleached, but a really nice bird - classic in all respects. You can just about make out the silvery quality to the undersides of the bird's primaries.
Thayer's Gull, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA
Yet another heavily bleached bird - the primaries, tertials and tail have all suffered quite considerably. That said, plumage is otherwise typical Thayer's Gull.
Thursday, 8 August 2013
Odd juvenile Yellow-legged Gull
Spent a few hours at Rainham on Tuesday morning. It was sunny, warm and the tip was plagued with heat haze. That said, the gulls showed pretty well on the Thames foreshore opposite the area they are tipping (near the bend in the Thames). Try and spot a few michs in the shot above!
Overall, I had at least 35 Yellow-legged Gulls throughout the morning, with the commonest age classes being juveniles and adults. Among the juveniles was the dopey creature below, which spent much of its time on its own along the foreshore towards high tide and allowed for some reasonable photo opportunities. Nothing odd about the plumage (a classic, with scapular moult already well underway as you'd expect), but the pale bill gave it a really distinctive look.
Sunday, 4 November 2012
Juvenile Glaucous Gull
I've been pretty fortunate in that almost every time I've popped home to Lincs this year I've managed to find some decent birds on my old stomping grounds. On Saturday, the best thing I could manage on my old patch at Baston & Langtoft Pits was a vocal Water Pipit, with a Short-eared Owl seen at nearby Baston Fen late afternoon.
But the highlight of the day was a fine juvenile Glaucous Gull on the pool at Dogsthorpe Tip during the late morning. This is the earliest juvenile I've seen in the Peterborough area (previous 9th Dec 2007), although I did have a second-winter in late October last year. As you'd expect for the date, it was a particularly fresh-looking and well-marked individual. The relatively small size (not much bigger than a Herring Gull), cute face and demure bill perhaps suggest it was of the fairer sex.
Perhaps not totally unexpected given the recent northerly airflow, although a pleasing start to the winter gulling season nonetheless. Apparently still present this morning too, seen by Mike Weedon at around 10:30.
But the highlight of the day was a fine juvenile Glaucous Gull on the pool at Dogsthorpe Tip during the late morning. This is the earliest juvenile I've seen in the Peterborough area (previous 9th Dec 2007), although I did have a second-winter in late October last year. As you'd expect for the date, it was a particularly fresh-looking and well-marked individual. The relatively small size (not much bigger than a Herring Gull), cute face and demure bill perhaps suggest it was of the fairer sex.
Perhaps not totally unexpected given the recent northerly airflow, although a pleasing start to the winter gulling season nonetheless. Apparently still present this morning too, seen by Mike Weedon at around 10:30.
Thursday, 13 September 2012
Mid-September Caspian Gulls
Today, I spent about 90 minutes in Butts Hide at Rainham, during which I saw the juvenile Baillon's Crake for about 3 seconds as it ran across a gap in the reeds. Nice bird, but I must admit I felt a huge sense of relief on seeing it. Why? Because it meant I could get back to the landfill site and look at the gulls, of course!
In two 90-minutes sessions today (mid-morning and early afternoon), I had at least five Caspian Gulls, with at least three 1cy birds seen. Interesting to see how worn all three were, being well advanced in their moult towards first-winter plumage.
Bird one was a really bulky-looking beast with a hefty bill. Note that the vast majority of the scapulars have been replaced, and also how worn the coverts are:
Bird two was perhaps the 'best'-looking of the lot, initially picked up flying around over the tip when the pale underwing could be seen with ease. A classic in all respects, this one is less advanced in its scapular moult than bird one, but note structure (long legs, parallel bill, rounded head etc). It looks really similar to this one I had in Peterborough last year.
Bird three was probably the most advanced of the bunch, with a whitish head and almost all scapulars replaced. Although superficially similar to bird one, there are differences in the moulted scapulars, and the bill is both a different shape (more pronounced gonydeal angle) and shows a more obvious pinkish wash to the base. Check out how long and spindly the legs are!
The other two birds were both 2cy, with one much more advanced than the other. Here is one of them, through the heat haze:
Also had this bird. At first, I thought it might be a Caspian Gull, but some features don't really fit - the bold anchors on the newly-moulted scapulars, the shortish legs, the dirty(ish) underwing etc. I guess it is likely a Yellow-legged Gull. Or perhaps even a Lesser Black-backed Gull. Thoughts and comments welcome.
In two 90-minutes sessions today (mid-morning and early afternoon), I had at least five Caspian Gulls, with at least three 1cy birds seen. Interesting to see how worn all three were, being well advanced in their moult towards first-winter plumage.
Bird one was a really bulky-looking beast with a hefty bill. Note that the vast majority of the scapulars have been replaced, and also how worn the coverts are:
Bird two was perhaps the 'best'-looking of the lot, initially picked up flying around over the tip when the pale underwing could be seen with ease. A classic in all respects, this one is less advanced in its scapular moult than bird one, but note structure (long legs, parallel bill, rounded head etc). It looks really similar to this one I had in Peterborough last year.
Bird three was probably the most advanced of the bunch, with a whitish head and almost all scapulars replaced. Although superficially similar to bird one, there are differences in the moulted scapulars, and the bill is both a different shape (more pronounced gonydeal angle) and shows a more obvious pinkish wash to the base. Check out how long and spindly the legs are!
The other two birds were both 2cy, with one much more advanced than the other. Here is one of them, through the heat haze:
Also had this bird. At first, I thought it might be a Caspian Gull, but some features don't really fit - the bold anchors on the newly-moulted scapulars, the shortish legs, the dirty(ish) underwing etc. I guess it is likely a Yellow-legged Gull. Or perhaps even a Lesser Black-backed Gull. Thoughts and comments welcome.
Friday, 7 September 2012
Short-billed Dowitcher
What a gorgeous bird, positively glowing here in the evening sunshine. It's been a nervous three-day wait to get down to Lodmoor to see one of my dream birds - well worth suffering the Friday afternoon traffic for!
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