Brian,
You've made my day.
Peter
M = Moors , SP = sailing pool, F = Flashes
GCG 11 (6 M, 5 SP)
Little grebe 2 (M)
Mute swan pr (M)
Canada geese 26 (20M, 6 F)
Teal 22 (6 M, 16 F)
shoveler 15 (M)
Gadwall 4 (pr M, pr F)
Shelduck pr (M)
Mallard 46 (18 M, 28 F)
Pochard 5 (M)
Tufted 51 (M)
Coot 100 (88M, 12F)
Water rail 1 (SP reed bed)
Oystercatcher 4 (2 prs M)
Avocet 4 (F)
Snipe 6 (M)
Curlew 16 (F)
Lapwing 24 moved through over Amy's (breeding 1 M, 10 F)
BHG 1000 (F)
LBBG c20
Herring Gull 6
grey heron 2 (1 M, 1 F)
Moorhen 20 (8 M, 12 F)
Hi PeterJohn,
Have you missed out the two YLGs Simon photographed at the Moors today?
Peter
I think the wind and rain from last week was the tipping point. It would appear that although the reeds can stand for several years, the prolonged lack of water makes them more susceptible to becoming so brittle that they break off. I think I will ask John H at the sailing centre if we can do something about it. The reed warblers will never breed in it this year. When we finish the Moors tasks off, I will ask the Tuesday crew if they want to get involved in there, before the warblers arrive. It would only take a few hours with a few people to sort it. :t:JohnThe appearance of the reed-bed you saw today John has only occurred in the last couple of weeks, that's why I was wondering if the reeds had been deliberately flattened or some sort of wind vortex had sent the reeds to the ground.
Des.
Brian,
You've made my day.
Peter
Don't mean to be a spoil sport but these 2 gulls look a lot more like Lessers to me! Mantle shade seems far to dark and head shape seems out. Any more photos of them with an open wing might help the identification.
Lets not forget YLG is still a scarce gull at Upton and without my reports to hand I'd guess that a minimum of 4 birds in March would be unheard of?
Yer does seem more LBBG now, although still think that bird on the island in the first photo looks Common like!
Still struggling to see YLG in 2nd claimed bird, looks argentatus to me
Hi Tim,
Yes, I agree! Saw these two birds this morning (presumably a pair as they stayed very close to each other). When I looked at the picture I fell in to the trap of thinking one of them was the near-adult YLG from the other day but of course they are both LBBGs. So sorry Peter, YLG will have to wait for another day!
The key to gull ID is look at lots of them, then look at some more and you'll still be left will plenty of opportunity to make a balls up:smoke:
Brian
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Birding Today
Also, look at the greater coverts on the first of Chris's pictures here. They are darker and form a contrast with the median and lesser coverts which favours YLG in combination with the other features already mentioned.
Brian
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Birding Today
re YLG.
I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this.
By the way, dusky underwing and bi-coloured bill are not necessarily pro-Herring features. Plumage and bare parts are equally if not more variable than in Herring Gull.
Just have a look at these, these and for amazing variability in the same month of the same age group here
Brian
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Birding Today
Spent the morning at the flashes, seemed to be the only birder there,so here's what was knocking around.
4 Avocet
2 Curlew
2 Oystercatcher
11 Lapwing
1 Snipe
9 Teal
2 Stock dove
2 Pied Wagtail
1 Redshank droped in around 08:15 stayed 30 minutes and departed as noisily as it arrived.
good an informative debate Brian and Tim, I am sure we have all learned something , and no fall out - that's what it is all about. :t:
good an informative debate Brian and Tim, I am sure we have all learned something , and no fall out - that's what it is all about. :t:
I think I blew my chances yesterday, Dave. Yours is today IIRC (you went for the Ides of March, didn't you?).