FoghornKinghorn
Durham Recorder
To much under tail covert streaking and heavy flank markings.
Its a Mealy Red-Herring Gull
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Durham Birding (5 Viewers)
- Thread starter Skelly
- Start date
To much under tail covert streaking and heavy flank markings.
Its a Mealy Red-Herring Gull
Ray.Scott
Well-known member
IanF
Moderator
Tilery Wood - am - Crossbill x4, Marsh Tit, Willow Tit, GSW, Bullfinch. Lots of Coal Tits. Buzzard over A689 heading NE by Wynyard Estate.
Seaton Snook - pm - Grey Plover c.40, Bar-tailed Godwit x1, Knot c.100, Dunlin c.150, Purple Sandpiper x12, Turnstone x10, Sanderling c.40, Curlew x3, Redshank x12, Oystercatcher x8. Cormorant c.20, Shag x12 plus RB Merganser x10 along Seaton Channel.
Seaton Snook - pm - Grey Plover c.40, Bar-tailed Godwit x1, Knot c.100, Dunlin c.150, Purple Sandpiper x12, Turnstone x10, Sanderling c.40, Curlew x3, Redshank x12, Oystercatcher x8. Cormorant c.20, Shag x12 plus RB Merganser x10 along Seaton Channel.
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Mark Newsome
Born to seawatch...
Hi Mark
Interesting - I always leant towards the first one being Arctic and the latter just looks too mealy. But that is just from the photos.
Interested on Surfbirds to read Lee's views -as always I respect what he says. But to me the bird photos he introduces from the Lodge on that thread as being borderline Coues/Mealies are pretty obvious Mealies to me.
I find that confusing - without demeaning my self I know he knows what he is talking about and relatively i don't :-O
If he thinks they "could" be Coues there are maybe upto 30 possible Coues at Rainton IMO o
I actually just assumed Lee had put those photos of the Lodge birds on as being part of the Mealy flock. I never thought it/they were possible Arctic!
Doc Reed - nice pics. All show Mealy Redpoll though; like Foghorn says, the bird is way too red for an Arctic. A male Arctic should show only the slightest hint of washed out pink, if any at all.
Mark
Mark Newsome
Born to seawatch...
Hi Ray.
Apologies with my initial comments to JBee that it was an Iceland. Quick look at one pic and I was on my way out the house.... (that's my excuse!) The bird is definitely a leucistic Herring, and has actually been around a while. I saw it at Rainton early January. Although looking very interesting on the ground, the flight shots show it to be nothing like an Iceland really. Great that you got the shots, very interesting bird.
Mark
DOC REED
Well-known member
Thanks to all!! And sorry to gatecrash...have been desperate to find Arctic myself! This bird did stop me though..was very pale in field.....guess it might be like sparrowhawk/goshawk....once u have seen one ,u know the difference!
Really appreciate the help
Paul
DOC REED
Well-known member
Ian
smashing merganser in flight! Love it....very scare inland down here, plenty goosander.Great shot!!!
wolfbirder
Well-known member
Hi Doc
Same predicament, all winter i have spent days out at places like Woodwalton fen, Cambridgeshire, Hatfield moors, south yorks, where at both i believe i had good candidates for Arctic, but views were brief. But Rainton Meadows reallly does offer the best opportunity of a few Arctics. Thats if they are still present. Do your best to get your self up there mate if you are keen to connect. :t:
wolfbirder
Well-known member
That explains it Mark.
On occasion I like to live up to the avatar attached to my messages! :h?:
agamiheron
Well-known member
John/Ray,
Do you know if your gull was the bird that came across the pager as Iceland yesterday?
Interesting Gull none the less
Cheers Gary
Do you know if your gull was the bird that came across the pager as Iceland yesterday?
Interesting Gull none the less
Cheers Gary
IanF
Moderator
Probably was. It was originally posted on DBC as an Iceland Gull and the bird news services take reports from the DBC website.
Ray.Scott
Well-known member
I'm not sure Gary, but in my post, I said possible Iceland gull, so I'm not sure whether It would be put across on the pager until It was correctly ID'd as an Iceland.
StevieEvans
Well-known member
more trouble making....
a rather chilly day in Teesdale
highlights from a working visit of Black Grouse, ring tailed Hen Harrier, Brambling, Woodcock, Golden Plover, Little Owl, Barn Owl, Hare, Fox
first location, put the ladders up to find a Barn Owl pellet in an Ash fork right were we wanted the box - hopefully a good omen.
---------------------------------
pity that Iceland Gull has turned a bit slushy
whats this "D B C" stand for then ?
Doh !, Better Check ? :-O
Only joking, we all know it stands for Damn fine Bird Conservationists ! :t:
a rather chilly day in Teesdale
highlights from a working visit of Black Grouse, ring tailed Hen Harrier, Brambling, Woodcock, Golden Plover, Little Owl, Barn Owl, Hare, Fox
first location, put the ladders up to find a Barn Owl pellet in an Ash fork right were we wanted the box - hopefully a good omen.
---------------------------------
pity that Iceland Gull has turned a bit slushy
whats this "D B C" stand for then ?
Doh !, Better Check ? :-O
Only joking, we all know it stands for Damn fine Bird Conservationists ! :t:
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agamiheron
Well-known member
Cheers Ray (and Ian). Thought RBA might have got the info from the Durham Forum. Going over to the reserve shortly - so hopefully some of the gulls come down to make it interesting!!!
Cheers Gary
Mark Newsome
Born to seawatch...
By coincidence, the same leucistic Herring Gull from Rainton yesterday flew south past Whitburn Obs this morning, presumably having roosted at South Shields last night.
Pagers etc - Birdguides have access to DBC website so interesting bird news is lifted from there. RBA then lift info from the Birdguides website. Which is all well and good until mistakes are made...
Pagers etc - Birdguides have access to DBC website so interesting bird news is lifted from there. RBA then lift info from the Birdguides website. Which is all well and good until mistakes are made...
Ray.Scott
Well-known member
During all the excitement of the gull, I forgot to post a few of the redpolls, taken yesterday, some of which are looking very pinkish on the chest.
Having got the gull wrong, I think I'll leave the ID'ing of these to the experts:-O.
Having got the gull wrong, I think I'll leave the ID'ing of these to the experts
:-O.Attachments
StevieEvans
Well-known member
an afternoon birding & checking boxes in the Brasside area after work
wide selection as usual including :-
Green Woodpecker bounding away & later yaffling, 12Brambling, 4-5 Jay, Willow Tits, Lesser Redpoll, Siskin, 40Goldfinch, 5Nuthatch, 2Dabchick, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Little Owl, Reed Bunting, Stock Dove, Grey Partridge, a nice group of 25+ feeding Tree Sparrow,- only the odd single there before we put boxes in, another deceased Barnie, but another still alive & kicking.
etc etc
Two main ponds held
2 Wigeon, 3 Pochard, 20+Goldeneye, pr Teal, 55+Tufted, 105+Coot, 1 wild looking ( ) Whooper Swan with 32 Mutes, 2Dabchick, single Water Rail (outlet pipe),
also, amongst 350 BHGull, a moulting sub juvenile 2nd calendar winter adult hybrid leucistic throwback moulting semi-palmated albino Mediterranean Gull showing well at range displaying all the diagnostic features
wide selection as usual including :-
Green Woodpecker bounding away & later yaffling, 12Brambling, 4-5 Jay, Willow Tits, Lesser Redpoll, Siskin, 40Goldfinch, 5Nuthatch, 2Dabchick, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Little Owl, Reed Bunting, Stock Dove, Grey Partridge, a nice group of 25+ feeding Tree Sparrow,- only the odd single there before we put boxes in, another deceased Barnie, but another still alive & kicking.
etc etc
Two main ponds held
2 Wigeon, 3 Pochard, 20+Goldeneye, pr Teal, 55+Tufted, 105+Coot, 1 wild looking (
) Whooper Swan with 32 Mutes, 2Dabchick, single Water Rail (outlet pipe), also, amongst 350 BHGull, a moulting sub juvenile 2nd calendar winter adult hybrid leucistic throwback moulting semi-palmated albino Mediterranean Gull showing well at range displaying all the diagnostic features
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Ray.Scott
Well-known member
Chester Le Street Riverside
Scaup, Female Mandarin, at least 7 Goosander, Little Grebe and the usual swans, ducks & gulls.
And there was nothing special amongst the gulls, that is, apart from a few are starting to get there black head colouring.
Scaup, Female Mandarin, at least 7 Goosander, Little Grebe and the usual swans, ducks & gulls.
And there was nothing special amongst the gulls
, that is, apart from a few are starting to get there black head colouring.
