Big Gull @ Grafham Water UK - today (1 Viewer)

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DoghouseRiley

Well-known member

• Jul 30, 2016

• #1

At the buoy way out from the boom, this huge Gull came in. Obviously to near for the Terns adn their juvs on the boom and two went out to chase it away. The gull did not even see them to begin with, they cam in from the south-east, behind him and screamed right past his head, scared the living daylights out of him. He got airborne and was circling towards the boom when they were upon him again, last seen heading towards the dam.
Sorry the pics are so poor, the buoy must be around 300 yards out and the light was poor and all that jazz.
A juv Caspian has been reported up here this week, wondered if this was it?

 

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Ighalo is amazing

Well-known member

• Jul 30, 2016

• #2

Juvenile Herring gull - notched greater coverts, short primary projection and extensive brown streaking on neck, head and breast.

 

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DoghouseRiley

Well-known member

• Jul 31, 2016

• #3

No Juv Herring Gulls reported at Grafham at this time, no doubt in your mind?

 

Nutcracker

Stop Brexit!

• Jul 31, 2016

• #4

DoghouseRiley said:

No Juv Herring Gulls reported at Grafham at this time, ...

Click to expand...

Were there any Coots or Mallards reported? Let's face it, is anyone going to bother to report such a common bird

 

MTem

Well-known member

• Jul 31, 2016

• #5

Yes Herring gull, 1cy.

 

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DoghouseRiley

Well-known member

• Jul 31, 2016

• #6

Thanks for the help guys, got to admit I visit Grafham pretty often, seldom see a gull this big. I thought that Herring Gull numbers were in decline and inland birds were a tiny proportion of the population though.

 

MTem

Well-known member

• Jul 31, 2016

• #7

Both your statements are true, but the decline is from a massive increase in the latter half of the last century, to a large degree linked to massive landfilling of domestic waste, and it's recent major reduction as recycling and composting take over. The inland population is still large, and it remains by far the commonest large gull inland. I live on the Surrey/Sussex border and 10's if not hundreds overfly the house each evening as they commute between feeding and roosting. It is possible some of these birds never see the sea!

Mick

 

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DoghouseRiley

Well-known member

• Jul 31, 2016

• #8

Thanks for the info Mick