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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Shawell Tip (1 Viewer)

Hi Dave
When it first went missing I checked Shawell two days on the trot but then it reappeared at Chasewater and then went to Gailey. I will look again in the next 48 hours. I do wonder now if the bird that hung around Draycote (afternoon & roost) a few years back was actually spending its days in Leics. By the way the usual viewing area is quite clear and easy to see from.
cheers
Neil
 
Hi all, checked out Shawell A5 Balancing Lake yesterday and found 1 Adult-type Caspian Gull and at least 5 Adult Yellow-legged Gulls.
Cheers,
Dave.
 
A reminder to all Leics and Rutland gull fans that Caspian Gull is now a three-observer species in VC55.

If you are unsure what this means just ask.

Steve
 
davidearlgray said:
Hi all, checked out Shawell A5 Balancing Lake yesterday and found 1 Adult-type Caspian Gull and at least 5 Adult Yellow-legged Gulls.
Cheers,
Dave.
Click to expand...

Dave we have been getting very good numbers of Yellow-legged Gulls at Draycote and a possible 4th year Caspian on 28th July from one observer. Been looking but no sign of the Franklin's putting in an appearance yet.

Steve Lister said:
A reminder to all Leics and Rutland gull fans that Caspian Gull is now a three-observer species in VC55.

If you are unsure what this means just ask.

Steve
Click to expand...

I'm guessing you now need at least 3 people to see the bird to get it accepted ;) I'm also guessing that you will not get many records of this species in the future as most "gull fans" tend to bird on their own. So if John Wright and Mick Kettley were the only observers of a Caspian Gull at a roost you would not accept it?

Regards

John
 
Hi all, checked out Shawell GPs (A5 balancing pool) again yesterday and saw 3 adult Yellow-legged Gulls, 1 Curlew and a Common Sandpiper. Also noted were a couple of coloured ringed Lesser BB Gulls but just a bit distant to read the rings!
Cheers,
Dave.
 
davidearlgray said:
Hi all, checked out Shawell GPs (A5 balancing pool) again yesterday and saw 3 adult Yellow-legged Gulls, 1 Curlew and a Common Sandpiper. Also noted were a couple of coloured ringed Lesser BB Gulls but just a bit distant to read the rings!
Cheers,
Dave.
Click to expand...

Ps Here is a couple of shots of the Yellow-legged Gulls.
 

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No sign of Franklin's

Checked out Albert Village Lake this morning, hoping to find the Franklin's Gull at this site, but it stayed in Derbyshire!!
The gulls of note I saw at this site included a 1st winter Med Gull, an adult Caspian Gull and two adult Yellow-legged Gulls.:t:
 
Hey guys,

The precarious walk down the A5 only way to view the pools? If so may wait to see if it makes a appearance at Albert.

Thanks for the heads up on the Glaucous! Much appreciated.

Karpman
 
draycotebirding said:
Heads up for Shawell as Tim had a 1st winter (good old fashioned name) Glaucous Gull in the roost tonight.

Regards

John
Click to expand...

thanks John
weather permitting will be there Friday. In answer to Karpman's question, it is possible to view from the top of the footpath that runs along the western edge of the main pool but you just need to be very canny and careful not to spook everything.

What with a missing Franklin's and the Thayer's (from a site where we know from colour rings a number of birds have visited Shawell) there is plenty of incentive to check gull sites out this winter.

cheers
Neil
 
Last edited:
nexstarneil said:
thanks John
weather permitting will be there Friday. In answer to Karpman's question, it is possible to view from the top of the footpath that runs along the western edge of the main pool but you just need to be very canny and careful not to spook everything.

What with a missing Franklin's and the Thayer's (from a site where we know from colour rings a number of birds have visited Shawell) there is plenty of incentive to check gull sites out this winter.

cheers
Neil
Click to expand...

Like Neil, will try and get to Shawell on Friday morning, unless of course a seabird is found in Leicestershire due to expected gales over the next couple of days!;)
Cheers,
Dave.
 
Hey guys.

Thanks for the information, Passed it many times working. Getting a real taste for gulls there not easy but very interesting indeed!

Will be spending a little time at the tip pools this winter mainly Saturdays unfortunately, Looking forward to a steep learning curve non the less.

The Franklin's more of a field bird as opposed to being a tip waller, Less chance of it turning up at shawell?

Karpman
 
There were lots of gulls around the tip this afternoon (four figures). When I say 'around' there were four distinct gatherings 1. at the tip itself where there was an adult Caspian and at least 2 Yellow-legged gulls 2. south of the A5 (in Warwicks) nothing unusual 3. very distantly further south of the A5 but too far to comment really and 4. on the pools where there were 3 Yellow-legged Gulls.

I don't intend to spread out too much this winter as I've done that before and it didn't work so I'll concentrate on the main pool and the tip itself.
 
At Shawell today.....there may have been some interesting birds but I'll never know because I couldn't see a thing for thick fog!
 
At Shawell today 3 Yellow-legged Gulls including a first winter. Not too many gulls around the tip though, which was a bit of a surprise.
 
Thanks for the report Dave. I went today and there were 2 ad Y-L Gulls. I was amazed to see the pool completely ice free so in addition to the gulls there were many more wildfowl than normal. There are usually a few Coot, Mallard, Tufties, Widgeon etc but the most numerous species there today was Teal with over 70 birds no doubt pushed off some frozen water elsewhere. The real highlight today however was a close encounter with a Stoat that came to within 2 meters before it saw me an scarpered.
 
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