Caspian Gull - Amwell
Trips to Amwell are always great. The skies were clear, but the cold brisk breeze kept you honest.
Amazing light, and so many birds with the chance of a new addition to my BOU life list. So this is what I saw.
CASPIAN GULL - 1st winter seen extremely well at dusk loafing about with numerous Great Black Backed Gull. A really neat bird, fresh white head and neck with a dark black eye, and that bill, thick dark and slightly curved at the tip, a gonys I believe it's called. Another feature observed was the greyish scapulars suggesting second-generational feathering on what the texts would regard as a transition from 1st calender year to 1st winter. The bird was slightly smaller than the Greater's and appeared far more elegant, and dare I say, a much more interesting bird than the full adult.
During the day, a drake Smew finally appeared toward the London end of Great Hardmead and although distant, was seen well fishing along the edge of the reedbed. A Kingfisher dashed across the lake and was seen several times thereafter.
Two Raven had earlier flown across the lake in a tustle, and a Water Rail nervously flew across in front of the Gladwin Hide. At least three drake and five female Goldeneye were on the water as were well over a hundred Shoveler, 80+ Wigeon, and at dusk, an impressive cloud of Lapwing. Such stunning birds seen against the final rays of golden sunlight.
A minimum of four Common Buzzard fought the breeze
Additional year ticks were Siskin, Jackdaw, Rook, and Reed Bunting.
I missed a Bittern, and later Peregrine, Barn Owl, and Woodcock, but it's what you see rather than what you don't.
Amazing light, and so many birds with the chance of a new addition to my BOU life list. So this is what I saw.
CASPIAN GULL - 1st winter seen extremely well at dusk loafing about with numerous Great Black Backed Gull. A really neat bird, fresh white head and neck with a dark black eye, and that bill, thick dark and slightly curved at the tip, a gonys I believe it's called. Another feature observed was the greyish scapulars suggesting second-generational feathering on what the texts would regard as a transition from 1st calender year to 1st winter. The bird was slightly smaller than the Greater's and appeared far more elegant, and dare I say, a much more interesting bird than the full adult.
During the day, a drake Smew finally appeared toward the London end of Great Hardmead and although distant, was seen well fishing along the edge of the reedbed. A Kingfisher dashed across the lake and was seen several times thereafter.
Two Raven had earlier flown across the lake in a tustle, and a Water Rail nervously flew across in front of the Gladwin Hide. At least three drake and five female Goldeneye were on the water as were well over a hundred Shoveler, 80+ Wigeon, and at dusk, an impressive cloud of Lapwing. Such stunning birds seen against the final rays of golden sunlight.
A minimum of four Common Buzzard fought the breeze
Additional year ticks were Siskin, Jackdaw, Rook, and Reed Bunting.
I missed a Bittern, and later Peregrine, Barn Owl, and Woodcock, but it's what you see rather than what you don't.
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