Cairngorms

Splendid conditions with even better weather forecasted. I'm really pleased with some of my photos, but I'll have to wait until I get home before posting them. The image above was taken on my phone. The photo shows the mountains on the far side of the Larig Ghru.

Another Glaucous Gull

I am about to drive off to Scotland for some winter fun, but I just managed an hour at Shawell A5 Lagoons this morning and was fortunate enough to find another Glaucous Gull.

Turn the sound off unless you like the sound of traffic. Watch through or skip to near the end to see it have a go at a crow.

Juvenile Glaucous Gull

Glaucous Gull

I was feeling a bit downbeat late last night when I noticed that the BBC were forecasting fog until lunchtime for the next day. I woke up early, mainly because my stomach was doing overtime on the Mexican meal I'd eaten the night before. There was no sign of the fog, so I packed my kit bag and set of to Shawell. 

Luckily the fog never materialised, instead the conditions were perfect.

From my vantage point overlooking the Cotesbach Landfill site I could see a massive gathering of gulls. It was disappointing not to find any 'white wingers'. Then a small group flew past and amongst them was what appeared to be an adult Glaucous Gull. Through my bins its large size, white wing tips, obvious barrel chest and short broad wings were all clear to see. 

Many of the gulls started to head away from the landfill site towards the A5 Lagoons, so it was time to join them. I soon relocated the Glaucous Gull on the long rectangular lagoon. 

Luckily I was able to share this Arctic wanderer with Andy Forryan and Garsham Roberts.

Glaucous Gull

Colour Rings at Shawell

A table of my colour ring readings from Shawell ( you might need to put your glasses on to read it):

Seen at Shawell 03/11/12 Guernsey Ringed

Ring-billed Gull

I was asked to drive down to Hampshire to collect some important goods for work today and the destination was very close to Walpole Park, Gosport. A Ring-billed Gull has been spending its winter there for many years, so this was an opportunity not to be missed. I set off early, so as to arrive before the company I was picking up from was open.

The gull was easy to find, as it was by the Pay-and-Display car park.

Ring-billed Gull

A Load of Old Rubbish

The title isn't intended as a comment on the state of Scottish rugby after today's loss to England by the way, as they played quite well - come on England!

The gulls seem to have altered their habits at present at Shawell. They are visiting the lagoons by the A5 less often and not staying there for long when they do.

As a result I've turned my attention to the landfill site. Most views are a little distant, but occasionally the gulls come close to the viewing point that I have found. So far I have had a Glaucous Gull, four Caspian Gulls and a couple of Yellow-legged Gulls.  I have also read four colour rings.

An Iceland or Kumlien's Gull had been at Draycote Water last night, so Dave Gray joined me at the tip hoping it had come to Shawell in search of a meal. We had no luck with the white winger, but we did see a YLG and a CG. The gulls are usually a bit too far away to get decent images through my scope, but I'm pleased with my DSLR scoping attempts today.

Yellow-legged Gull