Iceland Gulls at Shawell

It seems bad weather on a Saturday is set in for the year. One of the landfill workers commented that it was the best Saturday of the year because it was only drizzling!

The day started poor with no gulls being present, however, I eventually spotted a huge flock that had taken to flight from the ground above the landfill site that is not viewable from anywhere I can get to.

Amongst the flock was the pale juvenile Iceland Gull that was first seen at the site on March 8th. It landed briefly allowing me to confirm that it was the individual that I thought it was. I saw it a few more times in flight, but it never performed for the camera.

The gulls then went missing, so I had a look at the A5 Lagoons and I was pleased to see four Snipe on the bank and a pair of Great Crested Grebes appeared to be nest building.

I then checked out the sandpit on Gibbet Lane and amongst the resting gulls I spotted the adult Iceland Gull that has been around for a week. I'm not sure if it is the one from last month or another one. Two adults have frequently been roosting at Draycote Water.

Steve Nichols joined me and enjoyed good views of the adult and then left to check the A5 Lagoons. There he located a juvenile Iceland Gull, which departed before I got there. Steve's photograph revealed that it was the juvenile I saw last Saturday. A three Iceland Gull day is a site record.

Adult Iceland Gull, Shawell, March 24th 2018