At this evenings (21st) Stewartby roost was a(nother) candidate for an Azorean Yellow-legged Gull. This bird looks very similar to the Didcot bird in 2009 (perhaps the same?).
It has a very dark streaked hood, with a pale eye. The mantle is darker than any normal Yellow-legged Gull, but lighter than an LBB's. It's still growing P10 and P9, and it only has a small mirror on P10 (I couldn't see a mirror on P9, or anything on P4, but I couldn't get critical detail at the distance it was at). Also a strong, short, multi-coloured bill. A very striking bird!
It is certainly worthy of another look, so I'll be back at the roost tomorrow night. I would welcome some company and a second-opinion!
I've put some poor pics (and there will be some video) on my blog:
http://steveblain.blogspot.com/2011/09/azorean-teaser.html
Steve Blain
BEDFORDSHIRE BIRDING is a new site created by Lee G R Evans to cater for birders both within and outside this inland county. Should you have items of interest, do not hesitate to contact Lee on 07881 906629 or via email at LGREUK400@aol.com
Wednesday, 21 September 2011
Tuesday, 20 September 2011
Another WHINCHAT at Luton Airport
A beautiful autumn-plumaged Whinchat was showing very well on the barbed wire fence at the airport from 13.30 to 14.00 today, with a supporting cast of 2 Yellowhammers and 5 Mipits (Jason Chapman)
Sunday, 18 September 2011
BEARDED TITS and CASPIAN GULL !
Popped over to to Chimney Corner South pit to do my WeBS count this evening - very few water birds on the pit, but the highlight were four high-flying, long-tailed, brown passerines - BEARDED TITS amazingly! I picked them up over the centre of the lake circling before they headed strongly west towards Kempston. Most unexpected.
Later at the Stewartby Lake roost a juvenile CASPIAN GULL showed well along with a handful of Yellow-legged Gulls (Steve Blain)
Later at the Stewartby Lake roost a juvenile CASPIAN GULL showed well along with a handful of Yellow-legged Gulls (Steve Blain)
Saturday, 17 September 2011
Very Quiet
Hi all, nothing much of interest during afternoon visits yesterday to Rookery South ClP then Quest ClP.....
Rookery inc 2 Greenshanks, 1 Little Egret, 10 Dabchicks, 1 Wigeon, 1 Teal, 1 Pochard, 4a 5j Mute Swans, 1 Lapwing, 14 Tufted Ducks, no gulls, tractor cutting grass in the pit, an acre or so already ploughed up! 1 Treble Bar moth by "Jackdaw Bridge" near car parking area, 1 Muntjac near other railway bridge.
Quest inc 1 Little Egret, c350 B H Gulls counted, c450 L B Backs counted, 30 Gt B Backs, at least 8 Herring Gulls, c19 Yellow-legged Gulls, no Common Gulls, c15 Dabchicks, at least 22 Teal, 3 Pochards, a few Tufted Ducks, numerous Lapwings, 2 G C GrebesJust 23 species between the two sites - very poor.
MJPalmer
Rookery inc 2 Greenshanks, 1 Little Egret, 10 Dabchicks, 1 Wigeon, 1 Teal, 1 Pochard, 4a 5j Mute Swans, 1 Lapwing, 14 Tufted Ducks, no gulls, tractor cutting grass in the pit, an acre or so already ploughed up! 1 Treble Bar moth by "Jackdaw Bridge" near car parking area, 1 Muntjac near other railway bridge.
Quest inc 1 Little Egret, c350 B H Gulls counted, c450 L B Backs counted, 30 Gt B Backs, at least 8 Herring Gulls, c19 Yellow-legged Gulls, no Common Gulls, c15 Dabchicks, at least 22 Teal, 3 Pochards, a few Tufted Ducks, numerous Lapwings, 2 G C GrebesJust 23 species between the two sites - very poor.
MJPalmer
Biggleswade Common Chats
A male COMMON STONECHAT and up to 7 WHINCHATS remain for a third day on Biggleswade Common (per Steve Blain)
Thursday, 15 September 2011
Recent Days
In the gale force winds of Tuesday, a MANX SHEARWATER was picked up exhausted in Renhold. The 3 juvenile BLACK TERNS remained until Wednesday, with 4 WHINCHATS at Southill (Steve Heath), 8 at Ridgeway Wood (Dave Odell) and 2 with a male COMMON STONECHAT on Biggleswade Common (Steve Blain)
Tuesday, 13 September 2011
BLACK TERNS at Stewartby
Three juvenile BLACK TERNS remain on Stewartby Lake today (Monday) - these outstanding images taken by Neil Wright
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