06th Oct 2015: Visitor from Lithuania

I was out for a quick lap round the reservoir this morning to see what was around. My usual start recently and for this visit, is to start by scanning through the Black-headed Gulls loafing on the pontoon and railings. This morning I noticed a ringed bird but it was too far to get any detail from the eastern bank so I hoped it would stay until I made it around to the other side. Making my way around several Meadow Pipits and a few Skylarks flew over. A Chiffchaff was calling from the riverside trees and a few Siskins flew along there too.

I noted there were seven Cormorants fishing this morning and later joined the gulls on the pontoon. Making my way down the western bank a couple of Reed Buntings flew up from the fence line and out into the cattle field. I got to the pontoon and found the ringed gull was still present. It had a Black Davric ring with a white alpha-numeric code of P559. Looking it up it seems this gull was ringed in Lithuania. The only details I have so far is that it would have been ringed at some time between 2008 and 2013 at a coastal site.

Roly Pitts had a look around this afternoon and saw a Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher and Sparrowhawk. John was there this evening but the only bird of note was a Chiffchaff in one of the bushes along the western bank.


GULL NEWS 

So, I will start with yesterday's birds which both Adam Hartley and Ian Lewington have been in contact about. It turns out that the adult bird is indeed a Yellow-legged Gull as thought, but Ian has said it appears to show a streaky hood that make it's appearance similar to an Azorean Gull..  The Herring Gull is actually a second calendar year bird (second winter) and the other bird is actually a second calendar year Lesser black-backed Gull.

The last point there is of particular significance and Ian has pointed out that some of our 'juvenile' Yellow-legged Gulls over recent weeks have actually been second calendar year Lesser Black-backs. These birds tend to be paler and can superficially be like Yellow-legged Gulls. It is something to be aware of and we will definitely be more careful with our ID's (particularly ageing) going forward.

Ian has also had a look at the putative Caspian Gull from the 17th September. He said that he does not believe it is a Caspian Gull and has pointed out it is a second calendar year bird (not a juvenile) and is most probably a Yellow-legged Gull.

Thank you to Adam for highlighting these points and also very much to Ian for his help in identification of the birds. It appears we have a lot more to learn!