14th Nov 2021: Multiple Caspian Gulls!

If it wasn't obvious from the title, I'll point out straight away that this blog post is going to be gull heavy - so if that's not your cup of tea then you can read the first sections and then probably skip the rest! Maybe read the summary first though, to see why the gull news this week was so significant, and see if that entices you to read on... or look at the pictures!

General bird news was a bit scant this week, to be honest. There's been a nice number of Lesser Redpolls around, with birds seen or heard most days and at least six but up to nine seen/heard at or over the reservoir on Thursday. On Monday morning I heard one call that I though was Chiffchaff as I walked through the gates, but then didn't hear or see anything even resembling Chiffchaff again.  Thursday morning another Yellowhammer flew over. A Kingfisher has also been seen or heard along the canal a few times.

On to the gull news then. Late on Monday evening RBA reported a 1st winter Caspian Gull from the reservoir and the Borrow Pit pool (I'm assuming both reports relate to the one bird), which is a good bird for the patch and locally. None of the regular locals had reported it and on Wednesday a friend pointed out it was recorded by Brian Stone and he's written his sighting up on his blog here.

Courtesy and copyright of Brian Stone
*who also discovered the Scarce Blue-tailed Damselflies in Bodicote last year

Up until Monday there have been four Caspian Gulls reported from the Grimsbury Res 'patch' - the first one in 2016, the second and third in 2020 and a fourth in September this year. There was also a ringed bird known to be a hybrid in September 2018. So this is the fifth record and that would have been very good in itself.

However, through this week at least five Caspian Gulls have been recorded. Yes FIVE! In the space of a week the number of Caspian Gulls recorded on patch has more than doubled. I say at least five because even though I know for certain some birds are different from comparing photos and some video (and much appreciated help from Ian Lewington pointing out the different individuals and correcting me on aging of the birds), I can't be sure of all records relate to different individuals and there is one bird that may be a hybrid that isn't included in the final tally. It's worth noting that all of the sightings have been from the Borrow Pit pool in the UCV. Caspian Gull records this week were:

• Monday 8th - one first winter bird (seen by Brian Stone),
• Thursday 11th - one second winter bird,
• Saturday 13th - two first winter birds of which I'm only counting one as new bird, one second winter bird that is definitely different to the Thursday bird and one third (fourth?) winter bird (seen by JFT),
• Sunday 14th - one second winter bird (the same bird as Saturday) and another second winter bird that I reported but now have some doubts over and think is possibly a hybrid. 

There has been a huge number of Lesser Black-backed Gulls passing through/gathering in the area, with well in excess of 2000 seen on Saturday, and they are loafing in the fields up the valley and then coming to bath and drink in the Borrow Pit pool. There has also been a really good number of Yellow-legged Gulls with them, peaking on Saturday with a minimum of nine birds - although I think there was probably double figures. As well as a strange bird that is likely a hybrid was also recorded on Sunday.

Thursday morning - second winter Caspian Gull on the Borrow Pit:

Friday morning (with John) - an adult Yellow-legged Gull on the Borrow pit and a first winter Yellow-legged Gull at the reservoir:

Courtesy and copyright of JFT

Saturday mid morning - two adult and two first winter Yellow-legged Gulls on the reservoir:

Saturday mid morning to early afternoon - two first winter and one second winter Caspian Gulls at the Borrow Pit and a minimum of nine Yellow-legged Gulls (two first winter, three-four second winter and four third winter plus):

If you compare this bird to the one on Thursday you can see they are two different individuals.

A vey smart first winter bird.

At least five Yellow-legged Gulls in this picture.

A second, not so smart and a bit sickly looking, first winter.

A stunning third (or fourth?) winter. Courtesy and copyright of JFT.

Sunday mid morning to early afternoon (there seemed to be less gulls generally than Saturday) - one or possibly two second winter Caspian Gulls, at least five Yellow-legged Gulls (I wasn't really paying as much attention to them) and a suspected hybrid Yellow-leggedxHerring Gull.

The same bird as Saturday.

The bird I reported as Caspian Gull that I now think is possibly a hybrid:

And finally, the odd looking bird suspected as a hybrid Yellow-leggedxHerring Gull. I sent some photos of this to Ian Lewington at the time of seeing it as it had me stumped and he suggested the ID, based on structure and extensive black in the primaries of a Yellow-legged Gull but pale mantle and brownish wash in the tertials and greater coverts of Herring Gull: