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Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Gull watch in AC country

                            Common gull still summer plumage
                           Herring gull, argentatus, larger and darker mantle than others
                              Adult but still with dark bill.
                                             Plenty Jackdaws
                                       Ideal gull habitat
                                    Herring gull, 3rd winter argenteus.


                                            Herring gull amongst the Jackdaws
                                       Jackdaws fill the sky

A quick lunchtime dash to Andy C country, Northowram cricket club area, to check out the gulls there reported by AC yesterday, see his Northowram blog.
Up to 200 small gulls , 70% Commons and 30% Black Headeds with 4 Herring gulls present but quite a distance away with 3 being adults and one third winter still showing a hint of brown streaking.
The one I put as Argentatus had a real butch look about it and deep forehead making it look like a Yellow Legged, especially with the darker mantle, but luckily it walked up a mound in the grass showing me its pink legs.
Up to 200 Jackdaws were present along with  18 Stock Doves and c 100 Starling.
BS