I've managed a couple of gull roosts over the past week. They are quite good at the moment, as Common Gulls are reaching their peak and number several thousand, matched by Black-headed Gulls and they often bring in passage Med Gulls. The larger gulls are far less numerous but there are still a few hundred of these to look through, often bring in Caspian and of course there is still a local Glaucous Gull, though that seems to be favouring the Sonning roost at present.
On the 13th, I managed to pick out an adult Med Gull almost lost within the Commons. This bird had a partial hood and was probably the one seen a couple of times in the week. There was also an adult Yellow-legged Gull, not our best time of year for these, so nice to see, but that was it in terms of scarcity.
On the 16th, I found two Med Gulls, what was probably the same adult and a 1st winter, which was new in.
There was also a rather odd looking LWHG that looked spot on for a 1st winter Caspian except that it was quite streaked on the head. I noticed that it had a limp, so whether this is an indicator of an ill bird with suspended moult I'm not sure. The scaps had certainly been moulted as you'd expect. I left it as probable Caspian hybrid, though if the head had been whiter, everything else looked spot on to me. I've attached a rubbish record shot in failing light that gives some idea but doesn't really show the niceties of plumage detail.
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