Avez-Vous un Cuppa?

Here is more shots of the "probable" Mew Gull I watched again with Allen Pocock, Richard Lowe,and from Cumbria Tristan Reid( http://www.binocularface.co.uk/ ) yesterday. Commenting about the gull I know believe this bird is probably a Mew Gull but "Heinei"(Siberian Common Gull) may not be ruled out? One thing I do believe is that it's not a retarded plumaged European Common Gull (Larus canus)!! Any way if you are interesting in Gulls I would suggest you go and see this bird as you will very surprised what it looks like, how it acts and just the general jizz of this bird and that includes supposed gull experts from Rutland and Norfolk !! Changing the subject slightly over the last couple of days I finally hit the magic target of 100 species in the Soar Valley Challenge. This came in the form of one Sand Martin over the Sand Martin bank at Watermead CP North and a nice looking male Scaup on the Key Lakes at Watermead CP Birstall. So just under 40 species to go f...

Although the weather has been nice for the last few days, a small trickle of spring migrants has occurred in the county. For most of the week I have spent a lot of time down at Shawell tip and the Balancing Pool watching the gulls. Including the Kumlien's Gull I have also seen another 1st winter Iceland Gull at the tip and pool from the previous birds at Stanford Reservoir and Albert Village. Other gulls recorded at this site have included the usual suspects and a nice looking adult Caspian Gull . In the surrounding countryside I have recorded up to 14 Buzzards, a small population of Tree Sparrows and a couple of Shelducks. Away from this site I've started to check out a few sites in the Soar valley and Charnwood again with a few spring migrants recorded. These have included a couple of Sand Martins over the scrape at Wanlip Meadows on the 15th and a single bird over Birstall Meadows on the 22nd. I have also noted Chiffchaffs singing at Swithland Reservoir, Cossington Mead...