Avez-Vous un Cuppa?

Here is a short video of the an Interesting Gull which showed characteristics of a third winter Caspian Gull at Watermead CP South, Leicester a couple of weeks ago.

Here's a roundup of some of the stuff I've seen down the local patch in the Soar Valley over the last month. These have included the long-staying Glossy Ibis at Wanlip Meadows LRWT , the one day twitchable Great White Egret at Cossington Meadows LRWT.  A nice looking 2 winter Yellow-legged Gull,  and a  Juvenile type Black Tern  at Watermead CP South . 2nd Winter Yellow-legged Gull at Watermead CP South Another shot of the Yellow-legged Gull at Watermead CP South. Record shot of the Great White Egret at Cossington Meadows LRWT. Juvenile Black Tern at Watermead CP South. A sleeping Glossy Ibis at Wanlip Meadows LRWT.  

Here is a few shots of the recent 2 winter type Yellow-legged Gull at Watermead CP South , Leicester. It's quite surprising how small groups of large gulls seem to be attracted to Watermead CP South as this is probably the tenth time I have seen Yellow-legged Gull at this site. Maybe it's something to do with people feeding the ducks there and the Gulls know there's a free meal ready for them?!  

Here is a few photos of the colour ringed Black-headed Gulls which have been in the car park at Watermead CP South and the nearby McDonalds by Abbey Lane, Red Hill Circle over the last week. JAN 4 FROM NORWAY 823 WHITE FROM DENMARK T6CP FROM POLAND I THINK? VO28 FROM DENMARK      

Here is the latest visible migration figures from Watermead CP South which I did yesterday. The highlights included a fly-by Red Kite over Birstall and a brief adult Caspian Gull on the island around midday: http://www.trektellen.nl/trektelling.asp?telpost=810 Here is a few record shots of the Caspian Gull Returning in the afternoon I then found three ringed Black-headed Gulls  near the car park which included JAN4 and J2KT and the Lithuanian bird which was at Watermead CP earlier in the year!        

Here is the scores on the doors from yesterday's vis-migging session at the Mammoth viewpoint, Watermead CP South: http://www.trektellen.nl/trektelling.asp?telpost=810 Highlights included a fly-over calling Rock Pipit and a "probable" Woodlark with a group of six Skylarks around 10.00am. Finishing the vis-migging session at 11.00am, I spotted a new colour ringed Black-headed Gull in the car park. Photo below! This bird is from Norway and was ringed in Oslo and had flown just over 676 (1,086 km) miles to get to Watermead CP! After this I counted the Ducks and Geese at Watermead CP North for the monthly WeBS count.The only real highlight in the count was that the Juvenile Hobby was still around the nature reserve and reedbed! With the day drawing to a close I then drove over to Rutland Water to get views of the Azorean Yellow-legged Gull which had been reported for the last couple of days. Getting to Dunlin hide on Lagoon 4, and meeting up with Colin Towe...

Following on from an excellent id section in Martin Garner's Birding Frontiers blog about Caspian Gulls. I decided to revisit some photos I took last year of the Caspian-type gulls at Watermead CP South and Albert Village Lake. I am now happy with the intial ID of these birds and maybe I should be more confident on my own convinctions! Here is a few shots of the birds I have been talking about:

 Over the last week, myself, Mark Skevington, John Hague, Brian Moore and Steve Lister have been recording the number of different colour-ringed and ringed gulls at Watermead CP South car park and duck feeding area. Regular birds have included VO28 from Denmark , JAN4 fron Norway and AEH1 from Germany on a daily basis. Last week Mark also found a new colour ringed bird with the code VH85 on it and found out that the bird was from Denmark. However over the last few days we have now tried to read just the ringed birds as well in the car park!From photos taken of the birds we have found a Finnish bird and yesterday a bird which John and Steve saw last week we were finally able to read most of the ring and the bird was ringed in Lithuania!! Here is a few shots of the birds mentioned above: JAN4 from Norway! VO85 from Denmark The finnish bird! VO28 from Denmark

Here is a collection of photos of the colour ringed Gulls I have seen over the last two years at Watermead CP south. I know most people complain about the locals feeding the ducks with bread at Watermead, but it does have a knock effect with many Gulls attracted to this site due to the free meal!! Any way thanks to Steve Lister and Neil Hagley for getting me into reading and photographing the colour ringed Gulls!... JAN4 from Norway VO28 from Denmark CMK from the Severn estuary group 2H64 from Wiltshire N322 from Spain V192 from Denmark   

Here is a few photos of the Gulls at Watermead CP South yesterday, which included two colour ringed birds from Norway (JAN4 and J3NO). JAN4 J3NO 2nd Winter Lesser black-backed Gull

Here is a few more shots of the Whooper Swan at Watermead CP South. 

Here is a few shots of at least two new colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls I saw today at Watermead CP South. Also noted in the nearby Swan flock was a Juvenile/first summer type Whooper Swan (maybe son of Harold?!).