FIVE ICELAND GULL DAY !!!

When we had two Iceland Gulls in a day, we were looking for a third and when we had three, we were looking for a fourth etc etc. We Got to four Iceland Gulls on Friday and also had four Saturday and yesterday. This involved five birds and although we'd had five in a twenty four hour period, we were looking for five in a day.

The day started well when I arrived and found a Pintail on the lake, a scarce bird at Beddington. T Bros and Dodge soon followed and Iceland Gulls started to appear. By 7:45am we had three birds on the main lake, the two second winters and the first or second winter bird, this looked promising. On Friday we had the Kumlien's, on Saturday the first winter and yesterday the Kumlien's so we needed both to turn up on the same day. A patient wait ensued, scanning through the Gulls until at 10:45am when the first winter bird revealed itself, four down again but what about a fourth ?

Batman and the Brief came and went and Beddington old-timer Dave 'Del-boy' Hatton was in the area so dropped in and bagged a brace of Icelands and a Caspo but still no fifth bird. Bulldog and Geordie arrived and we continued to stake the lake, scanning back and fourth. Finally at 15:50pm, I picked up a first winter bird at the back of the lake, a closer look revealed it was the Kumlien's Gull, our fifth Iceland Gull of the day ! Superb, how many inland sights can boast having five different Iceland Gulls in one day, possibly we've got more birds than some whole counties and you can bet we'll be looking for a sixth. The light was bad and none of the birds showed that close but I did get pics of all of them.

'New Whitey'. This is the very white bird with a dark eye, better pic here: http://www.diporglory.co.uk/page35.html

'New Kid on the Block'. Patchy looking with a darker wash on the primaries. Pic here (lower bird): http://www.diporglory.co.uk/page34.html

'Old Whitey'. Whiter looking than NKOTB with white primaries and paler iris. Pic here (upper bird): http://www.diporglory.co.uk/page34.html

The first winter bird. Unlike the Kumlien's, the creamy primaries contrast with the upperparts. Another pic here: http://www.diporglory.co.uk/page35.html

First winter Kumlien's. Unlike the first winter gluacoides the primaries don't contrast with the upperparts and are not paler than the inner wing. Pics here: http://www.diporglory.co.uk/page34.html

Pintail on ice

Distinctive long-necked, pointy ended look in flight

A pair of Dunlin went through

At least two Curlew strill and Shelduck numbers up today