Wednesday 25 February 2009

Priorslee lake - White winged duo

This is a busy time of year for me on the alpines/snowdrop scene and whilst I have had the odd brief session 'out and about' - Jim has been rather unlucky! Whilst Crossbill hunts at Shirlett and Bury Ditches have proved xbill-less, at least lady luck returned today!

A meeting at Telford and brief (very late lunch) call in at Priorslee lake treated me to distant views of not just one but TWO white winged Gulls.

The 1st winter Glaucous gull, presumably the one reported by Jason earlier had moved from the opposite bank to the water (still at only record shot range sadly!)










Scanning the 200 strong group of Gulls then revealed a second white winged Gull - a 2nd winter Iceland Gull. This looked similar to the one found there on Jan 4th!












Sadly no Kumliens Gull present - what a trio that would have made!! Dawn has promised to let me know when she's back in the area - hopefully the Kumliens will follow her back!


Interestingly, Steve Nuttall tells me this Iceland Gull (almost certainly) turned up at Belvide later in the evening - joined by a much darker/dirtier Glaucous Gull. Are there two individuals around - it certainly seems so......