Venus Pool - Gulls settling in

Nothing much going on of late apart from some new visitors. Gulls now making themselves known and they put the Geese to shame when it comes to shrieking!

Lesser Black-backed Gulls the noisiest and it's lock up your eggs time already!

Other Lessers, know better than to drop in when these two potential residents get going!

Two shrieking has twice the effect...

Time for some attention too!

I tucked a pair of Black-headed Gulls at the bottom whilst they were busy copulating...

Outrageous behaviour but they need a good season to claw back more youngsters after avian flu...

Wood Lane - Aberrant BHG

A short visit with c300 noisy Black-headed Gulls for company. I scanned through every individual hoping for a Med Gull and cam across this bizarre aberrant BHG. Sadly, it was only to be in view for less than 30 seconds!! All parts of the plumage (except the head) were pristine pure white, reminiscent of a Med but with a pale brownish head and structurally, a BHG. Apart from the head and pale eye, leucistic but not 100% so. Annoyingly it was right at the back of the spit so I couldn't see the rear end...

Suddenly the whole flock lifted off revealing pure white wings and tail (except for brownish wash to the underwing). Partially leucistic indeed and with showy bright red bill and legs!

John Reeves had seen (presumably) the same bird on the Mere that morning! It's a gull worth keeping an eye out for. I've see a 100% leucistic BHG at VP years ago but this is even more interesting and shame it didn't reappear for more pics. Keep an eye out for it!!