Horsehay Pool - Caspian Gull

It's December so standby by for a few gull orientated posts! The highlight of an hour or so at Horsehay Pool today was undoubtedly this adult winter Caspian Gull, quite small and probably a female.

White headed Gulls are still 'standing out' from the crowd at this time of year but an adult Caspian stands out at any time, simply perfect pristine Gulls oozing class at distance.....

What I'm not accustomed to is getting quite so close to one! I got a bit closer and the Caspo paddled closer towards me as well....

Perfect at any angle? The dark 'beady' eye and long (almost parallel) bill with very shallow gonys angle

I caught a wingflap to reveal the distinctive wingtip pattern - white tongues leaching into the black primary tip markings.

Who needs flight to see those loooong mirrors on p10 and 9 with it's subterminal band on 9 and the black reaching p5

I did say 'small' -  seen here with a Lesser Black-back for comparison?

Now it may be some time before I'm eye to eye with a Caspian Gull this close again?

Let's see how many more I can connect with locally and hopefully all four ages, before the end of next February? Tom Lowe has already had two adult Caspian Gulls at Candles Tip during December (after a blank November) and this one appears to be a different bird......