Friday, January 29, 2016

Thursday 28 January Tjeldstø - Wasting time on yellow-legged gulls

Brisk westerly winds with occasional showers

It has gone all mild and spring-like again. The Whoopers sangsvane are spreading out to their usual haunts again and things seem to be returning to normal.

The only chance I got for any birding turned out to be a big time waster. I turned up to pick my youngest up from school but being a few minutes early was compelled to scan through the gull flock outside the school. One bird immediately drew my eye - largely due to the front heavy look and then the yellow legs.

Luckily it flew before I had to move the car 100m to get back to the school. P5 with broad black band on both sides of the web, heavy angled bill with large red spot. Yes, there are yellow-legged features there but all in this is going down as an omissus. Whatever the literature says they are not common in Norway (at least not where I live!) and I see only one or two a year.

Some images:

Broad white trailing edge to the secondaries is meant to be a feature of something more exciting

Underwing pattern also looks fine for Y-L gull - but plenty of Herring look like this too

No arguing with the yellow legs....

Looks front heavy and bulky chested here. Didn't get a better side view.


The "Be like a birder" seems to have been a success so predictably I've added a few more on the "Be like a birder page". It looks like this will be a never ending series.....

Here is one of them:


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