Sunday 1 February 2009

White-wingers & aeroplanes

This morning the juvenile Glaucous Gull again on Withybush Airfield, on the runway in the NE corner. Also a 2nd-winter Iceland Gull (presumably the bird Terry had earlier in the week) - be careful not to mis-ID, from a distance it does a good impression of a Glauc as the bill is distinctly two-tone which makes it look a bit chunky, but the paler plumage and especially the subtler, softer, structure, including longer primaries and lack of a tertial 'step' give it away. Best viewed from the corner near the entrance to Poyston Hall at SM965196. A good flock of mostly Herring Gulls roosting on the runway and in the grass, and another similarly sized flock attacking split silage bales about 200m further up the roads towards Poyston Cross, and sitting in the grassy field to the south of the road, opposite the silage heap. Well worth keeping an eye on, and relatively easy to watch.