A late afternoon visit to Newgale found the place stacked with gulls (and wild), especially on the marsh and the north half of the beach, with lots of gulls feeding close in amongst breaking waves against the base of the shingle bank, presumably on shellfish and other critters scoured up from the sea bed. Graham Rees had already recorded 2 Kumlien's Gulls (adult and 2CY), 2 Glaucous Gulls (both 2CY) and an Iceland Gull (2CY) before I arrived. I added another Iceland Gull (3CY), 2 more Glaucous Gulls (adult type and a very worn and faded 2CY), as well as the usual Nelson's Gull (2CY). I too saw the adult Kumlien's Gull, on both the marsh and over the sea, and also glimpsed what may have been a near-adult (probably 5CY) Kumlien's Gull in flight but couldn't confirm it. One of the 2CY Glaucs had 2 damaged tail feather tips. Difficult to assess how many of these birds are new...quite an influx of Glaucous Gulls into Ireland the last few days so possible that many are new. Minimum totals were:
Kumlien's Gull 2 (adult & 2CY)
Glaucous Gull 4 (adult type, 3 2CY)
Iceland Gull 2 (2CY, 3CY)
Nelson's Gull 1 (2CY)
Med Gull 6 (3 adults, 3CY, 2CY)
Kittiwake 14+ (12+ adults, 2+ 2CY)
Just what will this weekend bring??
