Great Black-backed Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull (variants)
Caspian Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Glaucous Gull
Mediterranean Gull
Kittiwake
2nd winter Caspian Gull, Private Site, Essex 7th February 2009
This second 2nd-winter was seen for only a short time and fairly distantly but the excellent light conditions allowed for some good cropping to be done.
2nd winter Caspian Gull, Private Site, Essex 7th February 2009
This was the only bird to be digiscoped in an effort to get the ring number. This bird, green ringed 14PO, was seen at Cley Marshes in Norfolk on 31st July and 1st August 2008. It had been rung as a chick in a colony at Przykona Reservoir, Radyczyny, Turek, Poland on 1st June 2007.
1st winter Caspian Gull, Private Site, Essex 7th February 2009
The very first bird to be found soon after arriving was at range and in low light thus to unsharp and graining images resulting from dodgy hand held attempt. It was not seen again after the initial sighting.
1st winter Caspian Gull, Private Site, Essex 7th February 2009
This was the second of the 1st-winters to be found and as can be seen it to was most confiding though it was mobile through the feeding frenzy. The below flight image is of the same bird.
1st winter Caspian Gull, Private Site, Essex 7th February 2009
This bird was actually the last to be found but it also proved to be the most confiding. It just sat on the mud bank a mere 10 feet or so away. Simply Stunning. The below image is of the same bird.
Adult Caspian Gull, Private Site, Essex 7th February 2009
Nearly always surrounded by smaller gulls it was difficult to get to a position where it was mostly unobstructed.
Caspian Gull, Dungeness, Kent 18th January 2009
Two cracking Caspian Gulls were found from the hide overlooking the ARC pit with this second-winter bird being the better of the two..
Additional images of the Caspian Gulls shown below can be seen on the Caspian Gull ID pages by clicking here.
Iceland Gull
Caspian Gull, Private Site, Essex,14th February 2009
This bird is the same as the bird at the top of the page which was at this site a week ago.
Caspian Gull, Private Site, Essex,14th February 2009
This a new bird at this site, one of two newbies today. Yet another classic individual whilst the other was a darker individual.
2009 Photos
Caspian Gulls
Caspian Gull, 3rd winter, Private Site, Essex 31st January 2009
A rather tatty bird but the closest Caspian Gull I've ever seen, down to at least 10 feet at one point.
Caspian Gull, 1st winter, Private Site, Essex 31st January 2009
A classic individual
Caspian Gull, 1st winter, Private Site, Essex 28th February 2009
A large bird with a rather large Gonydeal expansion for a Caspian Gull so presumably this is a male bird. All other features fit with this being a cachinnans.
Caspian Gull, 1st winter, Private Site, Essex 14th March 2009
Another big bird. The wing coverts are showing distinct signs of wear and tear.
Caspian Gull, 1st year, Private Site, Essex 4th April 2009
As can be seen by early spring Caspian Gulls can show a lot of wear on the wing coverts and tertials.
The two following flight shots are of the same bird.
Caspian Gull, 1st year, Private Site, Essex 4th April 2009
A heavy crop as this bird was quite distant. It was instantly told from the above bird by the metal ring on its left leg, not visible here, and the different wing covert and scapular pattern.
Caspian Gull, 4th year, Private Site, Essex 4th April 2009
Caspian Gull, First-summer, Private Site, Essex 11th April 2009
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Caspian Gull, Adult, Private Site, Essex 6th September 2009
A heavy crop as this bird was quite distant. Note the classic head shape, fine lower hind-neck streaking and long slender and pale bill. This image doesn't do this bird justice.
Caspian Gull, First-winter, Private Site, Essex 7th November 2009
A cracking individual, same bird above and in flight below