After a stark and beautiful 1st winter Caspian Gull yesterday, I headed down to the same site in an attempt to get better photos. I didn’t see the bird however a text from Dante Shepherd who had found a 1st winter Caspian at the O2 got me going. Unfortunately I missed his bird but pics confirmed it was a different individual.
After 20 minutes or so this stunning 1st winter turned up in the middle of a bread frenzy.
The bird flew off east and we decided to head to the Thames Barrier park again. Just after our arrival we encountered the bird below. To me it Looks very similar to the previous bird at the O2.
Abit more bread throwing and this Rung (Yellow X090) 1st winter Caspian arrived on the scene, showed well in the dying light of an overcast late November afternoon.
Rung as a chick through the same ringing project as the bird I had back in September by Ronald Klein in Redern East Germany.
It has darker fainlty barred auxiliaries, and more heavily notched greater coverts than the first bird, although a good percentage of pure birds will show this. We had a couple of Caspians in flight which could well have been the birds present. But at least three today and a different bird yesterday shows they’re are about in good numbers!
This faithful 1st winter Yellow Legged gull was one of only a few present during the day and is often present at Thames barrier park.
PERDIX BIRDER 