Birds
For near 2 hours, Gulls in SW of field viewed from gateway. Distant and half of them out of sight amongst ground undulations. A few exceptionally dark L. B-backs, even when sunlit and temptingly like Baltic Gull (L. f. fuscus), but too far away to confirm although one did have exact same pattern of white on wings as Roger's photographed bird). Perhaps 10's of L.f intermedious and 100+ Dutch 'intergrades' (Darker L. F. graelsii). Plenty of Northern Herring Gull (L. a. argentatus) of all ages and far less 'British' race birds (L.a. argenteus). Minimum of 28 (mainly 1st/2ndW) Common Gulls and perhaps 200 Black-headed (great majority adult). c20 G B-backs of many ages.
1stW uniformly brown plumaged, small sized 'Herring Gull' type - and slightly lighter then all others present - with 'classic' pale edging to resting wing primaries, approaching Thayer's plumage(?).
One large darkish 1stW Herring Gull lacking contrasting paler underparts, but would not stand up; so unable to check rear end.
Buzzard appearance (?) spooked all gulls (1415) giving (at long last) views of juvenile and adult Iceland Gull's ascending steeply - and thus showing upperparts in perfect lighting - to cross road southward to land here - Nowt of interest then seen to 4pm, as large gulls remained behind hedge. Hard work, but rewarding.
- Farmoor F2 Basin 5.15 - 7.00pm
Med Gull 1 adult (Nick Hallam & Dai) Little Gull 2 adult keeping to south and 2 adult keeping to west (all non-hooded) Sand Martin 1 Wheatear 1 male SW corner Rock Pipit 2 (Dai). The 1 bird I checked was littoralis; again at south end Herring Gull(?)...
- Great Views Around Appleford Pit Gulls
402 Canada Geese with 2 Greylags arriving together certainly made the gulls shift to the goose free side, but this chap and his large dog circling the lake in full view had not the slightest effect on anything ! So great views of Iceland flying around...
- Adult Med Gull In Farmoor Roost
No Twite; No GG Shrike but an Adult Med Gull in the roost instead, photographed here at ISO 3200 setting near dusk i.e. more noise than sharpness but interestingly arty nevertheless. Roost also had plenty of G B-backs, Lesser Black-backs - varied intermedius...
- Farmoor Med Gulls In Late Afternoon
Arrived 16:40, so far too late for any hope of raptor watching. 1 Rockit, 2 Mipit and perhaps 20 Pied Wags plus 1 Ringed Plover in the SE of F1. Enormous gull roost this evening and gusting gale force WSW, so concentrated on F1 only. Common Gull totalled...
- Appleford Spit Pit 3.05-4.20pm 15th Jan
Glaucous Gull 1 1stW seen feeding at tip, washing in pit and flew off alone to the fields by village at 4.04pm. Common Gull 5 Lapwing 9 c300 B-h Gulls probably outnumbered all other gulls combined. A marked decrease on recent visits and all present could...
Birds
Appleford Gull Loafing Site with Iceland's plus interest?
For near 2 hours, Gulls in SW of field viewed from gateway. Distant and half of them out of sight amongst ground undulations. A few exceptionally dark L. B-backs, even when sunlit and temptingly like Baltic Gull (L. f. fuscus), but too far away to confirm although one did have exact same pattern of white on wings as Roger's photographed bird). Perhaps 10's of L.f intermedious and 100+ Dutch 'intergrades' (Darker L. F. graelsii). Plenty of Northern Herring Gull (L. a. argentatus) of all ages and far less 'British' race birds (L.a. argenteus). Minimum of 28 (mainly 1st/2ndW) Common Gulls and perhaps 200 Black-headed (great majority adult). c20 G B-backs of many ages.
1stW uniformly brown plumaged, small sized 'Herring Gull' type - and slightly lighter then all others present - with 'classic' pale edging to resting wing primaries, approaching Thayer's plumage(?).
One large darkish 1stW Herring Gull lacking contrasting paler underparts, but would not stand up; so unable to check rear end.
Buzzard appearance (?) spooked all gulls (1415) giving (at long last) views of juvenile and adult Iceland Gull's ascending steeply - and thus showing upperparts in perfect lighting - to cross road southward to land here - Nowt of interest then seen to 4pm, as large gulls remained behind hedge. Hard work, but rewarding.
- Farmoor F2 Basin 5.15 - 7.00pm
Med Gull 1 adult (Nick Hallam & Dai) Little Gull 2 adult keeping to south and 2 adult keeping to west (all non-hooded) Sand Martin 1 Wheatear 1 male SW corner Rock Pipit 2 (Dai). The 1 bird I checked was littoralis; again at south end Herring Gull(?)...
- Great Views Around Appleford Pit Gulls
402 Canada Geese with 2 Greylags arriving together certainly made the gulls shift to the goose free side, but this chap and his large dog circling the lake in full view had not the slightest effect on anything ! So great views of Iceland flying around...
- Adult Med Gull In Farmoor Roost
No Twite; No GG Shrike but an Adult Med Gull in the roost instead, photographed here at ISO 3200 setting near dusk i.e. more noise than sharpness but interestingly arty nevertheless. Roost also had plenty of G B-backs, Lesser Black-backs - varied intermedius...
- Farmoor Med Gulls In Late Afternoon
Arrived 16:40, so far too late for any hope of raptor watching. 1 Rockit, 2 Mipit and perhaps 20 Pied Wags plus 1 Ringed Plover in the SE of F1. Enormous gull roost this evening and gusting gale force WSW, so concentrated on F1 only. Common Gull totalled...
- Appleford Spit Pit 3.05-4.20pm 15th Jan
Glaucous Gull 1 1stW seen feeding at tip, washing in pit and flew off alone to the fields by village at 4.04pm. Common Gull 5 Lapwing 9 c300 B-h Gulls probably outnumbered all other gulls combined. A marked decrease on recent visits and all present could...