Spent Thursday evening at Grafham Water with Chris Orders catching up with this lingering adult Sabine`s Gull. Chris has seen many of these birds, but I really need to get out more as this was a `lifer` for me. The bird was relatively tame and we enjoyed extremely close views, but the light was against us and the shots are pretty rubbish when you compare them with other shots that have been taken of this bird.
The Sabine`s Gull is a bird that breeds on the Arctic shores of north-east Siberia, Canada, Greenland and Spitsbergen. The birds from Canada and Greenland migrate through the Atlantic to winter off south-west Africa and these birds can be blown in our direction during autumn storms. We have had the tail-end of the American hurricane/tropical storm and consequently a few of these birds have been popping up all over the place. Indeed, a juvenile was present in Peterborough the other day for about 15 minutes and was only seen by one birder (gutted!). The largest numbers of these birds are recorded off south-west England and Ireland and apparently inland records are fairly rare.
This is a fairly small gull, between a Little Gull and a Black-headed Gull and in silhouette is most similar to a Kittiwake. Unfortunately, the distinctive wing pattern is only seen in flight, a shot that I seem to find very difficult in getting by `digiscoping`, but can be seen here.
Nice one, John - a bird I still haven't seen, despite the numbers currently around! In Norfolk next week so maybe?
ReplyDeleteStunning capturers.
ReplyDeleteJohn.
A wonderful lifer John and one that remains on my list..I don't really have a list but I do love seeing new birds. Gulls cause me all sorts of problems.
ReplyDeleteYour images are great... much more than just a record shot.
Wow! that is special John.
ReplyDeleteHI John...there sure are a lot of different gulls... Nice on the lifer for you!
ReplyDeleteLove the way the ring on it's neck swoops upward in the back..pretty bird!!
nice shot's
Grace
I like the hint of pink on the bird's breast in the first photo and on the water in the last one. Sunset I suppose?
ReplyDeleteClick here for Bazza’s Blog ‘To Discover Ice’
Hi Kevin,
ReplyDeleteThankyou. Sabine`s have been turning up all over the place, so hopefully you will catch up with one. They are stunning birds, especially in flight.
J
Thanks John,
ReplyDeleteJ
Thanks Andrew,
ReplyDeleteI have only recently started keeping a life list, I used to be more interested in the birds on my local patch (still am), but have started broadening my search for new birds.
J
Thanks Roy,
ReplyDeleteIt was/is a special bird!
J
Hi Grace,
ReplyDeleteThankyou, yes, another lifer, lots yet to get though! Gulls are extremely numerous, lots yet to see!The bird was starting to moult out of its breeding finery and so the difference between the collar and grey head is more pronounced, the grey can be very dark, almost black!
J
Thanks bazza,
ReplyDeleteYes, sunset was upon us very quickly on the trip! It is getting dark so early now, almost no time after work to go birding!
J
Great lifer John, I have never seen one so what does that say about me! Need to give up work (when mortgage paid in zillions of years).
ReplyDeleteThanks Mike,
ReplyDeleteWork is a bit of a pain isn`t it?! It gets in the way of birding far too much! ;)
J
Interesting how very many black-headed gulls there are. I think this one can be found in Maine, though I didn't see it(that I know of).
ReplyDeleteHi Susan,
ReplyDeleteYes, there are quite a few! The Sabine`s Gull can be seen in Maine, although the bird very rarely comes inland, it only shows up over land when it has been blown off course. It is truly a bird of the sea.
J