A very good 5 hours on Friday 8th Feb.

Glaucous Gull - juv
Iceland Gull - 2 juvs & 2 2nd-winters
Yellow-legged Gull - 5 adults and 1 adult / near-adult that might even have been a hybrid or a new species to science. Whatever it was, Ian spent about 2 hours studying it, and as a result he probably missed out on finding a Slaty-backed.
Med Gull - 1 adult
Carrion Crow - 162. A new personal record count here for me. I get very excited by this kind of thing. I should probably socialise a bit more

Excellent day at the Bank today,5 hrs with Jeff Clarke and Mike Baron

5 Iceland Gulls(a 1st w. and 4x 2ndw birds)
Juv. Glaucous Gull(different birdfrom previous ones)
at least 10 Yellow Legged Gulls
an enormous increase in Lesser Black Backed Gulls

Four hours with Pete Berry today:

A lovely first winter Caspian Gull which performed admirably indeed; photos to follow on the galleries.
5 Yellow-legged Gulls (2 adult and 3 first winters)
Juvenile Glaucous Gull
Increase in Lesser Black-backed Gull numbers
One very big tide!

Looks like its the beginning of the end for the premier Gull site in the North-west
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-21272457

-- Edited by Pete Kinsella on Thursday 31st of January 2013 05:38:54 PM

-- Edited by Pete Kinsella on Thursday 31st of January 2013 05:39:13 PM

Just a couple of hours this am with Jeff before the tide pushed all the gulls off the Bank:-

juv.Iceland Gull
5 ad.Yellow Legged Gulls
and a possible ad.Caspian Gull(only seen very briefly before tide pushed it off and lost to view in the melee)
plus 5 Greylag Geese over

A morning trip with a group of Tameside birders in varying degrees of sunlight

We still managed a juvenile Iceland Gull and two adult Yellow Legged Gulls

A Raven also flew through

A swift visit this am with Jeff produced
A 1st winter Iceland Gull
and a single ad.Yellow Legged Gull

We then popped round to Moore where we had a further 2 Iceland Gulls

4 hours today with Ian
A 1st winter Caspian Gull(almost certainly one of the birds from 2 week ago).This bird has a metal darvic ring,but unfortunately no plastic ring.
A juv Glaucous Gull
At least 8 Yellow Legged Gulls(all adults)

Four and a half hours today in very dull light with some snowfall.Large Gull numbers present right along the bank( had to move my seat a few times!).
Highlights; 2 Caspian Gulls( 1stw and 2ndw( new bird), juv Glaucous Gull( a truly massive individual, dwarfing all the other Gulls, strongly vermiculated on the upperparts, a new individual for me this Winter), juv Iceland Gull, 3 Yellow-legged Gulls( 2 ad and 1stw).Also several hundred argentatus Herring Gulls present, including two colour-ringed individuals.
The only other thing of note was a Rook with the throng of Carrion Crows on the sandbank, don`t think I`ve seen one with them before here.

First trip to Richmond Bank today. Freezing conditions and occasional poor visibility, but still productive.
2.30 - 4pm produced -

2 Yellow-Legged Gulls
1 Glaucous Gull (Lifer for me - I'd say it was a juvenile, but wouldn't be confident ageing it)
Thousand of other more common gulls.
Kestrel hunting, at times only around 10 feet from me
30-40 Lapwing
Redshank
4 Teal
3 Grey Herons
1 Great Crested Grebe
Around 40 Redwing and 2 Fieldfare in trees along the footpath from Warrington.

I realised after picking out the Glaucous Gull that I was grinning, despite sitting in the snow with wet feet and no feeling left in my fingers - difficult to explain to a non-birder

Another productive day here, the freezing temperatures seem to have dumped even more Gulls into the area.
Three and 1/2 hours today produced ; 2ndw Kumliens Gull( presumably the bird seen a few weeks ago), juv Iceland Gull ( a well marked bird with dusky underparts), 2 Glaucous Gulls ( juv and 2ndw), 2 Caspian Gulls( ad and 1stw), 6+ Yellow-legged Gulls( 2 ads and at least 4 1stw) and two adult Med Gulls. Also a noticeable increase in argentatus Herring Gulls.
Also noted; 7 Gadwall on the river( frozen off Moore NR presumably) and c30 Teal.

A large (by Richmond Bank standards) gathering of eight birders at one point today (Tom McKinney, Pete Berry, Mike Baron, Pete Antrobus and others).

Highlights were two first-winter Caspian Gulls, a juvenile Iceland Gull and at least 6 Yellow-legged Gulls, though due to the difficulty in identifying individuals of the latter species coming back and forth from the tip that number was surely higher. Not all observers way all the aforementioned species though.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 13th of January 2013 08:22:45 PM

Huge numbers of Gulls present today. Five hours produced; 1stw Caspian Gull, juv Glaucous Gull, 3 Iceland Gulls( 2 juvs and 2ndw), 4 Yellow-legged Gulls( 2ad and 2 1stw) and an adult Med Gull.Also present was a classic juv Glauc x Herring hybrid; very Glauc-like at first glance( esp large size, general paleness and bill) but with mid-brown outer primaries with pale chevrons at the tips.At least two LBB hybrids also present.

A couple of hours with Jeff today before the rain settled in for the day,masses of gulls on the Bank,but not a great deal with them considering the numbers involved.

2 X 2nd winter Iceland Gulls(same as thursdays birds)
1 ad. Yellow Legged Gull
1 ad.hybrid(prob. Herring x LBB)
800 Pinkfeet over

An exasperating few hours spent at Richmond Bank today.Despite there being many thousands of Gulls present, they were very flighty and spooked almost continually.Only two adult Yellow-legged Gulls had been seen upon leaving.However at the bend in the river just west of Richmond Bank, towards the Ferry Tavern,a small flock of Gulls was checked and a 1stw Caspian Gull was found amongst them.

A good day at The Bank today,with Jeff, approx 12,000 birds throughout the day,most I've seen here this winter:-

2 2nd winter Iceland Gulls,both new birds,one showing palish chevrons on the primaries like Kumliens Gull.
6 possibly 7 Yellow Legged Gulls,all adults apart from a 3rd winter
an adult Med Gull

A few hours from early morning with Pete Berry today; much smaller numbers of gulls around than usual.

2 first winter Yellow-legged Gulls, one of which lingered on the bank for a good while.
1 Glaucous Gull which took to the air immediately as it was picked out and flew back to the tip and so prevented further ageing beyond being a juvenile/2nd winter.

Couple more interesting ringed birds from The Bank that I saw a couple of weeks ago

Adult Herring Gull ringed at a Gloucestershire landfill site in 2005 and not seen again since 2007
Adult Herring Gull ringed in Aberdeen in June 2012,first report of this bird since it was ringed

Three and a half hours today .Far fewer Gulls than last time ( c2000) presumably due to the high tide( midday-ish) and a yacht sailing up and down the river.Highlights were; a 1stw Caspian Gull( a very large , pale bird, almost certainly a male, with worn greater coverts and white head.A new individual for me this Winter), juv Iceland Gull, 3 Yellow-legged Gulls( 2 ads and a 1stw) and an adult Med Gull.
The non-Gull highlight was a ring-tail Hen Harrier which flew low over the river, heading towards Moore NR at 11.45am.
Also present 2 Ringed Plovers and 2 Snipe.

4 hours today with Jeff was well worth the visit

2 Iceland Gulls(a juvenile and a 2nd winter)
4 ad. Yellow Legged Gulls(all seen in the first hour)
2 ad yellow legged Argentatus Herring Gulls
An ad hybrid(probably Herring X LBB
2 Ravens on The Bank
and 15 Redshank just downriver of The Bank

4 hours with Ian,Tom and Jason

A 3rd winter Iceland Gull
A 2nd winter Yellow Legged Gull
an adult Argentatus yellow legged Herring Gull

The number of Yellow Legged Gulls seems to have dropped off considerably in the last few of weeks,with only one seen last Saturday in 3 hours with 3 people watching,and none seen at all in a previous visit a couple of weeks ago in 4 hours !!

-- Edited by pete berry on Saturday 22nd of December 2012 11:45:35 AM

Adult and first winter Yellow-legged Gulls in a relatively short visit today. Huge numbers of gulls in the bank and in the general area though.

Managed a couple of hours today. Highlights were two 1stw Caspian Gulls, one very textbook white headed individual, the other equally disctinctive but duller headed with heavier mantle markings.The white headed bird showed well roosting in the shallows, whilst the other bird was rather briefly seen swimming amongst the throng before heading back to the tip.At least six Yellow-legged Gulls were picked out, five adults and a 1stw.Plenty of Argentatus too.

Out of interest 3 of the ringed birds I've seen recently at the Bank were originally ringed as follows

One at Rainham Tip,Greater London in feb 2012(there's hope for the Slaty Backed Gull turning up as well)
One as a pullus at Loch Leven in July 2012(first ever Herring Gull ringed there thats been reported outside of Scotland)
One at Aberdeen in 2012

3 hours with Jeff Clarke today
5 Yellow Legged Gulls
3 ads,1x3rd wntr,1x1st wintr
also a presumed Herringx LBB hybrid
The Manx Comorant still present
and I remembered me butties

Ah, not the mega traveller we'd hoped for then but still very interesting

Out of interest the ringed Comorant last friday was ringed as a chick in 2011 on the Isle Of Man.

Well I did forget to take my butties as well Just having several senior moments at the same time !!!

Tom McKinney wrote:

---

Pete, you forgot the 247 Woodpigeons moving purposefully, and how could you have missed out the Tsunami passage of 14 Goldfinches?

---

And of course the colour-ringed Cormorant!

Pete, you forgot the 247 Woodpigeons moving purposefully, and how could you have missed out the Tsunami passage of 14 Goldfinches?

3 Hours with Ian and Tom Mac today produced
5 Yellow Legged Gulls(all adults)

Around 4 hours today with Pete Berry, timed just right after the huge tide was turning.

First winter Caspian Gull, present for half an hour or so before heading back to the tip.
4 adult Yellow-legged Gulls
Plenty of large gulls in the area; maybe 20,000 or so.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 14th of November 2012 07:44:35 PM

Around 3 hrs this morning. Lots of gulls present when I arrived, unfortunately a Buzzard soon shifted them all - around 1000 gulls returned and the rest cleared off. Highlight was the adult Caspian Gull which mooched around for over an hour. A single adult Yellow-legged Gull and a few argentatus Herring Gulls also seen.

4 hours with Ian today in excellent viewing conditions with at least 10,000 gulls present throughout the day produced

A stonking classic adult Caspian Gull(photos will be on this site soon)
7 Yellow Legged Gulls(6 ads,2nd winter)
a very bright yellow legged argenteus Herring Gull
good nos. of argentatus Herring Gulls
with a noticeable drop off of Lesser Black Backed Gulls since my last visit,and a vast upturn in nos. of Herring Gulls

A couple of hours here today proved fruitful( needed a break from looking into coastal sycamores etc.)
Two Caspian Gulls were picked out of the couple of thousand Gulls present.An adult( pretty standard looking) and a corking 1stw bird.
Five Yellow-legged Gulls were also here( 4adw and 3rdw).About 20 or so Argentatus were counted.
The change to cold northerlies forecast for later this week will hopefully bring more Gulls into the area.

A couple of hours with Jeff yesterday am produced:-

4 adult Yellow Legged Gulls
1 ad. Argentatus Herring Gull
and a ad.yellow legged Argenteus Herring Gull
winters coming

1st visit to this site today, I have been to the pub about 20 yrs ago!, turned left over rail line and saw some Gulls on mud over river, also 5 Grey Herons and some Mallards, thought "is this it". Walked further left and found a sand bank in middle of river, I take it this is Richmond Bank, awesome, never seen so many Gulls. Could not find anything unusual but that means nothing, you need to go here with an expert. Also saw Buzzard, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and the rear view of a Grasshopper Warbler.
Cheers Ian

4 hours with Jeff in less than perfect conditions produced

6 Yellow Legged Gulls-a single adult bird,and 5 different third summer birds
also a couple of argentatus Herring Gulls

Tom McK & myself today in too bright sunlight:-

3 3rd summer Yellow Legged Gulls
1 4th summer
4+Adults

2 reeling Groppers
Redshank
Bullfinch etc

4 hours today with Pete Berry today:

7 or 8 Yellow-legged Gulls of various ages.

4 hours in great light conditions for myself ,Jeff Ian and Pete produced :-

3 2nd summer Yellow Legged Gulls
3 3rd summer do
2 4th summer do
8 adults
16 birds in total,possibly several more birds were seen,but to avoid chance of multiple sightings,not counted
Also
2 Common Sandpipers
3 Teal
etc

4 Hours in great light conditions with Jeff Clarke :-

6 Yellow Legged Gulls,
3 adults
2 2nd summer/3rd calendar year
1 3rd summer/4th cal.yr.

also 2 "yellow legged"Argenteus Herring Gulls
1 prob hybrid LBB X Herring Gull

good numbers on The Bank throughout made for a pleasant few hours gulling


-- Edited by pete berry on Wednesday 13th of June 2012 04:15:15 PM

A couple of hours this morning before that bright yellow object in the sky put in an appearance and ruined it produced:-
2 Yellow Legged Gulls(a 3rd summer/4th cal.yr and a fourth summer/5th cal.yr.)
Ringed Plover
plus Sedge,Reed warblers etc.

A single Ringed Plover was feeding and resting on the west side mud this afternoon.
Only around 80 Gulls present, mostly Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed.

A couple of hours this am in far too sunny conditions with heat haze being a major problem produce
2 2nd cal.yr. Iceland Gulls
3 ad.Yellow Legged Gulls.

Just over 3 hours in slightly challenging conditions.
3 Iceland Gulls - 3w & 2 1w/juv
2 adult Yellow-legged Gull
Possible adult Caspian Gull and pink legged/dark mantled Herring/LBB poss hybrid thing!
And a cracking carrier bag gull with pics!
Pics on the blog.

Cheers
Jason

Third winter Iceland Gull this morning plus adult Yellow-legged Gull

An excellent 4 hours today in perfect light conditions.
Highlights were a new 1stw Caspian Gull, a large bird with a big bill, which indulged in some "Albatross" posturing and calling, almost certainly a male.
Also the 3rdw Kumlien`s Gull surprisingly put in another appearance and made good comparisons with a 3rdw Iceland Gull also present today.this latter bird has a very strong, dark subterminal bill band and more obvious wing covert markings compared to the last bird of this age I saw here, so seems to be a new individual.
Two Yellow-legged Gulls were also picked out, an adult and 2nds.

Two Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff and 3 Redwings were in the scrub and a Fox walked across the exposed mud at one stage, flushing the Larids!

30/03/2012 - 10am-1pm with Mike Duckham in good viewing (overcast) conditions. Several thousand gulls present throughout:

2 Yellow-legged Gulls - ad and 1w
10+ Scandinavian Herring Gulls
1 probable HerringxGlaucous hybrid
1 probable HerringxLesser Black-backed hybrid
Several darvic ringed Lesser Black-backed Gulls but too distant to read

1 Willow Warbler
2 Chiffchaffs
2 Grey Partridges

Not Many gulls around today but there was 1 adult YLG but no sign of anything else apart from a few LBBGs.