Been a bit quiet last few months with regards to scarcities, but things have picked up recently.

Tues 1st July.
What appeared to be 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls present (together) on 384 roof a couple of weekends ago. But despite close up views and decent images they didnt move for ages and when they finally flew I wasnt ready to get a good view or an image of the primary pattern, thats the way it goes.

Fri 4th July.
My attention was drawn to 2 individuals that I thought could?ve been the same 2 birds.

Sat 5th July.
1 of the 2 birds present, or in view at least.
Whilst sifting through the 50-60 large Gulls, a Peregrine flew over the 384 but although they all saw it, not a single bird moved


Sun 6th July.
- 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls present early am. 1 on 384 building briefly before dropping into the yard, whilst the 2nd was over on BCA roof. This time, in my opinion, I think there?s good reason to call them as I observed them in flight. The recent sunlight has made for tricky viewing but with nearby Herring Gulls and Lesser Black-backeds providing good comparisons, I think these are ok.


-- Edited by Rob Creek on Wednesday 16th of July 2025 07:36:42 PM

-- Edited by Rob Creek on Wednesday 16th of July 2025 07:45:37 PM

Mon 16th June

- Lesser Black-backed Gull N:5B9 on 384 roof

Bank Hol Mon 36th May

- 2CY Lesser Black-backed Gull F:H56
Looks like it could be a Flat Holm Island bird (in between Weston-Super-Mare & Cardiff). Dont recall having a blue ringed bird here before.

- 3CY Lesser Black-backed Gull N:5B0??
Difficult to make out the code but looks like this one, been here before.

Sat 17th May
Early morning.

- 30+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls on 384
- 2 Ring-necked Parakeets over
- 2 Grey Wagtail
- Chiffchaff & Blackcap singing at PDSA end

Reply from Mark Fitzpatrick.

F41:M is indeed a Manx bird, ringed as a chick on the Calf of Man on 28.06.24.
He has it as a Herring Gull whereas I wasnt sure what it was and opted for Lesser Black-backed, I always think they are difficult at that age, so thats that sorted, Herring Gull it is.


Also of note
I think its only right to state that the recent bird Ive been posting as a 3w Caspian Gull has been re-identified as a Herring Gull. Apologies for the misidentification, this one certainly caught me out

Sun 16th March

- 3w Caspian Gull this morning.
Bright sunlight made for difficult viewing around the 384 roof area but it eventually dropped into the yard where it showed well for a while.

Also of note a 1w bird F41:M on an orange ring. I think it?s a Lesser Black-backed but I?m by no means certain. Its likely a Manx bird.

Thurs 13th March.
Late afternoon visit.

- 3w Caspian Gull
- 1w Caspian Gull

Both Gulls on 384 roof together but couldnt get them in same shot.


-- Edited by Rob Creek on Friday 14th of March 2025 09:51:50 AM

Tues 4th March

- 2 yellow legged Herring Gulls, possibly a 3rd but Im not sure if its the same adult from the other image.

Fri 28th Feb.
Few visits during the week but a big reduction in Gull numbers.

Of note
- Lesser Black-backed Gull H4:W present, a Walney Island bird thats visited here a few times in the last few years.

Thurs 20th Feb.
Mid-afternoon visit.

- 1w Caspian Gull
Admittedly not a smart example but I think theres enough in it.

- 2w Caspian Gull
The regular bird thats showing more grey mantle now, again not a classic example.

Tues 18th Feb

- Yellow legged Herring Gull present mid afternoon

Thurs 13th Feb.

- Herring Gull (a far Northern one)

An unusual Gull for me with its pale primaries and a lovely scapular pattern. I initially thought it couldve been some type of Glaucous hybrid. A smart looking individual.

Fri 7th Feb
- 4 x 1w Great Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Redwing over

Sat 8th Feb
- 2w Caspian Gull present at 8am

Sat 1st Feb

- 2w Caspian Gull again, last seen 12th Jan
- 3 x 1w Great Black-backed Gulls

Tues 28th Jan

- 1st w Caspian Gull
Same bird that had the orange staining on its face recently.

Tues 21st Jan

Mid afternoon visit.
- Yellow legged Herring Gull, looking at the palish mantle and the reduced white on the primaries, I think it?s an Argenteus. Initially picked out by another birder.


-- Edited by Rob Creek on Wednesday 22nd of January 2025 06:29:47 PM

Fri 17th Jan

Early afternoon visit on way back from Liverpool.
- 1st w Caspian Gull showing well on 384 roof

Late afternoon visit after work.
- adult Caspian Gull showing well on 384 roof

Sun 12th Jan

- 2w Caspian Gull
Usual bird, starting to look a little different now, slightly whiter head.

In relation to Tuesdays sightings post, it transpires there was a 3rd individual in my images that I thought couldve just been the 2nd bird.
The thing is now, do I think its a Yellow-legged Gull? Well I thought it looked like one the other day hence why I took the photo, but unfortunately I didnt see open wing, and its probably unwise to confidently identify it from the image.
I will look for it again in the meantime.

Tues 7th Jan

- probably 2 ad Yellow-legged Gulls

1st individual a bit on the small side, bill not the heaviest, possibly female, legs a little bit on the wishy washy side, mantle shade and primary looked to be ok. Got a good flight view too.

2nd bird a bit larger, heavier bill, bit of faint head streaking on this one, legs more obviously yellower, good view of open wing on 384 roof.

Both birds will be submitted.

Fri 3rd Jan

- 1w Caspian Gull
I wasnt going to post this one but events unfolded that made the identification a bit safer so to speak.
I was toying with 1w Great Black-backed due to large size, long legged, fairly heavy looking bill, whitish head but some streaking, but something wasnt right. Caspian crossed my mind but I dismissed it and started leaning towards 1w Yellow-legged Gull. Thats where I got stuck and wasnt sure at all.
But looking at the greater coverts on images of the bird below and from the 1w Caspian that I claimed on New Years Day, you can see its the same bird so Ive got to stick with my 1st Jan conviction as a 1w Caspian.

Mon 30th Dec

- 2w Caspian Gull
same recent bird

Sat 28th Dec

- adult Yellow-legged Gull
- 6 Common Gulls
incl 3x adults & 3x 1w
- Lesser Black-backed Gull A:70W

Christmas Eve.
Early afternoon visit on way back from Liverpool.

- adult Yellow-legged Gull
- yellow legged Argentatus Gull