Back to the grind

I had this first-winter Glaucous Gull out at Ross beach during the week. It was loosely hanging around another dead Common Dolphin. This site has been very poor for the last two or three winters with very few gulls present eve though the fish farm is still in operation. It's been a rather poor winter for white-wingers though.

I had a quick look up at Belclare Turlough today to see if the American Wigeon is still about. There wasn't any sign of it although the numbers of dabbling duck has decreased significantly since I was last here and the few ducks that were present were distant. This made a change from a lot of the wildfowl from the recent US trip that were largely habituated to people in refuges and generally gave great views.

I also had a look at Nimmo's Pier for the first time in over a month. I had at least five Black-headed Gulls and a few Mute Swans, Nimmo's has nothing on California at the moment.... :-(

First-winter Glaucous Gull

First-winter Glaucous Gull

First-winter Glaucous Gull

Nimmo's Pier, not exactly buzzing at the moment!

 

ROSS'S GULL!!!

I missed two calls from Aonghus O'Donaill in succession - something must be up. I was leaving Galway city after spending the day in town. When I got him on the phone he had the exciting news that he was looking at an adult Ross's Gull off the promenade at Salthill. I was on site within ten minutes and saw it for just five minutes before it disappeared of to presumably roost. It was practically dark when I got there so I've had to mess around a lot with the shots below. Hopefully it should hang around for a while so better shots can be taken fingers crossed. The last twitchable Ross's in Galway was also an adult and also at this very site back in February 2002, it's been a long wait! This will be the seventh record of Ross's Gull for county Galway if accepted.
I've also uploaded video of it onto Youtube but I'm not impressed with the quality even at 720pHD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsjYe3g4cl0
I've uploaded it to Vimeo and the quality matches the original far better
https://vimeo.com/search?q=galway+ross%27s+gull
A few other shots of the adult Glaucous and first-winter Ring-billed Gull at Nimmo's Pier and the brown first-winter Iceland Gull at Rossaveel also today.

Adult Glaucous Gull, Nimmo's Pier

Adult Glaucous Gull, Nimmo's Pier

"Brown" Iceland Gull, Rossaveel

"Brown" Iceland Gull, Rossaveel

First-winter Ring-billed Gull, Nimmo's Pier

 

Large gulls at Nimmo's

Some shots of first-winter European Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls from Nimmo's Pier on Sunday, mainly to show the variation of birds present on the day.
Lesser Black-backed Gulls are probably rarer than Iceland Gulls here in Galway during the winter. Surprising given how many winter along the South coast of Ireland each winter.

First-winter Herring Gull, Nimmo's Pier 15th December 2013.

First-winter Herring Gull, Nimmo's Pier 15th December 2013.

First-winter Herring Gull, Nimmo's Pier 15th December 2013.



First-winter Herring Gull, Nimmo's Pier 15th December 2013.

 

First-winter Herring Gull, Nimmo's Pier, 15th December 2013. Interesting looking bird, almost American Herring like in some respects with a whitish head and upper breast which contrasts with a brown neck shawl. It has dropped all its median coverts for some reason which reveals the solid mud brown bases to the greater coverts.

Juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull, Nimmo's Pier, 15th December 2013. This bird has previously been reported as an intermedius by some just on account of its unmoulted scapulars, that's a new on me..?!

Juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull, Nimmo's Pier, 15th December 2013.

Juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull, Nimmo's Pier, 15th December 2013. A second smaller bird also with unmoulted juvenile scapulars.

Juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull, Nimmo's Pier, 15th December 2013. A second smaller bird also with unmoulted juvenile scapulars.

 

April Pier Gulls

Took a spin into Nimmo's in the hope of a Bonaparte's but there were very few small gulls about. All adults long back at the breeding colonies by this stage now. Nine first-winter, three second-winter and one adult Icelands still present along with a second-winter pseudo-Caspian and American Herring Gull (I wish!).

 Second-winter "banana-billed" Herring Gull.

 Second-winter Herring Gull

 Second-winter Herring Gull

 Second-winter Herring Gull

 Second-winter Herring Gull

 Second-winter Iceland in the foreground with two first-winter Icelands behind.

 Two first-winter Iceland Gulls

 Adult Iceland Gull