Argy bargy

I’ll get the nice bits over before moving onto my usual winter topic, gulls! Friday I spent the day trying to boost the girlfriends year list, as things at her work are starting to get somewhat competitive and I can’t just stand by and see her beat. First stop was Portland Harbour where most things were miles away but I persuaded her that she’d seen some Black-throated Divers, Slav Grebe and Black-necked Grebe. She’d already got the Black Guillemot and Great Northern Diver on a visit last week. Then we nipped off to Cheselbourne where the two juv Cranes showed nicely. Last stop was poole harbour where we dipped the Surf Scoter but had a good range of waders plus a nice male Hen Harrier.

A good constructive days birding!

At Radipole things still haven’t changed much, gulls are still pretty much all that’s about of interest...

This morning I noticed lots of these things moving through.

Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

In the past interesting gulls have often put in an appearance when these guys start appearing and no sooner had I though that this morning, this things appeared.

A rather brutish Yellow-legged Gull, a nice 3^rd winter bird.

Almost certainly nothing but this one appeared somewhat darker backed than other I’ve seen. Light was awful and there’s going to be variation so nothing to worry about.

This afternoon I had a repeat visit from the suspected, probable, possible, plausible argentatus Herring Gull from last week. Showed better and managed a range of flight shots. Not particularly sure what to make of them but it’s pretty... and bloody big!

Can’t really add much more to what I said on my last blog post about this bird. But I know the pictures will be of interest to a few people so worth posting... interesting bird!