Friday, 2 February 2024

Kumlien's and Caspian gulls at Widnes


The Mersey Kumlien's gull was on the sandbanks just west of old Runcorn bridge this morning. It spent a lot of time asleep and the bright, harsh sunlight didn't help,  but it was still a decent view. 


I've now seen this bird three times but never well enough to see for sure the features that make it a Kumlien's gull. It seems to be at the pale end of the spectrum and the only thing I can say with certainty is that if this bird turned up at the roost at Pennington Flash 30 minutes after sunset on a dull rainy day,  I'd be calling it a regular Iceland gull.


This adult Caspian gull is a magnificent specimen and stands out amongst the hundreds of other gulls on the river.



Such a distinctive bill and head shape, a classic Caspian.

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