Audouin's Gull ~ 2nd. W ~ Majorca, Spain - Oct '13

The main reason for this trip was to photograph 1st & 2nd winter Audouin's Gulls, after visiting many locations and travelling 1400km's searching, I failed to find any 1st and only two 2nd's ... 

And where were the two 2nd winters birds found, right on the beach were I stayed at Port de Pollenca !!

So it looks like a Ebro Delta trip needs planning ..

Audouin's Gull ~ 2nd. W

Here's the two birds for comparison ..

One is more advanced in the moult, having replaced nearly all inner greater coverts & a couple of outer.

Also replacing inner primaries P1 & P2.

Whilst the other bird appears more so with its tail.

These were all taken on two separate evenings in the last hour or so of light and some after the sun had gone in. Both days were ever so slightly overcast which helped hold the whites ... 

Caspian Gull ~ 2nd. W ~ Dungeness, Kent - 15.09.13

Today we had a guest, Andy Lawson for a day at Dungeness.

Wind was to increase to 28 s.w by late afternoon for a seawatch but first "the patch" and Gorse of note: Black Tern, Whinchat and Merlin.

Late morning a call with news of a Ortolan Bunting which for me gave poor views but once the twitching thing was done it was back to business

 Refuel in the Cafe

Then it was out near the fishing boats for whats becoming the norm ...

Gull's, gull's & more gull's ..

No sign of any YLG's today but ringed birds and a small long winged LBB kept us amused until Andy shouted "Caspian" ... I couldn't see it, Panic !! ... "It's on the water-line" ... Panic .. Panic !! ... Still can't see it ... "Brilliant white head" ... Can't find it !! .. Panic !! ffs .. Finally i'm on it, don't know how I couldn't see it as once on the bird it stood out a mile ...

What a cracker, a 1st. summer moulting into 2nd. winter. The light was poor at iso 800 and F4 the best was 1/800 and it was raining !!

Caspian Gull ~ into 2nd. W

   

White head, with long parallel sided bill.

Finely patterned greater coverts.

Dark tertials with irregular white edges & tips.

Mantle and scapulars being replaced with grey.

Black looking primaries.

P10 growing with small mirror.

Pale inner primaries against dark outer.

Under-wing mostly white.

What a great bird to end the weekend.

Caspian Gull ~ Juv ~ Dungeness, Kent - 18.08.13

Back again, Dungeness, Kent from the fishing boats and another great afternoon ...

So if you don't like gull's stop reading now ...

I had 146 keeper images all of this juvenile Caspian Gull, so here are a few of them ...

And if you don't like looking at gull's it's to late, your hooked, give in and love the Larid's !!

Caspian Gull

Very Nice bird