Sunday 16 December 2012

16th December, 2012. West Rise Marsh & Exceat Bridge, Cuckmere

Visit to West Rise Marsh produced a fine adult Yellow-legged Gull and 2 Goldeneye.

We then drove to Exceat Bridge, Cuckmere where there were good numbers of Gulls:

c350 Lesser Black Back Gulls virtually all adults and of the English race graellsii.
1 Adult Yellow-legged Gull
3 Caspian Gulls (2 fine adults, & 1 3rd Winter). One adult had a Polish ring PEAA with a silver metal ring on the other leg.
Also 1 Bar-headed Goose


Adult Caspian Gull with Lesser-black back Gulls
This shows the long narrow bill, small beady eye with a reddish glint,
the very long neck bulging at the base, long pale legs standing
noticeably taller than the Lesser Black Backs, and the fine white
 head. You can just make out the colour ring on the left leg.


Same picture enlarged.


Adult Caspian Gull
Showing its very long "giraffe" like neck, its long pale greyish
legs and its tall stance.


Adult Caspian Gull
Nice long parallel bill, darkish grey mantle and wings.


Adult Caspian Gull
Showing the extensive white tongues to the underside of the
primaries.


The second unringed adult Caspian Gull