Furbo Little Gull

I took a trip out to Furbo on Saturday with Cathal Forkan to have a look for the adult summer Sabine's Gull seen there on Friday. Cathal had looked for it on Friday but didn't see it. We had similar luck on Saturday. An adult summer Sabs had been seen by Cathal and others nearby in late December so this was presumably the same bird. To have a wintering Sabine's Gull is rather unusual and to have a summer plumaged one on top of that is even more unusual. We did have a nice approachable second-winter Little Gull associating with the mixed flock of Common and Black-headed Gulls though. It was being chased by some of the Black-headed Gulls for a short time and was heard giving its almost tern like call in response. There were good numbers of small and large gulls along the whole stretch of coastline from Furbo out to Loughaunbeg but most of the large gulls were moving up and down along the shoreline in the very windy weather. It would have been nice if we could have found where they feeding.

Also present at Furbo was one Eoin McGreal's colour ringed Common Gulls from Lough Mask. Ringed as a chick in 2007 but not seen since 2009.

225V	10/06/07	16/05/08	Longwalk, Galway 53 16N, 09 04 W	45 SSE	(MD)
		18/07/08	Waterside, Galway      53 16N, 09 05W	44 SSE	Michael Davis
		08/08/08	Rusheen Bay 53 15N, 09 08W	43 SSE	(MD)
		16/07/09	Rusheen Bay 53 15N, 09 08W	43 SSE	Tom Cuffe
		23/01/16	Furbo, Co. Galway  M183228		Dermot Breen



225V Common Gull

 



Little Gull with Black-headed Gull.

Little Gull with Black-headed Gull.

 

February Kumlien's and co.

Another selection of gulls from Rossaveel and Ross Beach from the last week and just the one Glaucous this time round.

Adult Kumlien's Gull, Rossaveel, 21st February 2014.

Adult Kumlien's Gull, Rossaveel, 21st February 2014.

Adult Kumlien's Gull, Rossaveel, 21st February 2014.

First-winter Kumlien's Gull, Ross Beach, 23rd February 2014.

Two first-winter Kumlien's Gulls, Ross Beach, 23rd February 2014.

 

First-winter Kumlien's Gull, Ross Beach, 23rd February 2014.

First-winter Kumlien's Gull, Ross Beach, 23rd February 2014.

First-winter Kumlien's Gull, Ross Beach, 23rd February 2014.

 

First-winter Kumlien's Gull, Ross Beach, 23rd February 2014.

First-winter Kumlien's Gull, Ross Beach, 23rd February 2014.

First-winter Kumlien's Gull, Ross Beach, 23rd February 2014.

First-winter Kumlien's Gull, Ross Beach, 23rd February 2014.

First-winter Kumlien's Gull and first-winter Iceland Gull, Ross Beach, 23rd February 2014.

First-winter Iceland Gull, Ross Beach, 23rd February 2014.

First-winter Iceland Gull, Ross Beach, 23rd February 2014.

First-winter Iceland Gull with the pale Kumlien's behind, Ross Beach, 23rd February 2014.

Adult argentatus Herring Gull, Ross Beach, 23rd February 2014.

First-winter argentatus Herring Gull, Ross Beach, 23rd February 2014.

First-winter argentatus Herring Gull, Ross Beach, 23rd February 2014.

Very pale first-winter Great Black-blacked Gull, Ross Beach, 23rd February 2014.

Normal first-winter Great Black-blacked Gull, Ross Beach, 23rd February 2014.

First-winter Little Gull, Rossaveel, 23rd February 2014.

First-winter Little Gull, Rossaveel, 23rd February 2014.

First-winter Little Gull, Rossaveel, 23rd February 2014.



First-winter Little Gull, Rossaveel, 23rd February 2014.

 

Salthill Little Gull

A selection of shot of one of two first-winter Little Gulls that I saw last Sunday while looking for the Ross's Gull along with John Murphy. The birds were giving great views in the surf. We were lucky to get around an hour of bright and dry conditions on an otherwise grizzly day.