Connemara white-wings

Looks to be an above average winter for Glaucous Gulls this winter. I've seen three adults but just two first-winters so far in Galway. They are real scavengers and have seen birds feeding on a dead dolphin and a dead dog, not a pretty sight.

Adult Glaucous Gull, Dogs Bay, Roundstone.

Adult Glaucous Gull, Dogs Bay, Roundstone.

Adult Glaucous Gull, Murvey, Roundstone. A real brute compared to the adjacent puny Herring Gull

Adult Glaucous Gull, Murvey, Roundstone.

Adult Glaucous Gull, Murvey, Roundstone.

 

First-winter Glaucous Gull feeding on an unfortunate victim of the storm on Omey Island.

 

First-winter Glaucous Gull, Omey Island.

First-winter Glaucous Gull, Omey Island.

First-winter Iceland Gull, Murvey, Roundstone.

 

First-winter Iceland Gull, Murvey, Roundstone.

First-winter Iceland Gull, Murvey, Roundstone with Errisbeg hill.