yorkslister

Sodding typical, I took part in the Foot It chllenge last month and although I was pleased to exceed my target of 75 by 2, I missed 3 species that should have been gettable and I could have gone all out for once last push on the last day of the month but really couldn't be arsed searching for Skylark, Tree Sparrow and Red legged Partridge.  also conspicuous by their absence round these parts were Waxwing, but there seems to have been a mini influx over the last few days, including a small group of 13 I stumbled upon today only 100yds from the house, grrrrr.

I've been gulling quite  bit recently checking the tip at Holme on Spalding Moor regularly, I'm struggling to find owt though, a single juv Glauc is the best I can manage.  I was talking to a friend earlier about the Kumlien's at Barmston and the hybrid Gull seen recently in Kerry and it reminded me of a bird I saw at Killybegs about 6-7 years ago.

We'd gone over there hoping to see a Thayer's that had been around but dipped, from memory we saw a few white wingers but not much else.  This bird stood out though initially it looked like a very dark Glauc but the primaries and tertials are clearly very dark and there are heavily patterned dark lower scaps present too.  I sent the pics round a few knowledgeable people who all agreed with me that it looked like  a good candidate for Nelson' Gull, or in normal speak a hybrid between Glauc and American Herring Gull.  I'd have rather found a pukka Smith but it's still a clearly striking Gull.