Presumed Mediterranean Gull x Black-headed Gull hybrid - Maer Rocks.
A short sea-watch before breakfast, from the raised beach huts, produced 24+ Sandwich Terns, 6+ Manx Shearwaters, 8 Fulmars, c10 Common Scoters and 2 Black-headed Gulls.
Mudbank (mostly from the garden) - 14 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, c90 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Common Gulls, 3 Black-headed Gulls, 3 Mediterranean Gulls, 36+ Sandwich Terns, 2 Whimbrel, c80 Curlew, 1 Wheatear, 1 female Red-breasted Merganser, 6 Swallows and 4+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls. A flock of 12 Cattle Egrets flew over Starcross, towards Powderham.
Hi Matt. Really jealous of your Pale-bellied Brents - we seem to have missed the passage here this year frustratingly. As for your gull, that looks far too much like a Med to me to be a hybrid, an odd first-summer that has an advanced body and tertial/secondary moult? The hybrids I have seen documented look far more like an intermediate between the two.
ReplyDeleteHi Steve - yep I guess so. Can't recall seeing birds so far advanced but guess anything is possible with gulls. No dark in wings apart from outer primaries and didn't appear to be any dark in the tail. Agree structurally good for Med. Don't have any experience with hybrids but will have a look online. The Pale-bellied Brents always move through the Exe this time of year, in numbers. I'm sure there's a good chance you'll still get some. Relieved that things seem to be moving at last. Many thanks for getting in touch. All the best. Matt
ReplyDeleteHi Steve - if you're reading this please accept my apologies. I accidentally deleted your second comment whilst clearing out some unwanted spam. Matt
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