Sunday 20 February 2022

Mid-February Update

Now a few weeks into February and with new home in Longhoughton as of a couple of weeks ago, I've been able to get out birding a bit locally, and rack up 107 for the #LocalBigYear list. The list itself is linked on the RHS of the blog on BUBO, but the main highlights since the last post have been a possible Todd's Canada Goose and an adult Caspian Gull. detailed below. There's also already been two additions that I didn't get at Boulmer in 2020: Coot and Dipper.

The 'Goose'...

I'd seen a few Geese flying around the Aln Estuary area from Seaton Point, and fancied finding a White-front or something amongst any flock at this time of year, so tried a spot I'd seen others try before at the 'Foxton bend.' There's a small layby which you have to reverse into, but it offers a decent view of the estuary, albeit distant. There was a large flock of feral geese, probably 120 birds in total, a mix of of Canada, Greylags, a couple of Pinks and a Bar-headed Goose on my first visit: right at the death I picked up a smaller Canada-type with the Greylags, which also seemed to be darker and differently shaped.

Note the off-white chinstrap, more sloping forehead, thinner neck and much darker colouration.

I did a fair bit of research over the next few days and the next couple of visits offered better views and side by side with the feral Canadas. Distinctly smaller, about the size of the Greylags, much darker and with a different profile, it sticks out in all lights. I've never seen any of the Lesser Canada Geese, but from research so far think if anything it best fits Interior, or Todd's: there is though the possibility of a strange runt feral Canada. I'll hope it doesn't stay too long, but it's nice to have found something in the flock, though I'd appreciate a White-front.


A bit of a chamelion, but consistantly sticks out from the Canadas.

Caspian Gull...

On the morning of 13 Feb, I had an hour free, so stood in the shelter of a caravan at Seaton Point, mainly grilling southbound Gulls presumably coming out of roost to feed. Regular flocks were coming past, my strategy being to scope them coming in well north to look for any obvious white-wingers and then bin them when closer to check for anything less obvious. A flock of 10 birds came round the point and one of the adult Herring-types immediately struck me as interesting - an obviously darker mantle, clean white head and small dark eye, all obvious even at considerable range initally: on their own these features are common, there's tonnes of darker mantled Argentatus around, lots of Argenteus are getting clean heads already and the odd Herring has smaller dark eyes. I got the camera ready, had another look through teh scope to confirm the features when close, noting a lemony, fairly long but substantial bill, and more dark in the outer primaries.

Left hand bird.



I rattled off lots of shots of the flock, unfortunately the light wasn't great being early morning and cloudy though. I was happy from the flight views I'd had it was a Casp, they're really distinctive once you've seen a few, the facial expression especially. I'd say it's a male on it's size (obviously bigger than the Herrings) and bill structure.

2nd adult from the left here

It's been fairly quiet overall, expected given the time of year, but hopefully some northerly in the forecast over the next week will bring some arctic gulls down.

Red-eyed Vireo, Seaton Point 15/10/22

 A short write-up of what will probably be my find of the year before the easterlies hit midweek. For the past two weeks, a Nearctic passeri...