Gulls and shearwaters...July

Again, I've left it too long to write up my patch update, but this one should cover July at least: always an exciting month as Autumn gets rolling, and thankfully the summer gulling was decent, alongside good seawatching with some large Shears in the North Sea.

After the excitement of the Surf Scoter on 04 Jul, a seawatch on the 8th produced a Minke Whale and probably Cory's Shearwater north at Howick, also seen by Mark at Cullernose, but just too distant in the haze to confirm. More searching for local Long-eared Owls failed throughout the month unfortunately, but I did stumble on a few Quail. including two on the 12th and three on 13th, with a single still singing on the 29th ivo Dunstan. Four White-beaked Dolphins initially close in off Longoughton Steel on the 12th evaded the camera, but were nice to catch up with again, far 'busier' than the local Bottlenose.

Also on the 13th was my first juv Yellow-legged Gull of the year at Boulmer, resting on the field in the centre of the village (180). Not a classic brute of an individual, but the features observed alongside the early date for anything else meant that feedback from London gullers was all positive, alleviating any fears I had. The tertials, small but noticeable primary window, tail pattern and pale belly shown below are all perfect for juv YLG, with the only real confusion species of Lesser-black Backed Gull also not yet as advanced.

A chance seawatch from Cullernose with Mark on the 21st proved a great decision, as he picked up a Cory's Shear going N, anout 2/3s out. My first confirmed in Northumberland and a good one to get so early on in the year (181), it showed far better than the distant possible we'd had, and gave the impression of a particularly large individual. 

The next decent bird was another Yellow-legged Gull, this time an adult on the Steel with a pretty sizeable flock of large Gulls. It stuck around for an hour or so, and after Tom and Muriel managed to connect, I plucked up the courage to walk out and get some better shots - I'm glad I did, as the flight pics show the wing formula nicely, and as the bird was in moult it looked a little strange on the deck.

Photobombed by the local Dolphins - it's not a bad coastline!

Nice mantle shade comparison with all common confusion species

p10 and p9 mirrors, more advanced moult, perfect underside of p10, and erm, yellow legs

The first Pom Skua and Sooty Shearwater went north early morning at Howick on the 23rd (182, 183), but were trumped by my own Cory's north there on the morning of the 26th. This bird was just before I was about to leave for work, with the extra height provided by Howick allowing me to get some ropey video on my phone...

Not close, but they're pretty easy in good conditions

That evening, I joined Stewart and a few other locals watching from Cullernose, and I picked up another Cory's going N, Stewart's first for his patch which was nice. A similar sort of distance, we watched it for about 12 minutes slowly shearing it's way past, being overtaken by everything. Other seawwatching bits in this period included the odd Sooty, plenty of Manx, a nice northerly passage of juv Med Gulls and an Avocet N at Howick.

A really nice juv Yellow-legged Gull I found on Longhoughton Steel on the 27th was the next decent bird, and stuck around for a few allowing a few people to connect. This one was a classim: almost GBB sized, warm, big billed, with spot on greater coverts and tertials and all necessary features there in flight. 

Neat, tapering black tail band contrasting with the fairly clean white uppertail

Distinct but reduced pale primary window compared to Herring

Pretty much textbook...note the lengthy bubblegum pink legs too

Another Gull to close the month out on the 30th, though much trickier. I picked it up whilst watching the above juv, and straight away noted the mantle and clean head, with a peculiar facial expression evident. In retrospect, I think it's a 1st summer YLG, but at the time I called a Casp, probably influenced too heavily by that strange bill / forehead combo. Equally, it could be a weird Herring...

On stilts and with a very snouty look at times

The tertials looked decent for a YLG / Casp

Anyway, a good month overall (not quite Sooty Tern in 2020 levels): 3 Cory's, at least 3 YLG, 3 Quail, and the already mentioned Surf Scoter being the highlight. Up to 183 for my local big year, so a little slower there, but to be expected in midsummer.