4 Jun 25 - Some Showy Med Gulls

One of the nice things about the DWT Brownsea hides, is Birds sometimes drop in close to the hides, especially around the muddy area in front of the Avocet hide. Today, it was a Second Summer Mediterranean Gull. Adults and First Summers aren't uncommon visitors to Brownsea, but Second Summers aren't as regular on the lagoon. I think it's the first individual I've seen of this age right in front of the hide.

Mediterranean Gull: Second Summer

Mediterranean Gull: Adult. They are more regularly seen close to the Avocet Hide (28 May 25)

20 Jul 18 - Some Of The Resident Birds At Studland's Littlesea

Since I found the Purple Heron at Littlesea, I've spent a lot of time looking to try & relocate it during the daytime. I suspect it spends its time feeding at Littlesea, but generally tucked into the reed edges, hence my lack of sightings. However, I have had the chance to get some nice photos of some of the other commoner residents, while I've been looking.

Dabchick: There are a few present most years at Littlesea

Great Crested Grebe: Two pairs have bred this year at Littlesea: this youngster is probably only few days old

Great Crested Grebe: One of the parents of the other pair which had a nearly fully grown youngster with a Roach

Great Crested Grebe: The same parent with the large youngster. The other parent seems to have lost interest in feeding this youngster

Great Crested Grebe: There is also a larger group of non breeding individuals on Littlesea

Great Crested Grebe: Bad hair day

Canada Goose: This family successfully raised these two large youngsters at Littlesea this year

Mediterranean Gull: Moulting adult. Littlesea lies between South & Knoll Beaches and Brands Bay & forms a regular stopover place for a quick freshwater bathing site for the local Gulls

Although I've not seen the Purple Heron during the daytime I have seen it on a number of occasions as it's gone to roost. Unfortunately, it has settled into a habit of going to roost in poor light & remains elusive during the day. Still if it continues to stick around maybe I will eventually get lucky.

Purple Heron: Juv. This individual looks like it is going to become a resident for the next few weeks at least (21 Jul 18)

7 Oct 14 - A Flock Of Seagulls

This isn't about the early 80s New Romantic band with the wacky hairstyles, but a flock of Mediterranean Gulls. Going back about 10 years ago, I can remember hearing local Studland Birder, Graham Armstrong, had seen a flock of 5 Med Gulls at Middle Beach, Studland. This was an impressive number for Studland & it took me another couple of years until I first hit a double figure total of 10 Med Gulls in Oct 2007. Since that date, the numbers have increased rapidly and they are now a common Winter visitor. My best Autumn count has been 230+ on 23 Sept 11 in fields on Ballard Down next to Studland's South Beach & the best Spring count has been 350+ on 24 March 13 at South Beach. A consolidated count is not easy to get as they regularly move across to Brands Bay & can form reasonable daytime gatherings here, as well as, dropping into Little Sea to wash. A few are seen further North around the harbour mouth. A proper count in the evening off Middle or Knoll Beach would probably get even better numbers, but I invariably get distracted by counting the Black-necked Grebe roost & only quickly scan the Med Gull flock to ensure I'm not overlooking a Laughing or Franklin's Gull: which would be a criminal Birding offence.

South Beach: They can often be found tucked into this Southern corner of South Beach in 80% pure flocks with Black-headed Gulls & Herring Gulls making up the remaining Gulls. The cliffs at the back are the Old Harry edge of Ballard Down

Mediterranean Gull: A typical group of Adults

The Med Gulls are often not that good at mixing with the other Gull species & prefer to congregate in their own flocks, where there are maybe only 20% of Black-headed Gulls & Herring Gulls mixed in. Their favourite area is South Beach, where they can often be found in good numbers feeding at the water's edge or on the seaweed that's thrown on the beach. They also roost on the nearby rocks or on the water.

Mediterranean Gull: Adult Winter. A nice easy plumage to figure out with its Common Gull size, dark red thick bill and white wing tips. Also, note the black smudged ear coverts patch

Mediterranean Gull: Adult Winter

Mediterranean Gull: Adult Winter. Note, this Adult is still in active wing moult, hence the odd wing shape caused by the short secondaries. South Beach. (4 Sep 14)

Mediterranean Gull: Adult Winter. Middle Beach, Studland (13 Nov 13)

This is a great place for any budding Birder who is still getting used to Gulls to go & have a good look at them, as there are all ages present in good numbers. The count for the 7 Oct was 130+ Med Gulls. Normally, these numbers are present from mid Sept, but this year they seemed to be a bit later arriving in numbers.

Mediterranean Gull: 2nd Winter. Note, the thick dark bill, typical head smudge on the ear coverts and the black & white tips to the primaries in the closed wing 

Mediterranean Gull: 2nd Winter

Mediterranean Gull: 2nd Winter. Would make a good mystery photo. Not the best of postures, but it's the only photo of a 2nd Winter with otustretched wings that I currently have

Med Gulls can be seen around Studland throughout the year with good numbers from Autumn to Spring. There are occasional visits from adults seen over the Summer. Numbers do start building as the local Poole Harbour breeding Med Gulls start of disperse at the end of the breeding season, but I suspect the bulk of the wintering Med Gulls come in from the continent. We have had Dutch colour ringed Med Gulls seen locally, but I'm sure they are coming from other European countries as well.

Mediterranean Gull: 1st Winter. This Med Gull has a thinner bill than the Adults. It shows a lot of brown in the closed wing & black primary tips. It also has a reduced face pattern

Mediterranean Gull: 1st Winter. This Med Gull has a thinner dark bill than the Adults and isn't showing a lot of brown in the closed wing & black primary tips. It still has the distinctive face smudge

Mediterranean Gull: 1st Winter. There is a bit more brown in the closed wing, a thicker bill & a stronger face pattern on this Med Gull

Mediterranean Gull: 1st Winter. Showing they can turn around as well. Med Gulls also have distinctive white eye lids even at this age

Mediterranean Gull: 1st Winter. Note, the strong contrast between the black secondary bar & outer primaries compared to the pale grey secondary coverts and the deeper brown of the rest of the minor secondary coverts. It also has a black tail band & the distinctive face pattern

Up to about 10 or 15 years ago, it used to be good looking at Gull flocks in the Winter as there was a reasonable chance you might find a Med Gull. OK it wasn't that exciting when you did find one, but at least I went home thinking I had seen something from the effort. But these days, I'm looking for an Iceland or Glaucous Gull or rarer in the Gull flocks & it just seems a lot harder to find something noteworthy, given the relative scarcity of good Gulls in Poole Harbour.

13 Nov 13 - Colour vs Monochrome

After the Diver party, it was back to regular birding. With the sunny & still weather, conditions were great for looking for birds along the bushes behind Studland's Southern beaches. The highlight was this cracking Firecrest. This is favourite of most UK birders, given they are so well marked compared to their commoner cousin, the Goldcrest (see Mystery Bird Photo). They are also even more hyper as they move around feeding. Studland usually has a few Firecrests overwintering in regular spots.

Firecrest

 Firecrest

Firecrest

Next stop was Knoll & Middle Beaches. Studland is the most important wintering grounds for Black-necked Grebes in the UK. Currently, the numbers are still building up with their peak in January. In January 2011, Steve Morrison counted an 80 roosting together (along with several Slavonian Grebes). Most feed in the eel grass off Knoll, Middle & South beaches, but a few can often be found closer to the harbour mouth & in Brands Bay. Today, 29 of the 33 birds were off Knoll & Middle Beaches. normally, by late morning, they are well dispersed in small parties throughout the bay, so it was a pleasant surprise to find 26 in a single tight flock.

Black-necked Grebe: Panoramic view of half the flock with the Needles in the background

Keeping to the monochrome theme, this cracking Gull flew in & landed on the beach. About 10 years ago, Graham Armstrong had a flock of 5 of these birds on the beach which was an impressive total for Studland. Last March, I had a conservative count of 350 birds on the beach.

Here is a closer photo of a Black-necked Grebe off Pilots Point a few days later. To me, they always look like large Dabchick's rather than a Slavonian Grebe. Best told from Slavs by the high forehead, black extending in a curved patch below the red eye and the rounded rear end to the body. They are also smaller, with a more rounded, short body, thinner neck & thinner, more feeble bill (albeit these are more subtle features). In contrast, Slavs have a gently sloping head peaking well behind the eye, with have a much whiter face with the black in a straight border not extended below the eye and a more elongated rear end to the body.

Black-necked Grebe: Shell Bay, Studland (16 Nov)

Black-necked Grebe: Close up showing the head shape & pattern

Mystery Gull?

No prizes for identifying this as a Mediterranean Gull.

Mediterranean Gull: Adult winter bird

Colour ring studies have shown that some of these wintering birds originate from colonies in Holland, Belgium & France, although some will be birds that have bred locally in Poole Harbour.