Gulls Galore

From Sunday 18th December
With most of the Gull flocks now having grown into their Winter sizes it gives us
a good chance to improve our ID of them.We see many BH Gulls in the summer
when they are much easier to spot, now they are in winter plumage and some are
different again in their first winter plumage. The LBB Gull we are able to ID now
seeing them fairly regularly. We have seen very little of the Common Gull but
spotted some at Lister Park some in first Winter plumage and some at Yeadon
Tarn. So below are some of the snaps we took on Sunday and hopefully the IDs
are correct. Pictures are from Lister Park unless stated otherwise.

Common Gull 1st Winter

BH Gull still in Summer plumage

Common Gull at Yeadon Tarn

A couple of Common Gulls center and BH Gull on left.

Common Gull center surrounded by BH Gulls

BH Gulls foreground and first Winter Common Gull at the back

Snowing Gulls

Yeadon Tarn

Sunday 18th December a.m.
After our visit to Lister Park we resumed our journey over to Yeadon Tarn
where it was still cold with parts of the Tarn frozen over. The sun was low in
the now blue skies the temperature still at 1°C. There were plenty Mallards
and BH Gulls along with Tufted Ducks. As we walked round there were still
four Mute Swans, which were here on our last visit, and lower numbers of
Canadas. With the low sun behind us we got good views of Pochard with
the Coots we even spotted a couple of Common Gulls amongst the BH Gulls,
not something we have seen much this year. As we walked round we saw the
usual Moorhens and a group of Long-tailed Tits moved through briefly landing
in a tree just in front of us. As we got back to the car we spotted a Bullfinch
high in a tree and as we took some snaps some Goldfinch through high in the
trees.
c300 - BH gulls
c250 - Mallards
23 - Coot
20 - Canadas
12 - Moorhen
11 -Tufted ducks
10 - Goldfinch
9 - Long-tailed Tits
8 - Pochard
4 - Common Gulls
1 Bullfinch

Bullfinch

Mute Swan

Long-tailed Tits

Tufted Duck

BH Gull

Goldfinch

Pochard and Coots

Yeadon Tarn

Lister Park Surprises

Sunday 18th December a.m.
 A cold frosty night again only 1°C when we set off this morning heading for Yeadon.
The skies where clear and the sun although low in the sky was breaking through. We
decided to stop off at Lister Park on our way to check out the pond on the off chance
of seeing a few Mallards. As we approached the pond we could not believe the numbers
of birds,Mallards,Tufted Ducks and Gulls along with Coots and Moorhen. There were
two male and two female Goosanders and we spotted a Heron on the island. Parts of
the pond were frozen so the mainly BH Gulls were walking on the ice.There were good
numbers of Canadas feeding on the grass these later came onto the water. We even
spotted a Squirrel eating a nut in a tree. A great find for us I think we may well be coming
back again.
c - 300 BH Gulls
c - 150 Mallards
60 - Canadas
32 - Tufted Ducks
13 - Coot
7 - Common Gulls
6 - Moorhen
4 - Goosander
2 - Robin
1 - Grey Heron

Tufted Duck

Moorhen stuck up a tree

Heron

Goosanders

Squirrel

Canada Goose

Tufted ducks

Canadas and BH Gulls

Lister Park 1

Lister Park 2

St Ives

Friday 16th December p.m.
 Another cold afternoon with some sunny spells otherwise dull with a temperature of 2°C.
Still five Goosander on the Coppice Pond although four flew away soon after our arrival,
the remaining male was very flighty not wanting its picture taking. The usual Mallards,Coots,
Moorhen were present with a few BH Gulls on the water. A small flock of Canadas were
feeding in a nearby field. Others spotted were Crows,Magpie,Robin,Blackbird and Great
Tit.
c -100 Mallards
22 - Canadas
18 - BH Gulls
12 - Coot
9 - Moorhen
5 - Goosander
plus other common species.

Male Goosander

Robin

Moorhen

Coot

Canadas

Countryside Views

Saturday 10th Dec a.m.
After a very cold frosty night temperature was still low this morning -1°C when
we set off on our walk. Not much happening bird wise the odd Crows,Magpies,
Robin,Starlings,Blackbirds and a couple of Wrens. So turned our attention on
capturing the winter scenery.

Cullingworth 1

Cullingworth 2

Cullingworth 3

Hewenden Viaduct 1

Hewenden Viaduct 2

Redcar Tarn

Friday 9th December p.m.
 A cold day today only 1.5°C on arrival at the Tarn  with occasional light flurries
of snow.There were a lot of BH Gulls some showing 1st winter colours also
good numbers of Mallards. The other usual species were present including Coot,
Moorhen and Canadas. There were also three Jackdaws.
c250 - BH Gull
c150 -Mallards
20 - Coot
9 - Canadas
6 - Moorhen
4 - Tufted Ducks
3 - Jackdaws
3 - Muscovy Ducks

Tufted Duck

Canadas

Coot

BH Gull

BH Gull 1st Winter

Redcar Tarn

Local Walk

Saturday 3rd December a.m.
  Sunshine and showers this morning with a fairly strong wind blowing and a
temperature of 3°C. We walked through the village seeing very little but the odd
Crow. Hallas Lane was no better, we stopped at Hallas Bridge seeing seven
Mallards in the fast flowing Beck and two Jays moving high in the tree tops. We
walked toward the old mill to check out the pond, there was nothing on it. The
Jays were now foraging on the opposite bank with four Wood pigeons and five
Grey Squirrels. As we watched them a feeding party of Blue Tits,Great Tits,
Goldfinch and Chaffinch were in the trees all around us, then three Nuthatch
landed on a tree trunk just in front of us. As we headed back up Hallas Lane
we could see a flock of c100 Gulls in a distant field.

Nuthatch

Great Tit

Gulls