Tag Archives: Lesser Black-backed Gull

Little Ringed Plover – 26th August

August 26, 2022Recent wildlife sightings, Uncategorized2022, 24th August, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Ringed Plover, Slurry Lagoon, Yellow-legged GullPete Smith

This morning a juvenile Little Ringed Plover was on the mud in front of the Slurry Lagoon reeds. Amongst the Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the Slurry Lagoon was one Yellow-legged Gull. PS.

Black Tern – 30th April

April 30, 2012Recent wildlife sightings2012, 30th April, Black Tern, Deep Pit, Garden Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Lesser Whitethroat, Shelduck, Slurry Lagoon, tealPete Smith

This afternoon there were signs that some more migrants had arrived with four Lesser Whitethroats in song. There were still no Garden Warblers or Grasshopper Warblers but in the Deep Pit a Black Tern was hawking for insects. It had a very buoyant flight as it rose above the water, flying into the wind. When it spotted an insect it dived like a falcon, probably catching a St. Marks Fly. There was a Lesser Black-backed Gull on the Slurry Lagoon and two Shelduck, but no sign of any Teal. PS.

Starlings – 9th November

November 9, 2011Recent wildlife sightingsLesser Black-backed Gull, StarlingPete Smith

This evening, at the Starling roost, a strange, pale individual was noticed, raising hopes of a Rose-coloured Starling. Unfortunately better views showed that its wings and tail were paler than its body, making a leucistic variant more likely. There was also an aberrant Lesser Black-backed Gull, which JMD managed to photograph. PS.

Ruff – 8th September

September 9, 2011Recent wildlife sightings2011, 8th September, birds, Black-headed Gull, Dunlin, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Ruff, Sand Martin, Slurry LagoonPete Smith

This evening two Ruff and two Dunlin dropped in, onto the Slurry Lagoon. There were also about 120 Sand Martins, 340 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 1,000 Black-headed Gulls. RW.

Greenshank – 22nd August

August 22, 2011Recent wildlife sightings2011, 22nd August, birds, Common Tern, Dunlin, greenshank, Herring Gull, Hobby, House Martin, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Ringed Plover, Reed Warbler, Slurry Lagoon, Swallow, Yellow-legged GullPete Smith

This afternoon the Swallows and House Martins were gathered on the wires by the railway bridge when they all took off in alarm as a Hobby made an appearance. They all flew together and kept above and behind it, some making stoops to drive it away. The Hobby seemed unconcerned, making a couple of stoops of its own, probably at dragonflies. Suddenly the swallows were making a lot more noise and then the Hobby flew up out of its stoop with one of them in its talons. The Slurry Lagoon was a lot more peaceful with several each of Shoveler and Teal feeding on the water and a Dunlin and a Little Ringed Plover on the shore and a family of Reed Warblers were feeding in the reeds. The Lesser Black-backed Gull flock contained a Herring Gull and a Yellow-legged Gull plus a couple of Common Terns and later a Greenshank called three times as it flew over the site. PS.

Whimbrel – 12th August

August 12, 2011Recent wildlife sightings12th August, 2011, birds, Cettis Warbler, Deep Pit, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Slurry Lagoon, Whimbrel, Yellow Wagtail, Yellow-legged GullPete Smith

During the course of the afternoon three separate Whimbrels flew through the site, going south. There were also a Ringed Plover and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover on the Slurry Lagoon.The flock of Lesser Black-backed Gulls contained a Yellow-legged Gull, and several Yellow Wagtails flew through. In the Deep Pit at least two, possibly four, Cetti’s Warblers were heard giving their ‘tack-tack’ alarm calls. PS.

Green Sandpiper – 15th July

July 15, 2011Recent wildlife sightings14th July, Black-tailed godwit, Green Sandpiper, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Slurry LagoonJacqueline

A Green Sandpiper was again feeding in the shallow water in front of the reeds on the extreme left of the Slurry Lagoon and a single Black-tailed Godwit was sleeping among the roosting ducks. Again about 600 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were divided between the wet and dry ends of the Slurry. JMD.

Black-tailed Godwit – 14th July

July 14, 2011Recent wildlife sightings14th July, 2011, birds, Black-tailed godwit, Green Sandpiper, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Pochard, Slurry LagoonPete Smith

The Green Sandpiper was heard calling early in the afternoon as it left the Slurry Lagoon. Later there were five Black-tailed Godwits feeding and resting on the Slurry Lagoon, in the shallow water. There were also about six hundred Lesser Black-backed Gulls and the female Pochard still has all three ducklings. PS.

Fox and Gulls – 4th July

July 4, 2010Recent wildlife sightingsBlack-headed Gull, Fox, Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Redshank, Slurry Lagoon, Willow titPete Smith

The gull roost on the Slurry Lagoon is beginning to build up again and today there were about sixty Black-headed Gulls, including about ten juveniles and several Lesser Black-backs. Suddenly a fox dashed out of the reed-bed, grabbed one and disappeared again. All of the gulls took to the air but soon settled back down again. Amongst the gulls were a few Lapwings and a Redshank. A Willow Tit was heard again along the Lower Path. PS.

Pintail – 17th September

September 17, 2009Recent wildlife sightings17th September, 2009, Lesser Black-backed Gull, pintail, Reed Warbler, Shelduck, Swallows, Wigeon, Yellow-legged GullPete Smith

A female Pintail was on the Slurry Lagoon today, along with two juvenile Shelduck. The flock of Lesser Black-backed Gulls topped 1,000 and included four Herring Gulls, a Great Black-backed Gull and a Yellow-legged Gull. A flock of eighteen Wigeon flew over in the evening, going south.

There are still some Swallows feeding young in a nest under the Railway Bridge and a Reed Warbler sang briefly from the reed bed. PS.