Thurs 8th Oct 09

John Clarkson · **Posted:** Thu Oct 08, 2009 1:58 pm

Mablethorpe S end 08:45-09:45 'Highlights'
Red-throated Diver 3 N
Gannet 29 S
Common Scoter 45 N
Red-breasted Merganser 1NArctic Skua 1 N
auk sp 4 S

after so much excitement I went to Huttoft Car Terrace
Common Scoter 70 S
Please don't tell me about any Fea's Petrels

Huttoft Pit
Pink-footed Goose c105 N

Manby Flashes
Pink-footed Goose 112, presumably the flock seen earlier, evntually flew off S
Greylag c.380

John

Edmund Mackrill · **Posted:** Thu Oct 08, 2009 7:29 pm

There have been 5 different individual Ad Med Gulls visiting Huttoft Pit for the last couple of weeks to have a bathe with the other Gulls. I'm surprised that you haven't found any on your last 2 visits John. There were 2 on Tuesday afternoon - haven't been since.

John Clarkson · **Posted:** Fri Oct 09, 2009 9:27 am

Ed
Thanks for the info. I had a cursory glance at the hide log but can't recall any sightings of Med Gulls by the observers who bothered to report. I'm interested in the 5 that you've seen especially as I've just been writing up the Med Gulls for the 08 report and it's not easy trying to unravel their true status in the county. So as you've identified 5 different adults I'd be very grateful for a brief account of their individual field characteristics so that I, and othere visitors, can be aware of which one we're looking at should we be fortunate enough to encounter one at Huttoft Pit. Also this will help to provide a more accurate picture when these are written up in the 09 report. What tends to happen is the A reports an ad Med at a site then B reports one at the same site a week later and the assumption is that they are the same bird so your detailed accounts will help to present a truer picture.

Thanks in advance

John

Edmund Mackrill · **Posted:** Fri Oct 09, 2009 8:24 pm

They all had different head and bill patterns varying from a full winter to one with quite alot of dark feathering on the head. 3 of them also had different amounts of black on the bill. I took video footage of 4 of them bathing and checked the plumages later on my TV screen. It would be very difficult for an observer on a quick visit to decide if they were seeing one of the birds that I had recorded. I spent alot of hours in the hide waiting for birds to turn up - never more than one at a time. Only 2 seen twice.
Nige Lound saw a 2nd winter bird last week and 2 together on the Pit. The colour ringed bird 3K45 is still at Chapel Point.
Who knows how many Med Gulls have passed through - I haven't seen any on the field with the other Gulls so they are maybe just passing through. Good luck with your project anyway.

The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Thurs 8th Oct 09

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