A sunny morning with the wind soon picking-up to a strong southerly. It was a nice surprise to see the Stock Dove still present at Norwick. A drive around the island produced a selection of winter fare including a few white-winged Gulls.
Norwick: Whooper Swan & Stock Dove.
Haroldswick: Glaucous Gull & Iceland Gull.
Burrafirth: 7 European White-fronted Geese & Glaucous Gull.
Uyeasound: 3 Whooper Swans, 2 Mute Swans, Pink-footed Goose, 100 Long-tailed Duck, Iceland Gull and the Kumlien's/Thayer's Gull.
Stock Dove and Rock Dove at Norwick
First-cycle Iceland Gull at Haroldswick
First-cycle Glaucous Gull at Haroldswick
First-cycle Kumlien's/Thayer's Gull at Uyeasound
Flight views were the order of the day again. Drawing a dividing line in the continuim that is presented by Kumlien's and Thayer's Gulls seems an impossible task at times. Here's a few first-cycle individuals labelled as Kumlien's or Thayer's Gulls that all (!) appear a close match to the Uyeasound bird:
Kumlien's Gull, Iowa, 12th December 2018 (Jay Gilliam)
Thayer's Gulls, California, 12th December 2011 (Oscar Johnson)
