That was a bumpy flight-no honestly... Macronesia is being swept away in deadly floods and storms and I've headed out here to look for gulls on rubbish dumps. Luckily I met someone more mad than me today
and what a pleasure it was too. Gerbrand gave me a lightning tour round Sao Miguel and we bagged the Hooded Merganser (pic 1 and 2), Double Crested Cormorant, Spoonbill (3)and Pied Billed Grebe . Also found a first cycle American Herring Gull
(pic 4) and re-sorted a group of ducks on Lagoa Azul into a male Lesser Scaup, Greater Scaup and 4 Ring-necked Ducks (pic 5).
and what a pleasure it was too. Gerbrand gave me a lightning tour round Sao Miguel and we bagged the Hooded Merganser (pic 1 and 2), Double Crested Cormorant, Spoonbill (3)and Pied Billed Grebe . Also found a first cycle American Herring Gull(pic 4) and re-sorted a group of ducks on Lagoa Azul into a male Lesser Scaup, Greater Scaup and 4 Ring-necked Ducks (pic 5).
We dipped the Brown Booby but there was 15+ Gannet and Great Skua off Mosteiros.
Okay I am on the island of Terceira now and will spend the next four days sweeping for a rare gull.
Hooded Merganser is a stunning bird.
ReplyDeleteHow many years did it take you to correctly identify immature Gulls?
Indeed- a superb bird.
ReplyDeleteCorrectly identifying immature gulls is an on going process :-))
Been gull watching all day and my head hurts now!