Glaucous-winged Gull at Beddington Farmlands?

I suspect some things come down to choice.

In my mind I cannot get beyond an either/or scenario for the controversial white-winged gull at Beddington last year. As far as I understand it is either a worn 1st summer female Glaucous-winged Gull or a first summer west coast hybrid (perhaps GWG with some AMHG influences). So far I am stuck on a equally convincing argument for both possibilities.

More here: http://peteralfrey.blogspot.com/

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Summer musical interlude

There aint a lot happening out there. Time for a bit of relaxing music by our band thee bryans. Drew on amazing piano, me on guitar and vocals and Holly on the brilliant animation. It's all our own original stuff. A song about impartial observation.

Summer at Beddington Farmlands

Botany at Beddington Farmlands

Bumped into the LNHS doing a botany walk at the farmlands. Learnt a few species including Giant Lettuce and Bristly Oxtongue. They said there was over 200 species of plants and trees at the farmlands.

Beddington Birders on TV

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00stcjs/Springwatch_2010_Episode_12/

Well Dodge, Johnny and I are in the background anyway- from the Oystercatcher bird race day. We appear from 46 minutes:54 seconds onwards.

IT'S BACK

Been pondering the recent BBRC decision to accept this bird (seen at Beddington last year) as a Glaucous-winged Gull. ermmmmmmmm.

Summer at Beddington Farmlands

Seems to be plenty of young birds around including Long-tailed Tits. Also plenty of young Great and Blue Tits around. I saw my first juvenile Pied Wagtail too. Not so much singing now amongst the breeding birds although the Whitethroat outside my window has started up again so might be on it's second breeding attempt. There were two Green Sandpipers and a male Teal on 100 acre which are presumably the first 'autumn' migrants.

Swifts are present in the summer evenings hawking insects over the lake. There must have been over 200 a couple of nights ago.

Sowerby's Beaked Whales- The Azores

I was reading up about Sowerby's Beaked Whales and turns out they are quite rare on the Azores too so here's a couple more shots.
For an amusing update on the Little Shearwater in Lundy situation check out Darryl's blog: http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2010/06/mr-mrs-miss-other.html

Summer at Beddington Farmlands

JAMMY JAFFA

Many UK sea watchers are leather faced, blood shot eyed, bleached and worn after years of searching the oceans for a seabird mega like a 'Soft-plumaged Petrel' or a 'Little Shearwater'.

Jaffa is a moisturising, cake eating friend of mine who enjoys the couch and the odd spot of relaxed birding. In the last year he has found both Fea's Petrel and now Little Shearwater in UK waters. The lucky jammy bakewell tart eating bastad describes the event here:
http://creamteabirding.blogspot.com/2010/06/finding-big-one-or-rather-little-one-on.html

Darryl's side of the story here:
http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/2010/06/barolos-shearwater.html

Wandle Valley Festival

Spent today on the River Wandle as part of the Wandle Festival. Bob Steel (pic 2), my former geography teacher and Green Party local leader, took us on a geography walk- just like being back at school again.