The gull roost has been building up again with mostly Black-headed Gulls (c.2000 last weekend) but last night several hundred big gulls roosted, raising my hopes of a white-winger. No white wings last night but a near adult Caspian was in the roost from 15:30 onward. Frustratingly I couldn't get a good look at the underwing, but the head shape, bill and beady dark eye looked spot on.
The video (taken in High Speed mode) adds nothing to the I.D of this bird except to show just how strikingly obvious the dark beady eye is. What you don't see is me running up the earth bund behind me and flapping my arms around in an attempt to mimic a huge bird of prey, a trick taught to me by hermit like warden Nick Riddiford on Fair Isle during that ill-fated trip of 86'. The point of flushing them was a desperate attempt for the bird to lift it's bloody wings - it did not even raise a metaphorical eyebrow! Actually this is not the intended video as that is 240mb and my (as previously mentioned) old laptop is currently grinding away trying to upload it!
Fortunately the bird roosted again this evening and Andy, Pete and Roy managed conclusive views and better photos. Incidentally this bird appears to have a knackered left leg.
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