09/02/2015. Laughing Gull at New Brighton

Monday 9th February 2015
New Brighton, Cheshire

• On my way up to visit family in Cumbria I took a detour to twitch the Laughing Gull on the promenade at New. Brighton.  The gull was on a pontoon and surrounded by 15 Purple Sandpipers and over 30 Turnstones.





Laughing Gull
Library picture

Birdwatchers from all over the country are flocking to New Brighton after a rare sighting of the Laughing Gull.

• The bird is usually found in America and breeds year-round on the east coast of Mexico. There are only a few sightings in the UK each year.

• Summer adults have a crisp black hood, white arcs around the eye, and a reddish bill. In winter, the hood becomes a blurry gray mask on a white head.  The legs are reddish black to black. Immatures are much browner and more subtly patterned than adults; they take 2-3 years to gain adult plumage.

I have seen this bird, in summer plumage in the USA and it looks stunning.




Laughing Gull summer plumage
Library picture 

Laughing Gull summer plumage
Library picture

A new species for my UK Life List - now only 16 to go for the magical 300 total.

• Didn't have enough time in good light to go and see the Long-eared Owl that was just a few miles away.

 

• I received the usual "guard of honour" from the Red Kites on the M40 - this time I spotted 12 as I moved at high speed up the motorway from the M25 to Oxford.

Addition to BUBO 2015 UK Bird List:
Laughing Gull   (154)
Addition to BUBO UK Birds Life List
Laughing Gull   (284)