Surely one of the prettiest of gulls, Little Gulls are scarce in Kerry, with usually fewer than 10 records a year. Most of these are seen on sea watches from headlands in autumn, but ones and twos are also occasionally seen at coastal sites in winter.
First-winter Little Gull, Rough Point, 25th January 2016 (Michael O'Clery).
First-winter Little Gull, Rough Point, 25th January 2016 (Michael O'Clery).
First-winter Little Gull, Rough Point, 25th January 2016 (Michael O'Clery).
Second winter Iceland Gull, Cashen Estuary, 25th January 2016 (Davey Farrar).
Second winter Iceland Gull, Cashen Estuary, 25th January 2016 (Davey Farrar).
Glaucous Gull, Inch beach, 25th January 2016 (Michael O'Clery).
Anyone who spends time watching gulls will realise sooner or later that there are some individuals which don't quite 'fit the mould', and here's one such Common Gull, present for several weeks now around Rough Point/Fahamore. At a distance, on the water (eg., bottom pic), it looks almost like a Sabine's Gull... close up, it looks like, well, a hooded Common Gull. The mantle colour is similar to the local Common Gulls, so it's not an eastern type. Perhaps just at the extreme dark end of the head markings. Mind you, the eye crescents look a little more prominent... hmmm... Anyone any thoughts on this?
Common Gull, Rough Point, 25th January 2016 (Michael O'Clery).
Common Gull, Rough Point, 25th January 2016 (Michael O'Clery).
Common Gull, Rough Point, 25th January 2016 (Michael O'Clery).
