Another hooded Yellow-leg

So, I'm not quite sure what to make of this gull.  It's got yellow legs, a dark blue-grey mantle, not a lot of white in the wing tips, and a dark hood.  I guess its an extreme michahellis?  Or is it another atlantis type?

It was certainly striking when I picked it out of the melee on Stewartby tip this afternoon.  On an open wing shot I have it has a band on P5, and appears to have quite a bit of black still in the coverts making it a third-winter type.  My current best guess is a michahellis with an above average dark hood.  Any other suggestions?

EDIT - some more images of this bird can be found on my Flickr here.  These were taken Sunday morning in slightly better light.

Caspian Gull

Second calendar year Caspian Gull, Stewartby Lake, 6th March 2011. Only the second Caspo seen so far this year in Beds.

Med Gulls

Two Mediterranean Gulls, Stewartby Lake, 6th March 2011

Glaucous-winged Gull? video 1

What I believe is the same bird as the one in this video, as been accepted as a Glaucous-winged Gull, the fourth British record.

The bird has been 'accepted' only from Beddington Farmlands on 21st-22nd April 2009. However, what is believed to be the same bird was also seen at Queen Mother Res, Calvert, Willen, Rainham, and Ware between 3rd February 2009 and its last date at Beddington. A remarkable looking gull seen at a remarkable set of sites.

More info can be found on Peter Alfrey's blog with plenty more chat from Peter here and here and here and here. Some more photos of this bird can be found on Birdforum too. Lee Evans also has a little to say here.

If you want to see all of my photos and video of this bird when it was at Stewartby Lake between 9th-11th March 2009, click here.

Glaucous-winged Gull? video 2

Glaucous-winged Gull? video 3

Gettin' high on petrel fumes!

I know its a bit small in frame, but they have a delightful jizz about them. Almost Black Tern-like.

Only the twelth record this century for the county, the last one was on Brogborough lake on 29th October 1989. Others were in 1988, '83 (2), '78, '70, and five (!) in 1952. You could say it's been quite a blocker for the new gen of Beds birders.

My shot are poor when you compare then to those of MST's boat shots - check them out here.

Well done to Pete Smith for this magnificent find - it was well worth the 50 year wait, eh, Pete!

White-winged nightmare

As this bird has caused a wake of confusion wherever it's been seen, I thought I'd post my images of it. Here it is in the Stewartby Lake roost, Beds, 10th March 2009. Thoughts range from Kumlien's, to some sort of weird hybrid Herring Gull x white-winged gull. What do you think...