Iceland Gull surprise at Bartley Reservoir

  

If I ever get a call from Terry Hinnet late afternoon it's always good news. Just as I was wrapping up my shift today Terry called to inform me he had just found an Iceland Gull at Bartley Reservoir. Thankfully the traffic was very kind allowing me to reach Scotland Lane inside twenty minutes. The bird showed extremely well from the picnic tables before relocating into the huge flock. 

Great Skua blows into Bartley

Great Skua taking off

Great Skua sat on water off the dam side

Flight shots are very difficult with my camera

And again.........

Great Skua chasing the local gulls

A text on Friday evening from Terry Hinnet saying he had found a Great Skua on Bartley Reservoir changed my plans from a morning at the pits.

With positive news reported early, I made the fifteen mile drive north with Chris Lane for company.  This juvenile Great Skua was sitting on the water about 50 metres off the dam when we arrived which was pleasing enough. Over the next hour this absolute brute of a bird chased & harrassed the local gulls forcing them to drop their own food just to shake off the attention. 

At times the Skua flew seriously close to the dam wall giving us some amazing views. It was interesting to see a bird like this in a habitat away from the sea. It's wing pattern was striking. 

This was my first inland Skua, lets hope I might get another with this bad weather set to continue.

Bartley Reservoir Gulling

Iceland Gull (taken last year)

With a shocking forecast for Saturday I opted to call in to Bartley Reservoir on the way home from work on Friday to catch the Gull Roost incase I couldn't get out on Saturday. There has been over 35,000 Black heads coming in recently however this roost was on the quieter side sadly.

I picked up four Goldeneye whilst I was waiting for gulls & there were at least 7 Great Crested Grebes & 5 Grey Herons at the east end. I'd just got my eye in and located the 2nd winter Iceland & 3 Great Black-backed when the local Peregrine decided to ruin the party. I saw the raptor arrive from over the school and head straight for the middle of the roost. Speaking to top midland guller Terry Hinnet he advised that one of the gulls may have been carrying a loose bit of fishing line or rubbish attracting the Peregrine as an easy target. 

It is always great to see a Peregrine but I'd rather this individual have saved this particular visit, he tried four different runs at the roost causing the gulls to perform their own type of murmuration. As the light faded I headed for home as I didn't fancy taking any risks being on my own in a well known trouble hot spot.

Winter Gulling at Bartley Reservoir

A shocking day weather wise to start the weekend off so I took advantage of the situation to watch my eldest play in a storming Under 19 basketball match which they won by nice points.

As the rain cleared Terry Hinnet who watches Bartley Reservoir text me saying that they had seen a couple of nice gulls in recent days and it might be worth a drive up. If you have never been its best to head for Scotland Lane on the west side as that is generally where the larger gulls are. 

On arrival there was still sailing going so the Gulls were fairly close. I always find it amazing to see so many thousands of gulls just bobbing on the water. @midlandbirder was first to find a gem when he located the second winter Caspian Gull. I didn't see a Caspian at all last year so this was a great start to the year. A Common Gull was on the edge of a Herring Gull flock and I then picked up my first Great Crested Grebe of the year.

We then all moved further up Scotland Lane as soon as we had parked Terry shouted "Iceland" however the flock took off and moves slightly north. The good news was we all managed to locate the bird which was a real gem considering the lack of white wingers this winter.

Fair play to all the regular Bartley Gullers who stand up there night after night not like myself rocking up when there is a sniff of a big gun ! These 3 additions took me to 80 species for the year.

Little Gull at Bartley Reservoir

                                                    Little Gull in front of Shoveller

With Little Gull sightings reported around the country it was frustrating being stuck at work on Friday however a late afternoon confirmation that one was still around Bartley Reservoir and traffic jammed M5 made me take a chance. Parking on the dam it didn't take long to pick out the Little Gull that was mainly in flight on the far end of the reservoir. I opted to drive round to Scotland Lane hoping for a closer view but it remained distant although I grabbed a couple of distant record shots. I had a quick catch up with Halesowen birder Hughie King before leaving.