I didn't do much birding today as I stayed in one spot hoping that an Iceland Gull would appear.
I was at a pool known as Stubbers Green, just outside of Walsall. The Iceland Gull has been putting in an appearance most days but today it decided to stay away.
Still it gave an opportunity to study a bird that is very hard to ID when amongst loads of other gulls. Mind you it would be hard to suss out if it was on its own.
The bird in question is a Caspian Gull and this one is a 2nd winter. Definitely my bird of the day and below are links to three of the Digiscoped images I took. Unfortunately it was blowing a gale and my scope and camera were vibrating badly so I am pleased these photos turned out at all, especially as the bird was about two hundred yards away.
What you are looking for a flat head, a small black eye and a bill that is fairly thin and straight (lacking a strong gonydeal angle) that means the bump at the bottom of the bill towards the tip which Herring Gulls and Yellow-legged Gull have.
John