18/12/2024 Moses Gate Country Park, Bolton

Caspian gull: I finally caught up with the long staying 1st winter Caspo which has been showing particularly well on the main lake.


Having dipped this bird a few days earlier with Kris Wade I gave myself a bit more time today to wait for the bird to make appearance. 

This time I waited around an hour before the bird appeared on the grass bank beside the lake, standing out like a bright white beacon amongst the slightly darker juvenile herring gulls. 
Typically they the head is proportionately quite small and pear-shaped, showing the characteristic sloping forehead, which is further enhanced by the long and slim bill. 




They have a high proud chest extending on to a rounded belly that is white with a white head. Tricky birds to connect with and often overlooked.