These are shots from the weekend when a very RARE , 1st winter Laughing Gull turned up at New Brighton Marine Lake. Laughing Gulls are American Gulls that Summer in North America and Winter in Mexico and Argentina and the Southern States, Florida in particular. In the UK they are Vagrants blown on strong winds and rarely get to the mainland, the odd one turns up in West Ireland, but there's not been an easy to see one in this country since the mid 1990s. The Beach shot was when I re-found it on the beach and a few followed, but there were over 200 birder photographers waiting on the Marine lake as it favour's the pontoon on there if anyone wants to go and have a look. It was still present today and I recon on Saturday probably 500 + people went to see it. There has also been an article in the Liverpool Echo about this celebrity bird. It was very difficult in the poor light Saturday, and I wanted flight shots to show the wing pattern and it has long wings and moves pretty quick and also flies only when it needs to, so 3 hours Friday and 4 hours Saturday ,just to get these shots.They are photographically not the best shots in the world, but show the Laughing Gull off well. It is an Immature bird ,born most likely in Florida last Summer. 1. The Twitchers Birders searching for the Laughing Gull by John Tymon, on Flickr 2. The Twiched Laughing Gull -1st Winter by John Tymon, on Flickr 3. Laughing Gull Laughing Gull -1st Winter by John Tymon, on Flickr 4. Laughing Gull Laughing Gull -1st Winter by John Tymon, on Flickr 5. Laughing Gull Laughing Gull -1st Winter by John Tymon, on Flickr 6. Laughing Gull Laughing Gull -1st Winter by John Tymon, on Flickr 7. Laughing Gull Laughing Gull -1st Winter by John Tymon, on Flickr 8. Laughing Gull- This one flying over the Sea with the lighthouse reflecting to the left. Laughing Gull flying over sea by John Tymon, on Flickr
Nothing wrong with those. I have actually heard of these somewere in the past. Never thought I;'d see one. I shall pass it on to my twitcher colleague at work. He'll be well chuffed.
Good record of an interesting and unusual birdie. Useful commentary too - appreciated a lot! Can I be a moan and ask about the different sizes of images on here? It would be good to have them all the same, and over 1000 pixels, to enjoy these better.
It looks fairly settled and could stay the winter ,more likely a few weeks ,but it won't head back to America, more likely it will turn up somewhere else in Ireland or Scotland over the next few years as birds blown off coarse so much tend to do parallel migration ,so it will do the same as it would if it was still in North America and head North at some point soon . Anyone whos in New brighton take a look on the pontoon on the Marine Lake at High tide and it will be with the waders on there, your unlikely to see one again in this country as I haven't in 40 years Birding.
These days the internet and mobile phones has made it easy to know what's about, 30 years ago ,you would have only found out about these sort of rarities in the yearly county reports.
yep every Tuesday at 7pm Eric was Just like Frank Horrocks true pioneers of local birding and wildlife watching ,I think if im right Eric was about 82 when he made his last broadcast and died shortly after .
And stubbornly wore odd wellies too. A legend. I remember when they 'pimped' his show by adding an opening sound effect of a Mersey ferry and gulls plus a couple of sound recordings of birds. Prior to that, it was a solid, unbroken weekly talk in perhaps not the most exciting monotone. Good old public service broadcasting. 90 when he hung up his bins for the last time.
