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Friday 13 March 2009

7-03-09 Glaucous & Porpoise

Saturday I was not out birding, but the message of Adult Glaucous at Blyth Harbour saw me there later in the afternoon a Glaucous sitting on the water looked like 2nd / 3rd winter it was white looking in the strong light but in flight its head looks greyish a launch was ploughing up th3 water and the gulls picking off the surface, but we where on the wrong side of the fence, eventually we got in and the bird by now just sitting on the water and we got some flight shots, I noticed something in the harbour was that a Cormorant I said but up popped a fin ,Harbour Porpoise the first I have actually seen in the harbour, it came up a few times as it headed out , I failed to get any shots and these are provided with thanks to Ron link below, so I am still undecided as to age of this bird , could it be 2nd winter to 2nd Summer ( 3rd calender year ) I can't see any grey coming in on the mantle.
As pointed out this looks more likely a 2nd Calender bird with the dark eye.
Looking for 2nd Winters they all show light coloured eye which apparently are visible for some distance, I came across this site with some stunning photos of Gulls etc:

http://vancouverislandbirds.com/Journal247.html



The head seems to have moulted




Still plenty flecks in the tail


Harbour Porpoise Blyth South Harbour



All three taken by Ron McCombe
www.wildlife-photography.uk.com


Looking on the net for 2nd Winters they all show light coloured eye which apparently is visible for some distance, I came across this site with some stunning photos of Gulls etc:

http://vancouverislandbirds.com/Journal247.html







6 comments:

Alan Tilmouth said...

Brian, might this not be a second calendar year bird freshly moulted (i.e. into first summer). Dark Eye and lack of any grey in the mantle plus the bill looks very clear cut.
See similar age birds at http://www.martinreid.com/Gull%20website/glgup02.html
and http://cyberbirding.uib.no/gull/gg/1w_03.php

Northumbrian Birding said...

Thanks
You are probaly right I always forget to look at the eye colour , most of the time they are too far away , I really should take notes on these birds.
Brian

Alan Tilmouth said...

Me too, it's far easier looking at pics from the comfort of home.

Stewart said...

I bet you put your log on them pictures on porpose!

Stewart said...

Oh, and thats the whitest Glauc I've ever seen...

Northumbrian Birding said...

The Glaucous where done on purpose.
The Porpoise was not done on purpose, I hope he does Harbour any resentment, in the purpose of the porpoise logo.
And yes it was very white.
Brian