Iceland Gull

2CY Iceland Gull, Cottenham Long Drove, 30th January 2008, © Dick Newell
A record shot, using a friend's camera hand held to my scope, but good enough to (hopefully) convince the records committee.

Stonechat

Male Stonechat, Eldernell, January 2008, © Peter Beesley
Stonechats are not that hard to find this winter; this is a welcome development.

Brambling

Brambling,Girton,21st January 2008 © Garth Peacock
This bird has been visiting my feeders for brief periods for over a month and finally managed to get some photos worth keeping despite the very dark weather.

Brambling

Brambling, 20th January 2008, Cambridge © Tony Mills

Photo taken through Tony's lounge window - only the second Brambling recorded in his city garden.

Blackcap

Male Blackcap, Cambridge, 12th Jan 2008, © David Heath. It is well worth supplementing nut and seed feeding feeding at this time of year with fresh fruit offerings for insectivores. Blackcaps are now regular winter visitors to David's garden.

Caspian Gull

4CY Caspian Gull, Cottenham Long Drove, 7th January 2008, © Dick Newell
This is a better view of the bird seen on 2nd January.

Caspian Gull

4CY Caspian Gull, Cottenham, Long Drove, 2nd January 2008, © Dick Newell
This bird appears to be in adult plumage, but I did not see an open wing. The bill colour is typical of 3rd winters.

Caspian Gull

3CY Caspian Gull, Long Drove, Cottenham, 2nd January 2008, © Dick Newell
Although I didn't get a decent picture of its head, the head and bill-shape were the give-aways here. The unpatterned greater coverts give another clue. This bird seems to have no 3rd generation feathers, but I am fairly sure it is a 2nd winter (3CY). Such birds are illustrated in the O&L gull book, but this plumage is more common in Herring Gulls, so it is always possible we have a mixture here. Also, it lacks the usual gleaming white head, though it does show the characteristic shadow-line across the nape. The adult bird immediately beyond it is a Yellow-legged Gull (RGN).

Fieldfare

Fieldfare, Aldreth, December 2007, © Simon Stirrup
Handsome beast

Starling

1st winter Starling, Aldreth, December 2007, © Simon Stirrup
Even young Starlings can look stunning at times.

Kestrel

Female Kestrel, Paxton Pits, 21st December 2007, © Jamie Wells

Cattle Egret

Cattle Egret, St Neots, 28th December 2007, © Chris Martin

Cattle Egret

Cattle Egret, St Neots, 28th December 2007, © Jamie Wells

Cattle Egret

Cattle Egret, St Neots, 28th December 2007, © Mark Thomas.

Yellow-legged Gull

2CY Yellow-legged Gull, Cottenham Long Drove, 22nd December 2007, © Dick Newell
Dark grey back, very long wings and fierce expression makes this bird easy to pick out.

Caspian Gull

Adult Caspian Gull, Cottenham Long Drove, 22nd December 2007, © Dick Newell
This bird is pretty good in most respects, except that it has rather thick, bright pink legs, and it's wings are not quite as long as one would expect. Also the white tongue on the inner web of P10 does not hug the shaft as much as it should, so maybe it has mixed ancestry.

Caspian Gull

2CY Caspian Gull, Landbeach A10, 22nd December 2007, © Dick Newell
The distinctive head and bill-shape is the main giveaway here. It is well advanced in its covert moult.

Caspian Gull

2CY Caspian Gull, Cottenham Long Drove, 20th December 2007 © Dick Newell
Easily overlooked as a Yellow-legged Gull at this age, this was one of two 2CY's present. The distinguishing features include the long wings, long tibia, pale tips to both median and greater coverts, shadow line along nape-crown boundary and relatively slender bill (RGN).

Grey Heron

Grey Heron, Paxton Pits, 14th December 2007, © Jamie Wells
A beautiful shot. The neat black belly band is a strange feature to see on a Grey Heron. Explanations are welcome.

Nuthatch

Nuthatch, 12th December 2007, Bluebell Woods Peterborough © Garth Peacock