Another Day, Another Caspian

I was back out in the Siuntio/Lohja area again today.

I started out at Myrans hoping to connect with a flock of 8 Great White Egret which had been seen the previous week. No luck on that score, but numerous Yellow Wagtail, Tree Pipit, Red Backed Shrike and flyover Caspian Tern, Golden Plover and Goshawk made for pleasant birding.



Fly through Caspian Tern - Slightly odd to see one so far from large bodies of water.

A quick coffee break followed and then it was on to Lohja dump for more gulling.

Gulls were a bit nervous this morning, most likely due to a yet unseen Goshawk.

After about an hour of trying various view points in the dump, they finally came down to the trash pile and I parked up to sift through them at my leisure.

It didn't take too long. Within 20 minutes or so I was looking at a cracking fresh Juvenile Caspian Gull, a different individual from the previous week.

Indeed I would say this was an even more stunning individual, but then they do, in my opinion, start to look better as they pale up.


Spot The Casp





Keep your eye on the Cach







King of the garbage jungle.



Seeing off all rivals.


Colgate white.



Decent tail. 


Fantastic head shape and bill.


What a beauty.


This beastie was a bit of a wanna be. Some interesting patterns to the upperparts but that was about it.


The first juv Great Black Backed gulls were also present in the dump. We can forget how beautiful these brutes can be.


Great Black Backed Gull - Juv


The aforementioned Goshawk did indeed eventually show himself, like the reaper, sitting in one of his favored dead trees above the trash pile. Unfortunately this meant the end of the gulls, as they were not stupid enough to attempt to feed below him.

Goshawks are the real bad boys of the raptors. A white tailed eagle going over will get a flap and a look from the gulls, but only a Goshawk will push them off their feeding.



The Reaper watches






Choose the form of the destructor


Beast

A decent day. Looks like the influx of Caspian Gulls has begun, with 5-6 in Ammasuo dump near the city. Hopefully more of these beauties in the coming weeks.

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