Tarastenjärvi Cach

Back up to the Hämeenkyrö mökki for a long weekend, and I took the chance to nip down to Tarastenjärvi today.

Lots of gulls in situ, as you would expect for this time of year, with plenty of pristine juv Baltic Gull around.


Amazing how white and contrasting some of these beauties can be.








And at the same time, how dark some can be. 




Plenty of adults also, obviously, and one or two sub-adults.


Elegant 









A bit grottier

Whilst sorting through the various gulls, I twigged an interesting head at the back of the group.


Hello there...move please.


Thank you. That will do.

It was a rather striking and beautiful Caspian gull. I've realized, after putting in many hours at Lohja, that we were perhaps a bit spoiled for numbers of Casps last year, this year being a poorer showing. Consequently I spent plenty of time with this one (and rainy weather meant raptors were off the cards).

Well.. except for a Goshawk which caused some trouble for a few minutes, though not as much trouble as this recent Juvenile at Lohja which forced everything to leave.



Lohja Goshawk - Love/Hate relationship

The gulls soon came back in, and the Casp performed well.


I'm presuming a male with the size and impressive bill.




Plenty of fresh scaps, with a beautiful pattern.



Fearsome!



POIS!









Somewhat scowling expression to this one.




Fantastically lanky individual.











A delightfully obliging bird.

A couple of other birders responded to the news and managed to connect.

A few LBB/Heuglini types were also around, which included a 2CY and this adult type.



Hmmm

This thing, which I first spotted as just a head over the body of other gulls, scared the bejeesus out of me for a few seconds with that bill pattern and weird head and dusky body.


Otherwise, the best of the rest was this obliging Fox.



Bathroom Break

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