Tuesday 1 March 2005

1st March 2005 Roedean Pitch and Putt Course 3.00pm – 5.00pm. Cold south wind


Mute Swan 1 1w
Kumlien’s Gull 1 2w Roedean Pitch and Putt Course. Tiny pale greenish tip to bill with broad black subterminal band and pale green base. Bill appeared quite small and narrow. Eye often looked dark but scrutiny in strong light revealed a pale yellowish iris. Head small and rounded primarily white but with some feint narrow brownish streaks. Head somewhat suggestive of Ring-billed Gull at times. Neck white contrasting with brown-washed underparts. Mantle grey with just one dark strek seen and hence advanced for a 2w. Wing coverts bleached white with brown centers to the coverts. Upper tertials bleached white but covered tertial barred brown with wavy lines. Primaries principally white but with subtle grey centers to what appeared P8 to P10. Appeared very long winged with projection beyond tail considerably longer than bill. Upper surface of tail appeared unbleached and quite brown. In flight the most striking feature was the dark upper surface to the tail that was easily the darkest area of the bird – appeared as a very broad dark tail band with the entire tail feathers dark. At times the tail appeared silvery and sometimes the darkness was ‘lost’. Rump pale and appeared white-centred. Upperwings appeared quite white but with a subtle grey wash to the secondaries and outermost four primaries contrasting with the whiter inner primaries. Ex.
Starling c.300