Caspian gull: Blast of cold weather brings rare birds to Yorkshire

A blast of wintery weather to start of the New Year saw a big increase in flocks of gulls – and a good time to check through these for rarities.

One gull – the Caspian – was reported across the region both on the coast and inland with several spotted at some sites.

The Caspian, along with the Yellow-legged gull, is closely related to the Herring gull, so much so that until recently both were regarded as subspecies.

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But now both are classed as separate species in their own right.

A flock of Caspian gullsA flock of Caspian gulls
A flock of Caspian gulls

The Caspian gull's breeding strongholds are around the Black and Caspian Seas.

But in recent years there has been a dramatic expansion westwards and it is now a widespread breeder in Germany and Poland.

In November there was a count of 288 on one beach in Denmark, a record for that country. There is also a rapidly expanding colony in the Netherlands.

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This suggests it is only a matter of time before the first pair of Caspian gulls nests in the UK.

Adult Caspian gulls are very like Herring gulls but have a longer, slender bill, sloping forehead and also longer legs, wings and necks.

Their eyes are dark and adults have a soft grey mantle.

Yellow-legged gulls do indeed have yellow legs, although it can be a challenge sorting out immatures from herring gulls.

One first bred in this country in 1992 and since then there have been a growing number of breeding records along the south coast and further expansion of the breeding range in Europe.

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The turn of the year can also see sightings of Glaucous and Iceland gulls.

Both are now increasingly rare in our region as the last refuse landfill sites that attracted them are filled in to be replaced by incinerators.

Let us hope one or two of these 'white-wingers' from the far north, which lack any black patches on their wings, are seen among gull flocks in the coming weeks.

Recent sightings have included more hawfinches with at least seven at one stage in the All Saints churchyard, on the Harewood estate near Leeds (park at the Muddy Boots cafe).

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Others were spotted at Fountains Abbey, near Fountains Hall, and Stainborough Castle, in South Yorkshire.

On the coast there were several flocks of Snow Buntings reported, including 30 at Bempton Cliffs.

Fourteen Great Egrets gathered at the RSPB’s St Aidan’s Nature Reserve, in Leeds.

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