Back to Arpely again today with reduced observors & numbers of
larids. Although numbers down we still got some good stuff albeit distant. First up was a 1st winter Glaucous Gull followed closely by a 1st winter Med Gull & then the first of several adult and near adult Yellow-legged Gulls.
![](//1.bp.blogspot.com/_74zBQ3ZRUBI/SalwSG8ViuI/AAAAAAAABcU/BqNSoD8-t58/s400/1st+wint+Glauc2+280209.jpg)
![](//3.bp.blogspot.com/_74zBQ3ZRUBI/Salwakc5tII/AAAAAAAABcc/9LA5Yf6bERs/s400/1st+wint+Glauc1+280209.jpg)
The Glauc was typically belligerent and cleared a space amongst the lesser Gulls by intimidating them!
Adult Yellow-legged Gull.
![](//3.bp.blogspot.com/_74zBQ3ZRUBI/Salxema9OdI/AAAAAAAABc0/NfPa0kDqN9U/s400/1st+wint+Med+280209_1.jpg)
1st winter Mediterranean Gull
Eventually Tim picked out a distant 1st winter Iceland Gull feeding on the tip face and then a second one showed up slightly closer roosting on the same muddy area as the other gulls photographed above.
![](//1.bp.blogspot.com/_74zBQ3ZRUBI/SalyyZbMsQI/AAAAAAAABc8/m2DKS5g8dns/s400/1st+wint+Iceland2+280209.jpg)
![](//1.bp.blogspot.com/_74zBQ3ZRUBI/SalzOSnYUmI/AAAAAAAABdE/NXrSKa820uU/s400/1st+wint+Iceland1+280209.jpg)
1st winter Iceland Gull.
Meanwhile, the ponds in Stanney are full of frog spawn.
![](//4.bp.blogspot.com/_74zBQ3ZRUBI/Sal0J-nBvHI/AAAAAAAABdM/Q_IJt92BZ5Q/s400/28022009453.jpg)
Which links quite nicely to the spawny gits (messrs Atkinson, Vaughan & Conway) who, on leaving Arpely and travelling to Richmond Bank jammed in on an adult Iceland Gull!