It was a blustery morning on Soil Hill today, so I did not expect too much bird activity despite the otherwise pleasant and clear conditions.
As I began my descent along Perseverance Road towards Ned Hill Track, I spotted a large gull flying SW slowly into the wind, almost adjacent to Ned Hill Track. Whilst I expected to see a Herring Gull in my binoculars, I was stunned to see the bird had creamy-white primaries; a white-winger! Due to the general lack of Glaucous Gull records in the country, I assumed the bird would be an Iceland Gull, but my priority in the moment was to grab as many photos as I could.
Once the bird began to move away from me I had a chance to check and confirm the bird was an Iceland Gull and to get the news out. It continued towards Ogden until I lost it as it dropped below the plantation there. I hoped that the bird would have settled on the reservoir but both BS and JJL confirmed that it was not there, so it presumably carried on its way.
I note that the long-staying bird at Roundhay Park in Leeds was not reported today, so it may be the same bird. Iceland Gull is my 133 species for Soil Hill!
Additionally, there was a very dapper male Stonechat at the bottom of the North Slope but sadly no Jack Snipes today.
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