white gull - new evidence

I've received two lots of photo's now of leucistic herring gulls. This one came from Richard Dunn (thanks) of a bird at South Shields

Leucistic HG at S. Shields (from Richard Dunn)

And Tim Sexton and Alan Tillmouth sent me this link http://laridae.blogspot.com/2011/06/herring-gull-leucistic.html

The bird as Druridge had grey scapulars like the bird above, but I didn't notice the yellowy-brownish outer primaries that this bird has, mind it was a long way off. I am convinced it was a leucistic HG though.

On Tuesday night, Hugh Hanmer and I ringed four little owl chicks from a nestbox on the coast, they are fantastic little birds. I've not ringed them before, compared to barn owls they are 'wide-awake' and interested and a wee bit feisty!

Little owl chick, one of four ringed on the Northumberland Coast AONB