Yellow-legged Gull at Alvecote Pools SSSI

A quick visit to the neglected patch this afternoon failed to through up much in the way of excitement. We do however seem to attract a bit of a pre-Gull roost at this time of year so it is always worth checking through them all before they depart. Amongst the usual throngs of Black-headed Gulls around Mill Pool there were at least 265 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a very good total for Alvecote. It was amongst these that I picked up a single adult Yellow-legged Gull as well as an adult and 2 juvenile Herring Gulls.

Also present were 25 Eurasian Wigeon, 45 Gadwall, 26 Common Teal, 32 Northern Shoveler, 2 Little Grebe and 3 Common Snipe. On the passerine front there were good numbers of Common Chiffchaff in the hedgerows with smaller numbers of Willow Warbler.