No sign Saturday morning of anything resembling a Baltic Gulll at Durleigh.

There was an interesting LBB Gull at Durleigh Res this afternoon, which Paul Clement and I saw on the way back from seeing the American Wigeon at Steart.  It was most likely of the spp intermedius, but was at the darkest end of the intermedius spectrum - certainly as dark as a Baltic Gull (spp fuscus).  It was a very dark gull, with back and tail the same black colour - slim and attenuated, with very long primary projection.  It basically looked like a small, slim, very long winged GBB Gull, but with “a kind face”.

I’m conscious of the rarity factor of Baltic Gull here - hence the easier suggestion it was a very dark intermdius.  Whilst I was living in Cyprus during the early noughties, Baltic Gull was a relatively frequent winter visitor in the Larnaca Salt Lake and Larnaca sewage works area.

Certainly worth looking out for if visiting Durleigh Res in the next few days.