At around 14:25 today i watched what I’m certain was a great skua kill a slightly larger gull species at Langland Bay. The two birds were fighting at the water surface with the skua on top – i didn’t really see anything other than the wings of the bird below when it managed to flap them…it appeared to be an immature gull, possibly herring going on the mix of pale grey and brown feathers, it also appeared to be slightly larger than the skua.

The skua basically pushed and held the gull repeatedly under water while pecking at its head and neck. This went on for about fifteen minutes before the gull slowly stopped struggling, presumably dead….at this point the birds were virtually washed ashore…the skua then seemed to tow the gull carcass out through the surf some thirty metres maybe where it started to peck at the corpse in calmer water. It was clearly too large to lift and carry in flight. I had to leave at this point.

Skua was heavily built, dark brown all over except for very clear white/pale “triangular arcs” across the primaries – when swimming it was “chunky” with no obvious tail projections.

Fascinating stuff!

For info…for any keen gull-watchers out there….there is a large-ish gull gathering on the big development site behind the Leekes Department store by Y Pant school. Several large “puddles” are attracting variable size gatherings of dozens up to possibly two hundred birds (estimated). I’ve not found time to go and look through them at all yet but have noticed them over the last few months. Usually there early evening but moving off somewhere else by proper dusk. There are site security fences all round but easy enough to find a spot to view the site I would think.

1 pair Great Crested Grebe performing elements of courtship display about fifty metres offshore, Monday 23rd May, am

1 pair bullfinch, singing blackcap 4, female 1, sedge warbler – pair seen with nesting material, whitethroat 2 male, reed bunting calling, long-tailed tit 2, great tit feeding nestlings, tufted duck 2, cormorant, green woodpecker, 3 heron, 2 canada goose. plus blackbird, song thrush, missel thrush, robin, wren, chaffinch, goldfinch

Friday 13th am. 2 spotted flycatchers, appearing to be a pair, in wet woodland on the RSPCA site (plus several singing blackcap, willow warbler and chiff-chaff

Monday 8th May morning – 8 swifts tearing around the rooftops and screaming – lovely.

On Saturday 2nd May – red kite over Miskin Manor

On Thursday 31st April:

1 Singing wood warbler, 2 singing blackcap, 1 drumming great-spotted woodpecker

Plus plenty of chiff-chaff and willow warbler singing

6 singing male blackcap, 1 female seen. Cracking  pair of bullfinch. 1 willow warbler singing. Countless singing chiff-chaff. Great spotted and green woodpecker. 1 treecreeper.

Possible willow-tit pair on call only. 3 pairs great tit. 3 pairs blue tit. 1 goldcrest. 3 pairs song thrush. More robins than you could shake a tripod at. Plus a pair of jay playing “kiss-chase” in the oaks – presumably courting!