Real Urban Birder '24

Yeah, others have gone there before - but there's a new, actual, real urban birder on the scene. Habituating Stanley Park, Blackpool and focussing on gulls. To be honest, it's only a matter of time until I find an American Herring Gull...

I've augmented this post with the help of real, actual science c/o Black-headed Gull – Waterbird Colour-marking Group (waterbirdcolourmarking.org) Check 'em out. You might even learn something*

*Looking at you DDL and Jonny H.

There has also been lots of requests for me to do another photo essay. So, feast your beady little eyes on this. Urban birding. Do you even?

Black-headed Gull 246K - turns out 246K is a lazy mo/fo. It hasn't moved since I reported in last December and someone else reported in last November. I mean; stay chill 246K

Ring-necked Parakeet - this is not a seagull - but another classic urban squarker

Lesser Black-backed Gull. I like these, don't really know why. Just think they cool. Sometimes we don't know why we do things

Lesser Black-backed Gull - looking resplendent

Second calendar year Herring Gull #Science

Herring Gull - this is a nice photo. Look into the eye - not around the eye

First winter Herring Gull #Science

A Coot - look at it

First winter Herring Gull - chip eater extraordinaire. Hangs out round bins even more than DDL and Jonny H

First winter Herring Gull - proper block head

Herring Gull - it has lipstick on it from smeching all the Sheilas - just like Jonny R

First winter Herring Gull - DDL and Jonny H wondered if this was a Lesser-black Backed - owing to the dusky appearance. I pointed out the heavy barring, heavily notched tertials and grey mantle coming through. They felt pretty silly after that

Black-headed Gull 273E is another excruciatingly lazy beast; only reported in Stanley Park by others and myself since February 2022. I mean shit man

Black-headed Gull - nice mind

Black-headed Gull 274E - I can hardly even look at this bird anymore. I mean like WTF. Just hangs around in Stanley Park - since February 2022! Maybe at least fly to Lytham St Annes one time?

Black-headed Gull 273E - different shot of above bird. Straight idle. Do something with your life?

Black-headed Gull 246K - reported by someone in November last year, then me at Christmas, then me again today. Why is life so futile?

Black-headed Gull 211E. Yeah, so since February 2022 this gull has hung around Stanley Park. It's times like this that scientists like me wonder why we even get out of bed?

Black-headed Gull 250K - reported three times since November last year, twice by me. I am wasting my life.