Bonaparte's Gull at Hayle Estuary, Cornwall April 2023

 On the 5th April, the wind direction changed overnight from North East to South West and conditions were typically mild and wet. Reuben Veal visited Hayle Estuary early in the morning and found a first winter (second calendar year) Bonaparte's Gull on the estuary, easily viewable from the causeway bridge.

Being of American origin, this species seemed out of place among the many Mediterranean rarities that turned up in Cornwall on the 4th and 5th. The most notable were six Black-winged Stilts at Walmsley, three more at Gunwalloe, Alpine Swift at St. Ives, Hoopoe at Perranporth, Black Kite nr Hayle, Woodchat at Nanjizal, two Purple Herons at Chapel Porth and Rosemullion and a Serin at Pendeen. Quite a tally.

Back to the Bonaparte's.  There are at least 40 previous records in Cornwall and 283 acceptable records in the UK. The last accepted record in Cornwall was 2020 when a first winter roosted at Padstow (9-12th Feb) though there was one off Roskilly in January 2021 (which I saw). Presumably this one hasn't been submitted by the finder.

The species breeds in the boreal forests of Southern Alaska and Arctic Canada and south towards North America. It winters on both coasts of North America as well as inland.

In Cornwall, the most popular sites are Hayle Estuary, Mounts Bay and Drift Res. March is the most frequent month though nationally, April is the most likely time to find one.

Well done Reuben. A great find while on Easter holiday!

Pictures below by Mike McKee.

First winter Bonaparte's Gull, Hayle Estuary, April 2023 (pics courtesy Mike McKee).

Iceland Gulls at Hayle and St Gothians today

Today was a gull day starting with the first winter Bonaparte's Gull at Helston.  I wanted to get a decent flight shot but failed. And when a Hawk jet took off from Culdrose, that ended my hopes. I went to Hayle and was shown a juv Iceland Gull by John Thomas. I then found another one close by only to be flushed by three Buzzards. 
Luck seemed to be changing though.  I ventured over to St Gothians and found a second year Iceland.  I better not say 2nd winter now as the gull police will shoot me down. This bird was sporting a pale iris, grey mantle and losing quite a lot of the coffee brown colours of a juv. I moved on from the island area and found a Little Ringed Plover at the western end of the reserve.  It soon flushed and spent a lot of the time flying around calling.  There was also a decent fall of a dozen Pied Wags.

Iceland Gull at St Gothians

Record shot of Bonaparte's Gull at Helston

Purple Sandpiper at Penzance

Bonaparte's Gull flight shots

Bonaparte's Gull at Hayle Estuary

The long-staying first summer Bonaparte's Gull at Hayle Estuary today performed for the cameras! Five of us were treated to half an hour of very obliging views. The small black bill and very pale flesh coloured legs were very obvious, as was the pearly grey upperparts.

Record shot of Bonaparte's Gull at Hayle

I took this shot on Monday evening at about 8pm in half light.  The ISO was high but it's this technology that captures quite incredible detail given the very low light and long distance of this first year Bonaparte's Gull. 

First suspected by Chris Townend and Russ last Tuesday, it was confirmed independently by Laurie Williams on Wednesday at Copperhouse Creek.  This is approximately the 40th Cornish record.  Over a third of all records in Cornwall occur in March and April, the dates tying in nicely with this individual.