A Mediterranean Gull at Verulamium Lake

29th January 2025

On the 21st January Rupert Evershed found a 1st winter Mediterranean Gull on the boating lake at Verulamium Park and it has been there or on a nearby field ever since so time for a visit. But first a quick look round the lake. I normally come here for the Kingfishers and the Peregrine Falcons so don't normally pay too much attention to the lake so not sure whether I have ever seen Egyptian Geese here before, but today there was a rather noisy pair making their presence known. What fabulous colours!!!!

Then a more familiar sight, a winter plumage Grey Wagtail, working its way along the muddy margins.

As said previously I normally come here to photograph the Kingfishers which feed along the River Ver that runs along the eastern side of the lake. They are very tame and will sit on branches over the river just 10 feet away from you, staring down at the water.They are so close and not at all bothered by the people on the footpath that dog-walkers and mums with buggys stop to take photographs with their phones!!

But this winter there are no Kingfishers in the traditional spot, although a female Kingfisher has taken up residence in the fenced-off boating lake where she can keep her distance from the public.

So now on to the gulls. The vast majority of the gulls here are Black-headed Gulls in their winter plumage with their distinctive black dot behind the eye.

However, this one obviously hadn't read the rule book and was 95% in summer plumage with its chocolate brown cap.

No Lesser Black-backed or Herring Gulls today and the only other "common" gull was this Common Gull. No idea why they are called that because they have never been either common or the commonest gull ever since I was a kid.

After drawing a blank on the main lake a quick scan of the boating lake soon located the 1st winter Mediterranean Gull. The most noticeable feature in winter is that instead of a black dot behind the eye like the Black-headed Gull, it has a dark smudge which gives the face a more aggressive appearance. Also a darker and heavier bill. Here are a series of shots.

And here are a couple of shots giving a direct comparison with a 1st winter Black-headed Gull in the background.

But the main attraction today was the exhibit "Museum of the Moon" in the Cathedral. This featured a suspended model of the Moon some 12 feet in diameter, and showing the Moon's surface in great detail.

Absolutely amazing.