Sutton Bingham - Wed 21 Mar

Not long to spend at the reservoir this afternoon and despite checking out the southern end all I could manage were two drake Wigeon and a couple of Chiffchaff...it was really quiet.
So I headed back to the northern causeway and stopped simply just to take a quick look at the few gulls and was amazed to see an Iceland Gull. Somewhat distant from the causeway it showed much better from the car park before flying back to the main reservoir and alighting on a dinghy. I managed a few photos you will be pleased to hear!

After studying the bird quite closely it seemed much paler than the one that was present late February and early March with no sign of any shadowing in the primaries (which had got me a little excited on the first gull), generally paler plumage and a more distinctly marked bill makes me think today's Iceland Gull was a second-winter whilst the earlier one was a first-winter bird. I am certain this was a different bird. So it looks like Sutton Bingham has produced two Iceland Gulls this year.