2 October 2025 - Hollingworth Lake

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2 Mediterranean Gulls

I was scanning through the gulls again this morning; a group of Black-headed and Common Gulls (which have increased in number quite a bit in the last few days), from the overflow area, when I once again spotted an adult Mediterranean Gull. I took a few pictures and put the message on the Rochdale WhatsApp group. Scanning a bit further to my left, I found a second bird. At first, I thought it was the original one that had just flown a few yards to the left, but a quick check revealed the first bird was still present.

So that's the second time this year I've found two Med Gulls 'together', after nigh on 50 years' birding here. Of course Med Gulls used to be a lot rarer. Either way it was nice to see two adult winter Med Gulls at the same time.

The two birds do look remarkably similar, although the second (sitting) bird has a tiny amount more black on the head, and more read on the tip of the upper mandible. I wonder if they're the same summer-plumage pair I saw back on 20th June?

On the wide-angle shot you can see both birds at once. The right-hand bird is 6th from the right and the left bird is 4th from the left!

Mediterranean Gull , 1/500 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 320

Mediterranean Gull , 1/640 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 800 (view full size image)

Med Gulls-, 1/640 sec, f/5.6, 106 mm, ISO 320 (view full size image)