Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens), 7cy, 9.2.2012, University Park, Aarhus, Denmark

The Glaucous-winged Gull has been relocated three consecutive winters in the Aarhus-area following its first discovery in November 2009 where it was in its 4th-winter plumage. It was also seen briefly in December 2009 and as a 5cy in August 2010 before it became more settled and twitchable in central Aarhus by January 2012.

Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens), 7cy, 25.1.2012, University Park, Aarhus, Denmark

The Glaucous-winged Gull has now been relocated for its third consecutive winter in the Aarhus-area following its first discovery in November 2009 where it was in 4th-winter plumage. This time it has been found just few hundred meters from my office at the Natural History Museum Aarhus where it is feeding on bread mainly among Mallards and Black-headed Gull in the small lakes within the University Park.

The Battle of Bread...

Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens), 5cy, 27.8.2010, Aarhus Harbor, Denmark

This evening I managed to relocate the Danish Glaucous-winged Gull in the most northern part of Aarhus Harbor, but again it was seen only for a few minutes before it flew off towards the eastern harbor.

As I was fully aware that it has a strange habit of allowing only short observations a few video recordings were made in haste as to document the record and illustrate the plumage state. Six minutes later it flew off towards southeast. The bird is apparently identical to the one seen in November and December 2009.

We hadn’t seen it for the last six months (since February) and therefore expected that it was only a winter visitor that had left the area by now, but apparently you’ll have to wait a while longer before it shows up at your local gull spot ;-)

Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens), 4cy, 21.12.2009, Aarhus Harbor, Denmark

The Danish Glaucous-winged Gull was today relocated in Aarhus Harbor, but only seen for just a few minutes before flying off again. The latest week has given massive influx of large gulls in the harbor as snow and frost reduces feeding opportunities in the hinterland; thus the large gulls stay and feed in the harbor throughout the day giving superb conditions for gull watching. It is the first Glaucous-winged Gull for Scandinavia and only the 5th record in Western Palearctic.

Note that most of my previous photos are underexposed making the outer primary pattern in the flying bird appear darker than the bird originally was. For more well exposed photos of the same bird in the almost same minutes please have a look here, here, here and here.

Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens), 4cy, 27.11.2009, Aarhus Harbor, Denmark

This Glaucous-winged Gull was found and identified straight away by the great local birder Rune Sø Neergaard. It is the first Glaucous-winged Gull for Scandinavia and only the 5th record in Western Palearctic.

Note that most of my photos in this post are underexposed making the outer primary pattern in the flying bird appear darker than the bird originally was. For more well exposed photos of the same bird in the almost same minutes please have a look here, here, here and here.