Ring-billed Gull ends the Year List

Happy New Year everyone.

I've been away to Hampshire for a few days, so this post is a little late for the end of 2014. However, better late than never. Whilst down in Hampshire I managed to get along  to see a Ring-billed Gull that has spent the last 12 winters on a small pond in a park in the middle of Gosport. Here are a few pictures showing the "ringed bill" and, most importantly, the pale iris, which helps differentiate this species from the similar Common Gull. It's my first RB Gull since 2010 (see here), and this time I got some better photos, as it came to within 20ft.

Ring-billed Gull

 Here's a photo of an adult Common Gull that was also present. It's slightly smaller than the Ring-billed Gull, and has a dark iris.

Common Gull

The Ring-billed Gull is my last new bird for 2014, and takes me to 177 species seen in Britain since January 1st 2014.

177 - Ring-billed Gull.