A walk along the track by the shore at Tanybwlch produced nothing this morning until I met Jon Val and Shan. Some gulls must have gathered along the shore at the far end and Jon pointed out a large and very pale one.
We walked back and had great views of a Glaucous Gull. I had not realised that such pale ones were young ones and a call to Arfon and a discussion of its pink bill helped to label it as a late first winter/early spring bird.
It dwarfed a wandering Oystercatcher and was larger than the nearby Herring Gulls and was aggressive towards them.
Jon left, but not before a couple of noisy Chough flew by and I carried on watching the gull until a dog walker disturbed it and it flew up and settled on the sea.
I began to wander back and Harry came along by which time the gull had returned to feed at the original spot and we enjoyed further great views until it returned to the sea.
Back at the car park we noticed that the Glaucous Gull had moved into Aberystwyth harbour just in time for Chris to arrive and very typically, view the bird from his car! More close views followed.
Disturbed by a dog, the Glaucous Gull flew onto the harbour bar, again dwarfing the surrounding gulls.
An hour or so later, Arfon, not to be outdone and to save the drive north, sees a similar-looking Glaucous Gull at New Quay which we reckon, because of the distance involved, must be a different bird.