Slaty-backed Gull

A little bit of excitement over the week-end when I seen a gull which looked very Lesser Black-back like. At Waterside on the River Corrib on Saturday 8th Feb. But it was in fact a Slaty-backed Gull 1st record for Ireland. This bird breeds and has its wintering range on the west coast of Alaska and the east coast of Russia. That's some journey. I believe this only the 4th or 5th record for Europe.

Slaty-backed Gull

Larus schistisagus