midsummer in London - Yellow-legged Gulls and more

juvenile Mediterranean Gull Greenwich, London 30th July 2016

 I got back from a few days in Romania late on Tuesday, and since then it has been a combination of work sandwiched around the tides for Central London gulling. This time of year is always decent, with juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls taking pride of place - they're always nice and crisp, and going to the right places you're able to get some really nice photos. Add to that a few rings (mainly local ones) and the first juvenile Mediterranean Gull today, and so London isn't necessarily the birding desert many of you think it is. There are two places that I tend to focus on locally...

Rotherhithe
Within 50 metres of my flat lies the River Thames. Lucky I know, but one of the main reasons for moving and staying here for so long. Anyway, there are three gull sites here - with all three blowing hot and cold. At the moment the best place is immediately east of Greenland Pier where just the other side of the lock gates, throwing a bit of bread out (at high and low tide) is likely to get the odd juvenile Yellow-legged Gull coming in. At low tide it's fine to get onto the foreshore so you can get eyeball views. Few other sites where views are consistently so good!

juvenile Yellow-legged Gull Rotherhithe, London 29th July 2016

juvenile Yellow-legged Gull Rotherhithe, London 29th July 2016

juvenile Yellow-legged Gull Rotherhithe, London 30th July 2016

The two other places where I watch gulls in Rotherhithe are the jetties by the Surrey Docks Watersports Centre on Greenland Dock and then further west around the peninsular, at low tide, the beach adjacent to the Hilton Doubletree Hotel.

Greenwich by the O2
At this time of year, the whole place is full of tourists but as soon as you head along the Thames adjacent to the O2, the crowds thin out and the gulls begin. Vital to be here a couple of hours either side of low tide, otherwise you'll be wasting your time. But it's always got a decent gathering (low 100s) of gulls and I've been regularly getting a handful of Yellow-legged Gulls here since early July. The place to watch is along the Thames Path, at the head of the peninsular where there are some obvious trees with the beach below it. Better numbers here than Rotherhithe but the views aren't always as good.

juvenile Yellow-legged Gull Greenwich, London 30th July 2016

juvenile Yellow-legged Gull Greenwich, London 30th July 2016

juvenile Yellow-legged Gull Greenwich, London 30th July 2016

juvenile Yellow-legged Gull Greenwich, London 27th July 2016

There is also a bit more variety here too, and in spring I found a juvenile Iceland Gull here. Though today I had to make do with this white-winged gull: -

leucistic adult Herring Gull Greenwich, London 30th July 2016