Caspian Gull, Larus cachinnans
Local status: Scarce winter visitor
Caspian Gull was added to the British List in 2003 and since then much more attention has been paid to large white-headed gulls. Following a number of potential candidates, the first acceptable record came in mid January 2012 at Wheldrake Ings. This bird bore a yellow colour ring and was present for three days. Hot on the heels of the first confirmed record, an adult was present in fields adjacent to the landfill site at Harewood Whin, Rufforth later the same month.
With increased scrutiny and better awareness of the features of this species, more and more individuals were identified, with a peak in the winter of 2015 when 19 individuals were recorded. With the closure of a major landfill site near York in 2017, it is likely that records of this and other scarce gull species will decline in future years.
While the closure of Rufforth Tip has impacted numbers reported, birds have continued to be found & are still seen in the roost at Wheldrake Ings.
Records
2023: Wheldrake Ings, 23rd December.1st-winter
2023: Rufforth Tip, 12th & 18th November. A Darvic-ringed bird ‘X6VV’ ringed as a chick on 2nd June at Grabendorfer See, a lake in Germany near to the border with Poland, a distance of 1062 km away.
2023: Bank Island, 26th September. two adult
2023: South Duffield, 26th September. four adult
2023: Wheldrake Ings, 4th February. 1st-winter
2023: Wheldrake Ings, 1st, 28th & 29th January. 1st-winter
2022: Wheldrake Ings, 16th December. a colour-ringed 1st-winter
2022: Wheldrake Ings, 27th November. 1st-winter
2022: Thorganby, 28th October. 1st-winter
2022: Wheldrake Ings, 9th January. 1st-winter
2021: Acaster Airfield Flash, 25th September. adult
2021: Riccall, 8th January. adult & 1st-winter
2021: Riccall, 6th January. 1st-winter
2021: Riccall, 5th January. adult
2021: Industrial Estate adjacent to Skipwith Common, 2nd January. adult
2020: Wheldrake Ings, 29th January. 1st-winter
2020: Acaster Malbis, 29th January. adult
2020: Riccall, 11th January to 15th February. one
2020: Riccall, 4th January. 1st-winter
2019: Wheldrake Ings, 20th January. one
2019: Thorganby, 5th January. 1st-winter bearing a yellow colour-ring
2018: near Rufforth on 17th. an adult
2017: Rufforth, 25th February. one
2017: Rufforth, 24th February. five
2017: Rufforth, 10th February. one
2017: Rufforth, 8th February. a second calendar-year
2017: Knapton, 25th January. one
2017: Rufforth, 17th January. three
2017: Rufforth, 6th January. one
2017: Wheldrake Ings, 5th January. one
2016: near Poppleton, 4th November. one 1st winter
2016: Rufforth, 29th April. one 1st winter
2016: Rufforth: 1st April. three 1st-winters
2016: Rufforth, March. Regular sightings decreased, including four 1st-winters on 29th
2016: Rufforth, February, peak day count for February saw six 1st-winters and a 2nd-winter on 18th,
2016: Rufforth, January, with 13 individuals present on 7th
2015: Rufforth/Poppleton/Redhouse Reservoir, 1st October to 9th October. At least 11 individuals
2015: Rufforth, 22nd July. Juvenile, with two there on 5th August.
2015: Rufforth/Poppleton/Wheldrake/Alne, 2nd January to 11th March. At least 7 individuals.
2014: Rufforth, 30th December. First winter
2014: Rufforth, 2nd January to 10th February. Six individuals (Five first-winters and a second-winter).
2013: Rufforth, 15th December. First-winter. At Askham Lane on 18th December.
2013: Rufforth, 4th December. Second-winter.
2013: Rufforth/Poppleton, 12th January to 20th February. Eight individuals (first-winters).
2012: Poppleton, 20th January to 13th February. Adult
2012: Wheldrake Ings, 14th to 16th January. First-winter