Little Gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Hydrocoloeus ("water" + unknown web footed bird) minutus ("little")

Two Little Gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus) - Top Right: Adult Winter, Bottom Left: First Winter, at Gravesend, Kent - October 2011

Also shown: Adult Winter plumage Black Headed Gull (Bottom Right)

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 68-160g  /  Length: 24-28cm  /  Wingspan: 61-78cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

This species is perhaps most notable for being the smallest gull in the world, and so of course, bt default, also in the UK. It is a fairly rare species that probably requires luck to find - although birds do Winter they are mainly seen on passage. They often associate with Black Headed Gulls, and they can be picked out by their size (which is not necessarily obvious in flight), short black beak and flittering flight where they will continuously swoop down and dabble their feet in the water. Keep an eye on flocks of Black Headed Gulls during migration times for a best bet.

Related Species:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Laridae
Genus: Hydrocoloeus
Subspecies: none - monotypic


 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Rare Wintering species (400-800 birds) and rare passage migrant in Spring (200-700 birds)

 - Two birds seen along the Thames just outside Gravesend in 2011, a single bird in Summer plumage seen distantly at Rutland Water later

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)

OTHER NAMES: Black-bellied plover, Gray plover, Silver plover, Grey sandpiper

Latin Etymology: Pluvialis ("relating to rain") squatarola (Venetian name for a kind of plover)

Three adult Winter Grey Plover (subspecies P. s. squatarola) at Reculver, Kent - February 2014

Featured Subspecies: Pluvialis squatarola squatarola* (see subspecies notes below)

Weight: 190-280g  /  Length: 27-30cm  /  Wingspan: 71-83cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Another estuary specialist, in this case a Winter migrant. Unfortunately this means that ordinarily the UK never gets to see this bird in it's striking black, white and silver summer plumage although I had the great luck to find a single individual in un-seasonal plumage in January amidst dozens of its winter plumaged brethren. As a target for photography, it probably depends very much on position of your vantage point to where they are - they would probably fly off if approached in the open, but hides overlooking roost sites or tidal flats hold the potential for good views.

Related Species:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Charadriidae
Genus: Pluvialis
Subspecies: either - monotypic OR P. s. squatarola, P. s. cynosuae, P. s. tomkovichi

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Locally common Wintering species (43,000 individual) and locally common Spring Passage Migrant (70,000 individuals)

 - Common in Winter at Oare Marshes, Elmley Marshes and Gravesend. 

UNITED STATES 
Breeds in Alaska, Wintering range along most of the Coast of the Lower 48.
- CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at Berkeley

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Common Seal (Phoca vitulina)

OTHER NAMES: Harbour Seal

Latin Etymology: Phoca ("seal") vitulina ("calf-like")

Herd of Common Seal (subspecies P. v. vitulina) at Oare Marshes - August 2013

Featured Subspecies: Phoca vitulina vitulina
Weight: 130kg  /  Length: 185cm
UK STATUS NOT EVALUTATED /  IUCN Red List: Least Concern 

Despite the name, really the common seal is in my experience a less common species than our other piniped, the grey seal.  Which is not to say that they are rare, but they seem to be more comfortable than the greys in more esturine habitat and hauling out on muddy beaches than the rocky shores I have seen their larger cousins at.  They can be fairly difficult to identify from each other, but the key is the face - the common seal has a shorter, concave snout compared to the dramatic roman nose of the grey and a more domed forehead.

Related Species:
Order: Carnivora 
Family: Phocidae 
Genus: Phoca
SUBSPECIES: P. v. concolor, P. v. mellonae, P. v. richardsi, P. v. stejnegeri, P. v. vitulina

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A locally fairly common resident.

 - Seen at Oare Marshes and Gravesend.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Beluga Whale (Delphinapterus leucas)

OTHER NAMES: Beluga, Sea Canary, White Whale
Latin Etymology: Delphinapterus ("dolphin without fin") leucas ("white")

 Beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) at Gravesend - September 2018

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 700-1600kg  /  Length: 3-5.5m
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Near Threatened

Beluga have been one of my favourite mammals since childhood, but, given the fact they are restricted to the Arctic Ocean for the most part, I had assumed that if I ever got to see one, it would be through a planned trip to some cold Northerly place.  So it was something of a surprise for one to turn up in the Thames in September 2018, and what's more, stick around for long enough for me to go see it.   The pure white colour is the most iconic visual cue, but they have a number of other distinctive adaptations including a very flexible neck for a whale and an absense of a dorsal fin.  They are also highly social creatures, so it's somewhat sad that this individual has been separated from it's pod, and as of writing, is still in Thames on it's own - hopefully it finds its way home.

Related Species:
ORDER: Artiodactyla
FAMILY: Monodontidae
GENUS: Delphinapterus
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A very rare vagrant, 

 - Single vagrant individual seen in the Thames from Gravesend ,

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .