Tuesday 22 February 2022

Four Little Gulls!

A fresh west wind all day with sunshine and (inevitably mistimed) showers.

Heysham skear - low water 09:15
Pale-bellied Brent goose 39 minimum - they were again feeding on the broken weed from the recent storms. They were scattered around, most in the SE corner but also in the NE corner plus twos and threes along both skear edges and the shoreline.
Later there were at least 22 on Red Nab.
Eider120
Red-breasted Merganser 4
Great Crested Grebe 1

South shore 
Excellent coverage today paid dividends. Pete and Jean scoping from range, plus myself, Tim, Kevin and Janice Sutton covering the sea wall and surroundings.
Little Gull 4 (2 adult plus 2 1st winter) - Pete first reported a 1st winter lingering out from the harbour after the arrival of the lunchtime ferry, but it may well have already been already present.
At 12:45, myself and Janice were checking No.2 outflow, there were lots of gulls feeding, including an adult plus first winter bird,  but eventually it became apparent that there were two first winter birds, presumably including the harbour entrance bird. Kevin checked a little later when the outflows were covered and empty, but still located an adult in the harbour. I returned on the ebbing tide in the evening, one adult started feeding as soon as No.2 outflow became exposed. Later, another adult was feeding towards the seaward end. This was joined by the first bird and then both disappeared. The wind is still in a good direction tomorrow albeit not as fresh.
There are some good shots today, particularly from Janice and Kevin, so I have not pre-sized any of today's pictures, all are best seen by opening them.

No.2 outflow adult Little Gull by Janice

A shot of mine was about the best we managed of a 1st winter bird.
I did manage a reasonable clip though:

This is the inshore evening adult bird, think it is the same one that was feeding on the flood tide.

Kevin's shot of the adult in the harbour towards high water

Comparison shot of a Black-Headed gull above
and adult Little gull below

Janice's picture showing Black-Headed gull detail

Kittiwake 1 behind ferry, 15 floating in/lifting/landing again seen by Pete - later,  all observers saw birds on both outflows between the outflows and in the harbour. 
Adult Kittiwake on outflows - Janice

Adult Kittiwake in harbour - Kevin

Kittiwake with 1st winter Little Gull on No.2 outflow - (MD)

Shag 1 flew out from harbour - ref Tim
Red-Throated Diver 1 distant out ref Pete

Just a final thought, reference yesterday's puzzle of what the crow had found to eat. When I restocked my feeders this morning, I realised that the partly eaten fat balls looked very similar to what the crow had. Visitors here regularly leave food out for the small birds, perhaps someone left some loose fat balls?

No comments: