Thursday 10 November 2022

Little Gulls top the bill

The SW wind freshened during the day. Dark skies threatened rain all day but it managed to remain dry.

South shore - high water 12:00
I checked at 09:00 (MD). I wasn't going to go along the wall, but when I saw how the wind was driving the waves, I thought it might be worthwhile. But there was nothing over the sea and only Black-Headed Gulls on the outflows.

Pete checked at high water:
Little Gull 1 adult plus a 1st Winter feeding on the outflows 
Kittiwake 1 on the outflows

They were still feeding on No.2 outflow when I checked again in the afternoon 14:00. Unfortunately this was the brightest time of the day and seeing the gulls against the "white" sea proved difficult.
First winter Little Gull
Adult Little gull
On the way back, I couldn't relocate the 1st winter and the adult had taken to patrolling the sea wall

This is the Kittiwake 

Steve Brown had a walk along the wall later, no sign of the Little gulls, but the Kittiwake was still around. Now feeding on No.1 outflow. By this time the light was fading and Steve had the opposite problem to me earlier. Still he managed these nice shots.

Pete advises that this is a 2nd calendar year Kittiwake 

Other records:
Reed Bunting 2 on saltmarsh 
Greenfinch 3 on Red Nab
Rock Pipit 1 Red Nab plus 1 along sea wall
Wigeon 75
Blackcap 1 male in Nature Park - near the newt pond. A flock of Long-Tailed Tits were passing through the same area, but it wasn't clear if the Blackcap was actually part of the group.
Goldfinch 30+ Between small and large anemometers