The safari had no visit to Patch 1 nor an early morning patch 2 session either, unfortunately, as that could have been quite good on the falling tide with the strong overnight squally wind.
But a lunchtime venture on to the seawall just about at low tide was worth it. We only had a few minutes and scanning the wall to wall white horses didn’t reveal much, smaller numbers than recently of Common Scoter were being thrown about in the maelstrom, a couple of Kittiwakes headed south and a Herring Gull were all we had to show for our efforts. So we turned our scopes on the strandline to see if we could pick up any Sanderlings or Ringed Plovers and give the gulls a going through. No waders apart from the Oystercatchers but flitting about over the Black Headed Gulls and Common Gulls scouring the strandline was a beautiful adult Little Gull. We watched it for ages as it pattered on the surface of the water like a petrel deftly dodging the incoming breakers. Stunning bird – I really like them and was lucky enough, in the 70s, to have been a volunteer warden at very rare UK breeding attempt in Norfolk. Still can’t work out why they are ‘upside down’ though. The underside of the wing is much darker than the upper unlike the majority of gulls. I know Black headed Gulls have a ‘smoky’ underwing but it’s nowhere near as dark as the Little Gull’s.
As it gave up its search for food and drifted off down the beach it was time to get back to work with chilled toes; the time for thicker socks is getting nearer! Deffo worth going out though, there’s been a few of these little beauts up and down the coast and it would have been a shame to have missed them – the winds are forecast to drop and we might even get some chilly but sunnier weather at last.
Where to next – A safari on Saturday is likely, what we had planned for Sunday has been replaced by hospital visiting – it was exciting too….doh.
In the meantime let us know what little beauts have turned up in your outback.
Sorry no wildlife pics today.
But a lunchtime venture on to the seawall just about at low tide was worth it. We only had a few minutes and scanning the wall to wall white horses didn’t reveal much, smaller numbers than recently of Common Scoter were being thrown about in the maelstrom, a couple of Kittiwakes headed south and a Herring Gull were all we had to show for our efforts. So we turned our scopes on the strandline to see if we could pick up any Sanderlings or Ringed Plovers and give the gulls a going through. No waders apart from the Oystercatchers but flitting about over the Black Headed Gulls and Common Gulls scouring the strandline was a beautiful adult Little Gull. We watched it for ages as it pattered on the surface of the water like a petrel deftly dodging the incoming breakers. Stunning bird – I really like them and was lucky enough, in the 70s, to have been a volunteer warden at very rare UK breeding attempt in Norfolk. Still can’t work out why they are ‘upside down’ though. The underside of the wing is much darker than the upper unlike the majority of gulls. I know Black headed Gulls have a ‘smoky’ underwing but it’s nowhere near as dark as the Little Gull’s.
As it gave up its search for food and drifted off down the beach it was time to get back to work with chilled toes; the time for thicker socks is getting nearer! Deffo worth going out though, there’s been a few of these little beauts up and down the coast and it would have been a shame to have missed them – the winds are forecast to drop and we might even get some chilly but sunnier weather at last.
Where to next – A safari on Saturday is likely, what we had planned for Sunday has been replaced by hospital visiting – it was exciting too….doh.
In the meantime let us know what little beauts have turned up in your outback.
Sorry no wildlife pics today.
3 comments:
Nice to have to report a little stunner of a gull like that Dave, gives you the will to on.....even in the crap weather.
PS tried to send you an email, but it keeps bouncing back. Can you send me you address ?
Think it got through - BLACK STORK!!!!!!!!
Cheers
Davo
Yep! that was the one.
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