Caspian Gull at Dungeness, Kent ... 31.12.11

The last day of the year and the weather was typically dull, so with spirits dampened we headed for the old faithful Dungeness !!!

We went straight to the fishing boats and started scanning the gull's roosting on the shingle, and this brilliant white head stuck out like a sore thumb !!

It was the 1st. W Caspian Gull and what a great bird, not only to start the day off with but to end the year with ..

Caspian Gull ~ 1st. W

Mediterranean Gull ~ Southend, Essex ... 12.11.11

Today was our first of many winter visits over to Southend Pier for some Gull action and even though the light was terrible, gulls are the way to go in crap light at least you can come home with some images rather than nowt !!

Mediterranean Gull ~ 1W

Mediterranean Gull ~ 2W

Mediterranean Gull ~ ad W

Glaucous Gull ~ Dungeness, Kent ... 23.10.11

Back yet again to Kent's premier birding location Dungeness.

With strong winds SSE we headed for "The Point" near the fishing boats and found some movement of Auk mostly Guillemot with the odd Razorbill.

Great Crested Grebe were gathering in numbers with a Black-necked in tow. A passing Red Throated Diver, a few Bonxie's and a Arctic Skua.

Although there was a strong wind, the skies were blue & the light was very good for a change ...

The Gull's, well they seemed to be enjoying themselves, hanging in the wind circling and coming back round and hanging again !!

Glaucous Gull

Parc du Marquenterre, France 23.04.11

Bonjour ...

We had our third trip to the Parc du Marquenterre, pick up was at 04:30am, Richard drove there and my road sign skills soon had us going the wrong way !!!

Once on site the first lake briefly had two Black-winged Stilts that flew off out of view and i thought that was the last we'll see of them ...

Four LRP's were displaying so that was the first target ..

Little Ringed Plover

 



Last year we timed it spot on for the Spoonbill's & White Storks but this time they had already built their nest so activity was virtually nowt !!!

The Storks always fly fairly close and after a while you turn your attention to other subjects, which backfired !! because we missed a Black Stork fly over ...

White Stork

Only one Spoonbill came close !!!

Spoonbill

Two Black Tern's were very brief visitors from one of the hides ...

Black Tern

A Little Egret put on a great performance first flying in and then practicing some Kung Fu !!!

Little Egret

The "Star Birds" returned hiding at first as they are rather shy !!

Then the two were joined by another pair, The male looking absolutely stunning !!!

Black-winged Stilt

With half an hour left before we had to leave to get the Euro Tunnel we were treated to mating at close quarters & a low P.O.V ... Get-in !!!

Copulation

And just when you think that it couldn't get better than this the male did a full wing stretch !!!

More images on my website

Fantastic day with a return trip pencilled in for a few weeks time !!

Luvly-Jubly !!

(That's French) 

Herring Gull ~ Danson Park, Bexleyheath 25.03.11

Had a walk around Danson Park after work and whilst searching through the gull's came across this beauty with some bling on !!!

Herring Gull ~ 3rd. Sum



Note mirror on P-10 faint~ tail full white

A5XP, GC42275, was released 25/7/2008. It was an orphan, fallen from a nest, from the Folkestone area. It was in the Rescue centre for 30 days. There have been a few other sightings. Hastings 2/8/2008, 23/8/2008. Rainham RSPB reserve 4/1/2010. Crayford recycling plant 31/1/2010. Pitsea landfill site 1/8/2010.

Your sighting means this bird has survived 960 days.

Great Crested Grebe

Iceland Gull ~ Lowestoft ~ Suffolk: 09.03.11

The main attraction a stunning 1st winter Iceland Gull thats been around the car park for quite a while, so with good light we gained some images this time !!!

Iceland Gull ~ 1st.w

What a great bird !!!

Now we moved on for the Baltic ...

Baltic Gull ~ Lackford Lakes, Suffolk: 09.03.11

On the way back from Lowestoft we called in to Lackford Lakes and caught up with the Baltic Gull ...

All the features are hopefully shown in the following images ...

 !!!

Baltic Gull



Well what do you think ?

Ring-Billed Gull ~ 1st. W - 09.02.11

Richard picked me up at 06:15am, after a few other birds on route, we came to Poole Park, Dorset ..

A 1st winter Ring-billed Gull was showing really well before flying off and vanishing ...

Ring-billed Gull ~ 1st W