Tuesday 31 August 2010

Me v Gull round 2 (Ding, ding!)

After having dipped the Gull of Bonaparte’s on Sunday I was thrilled to get a call from the local county recorder to confirm it has returned to Whitburn Steel, I was going to go for the reported Greenish Warbler at St. Marys Island but this was to far better and something I didn’t want to miss. So me and my mate headed straight for Whitburn and I soon arrived and was walking speedily to the cliff tops. Mark and co whistled me over and got my bins and scope on the bird, got good views of the bird at it paddled about in the water as well as when the bird clambered up on the rocks to rest. Got some ok pictures which can be seen below. I spent a fair bit of time photographing the bird but also spent a fair bit of time looking at the bird itself so I would study it and its features, what a cracking bird!

(Bonaparte's Gull - Andrew Kinghorn)

(Bonaparte's Gull - Andrew Kinghorn)

(Bonaparte's Gull - Mark Newsome)

I went up to not see the Greenish Warbler after the gull. I am pretty sure I saw it but only with the naked eye and couldn’t make out the features. So I have decided I am not going to tick it, besides the fact I am 80% sure I saw it. A consolation was that I had cracking views 3 times over of a Merlin hunting Golden Plover and Starlings. The bird often came right over our heads, the views when it was hunting over by the lighthouse were fantastic to see as well though.

Until next time, Foghorn out!

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