Juvenile Little Gull, Houghton Green Flash
Juvenile Whiskered Tern, Inner Marsh Farm
The tern, bottom left, sought refuge with a Lapwing flock when a Peregrine appeared
Juvenile Red-necked Phalarope, Fairhaven Lake
Buzzard on its usual fencepost at HGF
Lesser Black-backed Gull, Fairhaven Lake
Juvenile Herring Gull, Fairhaven Lake
Linnets on the wires at HGFXXXXX
September 18th – 21st.
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Saturday 18th Sept was a quietish day. I did pop up to Fairhaven Lake to have a look at the Red-necked Phalarope. Cracking little bird - I can’t get my head around how these delicate birds survive at sea. I soon got fed up of the photographers and headed over to Granny’s Bay – the place was dead and nothing stirred.
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At HGF in the afternoon a newly ploughed field had attracted large numbers of gulls. At least 700 Black-headed Gulls, 60+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a single Common Gull were present. I trawled through them thoroughly hoping for a Med but to no avail. A flock of around 110 Linnets were also in the usual field nr Midhops. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was on the feeders in the garden today. The previous day the first Wigeon had returned back for the winter.
Xxxxx
Saturday 18th Sept was a quietish day. I did pop up to Fairhaven Lake to have a look at the Red-necked Phalarope. Cracking little bird - I can’t get my head around how these delicate birds survive at sea. I soon got fed up of the photographers and headed over to Granny’s Bay – the place was dead and nothing stirred.
Xxxx
At HGF in the afternoon a newly ploughed field had attracted large numbers of gulls. At least 700 Black-headed Gulls, 60+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a single Common Gull were present. I trawled through them thoroughly hoping for a Med but to no avail. A flock of around 110 Linnets were also in the usual field nr Midhops. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was on the feeders in the garden today. The previous day the first Wigeon had returned back for the winter.
Xxxxx
Sunday morning I made a trip to Inner Marsh Farm. A flock of 9 Mistle Thrushes flew over the path and a Buzzard called nearby, otherwise not much about. The juvenile Whiskered Tern was feeding over the back pool. As I watched it the tern clearly became agitated and then shot upwards to join the Lapwing flock which had also spooked and climbed high. The culprit was a probable male Peregrine which made a couple of unsuccessful passes before departing. The tern stayed with the Lapwing flock until everything settled. It was very noticeable how pale this tern looked – far too pale for a Black Tern but not white enough for a comic tern. A couple of Ruffs were also on the pool. An early afternoon visit in the rain to HGF produced 45+ Collared Doves and 70+ Linnets in the south field and a Jay flying over.
Xxxxxx
Monday morning and we were due to set off up to the van for a week’s holiday. At 09:40 I arrived at HGF with Bill. I was only supposed to be walking Bill briefly before leaving so I had only my bins with me – out of habit I leave them in the car all the time. Not having a scope or time I didn’t expect to see anything and decided to take a quick walk along the north bank. As soon as I got to the shore and looked out I could see a gull heading towards me – it came within 50 yards or so and veered past before wheeling around a couple of times and then settling on the water. It was a juvenile Sabine’s Gull – f*cking amazing! At this point I got a call from Karen demanding to know what was taking me so long. B*gger. I quickly phoned Ian McKerchar and asked him to put the news out and then phoned Jonathan to tell him before heading off on holiday and hoping someone would get some good snaps of the bird.
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I can’t remember a bird producing so many different emotions.
Xxxxx
Elation at a cracking find on my local patch.
Xxxx
Frustration when I found it the gull didn’t stay and no one else saw it.
Xxxx
Anger when I found out that three birders arriving just over an hour later dismissed my sighting without even the courtesy of contacting me to ask what I had seen. They apparently saw a juvenile Kittiwake and decided I had mistaken the ID. It was very much an Alanis Morisette moment as the Kittiwake turned out to be a juvenile Little Gull!
Xxxx
I don’t give a f*ck attitude followed by as Jonathan said “who cares, it’s just a bird” and then back to feeling happy with the find. I still think it was very rude and ignorant for people who don’t know me to simply dismiss the sighting though and I can’t help finding it amusing that they (all far more experienced birders than me I should add) made a very basic misidentification. I would have had no problems if they had tried to contact me to ask are you sure? They didn’t.
Xxxxx
I subsequently went back the following day to see the Little Gull as this was also a patch tick. This little dark brown gull was walking along the far shoreline and blended in to the mud very well – consequently I suspect it was present at the same time I saw the Sab’s. Very interesting bird in juvenile plumage too.
Xxxxxx
Monday morning and we were due to set off up to the van for a week’s holiday. At 09:40 I arrived at HGF with Bill. I was only supposed to be walking Bill briefly before leaving so I had only my bins with me – out of habit I leave them in the car all the time. Not having a scope or time I didn’t expect to see anything and decided to take a quick walk along the north bank. As soon as I got to the shore and looked out I could see a gull heading towards me – it came within 50 yards or so and veered past before wheeling around a couple of times and then settling on the water. It was a juvenile Sabine’s Gull – f*cking amazing! At this point I got a call from Karen demanding to know what was taking me so long. B*gger. I quickly phoned Ian McKerchar and asked him to put the news out and then phoned Jonathan to tell him before heading off on holiday and hoping someone would get some good snaps of the bird.
Xxxxx
I can’t remember a bird producing so many different emotions.
Xxxxx
Elation at a cracking find on my local patch.
Xxxx
Frustration when I found it the gull didn’t stay and no one else saw it.
Xxxx
Anger when I found out that three birders arriving just over an hour later dismissed my sighting without even the courtesy of contacting me to ask what I had seen. They apparently saw a juvenile Kittiwake and decided I had mistaken the ID. It was very much an Alanis Morisette moment as the Kittiwake turned out to be a juvenile Little Gull!
Xxxx
I don’t give a f*ck attitude followed by as Jonathan said “who cares, it’s just a bird” and then back to feeling happy with the find. I still think it was very rude and ignorant for people who don’t know me to simply dismiss the sighting though and I can’t help finding it amusing that they (all far more experienced birders than me I should add) made a very basic misidentification. I would have had no problems if they had tried to contact me to ask are you sure? They didn’t.
Xxxxx
I subsequently went back the following day to see the Little Gull as this was also a patch tick. This little dark brown gull was walking along the far shoreline and blended in to the mud very well – consequently I suspect it was present at the same time I saw the Sab’s. Very interesting bird in juvenile plumage too.
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