Thursday 5 December 2013

Black-headed Gulls

Lade - 0900hrs - mild, cloudy, wsw increasing to 5/6 - The day commenced with a light frost but the wind soon picked up from the west peaking in early afternoon at a Force 6. Most of the wildfowl on the pits were sheltering behind the island and amongst the willow scrub. Needless to say hardly any small birds were seen.
Dungeness - 1445hrs - With a big sea running we decided on an hour at the seawatch hide. Things were slow and MH quickly got bored, so started counting Black-headed Gulls, of which 619 passed west, close to the breaking surf; interestingly all were adults apart from four 1st winter birds. Also, 20 each of Common Gull and Kittiwake. Offshore 5 Common Scoters, 2 Gannets and a distant Bonxie. 
A dark band of rain-laden cloud moving down from the north, crossed the peninsula and clashed with the sun to deliver a stunning sunset. Could be an interesting night with a spring tide and a storm surge about to coincide and hit the coast around midnight...

                                Sunset over Hythe Bay

ps: The Glossy Ibis was reported on the bird reserve today.

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