Gales and Gulls!

07.15-08.20 From the sea watch hide:  with AJG, WNW7-9 with absolutely no expectations and we weren't to be disappointed. 

Brent Goose: 35 E

Common Scoter: 5 W

Fulmar: 17 W

Gannet: 11 E  2W

Kittiwake: 1 W

As we left the car park DW called us to say he had found a good a good candidate for a Baltic Gull in the Gull roost at The Point. The bird was to far away for any decent pictures, had we tried to get closer the whole roost would have flushed. While discussing the bird we spotted yesterdays 1w Iceland Gull flying along the beach. We watched for a few minutes from the fishing boats then it flew towards The Point, while waiting for it to return 3 Sandwich Terns lingered off shore and 8 Turnstones were on the tide line.

I joined MH at the sea watch hide to try and relocate the Gull to no avail, but I did see the first Swallow of the year come in off. I joined SB in Dennis's hide where he immediately spotted probably the same Swallow over Burrowes, where also up 6 Goldeneye could be seen. 

This afternoon I joined CT and MH for a couple of hours at The Patch. The wind had now increased and it was difficult walking against it along the front of the power station, though from the shelter of the hide it was reasonably comfortable. Unfortunately the only notable bird there was a partially leucistic Common Gull.

 1W Iceland Gull at the fishing boats.

Partially leucistic Common Gull over The Patch