Thursday 1 February 2018

Over the border to Northumberland ... with the principle of 'limited expectations' in operation ... bringing the rewards of two Glaucous Gulls, Red-breasted Goose, Long-tailed Duck ...

In the hope of finding some 'white-winged gulls' we headed for the Northumberland coast.  A juvenile Glaucous Gull had been seen at a number of locations around Blyth and the Alcan loading facility was its regular spot.  The number of gulls when we arrived could be counted on one hand and as we scanned the horizons of this highly urbanised area the prospects seemed poor.  So, cutting our losses we thought again but with little expectation of success in the larid group of birds ...

... so often it is when expectations are running at a low level that it all falls into place ...

... and so it did, culminating in this splendid juvenile Glaucous Gull ...


... but going back to the unfolding of the day ... and East Chevington was where we opted to go next ...
... as we walked the track to the North Pool a flock of Greylags came over our heads and settled on the water ...

... and among them a Red-breasted Goose ...


... distant at first but then the flock swam closer ...


... before flying off with the Greylags ...

... the provenance of these birds is often debatable and there have been occasions where an individual has been dismissed as an escape in one county, only to move to another county where it has been received as a genuine vagrant ...

... so who knows ? but a lovely bird in  any case ...

... then scanning over the more distant parts of the pool and a small group of gulls was on the water between the islands ... Great Black-backed Gull ... Herring Gull ... and Glaucous Gull ! a juvenile ...

... while the other gulls stood relatively motionless the Glauc. bathed furiously ...


... ducking its head repeatedly and wing flapping ...

( ... two male Goldeneyes popped up to the surface ... )

... with Glauc. being well known for feeding on the carcasses of cetaceans and other large animals maybe the gull had good cause to bathe thoroughly ...





... eventually it flew across to land on the west island ...




... and settled into some proper gull loafing ...


... along with the scattered Goldeneyes was a female Long-tailed Duck ...



... as we left a Water Rail dashed across a cut in the reeds ...

... encouraged by the presence of this Glauc. we headed for North Shields Fish Quay ... a long-time favourite place for gull watching ... happily this fish quay has remained active for fishing boats and also importantly is still very open and accessible ... with so many sea ports becoming closed to visitors over recent decades for reasons of security and health & safety ... the openness of North Shields Fish Quay is all the more valued ...

... an initial search of the roof-tops was unproductive save for this presumed adult  argentatus ( Scandinavian ) Herring Gull ...


... but then on the edge of the quay another juvenile Glauc. ... and so close ...


... it only flushed as a fishing boat tied up by that capstan ...

... but then returned just a short distance away ...


... with constant human activity around the quay and harbour, all the birds were confiding ... as were these adult male Eiders ...



... and Turnstones on the harbour wall ...












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