21st November 2019
Jo and I went to Porthloo this morning to see if the Surf Scoter was still present and it was, and I also found this Ring-billed Gull.
This morning, Jo and I arrived at Porthloo at 09.15 and it was sunny with a SSE breeze. She relocated the Surf Scoter immediately on arrival at the north end of the bay but it was much further out than yesterday. While observing the scoter, there were some 150 gulls feeding close in shore and Martin joined us. I took my eyes off the scoter and there at close range in front of me I could see a Ring-billed Gull with my naked eye! ‘Shite! I’ve got a Ring-billed Gull!‘ I quickly got both of them on it and snapped off some shots just in case it decided to clear off. It didn’t and it stuck around for at least twenty minutes in time for a few that came to see the gull before it flew off towards Porth Mellon and lost to view.
The light was spot on for photography this morning. However, the Surf Scoter was further out in the bay instead of the few meters offshore like it was yesterday in the late afternoon.
It was only last night at home that Graham Gordon and I were disguising about politics, music, Jose Mourinho and Spurs, Dime Bars, how to get rid of his herpes, his dream about Graham Gordon our duck turning into an Eider and how Ring-billed Gulls have got more scarce in the UK than what they used to be 25-35 years ago and it would be ideal if one turned up! So when this individual popped up in front of me, I was kinda of shocked after our conversation. Later on I was more shocked when I saw Graham Gordon our duck looking more like a female Eider!
Comparison with a Common Gull taken by Jo as well as the two images above When we went through Jo’s SD card on the laptop later in evening, we discovered that she had taken a photo of the Ring-billed Gull without knowing, before I found it!!
After feeding our ducks at Porthloo we ventured into Lower Moors and got a single Firecrest, Siberian Chiffchaff and Brambling. The HERMIT THRUSH was still at Kittidown and we decided to make it three yanks in the day and saw it at the far end of the paddock. As we left the latter site and joined the road, I heard a Waxwing three times distantly and it sounded like it was going north towards Higher Moors. A few seconds later, Ren also heard it while he was in Holy Vale. At Porth Hellick, we heard the Cetti’s Warbler and saw 2 Firecrest. We finished the day with another Firecrest at Sunnyside, 2 Black Redstart at Town Beach and a single Grey Wagtail in the garden just before dark.
Altogether we had up to 4 Firecrest today including this individual for twenty minutes at Sunnyside. Again the light was fading fast. The bottom image was taken by Jo
SCILLYSPIDER 2 