Not too big a surprise as Bonaparte's Gull has been pretty much annual on the Exe for years. Nice to see though, especially since the famous long stayer failed to reappear this winter. I picked this bird up around 0630, with a feeding Black-headed Gull flock off Shelly Beach. Photographing it was a nightmare as it was a long way off and only alighting on the water for seconds. A couple first-summer Mediterranean Gulls and a first-summer Common Gull were also in the flock, and off Mudbank - 6 Brent Geese (at least five of which were Pale-bellied) and 5 Great Crested Grebe.
Earlier - off Maer Rocks - 1 Common Tern, 1 fs Mediterranean Gull and a Great Northern Diver.
I've been lucky enough to find four of these now. I doubt it'll be too long before the BBRC stop assessing them.
Another great find Matt, I've been hoping for one in Torbay for years but we just don't seem to get them, must be something to do with the lack of estuaries feeding into Torbay!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mike - yep, suspect your right. Such has been the frequency of them on the Exe at this time of year that I had a strong feeling I'd get one, strengthened by the fact that the Black-heads are regularly massing down this end of the river at the moment, when they're usually at the north end. Can't see it being a BBRC rare for much longer...
ReplyDelete