With Oxenhope partially fogged off and a wedding party going on in the grounds, think it was today, I continued on to check the gulls in Cullingworth fields. Unfortunately the mass of gulls were in an unviewable field above the old Sugden tip so it was on to Redcar Tarn where KM had picked up Med gulls in the last few days and Caspian early on in the year.
On arrival the water was ,as always, heaving with birds with Mallards, Canadas, BHG and LBB gull, Coots and Moorhen. A quick check across the road first on the old lagoon site found around 80 Lapwing as well as Linnets and Pied Wagtails.
Back across at the Tarn Pied Wags were everywhere with a minimum of 40 counted all around the waters edge and in a nearby field.
A scan through the BHGs found nothing Med gull wise so started to walk around the water to check the bushes for migrants of which there were very few other than 4 Willow Warblers.
Part way around a brown mottled bird caught the corner of my eye whilst I was scanning the water which turned out to be a Snipe by the footpath about 10 yards from me and as I lifted the camera it flew up taking another 9 up with in from the grass. If Id have been watching where I was going instead of gawping over the water Id have had some cracking photos.
Not to be beaten and the heavy rain now cleared I set off on a second circuit and Bingo, as I scanned the gulls by the island a stonking juv Med gull dropped in amongst them. It preened on the edge of the island for around 15 minutes letting me get some distant shots and then as quick as it came it was gone without me even seeing it go.
Possibly the same bird as Keith got the other day although this bird looks slightly more advanced than his but I,m sure Keith will know.
BS