0800 hrs and first light at Redcar Tarn with the sun just rising on a cold W>5 with showers near the end of the watch. If you,re interested in gulls and wildfowl and want instant birds this is the place to be which has got to be our own local Fairburn Ings. Amazing how so many species and numbers are attracted to this small area of water which has constant disturbance with little effect on the birds.
Surprisingly the large number of Tufted usually present had moved on leaving just a single bird along with around 100 Mallard plus the usual Coots and Moorhens.
The surrounding fields held several Canada and Greylag geese whilst Chaffinch, Fieldfare , Redwing and Blackbirds were in the berry trees.
Gulls were giving a good show with around 200 mixed Black Headed and Commons whilst 14 Lesser Black Backed and 8 Herring gull were on the water. One of the Herrings caught my eye as an adult Yellow Legged Herring gull with a large bulbous head and steep forehead, a real butch looking bird and as it lifted out of the water briefly a couple of times the bright yellow legs confirmed it.
Then an unexpected hitch. A cup of coffee for me and treats for the team then tackle up and into the car for lift off. Push the start button and instead of the sweet sound of the engine bursting into life a click click buzz and a voice in my head saying, chuff me the battery,s giving up the will to live.
NP was present but no jump leads, something I always used to carry in my banger days but who needs jump leads for a 12 month old Nissan Qashqai, obviously I do.
So there I was , up in the middle of nowhere in now lashing rain. On the screen is a sticker, Nissan roadside recovery free warranty, the two last words Im very skeptical about, free and warranty, but with not many options I rang and the operator that answered took the details and said someone will be with you in 14 minutes, that bit I was also skeptical about.
By the time I,d got the bins and camera back out to re located the YL gull along came the cavalry in the form of an RAC van. I told him the battery was duff and after several computer checks and electrical tests he said " your battery,s duff ". Luckily he had the correct battery on board so after he had fitted it and had a few attempts at taking photos with Big Bertha we were both on our way, panic over.
A late afternoon visit to Leeshaw and Lower Laithe was a wash out with torrential rain throughout though the fields and reservoir banking at Leeshaw held several hundred gulls but distant and too wet for scoping.
Redcar Tarn
8 Herring gull
1 YL Herring gull
14 LBB gull
200+ mixed BHG and Common gull
9 Chaffinch
7 Fieldfare
3 Redwing
11 Blackbird
14 Canada
10 Greylag
+usual Coot, Moorhen , Mallard , Muscovys and hybrids etc,
BS