Another day, another dip, again on the dreaded Caspian gull after one has been seen the last 2 days at Redcar Tarn but no sign today after a morning and late afternoon session. The Caspian was once again found by Keith ( Caspian) Moir, as per usual, making this about his 5th find up there.
First light and a real grim morning with drizzle and mist cutting visibility down to half way across the water which didnt help matters as most of the 30+ Herrings were sticking to the centre. A cold E>5 was blowing which dropped by late afternoon but despite the fog going it was still dark and drizzly.
Around 30 + Herrings were present along with 4 LBBs, around 20 Commons and c200 Black Headeds as well as 23 Tufted on the water along with 100 Lapwing and all the usual geese, ducks and other water fowl.
This patch of water is like a magnet to gulls and water fowl and turns up some amazing birds and mostly seen at close quarters even though the amount of disturbance is alarming. Around 30 cars stopped during the periods I was there all with several varieties of food from bread to chapatis to huggings of corn. I,m surprised that any of the birds here can fly with the amount of jock they get down. The annoying part of this is, just as you get half way through a scan , or ready for a photo, another car pulls up and the whole lot lift off and by the time they finally settle again the next food supply turns up.
The strange thing is, if I disturb a gull at Fly Flatts its gone forever whereas the gulls here fly a circuit them land again.
Its 2 year now since my first and last Caspian , apart from a couple of suspect hybrid type, and today must be getting on near my 20th dip as well as hours scouring through gulls at Leeshaw, Fly Flatts and Cullingworth fields. Gull watching was much easier when we had the landfill sites with memories of me getting a Glaucous gull and a Hooded Crow the same morning at Sugden Tip. Manywells and Elland Gravel Pits were 2 other prime tip watching sites. One of these days they,ll be a image of a Caspian gull on my blog header if I live long enough.
More wind from the east and south east tomorrow meaning another day of cloud and fog, lovely!!!!!
BS