red starting to show on gonys. Near adult...4 CY
adult Herring
1st winter Herring 2 CY
Fighting for food
Dive bombing
Battling on the water
LBB played dropping this object in the water and
retrieving it all the time I was there.
LBB showing grey saddle , 2nd winter...3 CY
Dense fog rolling in at 0630 hrs today thwarted the idea of heading for the hills so another bird-less pilgrimage around Ogden with the west bank void of bird life, where have the Redpoll and Siskin gone from a month ago, with just the usual few Robins, Dunnocks Blackbirds and Tits.
Passerine alley was the same whilst the bird feeders were empty so no birds there.
Common gulls outnumbered Black Headed today with 15 Commons and only 8 Black Headed but the highlight was 2 adult Lesser Black Backed which dropped in just before I left.
To try save the day,mid afternoon, I headed for Mixenden reservoir in hopes of an Iceland gull but this is another species missing this winter so far along with Goldeneye and Goosander which are usually found in good numbers at Mixy this time of year.
Around 80 small gulls were present, 70% being Black Headed, 30% Commons whilst 5 Herring and 3 LBBs were on the water. One LBB had an object in its bill which it continuously kept dropping from a height before dropping onto the water to retrieve it, only to do it again. If another gull bet it to it it would chase it until it dropped it.
A struggling month so far with milder temperatures tomorrow but more rain on a moderate south easterly.
There must be a returning Redshank if I can get up onto the tops to a reservoir on the morning.
PS.... 1st Wheatear arrived back in MCs area, Oxford.
BS