Angel of the Arctic

With an adult Ross's Gull being seen on and off in the Weymouth area I had to pay a visit and a plan was hatched to pick up Simon on the way near Southampton in the early hours.

Things started off badly as we missed the Ross's at Lodmoor by probably less than a minute and then again at Ferrybridge about an hour later by gain just minutes. As the target bird had visited Radipole Lake the previous day several times it would seem a god bet it would do so again today so we ended up staking out the lake by the visitor centre. As time wore on the crowd grew and then right on schedule it appeared.

Initially it was at the far end of the lake but eventually drifted into the island by the visitor centre were some excellent views were obtained of this most delicate of the worlds gulls. After about 40 minutes it flew off south and the crowd departed.

Simon and I lingered a further few hours in the hope that it would return but we did eventually call it a day at around 3:30pm as I had a four and half hour drive back home. Whilst we were waiting for the second showing a Caspian Gull was picked out amongst the large gulls gathered nearby which proved to be my first of the year.

A cold day but the Ross's Gull was stunning.

First post on New Blog.

Today was stunning February weather but I seemed to have had a lot of bad luck. Visited Mickleham in Surrey this morning for a hoped for Hawfinch bonanza but seems a I was a little to late as instead of the hoped for 300+ I got a big fat zero. Stayed here for three hours with fleeting views of what were probably Hawfinch but none sat up. Not what I spent 2hours driving for.

Back at home I then failed to find the long staying Little Stint and Barnacle Geese a Bowers Marsh. I did have a little Hawfinch reprieve when two were seen in Pound Wood in the evening but luck wasnt with me as when one perched up the camera just kept coming back with an error and would not work. Frantic off.on again and taking the battery out and back in and lots of lens wobbles until it worked but by then the bird had gone.

Overall a frustrating day.

Hopefully subsequent posts will be of a more positive nature.