Wednesday 13 April 2011

Bonaparte's in the rain!

Wednesday 13th April A morning visit to the patch today produced 9 Teal, a drake Gadwall and 22 Shelduck, including a colour ringed bird ringed on the Axe Estuary in March 2011. However, this evening I nipped out in the rain and whilst sifting through the gulls was drawn to a small black-headed type gull seen briefly in flight before I lost it. Whilst waiting in the hide and sheltering from the rain, the bird re-appeared and shuffled into view with a Black-headed Gull - 1st winter Bonaparte's Gull! I quickly ran back to my car to grab my scope in the pouring rain and called the Mrs to see if she could courier my camera to the car park! Thankfully, she duly obliged and I ran off to the beach to get some record shots in the poor light. A few birders managed to twitch it tonight. Hopefully it shall stick around. Also female Wigeon tonight!









5 comments:

  1. Fantastic find mate, very well done!! Hope it hangs around!

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  2. Jaffa that is a great find, well done mate. Hope it sticks around so you can show a whole load of people. Really happy for you Jaffa, good result from your dedicated patch-watching. The boy done good!

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  3. Why thank you Gents! - much appreciated. It is certainly very pleasant having another good rarity on the patch. Hope Texas is still lively Mr Woods, go out and find that Worm-Eater!

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  4. Nice one Jaffa! It's nice when patch work pays off.

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