I was very pleased and fortunate to find a 2nd cal year Bonaparte's Gull on the patch yesterday evening 14 March. During recent weeks there have been hundreds of Black-headed Gulls visiting the Otter Estuary and with an influx of Bonaparte's Gulls into the SW, the species has definitely been on my radar. In the morning, it was lovely and sunny and it actually felt warm for once! The Mrs and I were pleased to see our first Wheatear of the year, a lovely male as expected.
During the evening, I headed out again to check the estuary. Numbers of Black-headed Gulls were few, but nice to see the Black-tailed Godwit flock was still present. So I walked north to check Little Marsh for Water Pipits, when a big flock of Black-headed Gulls flew overhead and I noticed a slightly smaller gull in with the flock that seemed to have a fairly striking all pale underwing. I didn't get my bins on the bird until the bird was flying away from me, so too late to see any detail other than size. It dropped onto the estuary much further south with the rest of the Black-headed Gull flock.
As I had only seen the underwing without my bins and Bonaparte's was already in my mind, I thought it was probably just wishful thinking, but something made walk back south for around 800 metres to see if I could re-find it in the flock. As I arrived, Black-headed Gulls were beginning to take off and head south, presumably out to roost on the sea, so I know I didn't' have long to scan through the flock. More birds started taking off and again I noticed a smaller gull with a pale underwing, so I just went for my camera as I literally only had seconds. Very fortunately, I got lucky with the shot I needed to confirm the id!
This evening (15 March), the bird re-appeared, but again it was literally on view for a mater of seconds as I picked it out from one of the many Black-headed Gulls flocks that were heading south down the valley and out to sea, presumably to roost.
Fingers crossed I get to see it for a little longer over the coming days if it continues its pattern.
This is the 3rd for the Otter Estuary:
Friend and local birder Matt Knott found a bird in Jan 2007.
Then I found one April 2011
The last bird I saw in the UK was this lovely adult in Dorset in May 2018
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| The lucky shot! |
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| 2nd Cal Year Bonaparte's Gull, Otter Estuary NR 14 March |
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| 2nd Cal Year Bonaparte's Gull, Otter Estuary NR 15 March |
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| 2nd Cal Year Bonaparte's Gull, Otter Estuary NR 15 March |
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| Bonaparte's Gull with Black-headed Gulls, Otter Estuary NR 15 March |
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| Northern Wheater, my first of the year, Otter Estuary NR 14 March |
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