Perils of birding

Back to Amble late morning on news of a potential county tick - Yellow-legged Gull. Alas no sign, but a catch up with the Caspian - third year in a row for me now. Departed with a slight delay resultant from the car park taking a dislike to my car, one bumper now to replace...

Need of a Black Tern at QEII came just as I was approaching the car park, so a quick pull in ... Would have been rude not too.

Back home and more bird news from Amble with a WR Sand... Might be back sooner than I'd ordinarily like.

...gulling

Saturday's trip to the supermarket was pimped up with a 2nd cal Mediterranean Gull in Cramlington, a smart individual next to Church of the Nazerene.

Having spent the first part of Sunday out on the bike and then in a pub for lunch, what better way to round off the day with a trip to Amble. No sun shining up there but the visit was made much better by bumping into John B, on his holidays in Gods' County. Initially the scene was caspian-less ... Until the smart move of a drive to the marina provided distant views of the Caspian Gull as it stood with the other Gulls at the foot of Warkworth Gut.

Thoughts of seawatching diminished as the rain set in, so it was back home for tea...

Winging it.

Headed back to Amble this afternoon to have another look at the third year Caspian Gull. Ever-present but again frustrating as it opted to stand up a height, be it on rooftops or flag poles.

Tricky to locate in the car park...

No Blue-winged Teal for me this afternoon - although the Spotted Redshank, Greenshank and Common Sands were compensatory. May try again tomorrow...

County Casp Catchup...

Flew back from Bermuda on Thursday evening, arriving London on Friday morning - a couple of train journeys, a ride on the metro to pick the car up - home for a couple of cups of coffee then up the road for an evening visit to Amble.

Greater Black-backed Gull, Black headed Gull and Herring Gull, along with Starlings and Jackdaw very much enjoyed the slightly stale croissant (courtesy of British Airways) and cheesy wotsit crisps... Caspian Gull did not.

Frustrating views as the Casp sat on top of a telegraph pole watching the feeding melee - assumed to already be content with chips throughout the day.

Still, a County tick and only my second in the UK - so a happy, if somewhat jet-lagged, chap.

Hopefully, as others have already stated, it'll hang round and complete its moult. Raggy could certainly be a term to describe this bird!