After reading about the Iceland Gull on Colin Bushells blog I decided to pay Preston Docks a visit on the way back from town. Parking up in the car park by the ‘Green Frog’ snack bar I searched the pontoons in search of the bird and after a few minutes I soon picked it out amongst the Black-headed Gulls. When I arrived there were only two other birders but the numbers soon swelled to about 30 before I left. I caught up with Nick Green whilst I was there and after leaving before me he soon headed back to let me know about a small flock of Waxwings in the Ribble Pilot car park. I watched the Waxwings for about ¾ hour before heading back home to pick Reece up and before I had left many of the birders that were watching the Iceland Gull had come down to view the marvellous spectacle.
WAXWINGS BY THE RIBBLE PILOT, PRESTON DOCKS
On our return the Iceland Gull was in a much better position to photograph so after half an hour observing the bird not doing a right lot and catching up with Bill Aspin and Mike Foley we headed off to Fleetwood with the hope of seeing the Great Northern Diver that has been on the marine lake for the past 2 weeks.
ABOVE & BELOW JUVENILE ICELAND GULL WITH JUVENILE HERRING GULLS
ABOVE AND BELOW JUVENILE ICELAND GULL WITH BLACK-HEADED GULL
As we arrived the light was fading but the Diver could be clearly seen as we parked the car. It was quite close to the bridge and didn’t seem to be bothered by ourselves and 3 other photographers that stood on the edge of the lake. For the ¾ of an hour we watched, the diver continued to live up to its name spending long periods under water in search of food. Although we didn’t see it surface with anything the diver did look in good condition and there must be plenty for it to feed on having been there for 2 weeks already. Heading home we called back in to Preston Docks and the Iceland Gull could still be seen at 16:30 amongst a roost of at least 500 mainly Black-headed Gulls.
3 comments:
3 great birds, make sure they stick around until the middle of next month! The Waxwings are a long shot it's true but fingers crossed re the other 2........
Glad you got to the GND in time as the light at the IG faded soon after you left. Pity the Phalarope had gone but there'll be another one along soon, I expect. Mike.
Nice one for the heads up on the Waxwings at The Pilot mate. We got there Sunday and none but few birders stood in the car park, straight over to Euston St where there was a flock about 70. Neil
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