Mediterranean Morning

I was at the Obs for first light and did my usual circuit. It was great to be wandering round the Obs and I couldn't help think that in a few weeks time the first Wheatears will be here! I had virtually clear skies with a 15 mph westerly wind.

A number of birds were singing/and or displaying this morning including Greenfinch, Great Tit, Wren, Dunnock, Woodpigeon and Blackbird giving a very Spring-like feel to the morning. The Moorhens are still together as a family party and I had four feeding out on the front fields.

I got to my usual watch point over the sea and did a quick count of the Gulls just in front of me on the shore and there were 81 Herring Gulls, 217 Black-headed Gulls, 6 Common Gulls, an adult Kittiwake and a Great Black-backed Gull.

As the tide ran in a group of Black-headed Gulls were continually shifted by the tide and looking amongst them I picked out a cracking adult Med Gull. I took a few shots of it (below), but it was quite distant. Well quite distant in terms of my photographic terms, but it looked stonking in the scope!

There were few waders on the beach, just 258 Oystercatchers, 13 Turnstones and seven Sanderlings. Although not on the beach I did have two Snipe to add to the wader tally. Movement on the sea was restricted to two Cormorants, 16 Eiders, a Razorbill, a Great Crested Grebe and an Auk sp.

Heading back I saw very little else but did admire the Gorse that was in flower.