Getting Out And About. Pt.1, Wanted: Arctic Wanderers

Holes to fill and targets of opportunity to find. Never mind the showers or that bladdy coff, get out there!

Ahem.

Kumlien's Gull has a long and painful history for me, on account of dipping horribly all the time.* So despite the technical issues of a gull turning up at sunset, seen only by looking into said setting sun, I was going to go for it.

But before that, a nice flock of Barnacle Geese had turned up at Exminster. I needed Barnie for the year, and proper wild ones [39? Come on. These ones aren't 'escapes'. {And see previous posts for the alternative}] were even better.

IF I could find them.

We have been playing les buggeures risibles with geese, assorted, all year, haven't we?

Spoiler alert?

So, Exminster in the Sun

Out there, somewhere

The Barnacles were hiding right at the back, as far from human sight as possible; they certainly seemed to think they were wild.

The weather was in the same mood;

..and not so Sun.

Big squally showers were prowling around - not everywhere, some spots stayed dry all day - and the Sun was low and right in the eyes. Often at the same time, which is just cheating.

 

But when it wasn't raining or hailing sideways, it wasn't that bad.

Spring?

A Skylark sang when the Sun shone, and a couple of Cetti's periodically joined in. The grass-feeding Curlew were carefully checked, but again no Ruff was with them.

Right, nice detour. Time to get to the 'It comes to roost on Bull Hill' part of the day.

I was being thorough, and figured the KG had to be somewhere before dusk, so tried checking all the loafing gulls off Mudbank, and worked my way down to Shelly Beach.

Looking back to Mudbank from Imperial

Nothing even slightly Kumlieny was seen on the way, though as I and another hopeful settled down to withstand the icy wind and frequent salvoes of rain and hail [still with full Sun glare, see above], the only thing really nice was a party of 3 of the Eider lurking about the Exe mouth,

Two outta three and all that

Eventually my companion was beaten by time. Then the Sun finally dipped behind Haldon and I could see a whole lot better. 

 

 

Well, apart from all the darkness.

Gulls, yes

Six o'clock came and went. Many gulls arrived. Herring Gulls, Great Black-backed Gulls, Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Common Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, even a couple of Mediterranean Gulls.

Note something missing?

Spot the Kumlien's!

Exactly.

So, a nice icy dip and then a nice walk back in the dark.

I HATE Kumlien's Gulls.

[I suppose should also mention that while waiting, a Kingfisher flew by, and then so did a group of assorted waders including at least 7 Ringed Plover [148]. At. Fricking. Last.]

Still, KG = Bad.

Be Seeing You...

[[* Ok, technically I managed to scope one at Brixham - from Daddyhole, eat 75x! - but I could only call it an 'Iceland-sized white-winger', so haven't counted it.** ]]

[[** Yes, I did twitch it properly, more than once, and dipped horribly.        ]]

NOTE:

The finder has now decided it was actually an argentatus Herring Gull. I haven't seen it, so can't comment.