And finally....a Ross's Gull

For what has been a really good year for gulls for me, the one gull that was left for me to really want to see was a Ross's Gull, a species I have always wanted to see for many years now, although I just did not expect to see one in July, nor in Devon for that matter! Work commitments meant it took me a while to get down to this individual and really pleased I made the effort...

Leaving Worthing at 5am, picking up Garry and Glen en-route, we finally made it down to Bowling Green Marsh for around 9am to take our place in the hide and ready for the stakeout...a little later Gary 'the boiler' joined us alas forming, according to my wife a seventies throwback band named 'Nick and the 3G's', she really must get out more!

Anyhow, around high tide is good for this bird to arrive from feeding on the estuary, we thought we had timed it right but were a couple of hours early, which wasn't too bad as we managed to get a decent spot in the hide and allowed us to see Spotted Redshank in partial summer plumage, Green Sandpiper and a Hobby. Slowly the gulls started to arrive and settle on the marsh, but apart from a couple of Meditteranean Gulls they were all Black-headed Gulls....things were starting to look promising, then something, maybe the local Buzzard or the Hobby flushed the gulls and all flew back towards the estuary. ...the wait continued, the gulls nervously started to return, this time in greater numbers. A shout went up that a smaller gull was flying overhead, but no conclusive features were seen! Then a Little Gull that flew in was originally called in as the Ross's Gull..then several minutes later, the Ross's Gull was called and watched it fly in and join the other assembled gulls, the bird was very quick in it's feet as it went about feeding on the edge of the pool, having a pop at any other gull which got in it's way! We watched the Ross's Gull as it tried o settle but wouldn't and eventually flying off to the other side of the pool, before eventually leaving the reserve. A local birder suggested the bird may have gone over to 'goosemoor' and that the walkway and viewing screens were no open...we gave it a try and paid dividends as the bird gave closer views here and appeared more settled. The light was not great but managed a couple of record shots of the bird on the deck, it did eventually fly over the screens and over us but my camera rather frustratingly did not lock on !

 

Ross's Gull - Bowling Green Marsh - Devon