Gone but not forgotten

So at last it appears that the Sabine's gull has gone. This bird has re-written the book when it comes to what to expect from a Sabine's gull. Click here to see a brief video of the bird and you'll hear it calling. Ten minutes after filming this the bird flew high and was not seen again. Hopefully it's found it's way to the coast and is now on its way south.

https://youtu.be/GI7DedhC9AA

https://youtu.be/Bg40-zVgXO8

Pennington Flash

No sign of the five black terns this evening which had been present at lunch time, and nor could I find the reported garganey, turnstone of Arctic tern. The Sabine's gull is still present though and still showing ridiculously well, but best of all I was delighted to find an adult Mediterranean gull on the golf course with the black-headed gulls.

It's been fun, but show some dignity, stop taking bread and go!

Pennington Flash

Drama at Pennington Flash today as the Sabine's gull was attacked by a pike this morning and was lucky to escape with it's life. However, it may only be a temporary reprieve as the bird appears to be no longer feeding and is even reluctant to land, certainly in the hour or so I spent watching it this evening. I don't know if its reluctance is due to fear of pike or from pain when the water touches the wound, but it needs to start feeding normally soon or it's a doomed bird. It was however forced to land on the water when it needed to roost, so with a bit of luck by tomorrow morning it will have recovered from the shock, feed up and then go, back to where it should be, on the ocean.

Also at the flash today, a drake common scoter over by the yacht club and two green sandpipers from Ramsdales.

In the photos below you can clearly see the wound from the earlier attack. On a more frivolous note, I wonder how many times a pike has eaten a Sabine's gull?

The gull could often be seen pecking at the wound, it was clearly causing it discomfort.

Another look at the Sabine's gull, Pennington Flash

I called in for a quick look at the Sabine's gull again this evening, my first visit since very early on Wednesday morning. I was glad I did, the light was excellent and the bird was showing very well again and I managed to get probably my best set of photos yet. I was surprised to see how much it had moulted, especially on it's thoat.

Arctic stunner, Pennington Flash

There was a wonderful 2nd sum Sabine's gull on Pennington Flash today. It spent all day from at least 9:15 to 17:45 close inshore with black-headed gull near Horrock's hide. At one stage I had it hovering about 1m away from me. I could have reached out and touched it! A stunning bird and a stunning experience. The Med gull was also still around and even once shared a photo with its High Arctic cousin. A strange pair to see together!

The yellow tip to the bill is obvious on most of these photos. I love the grey hood with black border. Stunning bird! I've seen a few Sabine's gulls, but this is the best by far, and is almost as remarkable a record the two Leach's petrels I've seen on the Flash in recent years.Found by Bill Harrison who also found an August adult summer plumage Sabine's gull on Prescot reservoirs a few years ago.

At first glance it might look a bit black-headed gull like, but when it flaps those wings there's no mistaking it.

From the left, Mediterranean gull, black-headed gull and Sabine's gull.

I didn't realise they were such a small gull.

Sabine's gull twitch. Even Lee Evans turned up.



Mediterranean gull.