TWITCHING FOR THE SABINE'S GULL

.... at Heysham in the wind.

Shortly after battling out from our handy windbreak to take this photo, I set off back down the harbour wall for the shelter of the car. And then the gull came round the corner and whipped past me, and what a beautiful bird it was. It flew back and forth in front of us and we had fantastic views, and a new bird for the life list too.

I did manage to get some photos of it but with the combined speed of the gull and the wind wobble, they are only record shots. Though the birding website must have been desperate as I sent them up and they have appeared on there. By this evening my photo will have dropped to the bottom of the page, when the real bird photographers who were there, upload their pictures. But a little bit of fame for fifteen minutes anyway.