Mediterranean and Iceland

A cold and overcast day when the Mediterranean met the Arctic at Heysham Harbour. Here we have an adult Mediterranean gull in winter plumage perched on the boundary fence on the north side of Heysham Harbour. It had been flying in circles over our heads with black-headed gulls, drawing attention to itself with its distinct call and white-tipped wings. Seen up close, it has a blood coloured bill and a mask of black feathers around its eye.

This was an exciting moment for young Matthew who had only seen one of these before, not enough to prompt the celebratory dance which is reserved for new life ticks. Mediterranean gulls, in spite of their name, do have a smallish breeding population in the UK, and they have bred at Leighton Moss. There are usually a few birds wintering in our area.

I accompanied Simon and Matthew for a bit of birding around Lancaster and Heysham. Alas, the black-throated diver was not at home where I had seen it last week, and had we been lucky to see it, that would have prompted the celebratory dance. But as soon as we arrived at Half Moon Bay, there was the solitary chough apparently unbothered by the people and dogs walking past.

There was a vast roost of oystercatchers and other waders on the apron of the harbour waiting for the tide to drop, and to avoid disturbing them we found a route through the harbour on to the sea wall where we found the Med gull.

The prize we had been hoping for was an Iceland gull that has been reported over several days in the harbour itself. We didn't know our way round the harbour to get the best view of where it was said to be spending its time. Not much of it is easily accessible and the secure compound of the nuclear power stations is a barrier to progress (and we should be grateful for that). Eventually though we found our way on to the southern sea wall and walked all the way round to the harbour mouth. And eventually Simon found our bird when he leaned over the high harbour wall. By then the light was falling and the photos were a bit blurry, but it was a treat to see the big gull in the almost all white plumage of its third winter. Again, not enough of a treat for a celebratory dance as M has seen one before, but nevertheless the perfect way to end the day. Iceland gulls truly are birds of the Arctic, and they are much rarer birds with us than Mediterranean gulls.

The two gulls moved my year list on to 109.

In the evening, it was good to catch up with Arnside Simon who came for tea and is looking well and rested.