Granville is normally crawling with Gulls by the thousand and on arrival at 10.30, I was greeted by.... about twenty! They know the score though and by the time a few refuse lorries had visited, large Gulls started appearing seemingly from nowhere. There were several hundred by 12.00 but nothing White Winged....
I needed to leave by 12.30 and was resigning myself to another bad day at the office. I'd scanned the slopes numerous times with my scope when, there on the ridge about 200m away and stopping me dead in my tracks was......
Yes, you beauty!! The noticeably pale buff plumage with that large pink, black tipped bill was the initial giveaway (they all face you deliberately, making life difficult of course) and it took a while before I got a side view.
It hadn't flown in - I had been watching overhead, it had strolled over from the rear of the ridge.
It got better, I was treated to a short flight towards me! Only 100m away now!! No chance of feather detail but at least the light was good - these will have to do.....
A final view - spot the Glaucous - easy innit!
It's already been said but this is a very busy (and potentially dangerous site). Regrettably, the SITA site manager has now restricted access to existing permit holders only. Please do not try to gain access to the site - the Gulls will hopefully still have their wash at Priorslee!
