Now then, this bird has been generally a dawn and dusk only performer. Yvonne had shared the angst of a dip the previous Sunday so with thoughts of putting that to rights - we set of for Worcs....
Sure enough, half way out from the main hide, the Sabines Gull was still on view - it was early afternoon too! It turned out that the poor thing had been beaten up and half drowned by a Lesser Black backed thug the previous evening and was still shaken up!
Standing further out than Tuesday's visit, a portrait or two.....
A bit of a preen to reveal residual brown in the left wing primaries and always visible in the outermost primary tip of the right wing. It's clearly not an full adult Summer bird due to the lack of yellow tip to the bill and spotted hood but not far off. The general consensus seems to be a second Summer bird, Sabine's Gull will normally reach maturity in the second Summer, a late developer......
but what I really wanted, was at least a wingflap or even a flight shot?? Having sat, with finger poised on the remote for nearly an hour - I finally got my chance when the Gull flew off......
Yessssss - fantastic bird and I have to be pleased I got these given the light and circumstances (nearly dropping off). A full Summer bird one day.........
