Friday 2 February 2018

Glaucous Gull

When I first started Birding in the mid-eighties I started exploring the sites of North Lincolnshire, as I lived in Scunny then.

One such site was the concrete bowl that is Covenham Reservoir. I vividly remember walking around the wall on my first visit with John Walton (who still lives in Stallingborough) and coming across a "biscuit bird" (juv GG) stood on the wall not 10 yards away! I've seen a few of various ages in various locations (plenty in Alaska) over the years BUT it's been a while since I saw one WELL.

Therefore when one seemed to be lingering at Hollingworth Lake I decided to make the trip. It's a site I'm familiar with from my youth, a local beauty spot nestled in to the west side of the Pennines. Having crawled through Hull (as usual) I made good time the rest of the way and arrived around 10.30am. It was freezing cold but clear and still. VERY dodgy underfoot (like glass) so I waited in the car for a while. Then a glimpse...

First impressions through the car window...


A few other admirers had gathered by now with there bazooka lenses. They weren't really needed though as over the next hour or so the young giant performed admirably...I nearly caught it fully as it flew across to the ramp...


Anyway, a few images of this Arctic wanderer...






Crippling views as they say!!!

Really pleased I made the journey. A wonderful bird!

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