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Monday 19 March 2012

Iceland Gull and Kittiwakes

Another early start on a glorious day, I hit the road before sunrise heading for Newhaven Harbour to find the Iceland Gull that has been about for some time. Following superb instructions from a kind birder who posted on SOS was to no avail, I arrived at the harbour - no Iceland Gull - in fact no gulls at all! So in despair I headed off to Seaford Head. The plan was to photograph Kittiwakes at the colony just past Splash Point. No disappointment here, the air was filled with birds and a majority of the nest sites have been taken. Every now and again a Fulmar would glide past, there aren't as many as in previous years and they were hard to detect on the cliff.

I slowly climbed up the hill in order to get some flight shots but most of the birds remained below the level of the cliff top and I really didn't fancy getting closer to the edge to peer over.




Kittiwake


Kittiwake


Kittiwakes


Kittiwake
Kittiwake


Kittiwake




Fulmar


Fulmar
Two other kind birders informed me of a male Black Redstart on the cliff path  and they gave me excellent location information. So, after much huffing and puffing, and in the company of another birder we eventually located a somewhat skittish bird who really wasn't amenable to having his photo taken. So, after a considerable investment of time, it was back down the hill to take some more static shots of birds on the cliff.



Black Redstart


Black Redstart
Finally I departed for home via Newhaven Harbour, as soon as I parked I could see the Iceland Gull perched on the third wooden post next to the Harbour Master's Office so it was click click click and home feeling very satisfied.



Iceland Gull


Iceland Gull


Iceland Gull
Iceland Gull

Another surprise was waiting for me when I downloaded my photographs on to the computer, in with the flight shots of Kittiwakes at Splash point I had fortuitously captured another Iceland Gull. Identified, I hasten to add, by subscribers to Bird Forum.


Iceland Gull
Iceland Gull



Iceland Gull


Iceland Gull



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