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.
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| Kittiwake |
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| Kittiwake |
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| Kittiwakes |
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| Kittiwake |
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| Kittiwake |
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| Kittiwake |
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| Fulmar |
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| 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.
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| Black Redstart |
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| 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.
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| Iceland Gull |
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| Iceland Gull |
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| Iceland Gull |
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| 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.
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| Iceland Gull |
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| Iceland Gull |
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| Iceland Gull |
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| Iceland Gull |
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