Iceland Gull in Hamilton Dock

On Sunday 10th January, in the afternoon at 3pm, I took my permitted local exercise cycle ride down to Ness Point, 2 Turnstones on the finger (but soon scared off by 2 youngsters walking down) and a Meadow Pipit wandering around the grass fringes of the concrete car park area by the old Coastguard look out area. At 3.45pm, looking in Hamilton Dock, I saw Andrew E (who left) before I arrived and Maurice B and Rob H, not a planned meet and we were 5 metres apart. Maurice & Rob said the Iceland Gull was over the far side beyond the beach (only viewed with bins) and along the eastern edge of the channel the bird standing in the water just to the left of a post, it was the excellent 1st winter Iceland Gull, pale biscuit colouration which made it stand out from the other Gulls even at the distance we viewed from. When it flapped it wings, I could see the pure white primaries, it flew up a few feet several times only to fly down again and stand on the rocky edge or the stand in the water again. Finally at 4.02pm it flew off south with other Gulls and we soon lost sight of this fine bird. As I cycled back, but sadly no sign of any Rock Pipits.