A somewhat belated foray in the field today (another A/L day to use up and waiting for my camera battery to charge up, a silly mistake should have checked this the night before!) and eventually at 10.30am, I was watching the Gull flock with Mike P at the Link's road car park. Mike P, together with Danny P are in my opinion, the best digi-scopers in Suffolk and get some excellent shots between them. It is harder to get good shots through the scope rather than using a camera and lens.
The 1st winter Iceland Gull was initially sitting amongst the flock but soon got up and flew over to the puddle where I obtained further shots.
I then left Mike to it and decided to explore Warren House Wood, some crests calling around the western edge; where it adjoins some back gardens warranted further investigation. This was immediately rewarded with views of a Firecrest perched on a branch just off the main trunk of an ivy clad tree. The Firecrest then flew to bushes behind and further fleeting views of the Firecrest were seen here too. Gunton Warren revealed just 1 Linnet, whilst back at the car apek I could see a Med Gull, with some white around the base of it's bill, otherwise in full summer plumage. Further investigation revealed it to be another old Lowestoft regular "Stumpy" an adult Mediterranean Gull, who as its name implies has half its right leg missing, just below the "knee joint" of the tibia, ie. most of the tarsus was missing. The bird was obviously an adult with almost full black hood, with a little white around the base of the bill, red eye liner and white half crescent bordering above and below the eye.
It then sat down and I managed a few shots. Also present were 1st, 2nd winter and adult Common Gulls plus around 90 Black- headed Gulls. The Iceland Gull then flew in briefly before the whole flock was spooked by something and flew around the car park with most birds electing to settle again, except the Iceland Gull that flew west and back over the car aprk towards the sea.
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