Yesterday I went out to Brighton Marina, I wasn't there long, but I saw a few very nice birds!
I started out on the West Arm, and saw
Black-headed Gulls,
Herring Gulls and
Mew Gulls, as well as a
Great-crested Grebe, a patch lifer, out to sea!
I then went to the East Arm, from there I saw a strange, rather large looking bird on the sea. I took a closer look at it, and realised it was a
Red-throated Diver (Lifer!). A birder next to me said that there is a Med. Gull on the rock pools, I had a look amongst the
Black-headed Gulls but couldn't find it. He then said: Its in the water just in front of that flock, and it sure was, a breeding plumage
Med. Gull! There was also a few distant
Cormorants,
Great-Crested Grebes and a
Razorbill off the nearby rock pools.
I then went up to the golf course, where frequently there has been a second Iceland Gull, possibly Kumlien's subspecies, I saw a few
Common, Herring and Black-headed Gulls, and then I saw a pure white bird dive from the roof of a house and circle the golf course,
Iceland Gull! I managed to get good views of the bird, and realised I was being re-united with the one I saw in the Marina a month back!
On my loooong walk home, through Hollingbury Camp, I saw lots of
Long-tailed Tits, a large, growing flock of at least 80
Redwings, a
Great-Spotted Woodpecker, and what appeared to be a female
Merlin?!, On the edge of the woods?!, shape and size was right and so was the plumage, but I decided as I didn't get good enough views of the bird I couldn't really get an ID on it.
If anyone thinks they can help with the Brighton Marina Iceland Gull/Kumlien's Gull I have posted a link below ( scroll down a little and you should see a photos page ). Please do:
http://www.thebirdsofsussex.co.uk/
