More of the Ross's Gull on the River Plym

I had a days annual leave on Friday 13th March and had plans for a birding day out but they went out of the window after I spent the night before regularly running out to the toilet. I didn't feel unwell but had very little proper sleep and felt a little bit sore in the morning and after spending the morning making sure that the world was no longer going to fall out of my bottom I tentatively ventured out on the bus to Wembury. It was a grey day, still windy and with rain forecasted for the late afternoon and as expected the footpaths were a mudbath but I enjoyed my 2 hour walk along the coast apart from the stink of the Common Dolphin corpse rotting away on the beach.

It was quiet bird wise with the highlights being Gannets and Fulmars offshore, singing Cirl Buntings with some nice views of a couple of males and a flighty mixed flock of around 10 birds, a hunting female Sparrowhawk, a displaying Buzzard overhead, a flock of around 20 Linnets in the stubble field and 2 Little Egrets with Oystercatchers and a male Mallard along the beach.

I had hoped to see my first butterfly of the year, there have been lots of reports of butterflies already but I still haven't seen one so far this year in what has been one of the mildest winters ever, but I guess it was too dull and breezy for them. I did however see my first Common Lizard of the year along with Bloody-nosed Beetles and 4 Oil Beetles.

 Common Lizard, Wembury

 Bloody-nosed Beetle, Wembury

Oil Beetle, Wembury

Heading home and on checking the internet sightings pages while on the bus the Ross's Gull was reported as showing well on the River Plym near Laira Bridge and so I decided to stop off and have a quick look for it but as expected it had flown off downriver a few minutes before I arrived. It was beginning to rain, earlier than forecasted, and so I decided to head off home instead of walking down to Oreston Quay to look for it - it really is proving to be a tricksy bird!

Saturday 14th March was grey again but less breezy and so I decided to stay local again and make full use of a rare bird a mile away from my house. It was being reported again just north of Laira Bridge and so I jumped on the bus and then walked along the river to the Recycling Centre where I picked up the bird feeding mid channel on the dropping high tide before it flew off towards the opposite shore. I then walked back across the Bridge to the footpath between Blagdon's Meadow and Laira Bridge where various birders were assembled and I managed to get some great, closer views of the bird feeding on the water with Black-headed Gulls as it picked at the surface. Occasionally it would fly around, dipping down to pick at the water and showing off it's beautiful pinky flushed underside and diamond shaped tail. Interestingly the pink flush was only really noticeable when viewing the bird head on when it was sat on the water but in flight it was quite obvious.

 Ross's Gull with Black-headed Gull, River Plym

 Ross's Gull with Black-headed Gulls

 Ross's Gull with Black-headed Gull

 Ross's Gull with Black-headed Gull

 Ross's Gull 

 Ross's Gull 

 Ross's Gull with Black-headed Gulls

 Ross's Gull with Black-headed Gulls 

Ross's Gull with Black-headed Gulls

It was very mobile, often flying off upriver and out of sight before suddenly reappearing, and regularly flying around the river to feed in different areas, sometimes quite close to the shore. Some Toggers were throwing bread out onto the water but as expected the Ross's Gull was not the slightest bit interested with noisy Herring Gulls and Black-headed Gulls the only gulls coming in to feed.

Also seen were 2 pairs of Red-breasted Merganser, a male Goosander and the usual Shelduck, Redshank, Little Egret and Oystercatcher but it was soon time to leave for lunch at the nearby Morley Arms pub with David and Mother-in-law and before the mizzle drizzle arrived yet again.

What a great bird though and hopefully it might stick around for a little while yet, very attractive looking and great to watch, I hope it's not another 32 years before I see another one on the Plym. And what a great time to have bought my new telescope, I had some fantastic views of the gull with it, much better than I would have had with my little Nikon telescope.