More of the Bonaparte's Gull

I had planned to visit Wembury for a walk on Tuesday 10th March but with the Bonaparte's Gull still present and showing well on The Plym I decided to go and have another look.

I caught the bus to Marsh Mills and headed straight down to the hide at Blaxton Meadow where a bunch of birders were watching the Bonaparte's Gull roosting out on the mud amongst the Black-headed Gulls. It was closer than on Saturday and I had some excellent views of it although it frequently flew over to the river before returning to the meadow until the tide had dropped enough and it didn't return.

Bonaparte's Gull

Bonaparte's and Black-headed Gull

Common and Bonaparte's Gull 

Bonaparte's Gull

Other sightings of note were 8 Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, 4 Dunlin, 2 singing Chiffchaffs and my first Peacock butterfly of the year. There were also a pair of Mandarin Ducks on the duck pond but the female Red-crested Pochard had done a bunk again along with a male bird that had turned up on Saturday and which presumably is the same male that appeared this time last year.

Greenshank

Peacock

Robin

I caught the bus out to Yelverton on Wednesday 11th March to meet up with my mate Mavis. Before meeting Mavis I checked out the toilet block at Yelverton Roundabout for moths and was pleased to find an Oak Beauty and a Mottled Grey resting on the walls near the outside lights.

Oak Beauty

Mottled Grey

After some lunch and a catch up with Mike we headed out to Burrator Reservoir for a walk. It was sunny but breezy and cool and again it was fairly quiet on the bird front but we enjoyed views of a Grey Wagtail, 2 Coal Tits, a pair of displaying Great Crested Grebes, 8 Cormorants, 2 Muscovy Ducks and 2 White Farmyard Geese.

Muscovy Duck

Violet Oil Beetle

Despite the strong winds and mizzle on Thursday 12th March we headed out to Saltram for a quick walk and look about, we parked at Sainsbury's and walked up to Saltram House where we enjoyed a cup of tea and a scone before heading back to the car. The Bonaparte's Gull was reported as still present that morning but on very quick looks at Blaxton Meadow and the nearby River Plym there was no sign of it in the grotty conditions.

Both the male and female Red-crested Pochards were present on the duck pond this time but there were no Mandarin Ducks to be seen. The male Red-crested Pochard was being very attentive to the female again but she really didn't seem very impressed with him and constantly kept swimming away when he came too close. A Grey Wagtail was also present along the pond side and took regular sorties into the air to catch passing insects.

Red-crested Pochard

Also of note were 4 Roe Deer feeding together in the field near Blaxton Meadow, they were close to the footpath but looked quite wary as people passed nearby and they eventually moved off into cover.

Roe Deer

Bonaparte's Gull on The Plym

I had planned to catch the train down to Penzance on Saturday 7th March to look for a Ross's Gull found in Newlyn a few days ago but with it seeming to have moved on I switched plans and decided to visit the River Plym and Saltram instead. I still wasn't feeling great and the thought of a 4 hour return trip on the train didn't really appeal to me even though there are also some other good birds around in the Penzance area at the moment and including a Bonaparte's Gull.

Anyway, high tide on The Plym was around 8am and so I arrived off the bus at Marsh Mills at around 9:30am to start my walk. I headed straight down to Blaxton Meadow for the high tide roost although with The National Trust continuing to mess around with the sluice gates I wasn't sure what the water levels would be like there. Despite it being a high high tide there was very little water on the Meadow but there were birds to be seen out on the mud with 12 Curlew, Oystercatchers, 4 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Shelduck, Common Gulls, a 1st winter Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gulls and around 100 Black-headed Gulls all present.

I decided to go through the Black-headed Gulls to look for a Mediterranean Gull amongst them, I was out of luck but I did find a 1st winter Bonaparte's Gull instead! At first I dismissed it until my brain caught up with my eyes and I realised what it was but its bubblegum pink, dumpy legs, black bill, large black neck splodge and smaller size were obvious. It was resting out on the mud a little way away from the Black-headed Gulls but after I took a few record shots it promptly took to the air and flew off upriver before disappearing from sight.

Bonaparte's Gull,  Blaxton Meadow 

Bonaparte's Gull, Blaxton Meadow 

I carried on with my walk and it was good to hear 3 Chiffchaffs singing away and see Wood Anemones in flower under the trees as Spring continues its onwards march. The usual birds were all seen on my walk with 2 Snipe, a Common Sandpiper, a Kingfisher, 2 male Goosander and a Redwing the highlights but it was too cool and overcast for any butterflies. 

Wood Anemones

Goosanders

Robin

As I headed back towards Marsh Mills to carch the bus home I had a quick look off the viewing platform overlooking the river near the gas pipe and was pleased to refind the Bonaparte's Gull flying around before it settled on the mud amongst the Black-headed Gulls to have a good preen. The views were a bit more distant and I didn't have my scope with me but its smaller size was very apparent along with the pink legs, black bill and black neck splodge.

Bonaparte's Gull (centre)

Finding a 1st winter Bonaparte's Gull on The Plym was so not on my radar this morning  but it was a very nice surprise and I was pleased a few other birders saw it after I put the news out and before I headed home, hopefully it might stick around for a bit. I'm also very glad I didn't go down to Penzance after all!