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A diary of my birding activity covering highlights and photos from my birding adventures. Mainly Norfolk (UK), occasionally beyond. I might mention the odd thing that isn't avian, but for moth and other insect news check out my mothing diary.

Saturday 12 December 2015

Red-necked Grebe and Iceland Gull

Yesterday I popped in to Brancaster Staithe during my lunch break and collected this Red-necked Grebe.





Red-necked Grebe, Brancaster Staithe, 11th December



This morning I headed out to King's Lynn to see the Iceland Gull before the rain got too heavy.  No sign when I got there, but looking back from the layby north of the fleet I could see it on the edge of the quay (or whatever it is).  A fair way off though, and no good for photos, so I returned to Fishers' Fleet to wait for it to come in there.  Eventually, and after the rain was well settled in, it did come down and provide some great views.






Iceland Gull, King's Lynn, 12th December


I tried my hardest to pick out something from among the Herring Gulls, but didn't succeed.  The variation in first-winters was striking though - are both these birds first-winters, and if so is it just normal variation or are they from different places?

Herring Gulls, King's Lynn, 12th December


This one showed very little black in the primaries though I didn't manage to persuade it to fly while I was watching it, so didn't get to see the spread wing.  Presumably some missing primaries contributing to its odd appearance, rather than simply being an argentatus without much black?


Herring Gull, King's Lynn, 12th December


Not many of these:

Lesser Black-backed Gull, King's Lynn, 12th December


I've seen a mouse in my garden on numerous occasions, often going in or out of the shed (where it eats my bird food) but have never managed to have a sufficiently prolonged look at it to be able to identify it.  This afternoon I kept seeing it dart out of the shed and back in, with perhaps a couple of minutes between each dash.  Far too quick to see anything on it, but perhaps I could catch it on the camera?  Even with the ISO cranked up to the highest possible setting I could barely get enough speed to catch it mid-dash, but eventually it paused for long enough on its way out of the shed for me to get some grainy shots.  Let me know if you think differently, but I reckon it's a Wood Mouse.




Wood Mouse, North Elmham, 12th December

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