Avocet on the Axe

Another brief respite in the weather yesterday (well, at least it wasn't raining), so popped down to Seaton with Dave Helliar in the hope of finding a wind blown gull or two on the river Axe.

Had to take a look at the sea front first though after seeing Steve Waite's photos of the tide damage from earlier in the week. Amazing what the sea has thrown up onto the beach in the way of debris and certainly quite a bit of damage noticeable. We had a few kittiwakes in close to the shore but despite reasonable numbers of larger gulls and common gulls, there was nothing unusual among them.

Back on the river we found a couple of Meds asleep on the far shore and Dave picked up this Avocet moving along the back channel before popping out opposite us on the far side of the river - quite a good record for here. Really good numbers of Common Gulls too - don't think I've ever seen as many on the Axe in recent years.

Avocet, Axmouth: R. Harris

Avocet, Axmouth: Dave Helliar

Adult med gull: R. Harris

We heard later in the day (after we'd left) a Glaucous gull turned up - adult too! Darn it, dipped out on that one. fingers crossed it reappears in the coming week.

Meanwhile, just a few miles along the coast into Dorset, Andy Grinter came out tops with a 1st winter Little Gull at Lyme Regis:

1st winter Little Gull: Andy Grinter

Just in case you've ever wondered what the
underside of a turnstone's feet look like...the one that
got away.