Ross's Gull...

I don't really twitch many birds these days but on Wednesday morning this week an adult Ross's Gull was found at Ferrybridge, Dorset. It promptly disappeared not to be seen again until late that day at Lodmoor on the other side of Weymouth.

I kept a close eye on news of it's movements after it was seen again on Thursday (yesterday) morning and again it was appearing in short bursts around the Weymouth area often vanishing for large chunks of time. After seeing some amazing photos of it on Twitter I wish I'd stopped working and gone to see it. Its not a new bird, I've seen a few in the UK and more in Canada but they are truly beautiful, elegant birds and being only 40 miles away I decided to take today off and try for it.

Good news broke early - it had been seen again at Ferrybridge. After dropping Jake at school in Axminster I set off along the coast road, which takes about 50 minutes to Weymouth. It was a beautiful morning and I was in no rush, half expecting it to have moved to Lodmoor as it had the day before. I got to Ferrybridge around 09:20 but it was eerily quiet, checked Birdguides...it had flown off at 08:45 while I was en route!! That would explain the obvious lack of birders. I decided to stay put and have a coffee when I noticed a couple with scopes checking the few gulls that were out on the mud. I went over to be sociable and see if they'd seen it earlier this morning and as I approached one of them turned and said 'it's here!' Sure enough, it had just returned and was lingering with a handful of Black-headed Gulls on the edge of the rising tide.

It was bitterly cold and it must have felt right at home, a real Arctic beauty...

Ross's Gull, adult winter, Ferrybridge: R.Harris

Ross's Gull, adult winter, Ferrybridge: R.Harris

After watching it for about 15 minutes, it took to the air and headed out across the Fleet on its own. I grabbed some video too while it was on the deck but it was incredibly windy and despite being on a heavy video tripod, the camera was still moving around. I had to lower the soundtrack volume as the wind was deafening.

Sadly it failed to return in the following hour before I left and it was only relocated around 15:40 this afternoon in Bowleaze Cove west Weymouth before departing east half-an-hour later. Hopefully it will stick around and be picked up again over the weekend.