Saturday 5th July 2014

   A trip to Devon to start today, to meet a few friends, and do some birding. We were meeting at Bowling Green Marshes RSPB, Devon, for high tide, as this is when the Ross's Gull usually turns up.

Slavonian Grebe

   I got there a bit earlier, so decided to have a look at Cockwood, on the off chance the resident Slavonian Grebe would be around. As i walked under the railway at Cockwood Harbour i realised i was in luck, with the bird anyway! Sadly the light was not from the right direction, but i still managed to get some half decent shots, with a bit of help from my friend Photoshop........

Slavonian Grebe

  I got a call to say the rest had arrived at Bowling Green, there were only a handful of Gulls there, but they were arriving slowly.
So, i drove around and meet them as some more Gulls were coming in. The Ross's Gull arrived after a short wait, but didn't really play ball. It was soon off flying towards the railway, but away from the Estuary.

Ross's Gull

Ross's Gull

   After a little while we all decided to go look for it, and the new walkway under the railway was going to be where we looked, this area is called Goosemoor, as we found out later. We walked along the new, very nice boardwalk, and we were screened off from the river, which meant there was no disturbance. We got to a part of the screen, where viewing slots had been built into the screens, very well done, whoever designed this.......There were only 2 birders there, and so was the Ross's Gull!!!! A fair bit closer than when from the hide too, still not close enough for the best photos, but better. Sorry, i always seem to be moaning about the distance recently, but I'm sure if you had a camera you will understand. If you have already read my 1st June entry, you will see these are an improvement, oh well there is always next time.

  After this, we had to decide where to go next. We all decided to go to St Aldhems Head, to look for some Continental Swallowtail butterflies, which had been around for a few days. None of us had been there before, so when we got to the car park, we all realised it was a 11/2 mile walk to the caostguards cottages, which was where the Swallowtails had been seen. Sadly for us, during the walk out there, the weather changed. The wind got up, and it went a bit too dull for Butterflies, but we tried anyway. NO SIGN, also no sign there of any Lulworth Skippers, which would be showing too, if the weather was better. Oh well it was a good day anyway, can't really argue with Slav Grebe & Ross's Gull in a day!!!