Christine's walking & birds blog

There was no willow warbler singing along the river path today, but redwings were still feeding on ivy berries - which I described yesterday as "hidden" and which today, I could see perfectly well.


Sand martins were still bombing about, this time low over the river and the loch. A greenshank (my first here) was on the spit with turnstones, oystercatchers, and ringed plovers.


A redshank was also present.


A stunning wheatear was on the grass along West Shore Street with meadow pipits, and a black guillemot was out on the loch. I had a quick look at the harbour and then walked to the far end of Shore Street, intending to walk up the main road and home. Looking back before I turned the corner, I saw a white-winged gull flying round the end of the quay; it looked too small for the glaucous and the possibility of its being an Iceland gull sent me all the way back.


The gull kept disappearing behind a fishing boat, but when in view it seemed to be lighter and quicker in flight than the glaucous. Then it landed on the water and after dodging construction traffic and disobeying warning notices, I finally got a good if brief look, and a couple of pictures.


I never thought I would become so interested in gulls, but here they just seem to land in your lap.