Strong Northerlies push birds circulating in the North Sea closer to shore. Some get buffeted onshore and sit it out on coastal pools. Producing a wreck. A wreck of seabirds. So it was a few days ago with a a party of around forty Little Gulls … with a Grey Phalarope thrown in for good measure. The Little Gull in this shot was photo-bombing the phalarope … or is it the other way around?
As I sat down in the hide at Cley this week someone said to me with a downward inflection “Little About!” I’m not sure where they were looking.
There were Swifts working their way west, fields full of Wheatears and Hirundines resting on every wire and fence. Common Sandpipers were skimming the scrape and ruff were parading in their summer dress. Migration was happening big time. Patrolling the edge of the marsh, stalling and dipping to the surface of the water was a Little Gull. This, the world’s smallest gull, was yet to achieve his first summer finery but distinctive with his black underwing.
Actually I guess there was … a Little about.
Letter From Norfolk 