Mick and myself arrived at Patrick Haven around 09.00 hours, we are hoping to get a look at a juvenile Ivory Gull that has been seen here over the past six days !
There is 50 + cars already parked in the lane to the small car park, the light is poor, there is a cold wind, a mile walk out to the Pumping Station where the Ivory Gull visits to feed on fish, lots of different fish samples kindly left out for the Ivory Gulls welfare ! It did like the Salmon !
On the walk to the Pumping Station, many people was walking away, seen it, ticked it and was on there way, happy ! We soon heard that the Gull had flown in at about 08.15 hours, it must have been still dark, stayed feeding for 15 minutes and then flew off to perch on some distant rocks (at least 500 meters away, looking into the light and strong cold wind).
When we did arrive, the Ivory Gull was on the rocks, preening, just to distant for a decent view through bins but big enough to just make out it was an Ivory Gull (not a Ptarmigan or a pigeon) !
It was a case of shelter from the wind and cold by the pump house, a bit of chat with the company and wait for the Gull to come into feed !
11.45 hours, the Ivory Gull flew from the rocks, it circled the pumping station, then landed by the fish, straight in on the Salmon !
Ivory Gull, juvenile
the gull was briefly disturbed by a departing Enviroment Agency vehicle, took to the air for a fly by circuit
and straight back for another feed
A 20 minute feeding session then off for the rocks to preen again !
We new that was it for at least an hour +
Back to the car for a bit of a warm up, a short drive into Patrington, Fish and Chips and coffee, then back out to the pumping station for another look !
14.45 hours, the Gull returns, the light is poor and getting worse by the minute !
1/640 sec going down to 1/400 sec, f 4.0
only a 15 minute feed, on the Salmon, 15.00 hours, back to the rocks !
A Superb day over !
Mick had some ideas of travelling back South a bit towards Eyebrook, to stay the night in a Travel Lodge and visit Eyebrook Resevoir on the Saturday to look at a Velvet Scoter that had been reported there all week !
We had travelled 250 miles to see this Ivory Gull, with a good chance of a repeat view the next day, I made sure we stayed the night in Hull with a repeat visit planned for 08.00 hours, first light tomorrow !
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We was out and down at the pumping station at 08.00 hours next morning (Saturday 21st),
the Ivory Gull was on the rocks, once again, in the shelter of the pump house, the chat and we waited !
the light is not any better than yesterday, 1/2000 sec, f4.5
11.50 hours, the Gull flies in for its feed, it only stayed for 10 minute view, guts down a big bit of Salmon and away ! Best fed Ivory Gull in the Northern Hemisphere !
Day over, we headed for home in torrential rain !
A superb Gull ! A super couple of days !
you right a superb gull,great set of photos
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