Little Suprise

Ever since the Med Gull at West Hartford the other week I have been paying more attention to the gulls, which fly over Cramlington each night on their way to roost at Blyth.
There is a steady stream of gulls moving east each night from 6-9 probably from some of the inland reservoirs but also from the factory roofs of Cramlington’s industrial estate.

Also at the same time each day a stream of corvids (mostly Jackdaws), move west to roost near Prestwick Carr. I have been paying close attention to both the gulls and crows over my house and whilst at WH.

Last night I went to do the Cormorant count at Blyth Harbour with SH. 178 was the total number of Cormorants, some of which were on the bottom of the wind turbines.
On our way back we checked WH form the roadside, which has been improved recently as the small ditch I usually fall into has been filled in and some nicely placed tree trunks now acts as a good seats.

On the main pool there were 61 Greylag Geese, which is unusual for Hartford. No sign of any waders but we couldn’t see the back pool.
The gulls were starting to move overhead and at one point I heard a Common Tern calling. We both looked up and saw a Common Tern just trailing behind a small group of BH Gulls. But along side the tern was a more interesting bird.
After watching them slowly move over we saw that the other bird along side the Tern was a non-adult Little Gull, a first for West Hartford and another full Crammy lifer for me. They soon moved overhead and out of sight without landing on the pool.

Now watching the corvids go over I spotted 2 Rooks, a rare species anywhere north of Parkside in Cramlington and only my second ever sighting at WH.

I will be paying even more attention to these flocks in future.

113 – Little Gull