Friday 15 March 2013

Where have all the Black Guillemots gone?

The weather today was much better, no wind, no rain and the sea was calm.  So I returned home via the Seacliffe Road again hoping to see the antic of the Black Guillemots,  Alas, there were neither on the water or in their nest holes so I have to assume they had all 'gone fishing' further out at sea.   Nevertheless, at the Long Hole there were 6 Turnstones, 1 Redshank and 1 Pied Wagtail on the stony beach.  Can you see them in this photo?  Perhaps you can understand how wonderful the Lord has made them with so much camouflage that the passer by may never see them and yet the birds are only a  few yards away from them!
6 Turnstones, 1 Pied Wagtail & 1 Redshank
Turnstones
Redshank
Well did you find the birds on the stones on the beach?
I am not surprised if you didn't!
  Further along the Long Hole was a collection of Gulls.  The next photo is of 1 Adult Herring Gull in the middle, with some 1st year Herring Gulls.  By the way Herring Gulls take about 4-5 years to mature.  
I wonder are they related?
Herring Gulls
Further along the road at the car park at Ballyholme, there were more Gulls, including Herring, Black-headed and Common Gulls along with numerous Starlings and Jackdaws.  Notice the difference between these 2 Common Gulls (below).  Common Gulls take 2 years to mature and you can just see that the 1st year Gull is just starting the obtain it's grey back however the bill and legs are not yellow yet, like the adult but much paler.
 Common Gull (adult)

Common Gull (1st year)


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