Gullwatching

While a juvenile Glaucous Gull was giving close views a few miles away at Hope's Nose yesterday, I was picking through the larids between Passage House and Coombe Cellars hoping to find a white-winger, unfortunately to no avail. There weren't actually that many gulls present, and only four species with just 32 Common Gulls and 29 Great Black-backed Gulls among the ubiquitous Herring and Black-headed Gulls. Otherwise totals of 16 Avocets and six Wigeon were both respectable counts for the Teign.

This morning at Rackerhayes there was little indication of a waterfowl influx ahead of the imminent colder weather, although Tufted Ducks had increased to 21 and the two Pochards remained. A pair of Great Crested Grebes, perhaps sensing the increasing day length, performed their courtship display briefly.