Upton Warren...

15/01/11
I wanted to visit the flashes first but then quickly head up to the moors but, its turns out i got caught up with the birds down the flashes....
the walk down was rather birdless but when i got the the bench, i noticed that a large goose flock was in the fields to the north. and on getting to the hide, i put my scope facing the flock, but quickly i noticed a 1st winter COMMON GULL sitting on a shingle islands in the centre of the flash, i watched this bird for some time, then realised that the goose flcok was up there, and within seconds, i had found the 1st winter PINK-FOOTED GOOSE among the greylags and canadas (23 Greylag, 100c canada), i watched this bird for a bit but then i switched back to the common gull, which was now surrounded by lapwings, i had the usual scan of the teal flock for a vertical stripe, but one wasent seen with only horizontal stripes, but we live in hope...
then another scan of the goose flock, pink foot watched again, but then out of the corner of my eye i noticed the common gull flying towards us, very very slowly as it was flying into the wind, it flew halfway across the flash and landed on the green marshy area to the right of the hide, showing very well..

i ended up taking lots of photos/videos of this bird as i have never had a common gull this close.

i must say, this bird loooked very ragged...

i also took a video of the Pink footed goose which was now feeding in a gap between birds and you could easilly see it:

the moors however was quite, and the bittern again failed to show.

but 4 WIGEON ( 2 drk) were nice compensation, and 10+ curlew on the islalands was also nice.

at dark while in the car park, the flock of canada/greylags dropped onto the moors, and presumably the pink foot also...

MB