... the tide was out and a small group of gulls fed along the water's edge ...
... along with the first-winter was a second-winter and an adult in almost complete summer plumage ...
... another similar adult was present along with some Black-headed Gulls in various states of plumage between winter and summer ... the first-winter showed well as it lingered around the surf line in the brisk easterly breeze ...
... the second-winter bird was equally obliging ...
... the adult with the more complete black hood joined the first-winter in the melee and the fine black line running along the outer primary was visible ...
... there was no sign of any rings on any of the birds on this occasion - previously I have recorded ringed birds here from the same breeding colony near Hamburg that birds visiting Workington have come from ... along with the gulls a mixed flock of Sanderling and Turnstones fed ...
Part of the magic of this time of year is the mix of arrivals and departures ... at Cresswell Whooper Swans headed north just off shore ...
... while fairly recently arrived Avocets were by the pool along with Wigeon ...
...and so to North Shields in search of more gulls ... the Fish Quay had a quiet feel with little fishing boat activity but some large gulls rested on the roof, among which was a juvenile Glaucous Gull ...
... some potential food appeared up river ...
... a lone male Eider swam along side the moored fishing boats ...
... among the rooftop gulls was a first-winter bird with rather pale primaries and delicate barring on the mantle and scapulars ...
... presumably a Herring Gull but why the pale primaries ? not pale enough for Kumlien's and leg colour rules out Slaty-backed ... not the first bird I have seen with this appearance but they remain enigmatic ... it flew off while I watched the Glaucous Gull ...
With gulls still in mind I headed upstream to see if any Kittiwakes were around ...
... but more on that later ...
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