Cresswell Pond seemed initially to be very quiet with only a hand full of Black-headed Gulls on the spit and little to see elsewhere ... then a 1stW Mediterranean Gull flew over and dallied a while before continuing on its way ... and another came and landed soon to be joined by other birds, some adults and some 2ndW birds ...
... in a short while there were 31 Mediterranean Gulls on the shore and flying in deft sweeps over the water ...
... then seemingly from nowhere a trio of small waders landed on the near shore ... a Sanderling, a Dunlin and a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper ... but in seconds they were off ...
Druridge Pools from the Budge Screen started off in a similarly unpromising fashion ... but later a flock of around 30 small waders fed distantly on the mud and included a single adult Curlew Sandpiper ...
East Chevington North Pool was alive with birds ... some roosting Pintails looked subtly attractive in their little group ... while a Wigeon stood behind and a female Shoveler swam by ...
... some six Ruff lingered a while and drank in the shallows by the near shore ...
... a very distant female Scaup swam apart from the Tufted Ducks and Little Grebes were scattered across the pool ...
... in the closer flock of Black-headed Gulls and Sandwich Terns a lovely 2ndW Little Gull suddenly dropped in ...
... the succession of black and white bands on the outer primaries looking very reminiscent of 2ndW Med. Gull ...
... it was always active, moving from one part of the flock to another or preening busily ...
... with this species usually foraging in the distant parts of the pool it was a nice treat to have one close by ...
