Consolation Glaucous

February 23rd was one of those days that I don't know quite how to feel about. Since its arrival, the Ross's Gull had visited Lodmoor at least once a day and given excellent views. That is apart from the day I went. There was a fair crowd waiting along the path overlooking West scrape with 40+ birders and togs present for most of the day. Dorset Bird Club kindly tweeted me at 15:42 saying that the Ross's was in Bowleaze Cove so I quickly spread the news amongst the crowd and headed there. Unfortunately it had flown just as I was putting the parking ticket in the car. DAMN. I have seen Ross's before (Bowling Green Marsh bird) but this Dorset adult is an absolute stunner and has posed brilliantly for heaps of birders/photographers so I had to give it a go.

Some consolation came in the form of a 2nd Winter Glaucous Gull which I tracked after picking it out flying in from a distance. It soon landed fairly close on West scrape and what a brute it was! Other birds of note were 2 Spoonbills (1 of which was ringed in Netherlands), 5 Ruff and an Avocet.

So we went home happy with the Glauc but disappointed to have missed the Ross's, like the vast majority of other birders that day. What made the dip slightly more frustrating is that it was again showing very close today but this time at Radipole. I almost laughed when I got the news because I said to Dad on the way home yesterday that the island on Radipole near the car park looked good and the Ross's could show up there at some point. A few of the people who were on scene phoned me up to say I should get my butt down there right away so I packed my bags, got to the door and received another message saying it had flown out to sea. DAMN AGAIN. I will try again if I get time. It's such a stunning bird and I really want to see it...