18th November - with strong overnight winds, a morning visit to the patch was on the cards to look for any displaced seabirds. At first glance, I didn't notice anything, then a group of Black-headed Gulls and a Herring Gull drew my attention as they congregated in the south west corner and appeared to be taking an interest in something. The bright morning light was right in my eyes from this angle, but I picked up a solitary gull sitting on the water facing away from me that slowly turned to reveal itself as an
adult Kittiwake. Amazingly, this is my third here this year following two in the Spring.
The bird was in the south west corner, so I walked down the path to get it in better light. Unfortunately, it appeared to be either very tired or unwell, as although it was paddling about, it kept drifting in towards the banks. I did see it picking at things on the surface of the water and at one stage it flew a couple of yards, so I'm hoping that it recovers itself to fly off rather than end its days here. At least it enabled me to get a reasonable shot of this species for once and continuing my videoing exploits, I got one of these as well.
Video
here
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