3 February 2022 - Hollingworth Lake

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Great Black-backed Gull, Goldeneye, several Goosander, 2 Jays

7°C, drizzle/overcast, becoming slightly brighter later.

Walked around in the gloom this morning (and in a hurry, was short of time). Two jays were in roadside trees near the overflow, but it was so dull I could hardly see through the viewfinder if they were in focus, and they were high up and difficult among the branches. The photo attached is about the best I could manage.

At lunchtime, I arrived at the car park and was rather surprised to see an adult Great Black-backed Gull on the jetty, along with several Lesser Black-backs, Herring Gulls and Common Gulls among the Black-headeds and Lapwings. It was an absolute bruiser of a bird and looked settled until somebody flushed all the gulls and it flew into the centre of the lake with a Lesser Black-back. I walked around to try to get a better position, but it was nowhere to be seen. Species no. 58 for the year.

Jay, 1/500 sec. f/5.6, ISO 4000, 220 mm

Great Black-back, 1/500 sec. f/5.6, ISO 640, 198.21mm

Great and Lesser Black-backs, 1/500 sec. f/5.6, ISO 500, 220mm

Common Gull, 1/500 sec. f/5.6, ISO 640, 198.21mm