30 July 2022 - Hollingworth Lake

« Newer   |   Older »

Great White Egret, Mediterranean Gull

There had been more rain overnight and early this morning, but by 9:30 it had stopped, so I set off as usual, and as soon as I arrived at the lake front I could see a white blob in the distance on the exposed mud in front of the reserve.  I quickly got the bins on it and as suspected, it was a Great White Egret.  It looked fairly settled so I carried on at slightly quicker than normal pace to try to get around the far side for some better views.  En route I came across a Buff Footman just resing on a leaf by the side of the track, and once I'd reached a spot where you can duck through the trees to get a view of the water, it was clear the egret was still around and feeding quite happily.  I took some photos and a little video, then went back to the hide.  A Dunlin was out on the mud, but distant again, and then seemed to disappear, and a Grey Wagtail appeared briefly in front of the hide. 

I had to get back fairly soon, so didn't spend any more time around the reserve, but as I reached the far end of Bib Knowl wall, I noticed a juvenile gull that looked a bit odd, and appeared to be a possible Mediterranean Gull.  I was able to approach it reasonably closely on the flat stones, and took some photos, but as I was checking the Collins Bird app on my phone for comparison of Med/Common Gulls, I looked up and it had flown off, along with a couple of Black-headeds that were with it.  I didn't see where it went and there were no gulls in flight, so I've no idea where it went.

A little further on a Grey Heron stood just over the fence at the water's edge, looking like it might do some fishing, but it didn't, and I ran out of time and had to leave.

Great White Egret, 1/125 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 160

Great White Egret , 1/500 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 1250

Buff Footman, 1/500 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 20000 (view full size image)

Grey Wagtail, 1/500 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 800 (view full size image)

Juv Mediterranean Gull, 1/500 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 1250 (view full size image)