Gulls

It is quite rare to see gulls close up in the village.



Herring Gulls, I think, by the size and colouring, though silent so possibly Common Gulls.
I often see them soaring high over the village or following ploughs in nearby fields.
Yesterday two of them spent a few minutes flying around just above roof height and occasionally swooping down to ground level on the footpath just beyond my fence. Must have been something tasty there but I didn't see them fly off with anything.

Wednesday evening saw me having to visit A&E in Grimsby. Very high potassium levels again from the morning blood tests. The A&E department was overflowing with customers so not a fast process, but efficient once they got going. Total time from booking in to leaving was about four and a half hours so I didn't arrive back home until after midnight.  Lots of tests showed the potassium levels were already lower but this time the cause has been found - a side effect of one of the prescribed tablets I have been taking at night. A pity Louth hospital didn't spot that three months ago though to be fair Grimsby has a much larger hospital with specialists in a variety of departments. Maybe now we can get things back to normal with a change of medication.

Gulls Galore

I often see large flocks of gulls, usually travelling from one field to another. A couple of days ago there were more than fifty all soaring round above the same part of the village. Often swooping down just like enormous Swallows. I would guess they were hunting insects and spent a good half hour cruising the same area before moving on. Given the number of gulls and the length of time they were around there must have been a lot of insects though they were too high up to make any out.

I grabbed the 70D with the 300mm zoom half expecting the gulls would have gone by the time I was ready to shoot - which is what usually happens - but this time I was able to get some aerial shots, at times nearly falling over backwards as I tracked them directly overhead.









I assume from their markings they were all Black-headed Gulls in their Winter plumage.

Ships and Seabirds

Yesterday I drove to Cleethorpes to visit my favourite camera shop. I had finally made my mind up to buy a new camera body, the Canon 50D, which I duly did after trying it out in the shop. Next I had to add some ballast to my wallet as it was so light by the time I left the shop I swear it would have floated away. Anyway I then decided to have a stroll along the promenade to see what was about. I had to use the old 350D as the battery with the new camera really needed charging and, of course, it was a different size to the fully charged ones I had with me.

The day was mainly sunny, a bit breezy from time to time but quite pleasant. The tide was out. It goes a long way out at Cleethorpes as it does along most of the Lincolnshire coast because of the gentle slope of the beach. There are many sand banks which can be a danger to those who do not know the area and to those who don't keep an eye out for the incoming tide as it flows very rapidly round and behind the sand banks before covering them completely.

I stayed on the prom and one of the first things I noticed was a rig at least half a mile off shore and I think it is one used for building the bases for the towers of the many wind farms which are appearing along this coast.



There were lots of large ships moored whilst waiting for high tide so they could continue along the River Humber to Hull and Goole Docks. Also there were many sea birds on the sand banks feeding on the lug worms and other sand dwelling creatures.



As you can see it was very hazy out to sea. The only vessel I actually spotted moving was a roll-on roll-off ferry which may have been going to Immingham.



Near the pier there were a few birds flying about. They were moving very quickly so it was a good job there were few other people about as I frantically swung the camera about to get a few shots of the birds in flight.

I think this is a Little Gull in Winter plumage.



This may well be a Mediterranean Gull. That was certainly the best match I could find from the RSPB site. Somebody should have told it that it was the wrong day to double its money.



I didn't have to worry about this Pelican getting away as it is carved from stone.



As I was walking back up to the road I looked down and could see a flower bed which had been cut out in the shape of an anchor. The blue is made with pansies but the plants making up the rope haven't started to flower yet. It should be a beautiful picture once the weather warms up and I will have to remember to visit Cleethorpes again later in the year. Over the years there have been some very good artistic flower arrangements.



By then I was getting anxious to get home, charge up the battery for the new camera and have a play with it so it was just a short visit this time.