Look Away!

Something noteworthy happened at Rainham today, and it concerned me and a Gull. I hadn't planned to write about Gulls, honest - heaven forbid that this blog become boring and one-dimensional.... But I'm afraid that this is yet another post for Gull afficionados. I don't include myself amongst them of course. In fact I am gagging as I write this, and I'm going to swiftly follow up this post with another about Wanstead to make myself feel better.

So, at Rainham, Wennington Marsh is partially flooded, just like Wanstead Flats. Wennington Marsh is next door to a rubbish tip though, which Wanstead Flats isn't. This means vast quantities of horrible gulls. As I drove up to the Aveley Bay carpark, I couldn't help but notice that Wennington was carpeted in them, but I bravely drove on, there to meet Hawky. I immediately said we should go and look at Wennington as there was a good possibility of finding a nice Crow or a handsome Pigeon there. He agreed, jumped in, and off we went.

Whilst scanning for interesting Gulls, er I mean Corvids, I found a large one that was rather pale. Kind of creamy-beige all over. Cafe-au-lait, as some might describe it... I checked the bill, interestingly bi-coloured - pink with a black tip... Before I knew what was happening I had noted pale primaries and, out loud, said "Oh, I've got a Glauc here!" Aaargh, what had I done?! Especially with Hawky next to me, who is genuinely good, and has on more than a few occasions put me right with perfectly straightforward IDs that I have contrived to screw up. But it was alright, because it was a Glaucous Gull, and seemingly a new individual for Rainham this year, making it five for the site. Woohoo, Glaucous Gull on my self-found list!

If this is sounding slightly self-congratulatory, yes, that's exactly what it is. But I share all the hopeless blunders with you as well, so fair is fair. Anyway, here is the little fella, as digiscoped by Hawky. That nasty taste in your upper throat? Vomit.