When the weather is suitable we often go to Cogden Beach. It is a half hour drive away, has a decent choice of walks by the sea, has a cafe at one end and as we are NT members has free parking. I suspect there may be a few posts from here incoming monhs.
Last year saw a few visits, with a brief sighting of Cirl Bunting (which is becoming established all the way along the Dorset coast at currently low density), Dartford Warbler, Wheatears, Marsh Harrier, and offshore some Balearic Shearwaters. Fortunately this area is regularly watched and an excellent report is available on-line representing for me the best of amateur natural history.
Wednesday saw a break in the gales and rain that have lashed the Dorset coast recently, so we weaved our way from the car park down to the beach and marched west toward Hive Beach at Burton Bradstock. It was very wet underfoot with few birds around, just the ever-present Stonechat of note. Offshore there were gulls going back and forth along the foaming tide-line, with Common Gulls particularly of note. Little Gulls have been seen at various points along the coast in the last few days, so it wasn't a great surprise when at Hive Beach I found four tiny gulls sat just off the tide area. More scanning produced a couple of birds flying around including a gorgeous adult. They conveniently flew back and forth just beyond the surf line, but after lengthy scanning from a beachside table, cappuccino in hand, I settled on a total of 6 1st winters and 2 adults.
At this point I was going to eulogise about Little Gulls, the playful puppies of the Gull world, but Steve Waite over at Axe Birding has said all that needs to be said and has some smashing photos as well from the seafront at Seaton. So have a look here instead.
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