Widnes

Ruddy shelduck

It was a cool, grey day with the hint of rain always in the air. Gull-watching weather, I told myself. The Kumlein's gull is still at Widnes and has been reported every day this week from the recycling centre on Ditton, I thought I'd try and find it.

I got the train to Warrington and the 110 to Widnes, getting off at Ashley Way and walking down Ditton Road to the recycling centre. I checked every passing gull, just in case, but all the large gulls were herring gulls or lesser black-backs.

Herring gulls

There was a huge crowd of gulls at the recycling centre, it was standing room only on each rooftop. Most were a confusion of herring gulls of all ages with a few dozen each of lesser black-backs and black-headed gulls and a handful of common gulls.

Herring gulls, black-headed gulls and pigeons

I crossed the road for a better view of the depot rooftops. There was a small group of people there already. "I've got it in the scope, come over here and have a look!" The "it" was implied. And it was the Kumlein's gull, showing very well indeed. "You're dead lucky," he said, "We've been here since half nine." The generosity of birdwatchers is one of the nice things we can still have. I could see the bird well with my binoculars now I knew where to look. Or at least I could until it wandered behind a couple of first-Winter herring gulls. Something brought all the gulls up, we couldn't find the culprit, and when most of them settled back down I couldn't see the Kumlein's gull anywhere amongst them.

Herring gulls, black-headed gulls, lesser black-backs and Kumlein's gull (centre)

Herring gulls and lesser black-backs

I walked back and round the corner to Spike Island to see what was about. The mute swans and Canada geese were being fed by tiny tots, attracting a swarm of black-headed gulls to fight over the scraps. The mallards, coots and tufted ducks nipped in for a feed when they could.

Herring gull

The tide was low and the mud banks crowded with gulls. A few great black-backs and a couple of loafing herons stood out aloof from the crowds. There weren't many redshanks about and they were all skittishly roaming the watersides. The mud in the middle of the channel over near the Mersey Gateway Bridge was peppered with curlews.

Shelducks

Nine shelducks were dabbling in the mud by the near bank but I couldn't see any sign of the usual ruddy shelduck. I walked round, scanning the mud as I went but had no luck finding the ruddy shelduck. I walked back and stap me vittles it was feeding on the mud at the mouth of the canal where I started.

Ruddy shelduck 

Ruddy shelduck 

I walked round to West Bank where half a dozen teal were dabbling in the mud with a couple of dozen mallards then walked through to the Docklands Park. The mud downstream was liberally scattered with herring gulls and black-headed gulls. I'm going to have to do the walk between Widnes and Hale through Pickering's Pasture again this Spring.

West Bank Docklands Park