July 21st (Oare marshes)

Bonaparte`s Gull

Sedge Warbler

I went for the Bonaparte`s Gull at Oare marshes this afternoon.I first looked for it on the east flood,but without any luck.I was just about to make my way to the river wall to see if it was feeding out on the Swale,when along came Bob Bland and Jeff Wynn.They said they had seen it earlier that morning,feeding out on the Swale,not far from the slipway.Then though,the tide had been a lot closer in.When I arrived at the wall the tide was almost at its lowest.I scanned through the feeding Black-headed Gulls for almost thirty minutes,when eventually I noticed a Gull that looked promising,but it had its back to me and was standing way out on the tide-line.I watched it for about five minutes,before it turned its head and yes,it had a Black bill !.It then started to feed,but all the time walking even further away.After about thirty minutes it took flight and looked as if it was making its way towards the east flood.

As I was making my way along the road back to the east flood,I came across a very obliging Sedge Warbler.

After looking over the east flood again,with out any luck.I walked back to the car park,but I thought I might as well look for it one more time out on the Swale,in case it had doubled back.My luck was in,I found it out on the mud and it was not far from the end of the slipway.I slowly made my way along,until I was almost opposite to it.Although still not that close,I was a lot closer than earlier.I went home well pleased.

Its probably the same second summer plumage bird,that spent several months at Oare last summer.