Roker Bona

popped through the coast for an hour or so this afternoon

couple of additions to my Sunderland yearlist with Bar tailed Godwit and the returning Bonapartes Gull taking the tally to 181,  ( the Godwit being # 200 for my Vice-County year list )

Whilst a couple of folk present had 5 visits before connecting, a common or garden Spawny-get was also present & within 5 mins of parking up on his first visit, it managed this image :-

                        ( Apparently the only Bonapartes Gull in the UK at present)

While i was content with a more modest image of the species - the first time id seen one :-

Could remember that this gull breeds in Canada & Alaska ( in isolated taiga and boreal forest )

This map from The Cornell Lab :-

& a quick search revealed this image:-

tree nesting Bonapartes.

the beach, not surprisingly was empty of visitors due to the abmissmal weather - the result being that the tideline was full of birds, & i enjoyed watching Dunlins, Turnstones, Ringed Plovers, Sanderlings, Pied Wagtails, juvenile Wheatear & 2 Barwits.

GBH Gull - another year-click