Med Gull: 174

I've been craving a PBC-area Mediterranean Gull all year. Kevin DuRose seems to see one every time he rolls out of bed and there has been quite a haul of them locally through 2004. But I had more or less given up (it is after all 30.12.04). Cycling to work this morning, though, I had one of those inkling feelings that a Med Gull was there to be had - though I thought it would be among the gulls at Highlees Scool, Peterbrough, which I pass on my route (and where I had a second-winter bird over many weeks in 2003).
To cut a long story short, I was delighted when I got a call today from my friend Kevan Wolstencroft telling me that not only was the Red-necked Grebe still at Ferry meadows, but an adult winter Med Gull had also been found (by Mr Ferry Meadows himself, Matt Webb).
Bogbumper Fuller and I hit FM once more at lunchtime and soon picked up the gull (PBC 2004 tick number 174 for me) on the same lake (Overton) as the grebe.

Mediterranean Gull (adult winter) with Black-headed Gull fly-by.

Mediterranean Gull (adult winter, left) with Black-headed Gull companions.
Nikon Coolpix 880 + Kowa TSN-821 + 32xW LER

The grebe was harder to find and we only got distant glimpses. Instead, I digiscoped this grazing female Teal on Heron Meadows.


Nikon Coolpix 880 + Kowa TSN-821 + 32xW LER

Possibly the best action, though, was a weasel being mobbed, or at least gurned at, by a Robin near the pontoon bridge dividing Overton and Gunwade Lakes: superb stuff, I love our teeny carnivores!