Snap Decision.

When I got into the motor yesterday I had no idea where I should head off to, but eventually I made a snap decision and was off to Heysham Harbour, in any case I only had a couple of hours to spare for birding but was in need of a fix.  

Little Gull Martin Lofgren 

With birds seen regularly recently and in excess of twenty seen on Sunday it was good to see at least 3 Little Gull at Heysham Harbour for myself yesterday, all 1st winter birds. Also 3 Mediterranean Gull, with one over and two between the outfalls on the beach where there was also 95 Wigeon, c.12 Eider were distant on the sea off the harbour mouth, and a Red-breasted Merganser was in the harbour. 

There was a howler blowing here today and cold with it, but the visit is best described as invigorating.

And the Rarity of the Year 2013.

Brunnich's Guillemot. Marc Heath.

In the vote for the rarity of 2013 the truly amazing White-throated Needletail on the Isle of Harris - and the fastest free-flying bird in the world - took the Gold Award, an Ascension Frigatebird on Islay in July took Silver, and the Brunnich's Guillemot in Dorset in December took Bronze. This Guillemot was the first ever of its kind to be widely twitchable, and the most southerly British record of the species, and MH is lucky enough to live in that part of the world and got to see this brilliant bird. You can read here all about Marc's incredible Twitching Hat Trick ....And if your interests stretch to the world of twitching and rarities you can read all about the ones in 2013 Here

Both of today's images are a must 'clik the pik'.