First-winter NORTH AMERICAN HERRING GULL, Otter Estuary, South Devon, 13 February 2009 (A superb array of images taken by Brian Heasman)
A superb find by Matthew Knott again this afternoon with Devon’s 2nd NORTH AMERICAN HERRING GULL
Seen on the River Otter from the hide from about 2pm-3.15pm , then on the rocks at the mouth of the river from 3.20-3.45 when it flew by itself to the beach by Budleigh Salterton where it showed superbly , down to 75 yards, with a flock of about 50 large gulls until 4.25 when it flew, again by itself and for no reason back to the mouth of the River Otter and lost to view.
Just 8 birders connected, including Matt, Mark Bailey, Bob Bailey, Ernie Davis, Dave Hopkins, Brian Heasman and Doug Cullen.
Incidentally, the 20th gull species for Mark Bailey in Devon and his 357th species in Devon overall