Radipole Lake has a good reputation for attracting rare and interesting Gulls. Over the years we've had several American species such as Franklins Gull and Laughing Gull which always attract a lot of interest. But probably my favourite gull that occasionally features as Radipole is the Little gull. It’s the smallest gull in the world and a great species to watch with its tern like flight. So you can imagine my excitement when I noticed a juvenile Little Gull flying around outside the visitor centre window this morning.
They have become quite a rarity at Radipole these days. They used to be much more regular whereas now, we only get a couple a year. This individual is the first one seen at the reserve so far this year. They are quite attractive as juveniles and are quite distinctive due to all the markings on the back of the bird.
I do apologise for the quality of the pictures. Sadly the bird didn't hang around long and the weather isn't very good. Both factors certainly don't help when trying to photograph a bird at distance!