I have had a few nice days out over the weekend and today with a few wildlife opportunities presenting themselves.My damaged shoulder/collar bone aches like the proverbial, but I am trying to carry on regardless and get the most out  of the late summer sun and the good company of my sister who I enjoy being with so much. She has an enquiring mind and takes an interest in everything that always appears to be a bit excessive, just like me!. 

Yesterday we went to Teignmouth and had a look at the Rivermouth and beach. An immature  Great Black-backed Gull was on the beach amongst the Herring Gulls and showed really well, it was good to compare the size of this bird compared to a Herring Gull.  A very interesting piece of of behaviour was observed when a Third Winter Herring Gull flew low over head and dropped, in fact almost threw a cockle down on to the concrete path to break it open and get at the tasty flesh. I am sure that this is normal behaviour but never the less interesting and good to observe.

When I got home and looked at the piccies, I got excited for a few moments because I thought I was looking at a Ring Billed Gull a North American species that is seen on our shores from to time as a vagrant. But if you look close you can see that our bird has pinkish feet and a ring Billed has yellow. Compare the Herring Gull with a photo taken of a Ring Billed Gull in Florida earlier this year.