NICELAND

Over the farm with T Bros, Bulldog and Soixanteneuf today. It started of miserably with low cloud and rain. I picked up one of the 2w Iceland Gulls on the island on the main lake and while I was watching it, the second bird walked past ! Damn ! I've been wanting to get a picture of two birds together but the second one wouldn't stay close. It was raining heavily and the light was bad so I got a record shot with both birds in it. Later on, the whiter of the Iceland Gulls showed well on the south lake.

One of today's two 2w Iceland Gull. This is whiter than the other bird (http://surreybirding.blogspot.com/2012/01/ice-pic.html), with a paler iris and whiter primaries and coverts. I believe it is the same bird which has been present on and off since November. Like first winter birds, it abrades whiter during the course of the winter.

Yes, there are two 2w Iceland Gulls in this record shot. X marks the spots.

This Jack Snipe showed distantly in a dark corner on an island on the main lake.

The Water Rail continues to show well by the hide.