Friday 24 February 2012

Mud, Mud Glorious Mud - Flanders & Swann

Firstly today we welcome country number 166 to the readership, Uzbekistan and hope the new readers will pass the link on to friends and family. See Stat Counter at end of post.

The search for Relict Gull started in earnest today with a bus ride to the Ferry Terminal,

where Tree Sparrows abound,

and small port.

From where the reclaimation ends there are still extensive

Mud Flats and with the tide being at Low Water Springs

and the atmospher smoggy it was impossible to see the tide line.

Not the best conditions to see anything let alone a rare Gull, but there were other things on offer like this Good Luck Tree bedecked in scarfs and mementoes.

Along this stretch of coastline, where all the properties have falled derelict, must have been 'the' place to live at one time given all the houses complete with overhanging verandahs and

huge, now overgrown, gardens holding a wealth of wildlife.

Brown-eared Bulbul was first on the list here, followed by 2 World Lifers in quick succession by way of

the deminutive

Vinous-throated Parrotbill of which there were about 30, and

Eastern Buzzard

which was never positively identified from a series of poor photographs from last time.

Greatest surprise and startle

was this Korean Water-Deer

that in its hurry to escape did a full somersault

before disappearing into the dense undergrowth.

This is where the natural coastline ends, and since my last visit

this new sea defence wall along with a main road on the other side have been built.

A new groyne forming a small harbour has also been added, so little by little the foreshore depletes

and the mud continues. It was about here I found the carcass of another

Korean Water-Deer with tusks.

Then there was time to sort through what Gulls were there, and I make no appology for this short series of photographs of Black-tailed Gull,

a real belter I think (one of the best in the world) but not if you're 'oiled'!

especially in flight - what do you think? This is where I start to get a little out of my depth, so with little literature at hand, I'll venture that this is a

Mongolian Gull
with this more likely to be Vega Gull? This is the very spot were on my last visit there were a good number of Saunders' Gull, but none today. Nor, you'll not be surprised to know (you would have heard before now) was the a Relict Gull. There is a plan afoot for tomorrow so once again it's
NEVER SAY DIE!

To complete today's birds this Mallard showed up as the tide started rising, as did 6 Red-breasted Merganser, a handfull of Eastern Spot-bill Ducks and a Great Crested Grebe.

and finally, some action on the Stat Counter, with things going 'off-scale' such as UK passing the 35 thousand mark and the USA entering the 3 thousands. Just below and not surprisingly South Korea have joined the ranks of the Treble Figure Zone, along with Mexico while South Africa and Indonesia are now on the cusp of joining them.


Num Perc. Country Name

drill down3578975.20%United KingdomUnited Kingdom
drill down30386.38%United StatesUnited States
drill down6551.38%CanadaCanada
drill down5031.06%EstoniaEstonia
drill down4971.04%GermanyGermany
drill down4470.94%AustraliaAustralia
drill down4210.88%FranceFrance
drill down3380.71%IndiaIndia
drill down3300.69%NetherlandsNetherlands
drill down3270.69%ItalyItaly
drill down2960.62%New ZealandNew Zealand
drill down2900.61%SpainSpain
drill down2710.57%BrazilBrazil
drill down2230.47%JapanJapan
drill down2230.47%PolandPoland
drill down1870.39%BelgiumBelgium
drill down1790.38%SwedenSweden
drill down1530.32%Russian FederationRussian Federation
drill down1260.26%Korea, Republic OfKorea, Republic Of
drill down1130.24%IrelandIreland
drill down1100.23%TaiwanTaiwan
drill down1080.23%SwitzerlandSwitzerland
drill down1030.22%MexicoMexico
drill down990.21%South AfricaSouth Africa
drill down960.20%IndonesiaIndonesia



While further down Uzbekistan join as our 166th country, once again WELCOME!

drill down10.00%AfghanistanAfghanistan
drill down10.00%GuyanaGuyana
drill down10.00%SeychellesSeychelles
drill down10.00%French PolynesiaFrench Polynesia
drill down10.00%UzbekistanUzbekistan
drill down10.00%SurinameSuriname
drill down10.00%BotswanaBotswana
drill down10.00%Saint LuciaSaint Lucia
drill down10.00%GhanaGhana
drill down10.00%BoliviaBolivia
drill down10.00%Turks And Caicos IslandsTurks And Caicos Islands
drill down10.00%Cayman IslandsCayman Islands
drill down10.00%CameroonCameroon
drill down10.00%MauritiusMauritius
drill down10.00%KazakhstanKazakhstan
drill down10.00%HondurasHonduras
drill down10.00%FijiFiji
drill down10.00%MartiniqueMartinique

3 comments:

  1. Great photos - I have my fingers and toes crossed you see the Gull....I'm glad I'm not responsible for this one!!! Love as always Tess xxxx

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  2. There may be some 'good news' awaiting but I am a day behind. Don't think I'd crack it if it had to be done 'on the day'!
    Love to you both as well. XX

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  3. Great post. I love Flanders & Swann. http://caroleschatter.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/flanders-swann.html

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