Last Laugh

I was back up in my home county of Ayrshire last weekend for another flying visit. The long-staying Laughing Gull (nearly two months) was developing its dark hood and I hoped to get some new photographs... but, of course, as often happens, it was last seen on Wednesday. Despite looking for an hour at Saltcoats on Saturday, there was no sign.

Phoned Birdline Scotland on Sunday in case a more observant birder had located it. No more sightings of the American gull but a report of a Northern Grey Shrike over the border in Renfrewshire saw me head up to Lochwinnoch to see this rare winter visitor. The Shrike was too distant for digiscoping/phonescoping much less traditional photography.

Below is a shot of the Laughing Gull from my previous visit in early February plus a selection of other birds photographed in poor light at the weekend.