17th March Kumliens at Rainham

(175) We noticed that Dominic Mitchell had located a Kumliens Gull at Rainham yesterday so decided to stay local today and try to find the bird. We made our first stop the Stone Barges (built during the war to secure the route up the Thames into the city of London and now abandoned on the foreshore) On arrival there were gulls everywhere on the bank, on the pier, on the river on the tip and in flight. I quickly homed in on a white winged bird sitting on the rocks in the bay and I called it as an Iceland gull and show the lads what I had. As we're looking at the bird Paul Hawkins arrived and asked if we have anything and then goes on to tell me I actually had the Kumliens Gull and described the dark tail bar and dark wing tips as helpful ID tips. We then located two Iceland gulls. (176) At this point Kumliens gull is listed as Iceland Gull but could well be seperated in the future. We looked for Water Pipit as the guys still needed that for the year but had no luck today. (The barges are usually a good place for these birds but it helps when the tide's out)
A walk along the foreshore didn't help either and no migrants were picked up.  A good day though in which we learnt something new....."You are always learning with this hobby" and no matter what you know there will always be somebody that knows more about a particular location or bird...that much I have learnt!