Laughing Gull

A rather worrying morning when on arrival at New Brighton just after 8AM on Wednesday, when the birders announced that there had been no sign at all of the Laughing Gull, some two and a half hours passed when I picked it up gliding just above my head and eastwards towards the beach, it landed on the tide line, had a little feed, flew around the fort and then went and landed on the pontoon where it has been found the previous day. Interestingly, when it appeared it was the only gull on the coast flying around, preferring to avoid even the Black-headed Gulls. Apparently they do much the same in the states, preferring their own species company or a solitary lifestyle, presumable this is down to a very different feeding habit and behavior preference to American Herring Gull? Anyone know any more on this? Even on the pontoon it preferred the Redshanks, totally avoiding the Herring Gulls.

Laugher...

Had a dodge to Nosterfield NR on the way home, highlight being the distant drake American Wigeon and a Brent Goose. Last time I visited I was gulling, saw this beauty...

Gotta love a juv Casp!