Iceland Gull - North Shields Quay

Reports of Iceland Gull and Glaucous Gull at North Shields fish quay again had me thinking  at the moment it does  not look like I am going to find one in Blyth Harbour so I headed back up to check it out , a bright sunny but rather windy day saw me on the  actual  quayside after checking the beach area on the way. First what appeared to be an adult came past but after further views you could see traces or smudges of light brown especially on the undertail so at the moment it's age is undetermined but I just refer to it as sub-adult,  also a 1st year bird came past and it was thought another bird perhaps a 2nd year but this one not seen to come past , I think it was actually just the sub-adult when viewed at a distance looking very white. No sign of the Glaucous  but it was good to catch up with the Iceland's  a few birders came and went with varying degrees of interest from just a tick and go to some spending more time in the company of these great birds , there must be more Iceland's in the Country than in any time before perhaps it will take time for more to drift into the County hoping for a nice clear cut Kumliens type .

 Light makes a huge difference in photographing these gulls although it was sunny all day the direction of light washed out the subtle colours .

 1st year alights briefly

 1st year mobbed by Carrion Crow

 1st year

 I just love the way they hang in the wind checking out any food source

 The sub-adult cruised over a fishing boat flying slowly into the wind, it checked out the boat turned sharply then dropped down onto deck and came up with this fish, although I have no idea what sort of fish it is ?

It's getting late in the afternoon the sun light starting to glow