In early July the seven-hour-long midday work shift is often – but not always – uneventful. On my shift 5 July the first few hours went by without much happening. Then the first Little Gulls appeared. The species is always nice to watch and any one of them can make my day.

Soon the first flocks of Little Gulls passed by. They flew out at the sea into moderate headwind constantly disappearing behind the waves. Such flocks are difficult to count. It is equally hard to notice those flocks that cross the Cape on the inland side. They approach behind the treeline until suddenly swooping into view and down to the western bay. For a few seconds seen against the pines they come like a cascade of snowflakes. Down at the sea level the birds again become hard to spot.

On the seaside things started picking up. Flocks of ten, twenty and up to fifty followed one another. At the height of migration I was counting three flocks at different distances at the same time. Then in just two hours the whole spectacle was over. No other Little Gulls were recorded that day. The total number 402 birds doesn’t compare with the oceans but is fairly big around here. Among all the 5427 migrants that day the Little Gulls were surely the prettiest.

TiP