10/02/2021 Snaresbrook, Wanstead, London

Caspian Gull: The beast is back! This is the 5th year that this Caspian gull has returned to Eagle Pond in Snaresbrook. This is probably the most reliable caspo in the UK and now that it's sporting its glorious adult plumage I'm sure it will draw even more birding to the Eagle Pond.  

So after a short ecological survey I was carrying out nearby I decided to take a safe, socially distance walk to exercising my camera lifting arm and see this smart looking gull. 

Eagle Pond is situated in the extreme north-west corner of Leyton Flats, bounded by a woodland area of the Flats on the west, the pavement of Snaresbrook Road on the north, and the grounds of Snaresbrook Crown Court on the south.

The pond is a large and only accessible on one side, the busy roadside and at times you are shooting straight into the bright low light of a winters day. Not ideal. 

But almost a quarter of the pond was iced and any bird who wanted to sit on the water was forced to come that little bit closer into the area of open water that was nice covered by ice.  

As he bird sits on the blackish water it stands out like a sore thumb amongst the more familiar gulls, with its smart regal appearance, elegant, long-winged, long-legged, white-headed gull with a characteristic face and small dark eye.   

It's a shame I unable to see my older brother and his partner or my friends who live in London, but I'm happy the bird showed so well. 

I like London and don't mind working down here, especially with less traffic about and no major delays on the motorways. And throw in a scarce bird that showed well and was in a place I can carry out my exercise before the long journey home, you can consider this a good day.