Close.

With lieu time from work to burn I was off today, but what to do on a wet Monday morning?
Tempting as re-re-reading “Treasure Island” was, I decided against it (the Hispaniola will still be sailing on other tides).
After the rush hour subsided, I hopped into the wheels and motored over (under???) the water to New Brighton to have a look at the long-staying Laughing Gull on the marine lake by Fort Perch Rock.
It was about time.
As billed, the Laughing Gull was point blank, even if it did look particularly miserable – it didn’t so much as titter while I was there.
Picked the gull up first at the roadside by the mini-boating lake and Iceland stores etc, before it drifted off to the marine lake and its favourite pontoon and railings.
Not sure, but I think it’s either the fourth or fifth one I’ve seen in the UK.

Two Purple Sandpipers dropped into the pontoon wader roost of Turnstone, Dunlin and Redshank at the west end of the marine lake, as I watched the gull.
A bonus given the scarcity of this species on our side of the water.

After two hours with the gull, waiting for it to do something interesting (it didn’t), I drove down to the other end of the seafront for an audience with the two Snow Buntings that have been around the Lifeguard Station beach forever.
Like the Hall Road bird, they were very confiding, although much more active.
I sat on the seawall and let them come to me, as they fed constantly on the sand.