Little Auk - Thames, Grays

So after heading back from Aveley Bay freezing Saturday afternoon ( 2x Short Eared Owl, Marsh Harrier, Snipe) i made decision to head back Sunday morning for a wander along the Rainham part of the Thames. Later that evening a text comes in from DDL advising he was going to Grays to see if he could score a London Tick by way of a Little Auk.

Along with most i hadn't failed to notice the volume of them along the east coast from Norfolk to Kent so decided that as it would be a Life tick i would tag along.

Arriving at The Wharf Pub just inside the London area still at 7am, it was -2 degrees. We scanned the area time and time again; clouds of Woodpigeon, flocks of Filedfare and streams of Starlings were in the skies. The usual gulls plus a single Yellow Legged Gull.

Shortly Dave says "what's that in line with the big pylon" and shortly after we were both on a Little Auk.

We stayed for another hour or so in hope of more, i was hoping for a Razorbill and although later found one had got as far as Mucking it didn't reach us.

Auk record photos courtesy of David Darrell-Lambert