A Bit of a Spoonful

I didn't think I'd get any birding at all done today, because by the time the fog was clearing it was time for me to head off to Axminster and the dentists. By the time I'd done some shopping and stuff it was getting really murky and starting to rain again, so I headed home. I had to pull over at Coronation Corner to answer a phone call and spotted a lovely adult Mediterranean Gull on the near bank, I just had to take a snap of it, didn't I!?

This adult appeared too have a ring on the right leg, I couldn't make out any details though.

Further down river the Spoonbill was fishing. I stopped to watch and after a few minutes it caught a flatfish of some description and made a prolonged and determined attempt to swallow it. I had to admire it's tenacity. I took a couple of snaps but they're a bit grainy as it was raining.

You can see it's going to be difficult to swallow.

It's lined up, but it just wont go down.

Here's a couple of videos of the struggle, only about a minute each. It actually carried on trying for at least fifteen minutes before dropping the fish back in the river, much to the disgust of the waiting Gulls, Egrets and Crows, all of whom had made a previous attempt at snatching it.