This bird was found last September 2020 in Bradford, Yorkshire, before spending a few days at Redcar Tarn, near Keighley, where I and my recently departed friend Steven Brown managed to miss seeing it!
Fast forward to Tuesday 18thMay this year, news that a breeding plumaged Franklin`s Gull was present at RSPB St Aidans/Swillington near Leeds. As the week moved onto to Friday our team decided to go see the bird on Saturday as the gull seemed to be fairly settled in with the Black Headed Gull colony on site. Along with Chris B and Bob K we arrived at 9am, no news on the bird was a little bit worrying as it was normally seen early on. With lots of birds on the reserve to keep our interest the hours rolled by, but around 3pm an Iceland Gull was found which was much appreciated. By 5pm we headed for home not having seen the main attraction!
No news of the bird on Sunday, but on Monday morning a message telling me that the Franklin`s Gull was again present on the Western Reed bed at Swillington. No takers to accompany me over there, soon had me heading along the M62 for the 45 minute journey. Its about 30 long years since I have seen this species before and I was quite looking forward to it. Upon arrival the news from departing birder`s was good, until I reached the causeway, then news that the bird had flown away hit me! My grasp of the English language failed me and I`m afraid some bad words were said! Along the quagmire to the reed bed I joined a few birders who had also just missed seeing the bird. A Hobby passing over was a nice sighting just as the rain began to fall, light at first then heavy. Met a birding friend called Simon S and we exchanged numbers, just in case (wise move) at 3pm the bird was seen on the Ridge & Furrow by a person who we never located? I had a walk around there to no avail, by now I was saturated, but did I give up, no chance. Back on the causeway I was joined by a birder who I had spoken to from Nottingham on Saturday. What happened next was rather strange, Simon S rung me to tell me about a strange looking gull heading our way, just as the Franklin`s Gull flew over our heads calling!! Another dash through the mud and there it was a beautiful sight, after many hours searching. I watched it for about an hour and began the slog back to my car. I told my departed friend Steven Brown all about it. That one`s for you pal.
