Leighton Moss and the sea-hides with avocet, knot and black-headed gull

From the sea-hide Leighton Moss

The clamour of black-headed gulls never lets up.  The sea-hide looks out upon an islet thronged with birds.   A flock  of knot congregates in a huddle,  feet in the shallow water.  Grey knot with one or two black-headed gulls within the flock and a scatter of gulls in the water around them.  Several species share a confined space so how do they interact and what are they doing here?

Black-headed gulls are everywhere about the pool and on different islets, raucous,  and scattered amongst the other birds.   There are a number of avocets, in pairs but none seems to be on eggs although one pair looks as if they're making a scrape in preparation.   A few take to the water feeding, feet stirring the water to disturb prey, their long, slender and upturned bills sifting the water.  These elegant birds are newly arrived, to breed here.
In winter, Morecambe Bay attracts huge numbers of knot but they breed in the Arctic so they'll depart very soon.  The flock has a predominantly grey look but some birds are already in breeding plumage with brick red breast and belly and rufous-brown speckled mantle.  They move as one,  small rippling movements to and fro like a chorus of dancers on a confined stage.  The flock is tight-packed and some birds are feeding within it.   Over a couple of hours they keep close to that same position where the islet meets the water. 

Several black-headed gull are mating and my friend reckons its a rough ride for the female.   'Sex isn't meant to be comfy,' says Lola in the film 'Kinky Boots.' From the startled look of the female it doesn't look comfy.  The male black-headed gull beats his wings all the while and the rhythmic beating is audible from the bird hide.