Day 4: The Walk to Hel

Early start this morning and another bright, warm one, but after yesterday I wasn't going to be underprepared so out in trousers and carrying a jumper. As yesterday, the clouds and northerly wind rolled in about 11 and the temperature dropped to about 3C.
Firstly, a walk to Jurata, some 4 miles away, birding through mostly conifer forests but with stands of birches. This is where most of the birds were, with only crossbills and chaffinches in the conifers. A pair of ravens overhead and plenty of mute swans, herons, cormorants and mallards on Puck Bay. Several goldcrest caught my eye but too fast for the camera, a trip tick. Also, just outside Jurata, a song thrush was singing, species number 68.
A coffee in the village, which is mainly tourist hotels and holiday shops before I wandered to the Baltic side. By now I was glad of the jumper and the wind was too much for my hat. Good numbers of regular warblers around the birches here.
Several gulls out to see but nothing on the water. Obviously too late for the grebes and divers that overwinter here in huge numbers. So, a walk back to my room to collect the rucksack and an afternoon bus to Wladyslawowo, where I found a good room for one night. By now it really was cold, locals and the many tourists walking around with gloves, hats and blankets wrapped round them. I added an extra layer but the wind still got through.
The Baltic here held large numbers of gulls, mostly herring but with some interesting other candidates. One in particular looked very caspiany whilst another, too far out looked ylg. No scope so unable to nail it. Tomorrow I dhall get to the beach early.
Back to town and a bar where they had added a marquee. As you entered they gave you a blanket!
A meal in a good restaurant and back to my room for the night.
Tomorrow, more Baltic watching and a wander to the shoreline of the Bay where some reedbeds and mudflats look interesting.
New bird species:
67. Goldcrest
68. Song Thrush
Photos show map of the area, an interesting sculpture where sandstone has been carved into the shape and scale of the 10 highest peaks, bitterly cold Baltic shore and a photo of a willow warbler, phone snap off the back of the camera.
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