Another Cool Morning at Chouet

There were a few more juvenile Herring Gulls at Chouet this morning, and a reasonable number of adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls (including 68 of my colour ringed birds), but it was still cold in the NW breeze.

The Guernsey Met Office has confirmed that June 2011 was the coolest here in Guernsey since 2002 and also the windiest for 20 years. There were also many more days of  rain this year (than last) with precipitation at some stage on every day from 07 to 21 June. Guernsey Water also reports 22% more precipitation in June than the monthly average during the previous decade. Some 2.1 inches (53.3 mm) of rain fell on Guernsey during the month. This unusually wet and windy weather may well explain the widespread breeding failure of Lesser Black-backed Gulls across the Bailiwick of Guernsey this year.

Perhaps the highlight of the morning was Great Black-backed Gull Yellow 0.NN0 seen at Pembroke, as this gull was ringed as a rehabilitated bird in early June at the Guernsey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals HQ. It is testament to the care and treatment of the birds taken into care that gulls such as Yellow 0.NN0 make it back into the wild.

GBBG Yellow 0.NN0 Pembroke 19 July 2011 - PKV 

GBBG Yellow 0.NN0 at GSPCA 02 June 2011 - PKV 

LBBG Black 8P5 Pembroke -PKV 

LBBG Black 7H7 Pembroke - PKV 

LBBG Black 7A9 Pembroke - PKV 

LBBG Black 7A9 when ringed at Chouet landfill 16 May 2011 - Vic Froome