A change in the weather slows migration

Fresh NE winds and cool, overcast conditions appear to have slowed the migration today, with only one new LBBG recorded from 64 colour ringed LBBGs observed at Chouet Landfill this morning. The strong wind made viewing more challenging than usual..but there were still some very close encounters with gulls to enjoy!

Three British-ringed LBBGs at Chouet

On a very chilly and breezy morning’s session at Chouet this morning the highlights were three British-ringed Lesser Black-backed Gulls (one of which - Blue ACE - is a well-known Guernsey breeding bird, which was ringed in Gloucester, England in November 2006). The other two birds were new to the island – Blue AVC (also ringed in Gloucestershire) and Black WC6F, which was ringed at South Walney Nature Reserve, Cumbria, England in July 2006, and which was recorded in January 2009 at Anza, Morocco.

Norwegian Lesser Black-backed Gull at Chouet

Two wonderful highlights at Chouet this morning were the return of Lesser Black-backed Gull Black 2.N9 from its wintering grounds near Agadir, Morocco, and the sighting of a Norwegian ringed Lesser Black-backed Gull Black J7HY migrating back from its wintering site in Western Sahara to its breeding area in Vest-Agder, Norway. Both birds were seen in February 2012 by the Norwegian gull team which visited NW Africa to record colour ringed gulls in February this year! In December 2010, I saw Black 2.N9 myself near Agadir, so it is one of my very special LBBGs! The only disappointment this morning was missing a LBBG almost certainly ringed in 2006 on Flat Holm, near Cardiff, Wales - but the ring was turned with only the join visible.

  LBBG Black J7HY in illustrious company at Chouet!

 LBBG Black 2.N9 back from Morocco

LBBG Pale Green probably from Flat Holm, Wales

Is Yellow-legged Gull Nesting in Guernsey?

My answer is...I doubt it…however…I am not quite sure what Yellow-legged Gull White 1CA9 is doing! Ringed as a full adult at Chouet landfill on 20 May 2011, this gull has now been recorded back at Chouet on 15 February, 09 March and again this morning. Most of the adult Herring Gulls are now paired and on their nesting sites…so is it possible that White 1CA9 is actually paired with a locally nesting Herring Gull…or could it even be paired with another Yellow-legged Gull? I haven’t yet seen it in the company of another Yellow-legged Gull…but hopefully as this season draws on we may get some more clues as to what this gull is doing!

Yellow-legged Gull White 1CA9 Chouet 02 April 2012 - PKV

Lots of Gull courtship behaviour at Chouet

It is wonderful to see the gull courtship behaviour increasing daily at Chouet at this time of year. Herring Gulls are more advanced in their season, and several pairs have now been observed mating on the beach, whereas the LBBGs are still very much in pair bonding mode.

Two more LBBGs back from Africa!

On what proved to be another stunning couple of hours' gull watching at Chouet this morning, the highlight was the return of two more Lesser Black-backed Gulls that had wintered in NW Africa - Black 9AA9 was seen in February in Layoune, Western Sahara, while Black 7A3 was seen by the same Norwegian organised gull ring reading expedition at Anza, Morocco. There was a marked increase in breeding season behaviour too with many pairs in courtship.