Another Norwegian LBBG at Chouet

On a generally quieter morning than yesterday at Chouet, the highlight amongst the c 100 colour ringed LBBGs recorded was Blue J1CX. This gull was ringed as a chick on Rauna, Vest-Agder, Norway in July 2005, and had only been recorded once before today, at Namur, Belgium on 14 July 2007.

LBBG Blue J1CX at Chouet (c) PKV

A New Record for LBBG Colour Ring Reads at Chouet

Although the weather was dull this morning, Chouet landfill Beach was on fire...back to its very best (after a somewhat quiet start to the spring). A new record of 147 colour rings were read on Lesser Black-backed Gulls (all local birds...except one metal ring London GC76778). In addition 51 Herring Gull rings were read, including Pale Blue B67A (ringed at Le Havre, Seine-Maritime, France). Only three GBBG rings were read, and two of these were  metal rings - the birds having been ringed locally as chicks in 2006 and 2007. A beautiful 2nd winter Yellow-legged Gull completed a stunning early morning at Chouet.

 2nd winter Yellow-legged Gull

 Chouet Landfill Beach

 LBBG London GC76778

 Herring Gull Pale Blue B67A

 GBBGS Jersey J0076 & J0583

Gulls in the Rain

A day full of rain today, but it didn't put the gulls off their courtship at Chouet. Another morning with more than 100 colour-ringed LBBGs recorded, along with smaller numbers of Herring and GBBGs (including a few French and English birds).

GBBG White P:12A at Chouet (ringed at Portland Harbour) (c) PKV

Another Fine Morning with LBBGs at Chouet

This morning I focused on LBBGs at Chouet landfill, recording another 130 of our colour-ringed birds, along with Orange T121 the bird ringed by Vicente López Alcazar in Salamanca, Spain last December  and now building a history of sightings in Guernsey this spring. It must be one of our locally breeding birds. I also recorded c 60 Herring Gull rings and 17 GBBGs, including E5508, which I ringed as a chick on Herm in July 1993!

LBBG Orange T121 at Chouet (c) PKV

Another 200 Gull Colour Rings Read at Chouet this Morning

Although viewing at Chouet Landfill is more distant at the moment, the large flat area between windrows does enable a lot of gulls' legs to be checked for rings. As a result in a little under two hours this morning I recorded another 200 rings (roughly evenly split between LBBG and Herring, with GBBGs just reaching double figures). Courtship behaviour, which has been common amongst the Herring Gulls for a couple of weeks, is now also prevalent with the LBBGs - summer is definitely on the way!