Guernsey's First Ever Lesser Black-backed Gull from Iceland at Chouet Today

A stunningly good session at Chouet landfill this morning was rounded off with superb views of an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull with a colour ring - Pale Blue Y 528 - from Aevar Petersen's project in Iceland.

LBBG Pale Blue Y 528 Chouet landfill 01 March 2010 - PKV

This gull was one of 16 colour ringed Lesser Black-backed Gulls recorded at Chouet today. All others were from my project, but they included seven gulls recorded for the first time this spring. Of these only White 3.T3, which had been ringed as an adult at Chouet landfill on 04/06/09, had been reported over the winter - firstly at Champteusse-sur-Bacon, Maine-et-Loire, France on 21/09/09 (Alain Fossé), and then at Glaintain, Saint-Fraimbault de Prières, Mayenne, France (David Madiot) on 02/10/09 and 13/11/09.

LBBG White 0.U2 at Chouet Landfill 01/03/10 - PKV

LBBG White 0.U8 at Chouet landfill 01/03/10 - PKV

LBBG White 0.V4 Chouet landfill 01/03/10 - PKV

LBBG White 0.Z1 Chouet landfill 01/03/10 - PKV

LBBG White 0.Z6 Chouet Landfill 01/03/10 - PKV

LBBG White 7S1 Chouet landfill 01/03/10 - PKV

A total of 82 cr Herring Gulls was observed - all local , except two from Jersey (both from mainland Jersey - the late Bob Burrows' projects).

Herring Gull White 0B8 Chouet landfill 01/03/10 - PKV

Finally four cr Great Black-backed Gulls were seen - two locals and one each from Seine-Maritime, France  Black 64E  (Gilles Le Guillou) and Chausey Islands, France  Green E.04 (Seb Provost) - both birds being already known in Guernsey.

GBBG Green E.04 Chouet landfill 01/03/10 - PKV