A Visit to The Algarve, Portugal

I’ve just returned from a week in the Algarve, Portugal looking for colour ringed Lesser Black-backed Gulls. I am very pleased to report that no fewer than 12 different “Guernsey” Lesser Black-backed Gulls were amongst the 96 colour ringed LBBGs seen. The Guernsey birds included three ringed as chicks and one as an adult in 2009, and three adults, four chicks and a 2nd calendar year from 2010. Some of these gulls already have other sightings in Spain and Portugal, and one of the 2009 chicks had been seen in September 2010 in The Netherlands.

The other colour ringed Lesser Black-backed Gulls originated from:-

Norway (6), Denmark (5), Germany (3), Iceland (4),The Netherlands (25), Belgium (14), England (20), Wales (4), France (2) and Portugal (1).

The principal sites visited were Quarteira/Vilamoura Beaches, Portimao Fish Port, Porto de Lagos Landfill and Tavira saltpans.

Other colour rings were read on White Storks (Portugal (2) and Germany (1)), Mediterranean Gulls (Belgium (2), France (5), Italy (1) and Hungary (1)), Yellow-legged Gull (Portugal )1)) and Audouin’s Gulls (Spain (2)).

As well as some superb gull watching, it was also a very relaxing and enjoyable holiday in some much warmer weather than we have back home in Guernsey at the moment!

 White 3.U5 (from Guernsey)

 Audouin's Gulls at Tavira Saltpans

 Black 2.C9 (from Guernsey)

 Black 3.N2 (from Guernsey)

 Black 5.L9 (from Alderney)

 Blue JY96 (from Iceland)

 Blue KAB (from Gloucester, England)

 Green RH3 (from Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

 Orange PXO (from Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

 PKV on Vilamoura Beach

 Dusk at Quarteira

 Red E492 at Portimao (from Netherlands)

 Tavira Saltpans

White Storks at Porto de Lagos Landfill

More Gulls at Chouet

A shorter than usual effort this Saturday at Chouet resulted in 86 ring reads (81 Herring and five Great Black-backed Gulls) - all local birds - except two well-known French GBBGs - Blue 30C (Le Havre, Seine-Maritime - Gilles Le Guillou) and Green J.60 (Chausey Islands - Seb Provost). Constant light rain and poor light didn't really help viewing conditions, but the rising tide did push the loafing gulls close to the car.

Great Black-backed Gull Yellow 0R9 Chouet Landfill Beach 13/11/10 - PKV (originally ringed 29/06/09 as a chick at Albecq, Guernsey)

A Blustery Day!

It has been a blustery week in Guernsey, with plenty of grey, stormy weather. This morning was no different, but I managed to read a few colour rings on gulls at Chouet landfill and on Chouet landfill Beach. Amongst them as Blue B883 - a 1st winter Herring Gull ringed by Christne Blaize (CHENE) at Le Havre, Seine-Maritime, FRANCE.

 Gulls on Chouet Landfill Beach - 12/11/10 - PKV

 Gulls at Chouet Landfill Beach 12/11/10 -PKV

Herring Gull White 7.AJ2 Chouet landfill Beach - 12/11/10 - PKV

Cannon Netting Gulls on Guernsey on BIRDGUIDES

Mark Grantham today sent an e-mail with a link to an excellent short video he made of the gull cannon netting operation run with the North Thames Gull Group at Chouet landfill last May.  It is a really informative and well filmed little piece - very well worth a look for anyone interested in gull ringing.

http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=2389

Colour-ringed Great Cormorant

Recently local birder Tony Bisson sent me this photo of a colour ringed Great Cormorant at St Saviour's Reservoir, Guernsey on 21 October 2010. Gérard Debout has informed us that this bird was ringed on 15 May 2010 on Huguenans Island, Chausey Islands, Manche, FRANCE.

Great Cormorant C10 at St Saviour's Reservoir, Guernsey - Tony Bisson



Testing a Theory!

I was very pleased again today not to see any of my colour ringed Lesser Black-backed Gulls in Guernsey. I still believe that the entire breeding population leaves the Bailiwick of Guernsey at least over the period November-December. Three of my birds were still being seen along Guernsey’s west coast deep into October, but it is now almost two weeks since I have seen any of them. It is good fun testing my theory. I will of course post news on this site if any of my gulls prove me wrong this winter! A very quick look this morning revealed 16 Lesser Black-backed Gulls along the Island’s west coast – presumably all birds which have arrived from further north.

LBBG Black 2.C9 - one of the last "Guernsey" LBBGs to be seen this autumn - PKV