More Immature LBBGs Back in Guernsey

After several days with no gulling, I really enjoyed a 90 minute watch at Chouet early this morning. Although there were good numbers of immature LBBGs present on the beach, only one of my immature cr birds was seen - Black 1.K8,ringed in July 2009 as a chick on Burhou, Alderney. This bird is known to have spent at least two of the intervening winters in Madrid, Spain, where it was last seen on 31 January 2012. Amongst other gulls seen today were Herring Gull Pale Blue B493 ringed in Seine-Maritime, France, and three French-ringed Great Black-backed Gulls (Black 66J from Le Havre and Green H.03 and Green J.60 from Chausey Islands). Herring Gull White 2.AP6 (Ex 7M6), which (unusually) winters in Northern Spain, was also photographed on the beach today.

 LBBG Black 1.K8 

The ashen beauty of a 1st summer LBBG!

Belgian and Portuguese-ringed LBBGs at Chouet

After a very busy week at work and home, with very little gulling, it was wonderful to spend a couple of hours on Saturday morning at Chouet Landfill. Although the weather was a bit dull, with showers and a stiff breeze, I was able to enjoy wonderful views of the gulls as they fed at the tipping face. It was very noticeable that there has been another increase in immature LBBGs present - mostly 2nd and 3rd summer birds, but also the occasional 1st summer bird. Amongst these birds were a couple of my chicks ringed on Burhou in 2009 and 2010. A Belgian-ringed bird was also present - Blue N.CAG. I was also very pleased to finally be able to read a Portuguese metal ring on an adult LBBG Lisboa M011613. I had seen this bird several times in the past few weeks, but hadn't been able to secure all the digits on the code.

I was also intrigued to se Yellow-legged Gull White 1CA9 feeding - supporting the view that this adult bird is at least summering n the islands (as in 2011)...if not breeding in a mixed pair with Herring Gull!

Also at this time of the year I really enjoy watching the LBBGs pairing and displaying - all in all a really wonderful session at Chouet!

Iceland and Yellow-legged Gulls at Chouet

Highlights at Chouet in the last few days have included a 1st winter Iceland Gull, an unringed adult Yellow-legged Gull and a new day record of 163 ring reads on my Lesser Black-backed Gulls! The only disappointment was our lack of success catching any new gulls this weekend (probably because of the strong winds, which tend to unsettle the gulls).