Watching birds you know well several thousand kilometres from home is an incredible experience! I'm just back from a week in Morocco, based at Agadir. My previous visit to Agadir had been in December 2010 and 2012. What makes Agadir such a good base for reading gull colour rings in Africa is the fish processing factory just to the north at Anza. The beach here can fill with 30,000+ gulls - almost all Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Fantastic views can be obtained of the gulls as they feed. Over the next week or so I'll make several postings about this wondrous place. I haven't analysed my field book yet, but I was very pleased to take a lot of colour ring reads. The majority were LBBGs from Northern Europe (Norway, Germany, Denmark, The Netherlands and Belgium), but I saw birds from c 20 projects from all over Northern and Western Europe, including eight Guernsey ringed birds!
All Photos (c) PKV
Great Job Paul ! Looking forward to the tiba-rings ;-) Hopefully I make it up with you with some of yours around Portimao the next weeks ;-)
ReplyDeleteHi Roland-Jan. Many thanks! I haven't counted up yet...but it is going to be close again as to whether Norway or The Netherlands comes out top! Denmark also featured strongly, as did Sonke's German birds...but perhaps the biggest surprise was the very good showing of Belgian birds. All subjective comments. I hope to enter the records soon and send them out..and then we'll see! Have a great trip to Portimao...where I hope my gulls may keep you busy!!!
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