100,000 not out...and more Exciting LBBG Reports

I noticed last night that the page counter for the GuernseyGulls blog had flipped past the 100,000 mark, which made me smile. It's wonderful to think there's been that much interest in the gulls of these small, but ornithologically important, Channel Islands! Many thanks to all of you who support the endeavours to bring the fascinating lives of our gulls to others!

It is perhaps fitting that to celebrate this landmark I can report on two more valuable reports of our colour ringed Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Black 9K5 was ringed at Chouet Landfill in May 2011 as an adult male. Its observation on 1st December 2014 by Paco del Campo at Bocabarranco on Gran Canaria is the fourth recorded round trip between Guernsey and the Canary Islands in as many years! This is a straight line return journey each winter off more than 5,250 km!

On the same day LBBG Black 4AL4 was again spotted by Enrique Luque in Castellon on the NE Spanish Mediterranean coastline. This is the third known consecutive winter that this gull has wintered in this area. While not such a long migration as that of B9AK5, NE Spain is not a common wintering area for Channel Islands' nesting LBBGs, which favour the west and centre of Iberia.

LBBG Black 9K5 at Chouet Landfill (c) PKV

LBBG Black 9K5 at Bocabarranco, Gran Canaria (c) X Ramirez

LBBG Black 4AL4 at Vinaroz Harbour (c) Enrique Luque

LBBG Black 4AL4 at Castellon Harbour (c) Pepe Greno