It seem that Greater Manchester may be undergoing something of a Great Black-backed Gull invasion and I'm wondering if anyone else out there has noticed increased numbers at their local patch? I'm particularly interested in those gull spots just outside our county if anyone has any details (or knows someone who might) and from anyone who has noticed any particular patterns to their numbers (we flippin' can't).

Their numbers in Greater Manchester have fluctuated daily with seemingly no pattern of occurrence in relation to day of the week or tipping activity on local refuse tips, although viewing some tips in GM is extremely difficult (at best) at the moment, so it may still have some relevance. Anyway, it has been confusing myself and Pete Berry to no end so any info will be greatfully received, please post it on this thread or email me direct.

To illustrate the point, up to the beginning of this winter the record count of Great Black-backs for the county was 504 at Heaton Park Reservoir. This count was then beaten by a recent count of just over 600 at Heaton Park Resr, Dave Winnard then had an Ashworth Moor Resr record count of 512 on the 12th of Jan (which must surely involve the same HPR birds?) and then Heaton Park Resr went and smashed it's own record with over 700! This pales into insignificance however next to the frankly awesome count of 1005 Great Black-backed Gulls (yes, that's not a typo) at the latter site late last week, couple this to tonight's record site count () of 358 at Pennington Flash (with small numbers recorded at Heaton Park the same night) and you'll agree that there's something going on somewhere.

With more than a few active refuse tips in the area (Whinney Hill, through our county and down to Arpley Tip) they're no doubt roaming between them and have some form of pattern only they know, a few recent 'marker birds' (Caspian and Glaucous Gulls) would seen to support this theory together with visual observations of birds flying to and from different tips directions.