- Herring Gull N:05M was ringed at Woodyards, Bowland, Lancs on 05.07.22 so now in its 2nd winter. - Herring Gull 7X5B looks to be Jez Blackburns so info will be sent over asap
- 1st w Caspian Gull on rubbish mound in yard Sunday afternoon. Stayed for about 5 minutes then flew off. - 8 Argentatus Herring Gulls - 1st w Gull Im unsure of as yet well see
- 1st w Herring or Lesser Black-backed Gull (prob LBb) sat at the side of the road mid-afternoon. I put my work gloves on and put it on the grass inside the 384 grounds. I was thinking maybe clipped by a car and was just dazed. It didnt half pack a nip whilst handling it, very strong bill grip around my fingers.
I went back to work then called back later, it was still there. Phoned RSPCA - no answer. Phoned at least 4 different numbers for animal shelters - no answer. I sent one a text asking if they come out to wild birds. I got a text back lunchtime next day (Weds) saying phone the main RSPCA control centre. I explained I had already done that but received another text late afternoon saying they were very busy.
It couldve been an injury not readily seen, or it couldve been diseased so I had to leave it. The Gull inevitably perished overnight, before I even got a response from the RSPCA , its corpse is still there.
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Sunday 26th of November 2023 09:49:15 PM
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Sunday 26th of November 2023 09:49:44 PM
- Thought I had a 1st w Caspian Gull stood on BCA roof but as I reached for my camera the damn thing sat down obscured by the metal structures in their yard so it didnt make for the best photo opportunities. It looked better whilst it was standing than sat down, but knowing my luck it was probably just a Herring Gull.
I had let this one go from Friday due to fading light possibly affecting colouration. - Yellow legged Argenteus Herring Gull. Got a much better view of the legs this time, superficially at first I thought it could be Argentatus with its proportion of head streaking but Argenteus can show this much too. The mantle looked a tad pale and the primary pattern looked to be deficient of white and wasnt quite right. Smart looking bird though!
Few visits late week and over the weekend but although there was quite a few Gulls, there was nothing much of note apart from Herring Gull Y:685 on Sunday morning and then again this afternoon, Tuesday.
Tues 24th Oct. Afternoon visit on way back from Liverpool.
- 1st w Herring Gull 159:C again - adult Herring Gull Y:685 - at least 4 Argentatus Herring Gulls
- and a possible shout for 1st w Yellow-legged Gull but by no means certain. The security guard at 384 threw a load of bread out and it was Gull chaos as they are behind the railings, so viewing was difficult. The bird had orangey yellow legs which were quite noticeable.
Lesser Black-backed Gull 159:C was ringed as a chick 01.07.23 at Copeland Bird Obs on Lighthouse Island, Co.Down, Northern Ireland. This is the first re-sighting of it.
Received another email from Roisin. This bird is actually a Herring Gull.
Tues 17th Oct A quick hour (as they say) after work, and an interesting one at that.
- 1st w Lesser Black-backed Gull, orange 159:C N.Ireland - Lesser Black-backed Gull pale green K+N - adult Herring Gull with green ring, missed the number - 4 Grey Wagtails - 1 Pied Wagtail
- and then just as I was about to leave a red ringed 1st w Herring Gull or Lesser Black-backed landed on the 384 roof but it was displaced by another Gull and flew off, missed the number. Could be from absolutely anywhere, France, Germany, Poland, UK, Sweden, Netherlands etc etc ??
Lesser Black-backed Gull 159:C was ringed as a chick 01.07.23 at Copeland Bird Obs on Lighthouse Island, Co.Down, Northern Ireland. This is the first re-sighting of it.
So far this morning - Lesser Black-backed Gull orange 159:C (Irish) - 1 Rook over - 1 Grey Wagtail - 4 Redwings with 1 Fieldfare - c350-400 Starling - 1 f Sparrowhawk over the yard but was swiftly chased off
No sign of yesterdays 3W Caspian or Yellow-legged Gull but forgot to mention we had 6 Redwing over yesterday morning. I was telling Lucas to listen to the flight call as they flew over, hes only ever heard them when its dark.
Reply from Pete Rock. Lesser Black-backed Gull K+N seen here again last week has never been seen anywhere else except Redgate, apart from when it was ringed in Bath. Pete thinks this one looks to have dispensed with migration altogether.
Reply from Tim Frayling. Lesser Black-backed Gull N:0C9 from 21.09.23 was ringed on Bowland Fells, Lancs, 29.06.23 and is the first re-sighting of it.
- A very nice 3rd winter Caspian Gull this morning,
You could say it was showing rather well, on 384 roof and in the yard but was sometimes obscured by the sun. A cracking bird this one. I was in 2 minds at first whether it was a 2nd winter or 3rd winter but I think its a 3rd. If it needs altering then Ill gladly do so.
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Saturday 14th of October 2023 01:54:57 PM
Images of the possible 2CY Yellow-legged Gull from weekend. This will be submitted as although Im not certain it is one, I think it is and deserves a submission.
Reply from Carlos M. regarding Lesser Black-backed Gull N:M2T from 6th September.
Larus Fuscus. Ringed as a juv coming into its 1st winter 16.10.22. Los Ruices, nr Valencia. Seen 09.08.23 Cotesbach, Lutterworth, nr Rugby. Then 06.09.23 here at Redgate.
Thought I was seeing things for a moment this afternoon but Im pretty sure they were what they were. - 6 Redwings towards the city centre and 2 larger trailing birds that looked like elongated Blackbirds, pretty sure they were Ring Ouzels, they were quite high up and camera wouldnt perform!
- possible 2CY Yellow-legged Gull again - Lesser Black-backed Gull N:85Y again - c6-700 Starling. Shouldve heard the noise in the yard. - 1 Grey Wagtail & 1 Pied Wagtail
- Norwegian ringed JL78C I initially thought an odd Herring Gull, the data comes back as Herring Gull but there are features that better fit Lesser Black-backed.
Very disappointing this last week here, with probably no more than 15-20 large Gulls at any one time, 3 visits over weekend but no change.
Thurs 21st Sept. Early morning visit before Cornwall.
- Immature Gull with green ring. The code looks like K0C9 but just not 100% nor on species, obviously difficult to separate between Herring Gull or Lesser Black-backed at this age.
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Friday 22nd of September 2023 12:29:33 PM
- 1st summer Caspian Gull 1.B Took Lucas to see his 6th (I think?) Caspian Gull while we still had time before going in work. I re-found the bird at 11.10am asleep on BCA roof, it stood up a few times giving decent views then just casually walked over the apex onto the Kirkmanshulme Lane side of the roof.
No sign in a 2 hour stint this evening after work.
Of note.. - Lesser Black-backed Gull T0XM Manx ringed - Lesser Black-backed Gull K+N Bath ringed - another 34 ad Lesser Black-backed Gulls - 5 ad Great Black-backed Gulls - 8 Black-headed Gulls
- Yellow-legged Gull this afternoon. Same individual with the orangey legs thats been a couple of times recently. - Lesser Black-backed Gull T0XM again after a week - Argentatus Gull with some brown (primary?) feathers
- Yellow-legged Gull Not quite full adult bird, again its got wishy washy legs but a different bird with its darker eye and different primary pattern to the recent bird. Bears a resemblance to the individual seen at the end of July, could well be same bird actually.
- adult Yellow-legged Gull present again on 384 roof and in yard. Was there this morning and afternoon, its the same bird as yesterday.
- Lesser Black-backed Gull T0XM again on 384 roof, probably around 60 individuals of this species - 9 Black-headed Gulls (a rarity here nowadays!) - 1 Sparrowhawk
- adult Yellow-legged Gull in the yard (pm). Nice looking bird but the legs were a bit wishy washy. It will be submitted as always.
- Lesser Black-backed Gull T0XM present again and a reply yesterday from Mark Fitzpatrick of the Manx ringing group revealed its not been seen since last August and September when it was here at Redgate.
- probable Lesser Black-backed Gull intermedius - c50 Lesser Black-backed Gulls - C60+ Swift, a handful of Sand Martins and Swallows, and around 20 Black-headed Gulls all quite high up all feeding on the glut of flying ants.
Sat 29th July. Morning and afternoon visit.
- 4CY Yellow-legged Gull present but elusive. - c100 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (40+ on 384 roof) - possible intermedius again - 40+ Swifts with 2 Swallows still feeding on the ants high up
- probable 2 intermedius on 22nd July too, forgot to post it.
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Sunday 30th of July 2023 11:11:03 AM
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Sunday 30th of July 2023 09:24:50 PM
- Yellow-legged Gull on 384 roof. (Probable 4th CY)
Thought it might be the same bird from 14th July, legs not the most colourful, obvious p10 mirror, but could be slightly structurally different so possibly a different bird?
Probable Argentatus Herring Gull too, with the increased white proportion in the primary pattern.
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Thursday 27th of July 2023 11:12:15 AM
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Thursday 27th of July 2023 11:20:07 AM
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Thursday 27th of July 2023 11:20:49 AM