Probably the last post for 2018.

Ian MacLean sighted two of our GBBGulls on the Axe Estuary P:64B on the 3rd December an Axe regular.

GBBG 628 seen on Portland on the 8th December, it has now moved along the coast to the Axe seen there on the 16th December.

Keith Pritchard and Lee Collins just to mention two of our regular contributeurs of sightings find it easier to send in list at regular intervals rather than every 5 minutes.

Lee monitors the Colour ring Birds at Dawlish Warren on the Exe Estuary Devon and Keith monitors the Gulls on Portland both for their relevant studies.

There is not enough space to mention every highlighted siighting so we have gone for a Franco Anglaise P:38B seen in Courselles sur Mer in August and on Portland 2nd November.

As we aproach the festive season another post is unlikely, so may Steve Hales, myself Terry Coombs and our team wish everyone


A Very Merry Christmas and  A Happy New Year 2019 and thankyou for your sightings

Radipole Lake Weymouth Herring Gull sightings from Dave Bishop seen on the 21st December,

742, 744, 773, & 784

On the same day Dave foot sighted  Herring Gull 744 & 729

                729 has an over shot upper mandible, while not common it does occur. Unfortunately the quality allowed on the blog does not have the clarity of the original photo by Dave Foot ©

These 5 Herring Gulls were all ringed in and around Weymouth, although  not our main study we ring the urban Gull's if they come our way.

Great Black Backed Gull P:82B has made a return visit to Little Marlow Gravel Pits Buckinghamshire on the 11th December sighting by Adam Bassett.

Ringed in June 2015 it has been sighted on and at, Axe Estuary Oct 2017, Little Marlow Dec 2017, Stratford sub Castle Salisbury March 2018, followed by two sightings back on Portland before returning to Little Marlow.

An inland Gravel Pit is not where we would expect to find GBBGull's, Adam tells us that on the 12th December there were 125 GBBG's present at Little Marlow not as strange as we thought.

Great Black Backed Gull P:15A ringed June 2012 one of our first ringed GBBG’s. Dropped out of sight in August 2015 after a visit to Bernieres sur mer, Calvados France. 

Thanks to sighting from Dave Foot at West Knighton Gravel Pits Dorset on the 9^th December  ( East of Dorchester in the Frome valley) it is back producing sightings. 

Previous sightings have come from Boulogne sur Mer France, the Otter Estuary Devon and West Bexington Dorset.

Herring Gull 744 is continuing to use the Swannery Car park in Weymouth to have a wash and brush up after a busy day doing what Herring Gulls do. It was sighted by Neil Price on the 9th December.

Great Black Backed Gull P:50C is continuing its tour of the Channel Islands, having visited Chouet Beach on Guernsey. It called into Corblets Bay on Alderney, seen there on the 6th December by Paul and Catherine Veron.

May be it wished to have a look at the newly established Bird Obs on the Island or Paul...!!!!

Great Black Backed Gull P:62C is a regular visitor to Cornwall having been seen in and around the Lizard, with a return visit to Portland in September.

A new Sighting by Jane Duffy along with Stan Christophers at Pentween Beach, St Austell, Cornwall on the 6th December 2018.

Herring Gull 473 was back on the Axe Estuary on the 21st November seen by Ian MacLean.

Great Black Backed Gull P:78C ringed this year on the Break Waters, was sighted by Wayne Turner at Rocquaine Bay Guernsey on the 25th November, sighting passed on by Paul Veron.

                                                  Wayne Turner ©

Nick Adams and Peter Rock have an additional landfill to monitor for Gulls and our Herring Gull 568 appears to have found it first....!!!! Seen there on the 30th November.