Great Black Backed Gull P:56F has taken a liking to the area around Boulogne sur Mer particularly Le Portel in Northern France returning there once more.

Seen in Le Portel by Jan Talloen on the 26th July, previous visits are on two occasions in November 2022 following fledging in June 2022 and then again in December 2022. This year 2023 once in January, then in February and now July.

 We have two first sightings following fledging although the GBBGull's are not the same age.

GBBGull P:65D was hatched and fledged from the North East arm of the Break Water  in June 2019

It waited until the 19th July 2023 to show itself and it was back in Portland Harbour on the C head of the Bincleaves arm which is attached to the Weymouth mainland.

                                                     Photo and sighting from Mark Rowles.

GBBGull P:57F didn't wait as long to show itself seen on the River Adur opposite Shoreham Airport Sussex. Seen there by Richard Fairbank on the 20th July.

Photo Richard Fairbank.

 

 Great Black Backed Gull P:52F has returned to Cornwall with a visit to Looe Island on the 26th June seen by assistant warden Claire Lewis.

                                                                  Photo Claire Lewis

Jon Ross and Claire Lewis

 Looe Island Warden and Warden's Assistant

Cornwall Wildlife Trust

Email: looeisland@cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk
Phone: 07974 293495 (Jon) 07814 166718 (Claire) 

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Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Five Acres, Allet, Cornwall, TR4 9DJ.  Registered charity 214929

 As this years Pulli start to fledge the full grown Gulls and Adults are returning to the traditional roost sites.

Great Black Backed Gull P:43A who has been absent since November 2022 with no proof of breeding this year, has returned to her normal roost in Perelle Bay Guernsey.

Seen there on 21st June by Wayne Turner.

Great Black Backed Gull P:63D returned on the 23rd June to Perelle Beach

                                                                Photos by Wayne Turner

 As Part of the Break Water ringing we do ring the Herring Gulls a part of our dispersal study, in addition if Gulls come into our sphere we ring them as well.

Herring Gull 559 is one of these, ringed 2016 and released on fledging in Portland Harbour sighted on 2 occasions this year to the east at Swanage Dorset, seen there on the 13th June 2023 by Steve Kitchen.

                                                                    Photos Steve Kitchen

 As we have mentioned here in the past all sightings are very welcome of our Gulls, that's the way we all learn.

Some give regular sightings some wait up to 5 years before giving a sighting, then we have the exceptional.

Great Black Backed Gull P:30A is one of these exceptional Gulls, ringed June 2012 as a Pulli on the Break Waters one of our first back at the start of our project.

Seen on Guernsey on 4 occasions during 2013 then nothing until June 2016

Shaun Robson found it at Lychett Bay Poole Harbour June 2016

Then once more nothing until

Ian Ballam found it back in Lychett Bay on the 11th June 2023 a gap of 7 years with no news.

For our project a great record for our data base.

 The West Coast  of France has proved popular over the years to our Gulls of all ages, both Herring and Great Black Backed.

Great Black Backed Gull P:10F continues this association with a visit on the 8th June to Pointe de Ponvins Morbihan seen by Anne-Sophie Hochet.

                                                                Photo Anne-Sophie Hochet

Originally ringed on the Portland Harbour Break waters June 2021, first sighting December 2021 at the Isle de Yeu Vendee, second sighting January 2022 Mimizan Brittany and now Pointe de Ponvins.