As has been mentioned previously our main study is of the Gulls dispersing from the Portland Harbour Break Waters. However we believe nothing should be absolutely rigid and  Gulls have been ringed with Darvic rings carrying our codes in Weymouth and others on the Dorset, Devon Border. 

A freind and colleague Neil Croton lives on the Dorset, Devon Border and at times one of more Great Black Backed Gulls have visited his garden. Naturally being a Bird ringer Neil wondered was it one Gull or more and where does it or they go when not in his garden?

One way to find out was to catch and ring it, if this was possible.

As you can see it was possible, the GBbGull  has been ringed with a BTO metal ring and one of our Darvic rings. Now all we need is some sightings.

Continueing with the slight deviation from our core study. During November 2018 one of our team trapped a Black Headed Gull at Radipole Lake Weymouth, it was ringed with a BTO metal ring and released.

On the 28th Jan 2019 Mark Painter read the ring in the field, with the help of a Telescope at Mayflower Park Southhampton. 

Peter Rock sighted one of our Herring Gulls at Park Ground landfill Bristol on the 23rd jan 2019.

This is a new site for a joint study Peter is running along with Nick Adams.

Herring Gull 605 ringed as a Pulli June 2016 on the Portland Break Waters and this is our first sighting since then. Where it has been is one of the colour ring mysteries.

A Herring Gull ringed in Weymouth, has returned to Radipole Lake in the Town. Where it has been is a mystery as with so many Birds colour ringed by our group and other Group's.

Herring Gull 454 was ringed in Weymouth in July 2015, no sightings until June and July 2018, then nothing until Neil Price sighted it at Radipole, on the 20th January 2019.

Wayne Turner has had another sighting of Great Black Back Gull P:87C , 24 hours after his first sighting of it.

On the 19th Jan 2019 it was 3 kms North East of the first sighting, at Perelle Beach Guernsey.

More photogenic this time.

                                                          Photo  Wayne Turner  ©

Great Black Back Gull P:43A ringed as a Pulli 26th June 2012 on the Break Waters. The first sighting came from Paul Veron  seen at Chouet landfill on Guernsey September 2012.

We subsequently received a further 79 sightings (I hope our maths adds up) from Paul mostly from Chouet Landfill Guernsey.

Then nothing, P:43A had dissapeared. We kept hoping, we know you shoudn't have favourites, but we are human and it was one of our first GBBGull's ringed.

That was until an email arrived from Wayne Turner with a sighting of a GBBGull yes P:43A was back, seen 17th December at Rocquaine Bay Guernsey.

                                        GBBG P:43A September 2012 Pembroke Guernsey

                                     GBBG P:43A December 2018 Rocquaine Bay Guernsey

Herring Gulls seen at Radipole Lake Weymouth 16th January 2019 by Matt Ames.

Herring Gull 729, 744 & 784

                                                        HG 784 Matt Ames ©



Great Black Back Gull  P:87C sighted by Wayne Turner in Rocquaine Bay Guernsey 17th January 2019.

The only other sighting to date post fledging of this Gull, was on Portland September 2018.
Ringed June 2018.

                                                Enjoying the surf. Photo Wayne Turner ©

Dave Bishop sighted two of our Weymouth ringed Herring Gulls at Radipole Lake Weymouth.

Herring Gull 756 on the 13th Jan 2019 first sighting since ringing. Which has an over shot upper mandible. This wasn't evident at the time of ringing in July 2018.

As this is the second Herring Gull we have ringed in Weymouth with or has developed an over shot mandible, it prompted a Google search for more information.

Although not common it does occur in several different species of Gull. Being recorded in a Kelp Gull in France and  Gulls in North America. What causes this to happen as yet haven't found any information , if anyone can elighten us as to the cause please do?

Herring Gull 731 was sighted at Radipole Lake on the 15th Jan 2019.

Great Black Back Gull P:82B has returned to Little Marlow Gravel Pits in Buckinghamshire seen by Adam Bassett on the 8th Jan 2019, previous sighting there in December 2018.

Adam feels it is feeding on a nearby Landfill with a flock 100+ Gulls.

For a seabird, the majority of our sighting from it are from inland, maybe not all seabirds go seaward?

Thanks to Matt Ames we have our first Herring Gull sightings for 2019 .

693 and 744 both ringed in Weymouth and seen by Matt at Radipole Lake Weymouth on the 9th January 2019.

                                                       Herring Gull 693 Matt Ames©

Our first Gull sighting for 2019 and what a start to the year....!!!!!

Not only the first for the year but the first sighting for GBBGull P:77C since it was ringed as a Pulli on the 12th June 2018. Thanks to Jose Ramon Castro © for the sighting and Photo  also thanks to
Antonio Gutierrez for forwarding the information.

Where was the GBBGull seen, at Dominos Beach, Ferrol, Caruna, North West Spain, on the 8th Jan 2019.