Happily we have another first sighting since ringing, this time from Finistre France.

Great Black Backed Gull P:41D ringed June 2019, was seen at Plage des Trois Moutons, Lampaul.

                                               Seen on the 29th January by Solange Arzel.

                                                             Photo Solange Arzel ©

Edmund Mackrill also sighted Great Black Backed Gull P:14C at Radipole lake Weymouth on the 26th January.

Three days prior on the 23rd January P:14C was seen on Perelle Beach Guernsey.

                                                 P:14C  Photo Edmund Mackrill ©






On the same day 26th January further west on the Hayle Estuary Cornwall, Stan Christophers along with Jane Duffy & Jim Pascoe sighted P:45C.

This is the first sighting we have received since it was ringed in June 2016.

Sighting from the East River Looe Cornwall of Great Black Backed Gull P:51D ringed June 2019.

Seen by Derek Spooner on the 11th January 2020.

                                                   Photo Derek Spooner ©

There was a previous sighting on Looe Island during November 2019, making it highly likely that P:51D is over wintering in the area of the Looe Estuary.



Herring Gull 792 was seen in the Car Park next to Radipole Lake Weymouth on the 26th January by Edmund Mackrill.

                                                         Photo Edmund Mackrill ©

Herring Gull sightings are of equal interest to us as GBBGull sightings.

Perelle Beach Guernsey is proving to be an attraction to our Great Black Backed Gulls.

P:53C was seen there on the 24th January, by Wayne Turner.

The distance did give Wayne certain degree of trouble in reading the last letter on the Plastic ring.

                               In the first photo it could be a 'O' or a 'D', we did use 'D' last year.
                     

                                     In the second photo it is definitely a 'C' ringed June 2018

Wayne Turner has been in touch with a sighting of Great Black Backed Gull P:14C seen at Perelle Beach Guernsey Channel Islands on the 23rd January 2020.

First sighting of this Gull since ringing in July 2019.

                                                 Both Photos Wayne Turner ©

Great Black Backed Gull P:35B is continuing to over winter in now what appears to be its preferred winter area of La Coruna Spain.

                                                   Photo Antonio Lopez Porto©

Sighted by Antonio on the 18th January 2020 at Santa Christina Beach, Oleiros La Coruna, Spain. This Gull has been seen in this area every winter since March 2016.

In the intervening years it has been sighted on two occasions back in the UK at Dawlish Warren Devon and last Summer on the Atlantic Coast of Brittany.

Great Black Backed Gull P:41C continues to enjoy the Tring area of Hertfordshire, being present on Wilstone Reservoir for the 9 days up to and including the 13th January.

Sighting sent in by Lee Evans.

First sightings for the New Year 2020.

 Great Black Backed Gull P:41C has given us three sightings all from near London and not at all coastal.

2nd January Tringford Reservoir  and later the same day from Wilstone Reservoir near to Tring Hertfordshire. Sightings from Ian Williams.

6th January it had moved to Grovebury Sand Pit near Leighton Buzzard Bedfordshire sighting by David Bilcock.

Previous wanderings have taken it to Rotherhythe Docks London, Bexley refuse Tip, and Little Marlow Gravel Pits, Buckinghamshire.

We may have moved into a New Year and a New decade, although 2019 is not finished totally as yet as there is still time for sightings to come in such as this one.

Great Black Backed Gull P:51D ringed June 2019 and giving us its first sighting.

Seen at Looe Island Cornwall on the 30th November 2019 sighting by Claire Lewis.

                                                  Photo Claire Lewis©

Looe island is run by the Cornwall Wildlife Trust

https://www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/explore/visit-looe-island