One of last years Fledgelings was sighted in Wakeham Portland (the widest street on the isle of Portland ) before flying off in the direction of the Break waters.
Great Black Backed Gull P:89D ringed June 2021 and seen by Martin Adlam on the 23rd December.
All sightings have been this year, 4 at Newlyn Harbour Cornwall, the last was in the Hayle Estuary Cornwall and now the latest on Portland.
Great Black Backed Gull P:53F has given us its 3rd sighting since being ringed during June 2022.
The first two were at Le Portlet Harbour Pays de Calais, it has now moved along the coast to Boulogne sur Mer Harbour still in the Pays de Calais.
Seen there on the 18th December by Jean Michel Sauvage.
Perelle Beach on Guernsey continues to attract Gulls including our own.
Great Black Backed Gull P:43A was there once more on the 19th November seen by Wayne Turner.
Thanks to Wayne Turner on Guernsey we have another sighting of Great Black Backed Gull P:38D
Back on Perelle Beach Guernsey for the 13th occasion, no sightings from anywhere else. It is possible like other GBBGull's it is feeding in mid channel and choosing to return to Guernsey.
Originally ringed in June 2021 when a Pulli on the Break Waters.
From Dawlish warren on the Exe Estuary Devon Lee Collins has sent us a sighting of Great Black Gull P:39C seen there on the 9th November , originally ringed on the Break Waters on the 22nd June 2021.
Another of the 2021 ringing is Great Black Backed Gull P:15F returning to Blaxton Meadow on the Plym Estuary near Plymouth Devon. Seen there on the 14th November its second visit to this area previously it was seen in Cornwall at Newlyn Harbour.
Two sightings of our Gulls who have led a very secretive life not giving many sightings.
Herring Gull 441 was ringed in June 2012 on the Break Waters of Portland Harbour. Our first sighting did not come in until 2018 when it was seen at Radipole lake in Weymouth. The next sighting was in 2019 again at Radipole then nothing until Richard Fairbanks sighted it again at Radipole on the 31st October 2022.
Great Black Backed Gull P;63D made another visit to Perelle Beach Guernsey on the 23rd October seen by Wayne Turner.
We have received our second sighting of one of our Gulls from the Gann Estuary Pembrokshire Wales.
Great Black Backed Gull P:28F ringed June 2022 on the Break Waters was seen at Gann on the 20th October by Brian Southern.
One of our Herring Gulls was also sighted earlier this year on the same estuary.
Lee Collins has sent in sightings from Dawlish Warren Devon following cold winds from Russia bringing an influx of Gulls.
On the 9th October Great Black Backed Gull P:21F made a return visit to Dawlish. Originally ringed June 2021 and seen at Dawlish in September 2021.
On the 19th October a well travelled Great Black Backed Gull P:41C made its first recorded visit to Dawlish.
It has roamed between London Docklands, the home counties and down to Perelle on Guernsey in the years since it was ringed in June 2016. Not a normal pattern for Gull to spend the majority of its time inland, a few of our GBBGull's have made similar movements.
Great Black Backed Gull P:73C is continuing its stay in the Perelle area of Guernsey seen there on the 18th October by Wayne Turner.
Two regular visitors to Perelle Beach Guernsey are Great Black Backed Gull P:38D
Our best known Great Black Backed Gull continues to its association with Perelle and Guernsey P:43A was seen in L'Eree Bay on the 18th September at Perelle on the 23rd September and L'Eree on the same day and back at Perelle on the 6th October, excellent site fidelity. Sighting Wayne Turner
Great Black Backed Gull P:27A shows a different pattern ringed June 2014 with first sighting at Perelle in August 2014 a couple of sightings there up to 2016 then nothing until 2021 and the next sighting at Perelle on the 10th October 2022. Sighting Wayne Turner
Herring Gull 712 ringed on the Break Waters was seen once more near the Jubilee Clock Weymouth Promenade on the 8th October. This is the only place that we have sightings for this Gull, where it goes in between times is till a mystery. Sighting by James Spooner
Shaun Grose of the WCRG sighted Great Black Backed Gull P:35F at Saint Gothian Sands Cornwall on the 9th October, having moved from its previous sighting position of Slapton Sands Devon and before then it was seen at Perelle Beach Guernsey.
Another Great Black Backed Gull P:22D ringed June 2021 first sighting was at Dungeness Kent Oct 2021 was seen at Boulogne sur Mer on the 6th October 2022 seen by Eric Petit-Berghem
It has been very busy recently and now is the time to catch up with sight
Great Black Backed Gull P:35F was seen at Colin Best Nature reserve Guernsey on the 5th September at 10.50am by Wayne Turner and relocated shortly after wards in L'Eree bay at 11.20am also Guernsey.
The same gull was seen shortly after on the 16th September at Slapton Sands Devon by Perry Sanders.
Slapton Sands Devon is providing a magnet for our Gulls and Gulls from other studies and Perry Sanders is providing regular sightings to us all.
GBBGull P:32D returned to Slapton on the 29th August, originally ringed June 2019 it has been seen twice on Guernsey once at Alderney and twice at Slapton.
Perelle Beach on Guernsey is the place to find Great Black Backed Gulls P:38D and P;73C (which was ringed in June 2016) all sightings for them both are from Guernsey.
Finally for this post a first sighting from one of this years fledgelings, seen at Lodmoor Nature Reserve Weymouth Dorset on the 3rd September.
Ringed on the Break Waters on the 15th June 2022. Hopefully more sightings of this young Gull and its fellow fledgelings will follow.
August seems to be bringing am influx of Gulls from what the observers say in their emails.
Wayne Turner reports GBBGull P:38D on the 11th August and P:63D on the 14th August (a Perelle regular visitor) were still present on Perelle Beach Guernsey.
Moving across the Channel to Plymouth and the Plym estuary where Pete Aley sighted Great Black Backed Gull P:15F seen on the 20th August. The only previous sighting was in Newlyn Harbour Cornwall in December 2021 ringed in June 2021.
Now we go East to Dungeness in Kent during an influx of Gulls we received two sightings of Herring Gull 804 both on the 22nd August. From Martin Casemore and David Walker (Warden at Dungeness Bird Observatory).
Guernsey is the in place for Gulls at the moment Wayne Turner has sighted quite a list of local Gulls and those from France along with ours.
The well known GBBGull resident P:43A is now taking her ease after the breeding season on Perelle Beach seen 7th August.
Two more of our GBBGull's arrived in the same 24hour period also at Perelle, was it coincidence or were they flying together a good question?
Both photos Wayne Turner
A Herring Gull sighting from Lower Compton waste site 812 back there on the 12th August and on the 15th August, previous sighting was at the same site in January 2021. Sighting from Nick Adams and Peter Rock.
Following on from the previous post another of our Great Black Backed Gulls P:26F was seen in Calvados Normandy France at Port en Bressin. First sighting since ringing in June 2021.
Sighting thanks to Gilbert Vimard.
A new sighting
Stephen Rodwell has sent in a detailed list of observations which we feel warrants posting without any changes.
I have seen a white colour ringed Great Black Backed Gull, P:41C,
at both Wilstone Reservoir (Hertfordshire) and Grovebury Sand Pit, Leighton
Buzzard (Bedfordshire). The bird was typically roosting at Grovebury Sand Pit
and feeding largely on signal crayfish at Wilstone during the day. It was
paired with an unringed bird. P: 41C now seems to have departed and neither
bird is roosting at Grovebury Sandpit.
P:41C was first seen roosting at Grovebury Sandpit on 8th June, 2022. It also roosted on 23rd June, 4th July, 25 July, 26th July and last seen roosting on 28th July.
It was then at Wilstone Reservoir on 18th June, 2022, 19th June,
21st June, 25th June, 26th June, 30th June, 3rd July, 11th July, 17th July,
18th July, 26th July and 29th July.
Stephen's sightings indicate a high possibility of the Gull breeding locally to the two sites.
Sightings are picking up as Gulls and other Sea Birds move to their winter areas.
Great Black Backed Gull P:89D was seen at Newlyn Harbour Cornwall on the 28th July sighting by the West Cornwall Ringing Group.
GBBGull P:43A was taking a well earned post breeding rest on Perelle Beach Guernsey on the 28th July, followed by two more of our GBBGull's arriving at Perelle within the same 24 hour period P:38D & P:63D we know this thanks to the efforts of Wayne Turner.
Our Great Black Backed Gulls appear to be on the move from the sightings that are coming in.
GBBGull P:06D ringed June 2019 first sighting was in March 2020 on Guernsey where it has been a regular visitor. March 2022 it was on the Hayle estuary Cornwall and now on the 13th July it was at Slapton Sands Devon.
Slapton Sands is becoming a popular spot for Gulls GBBGull P:47D has discovered the delights of this site visiting on the 13th July 2022 the only previous sighting was at Ostende Belgium in August 2020. Which was the furthest sighting we have had to the East of Portland.
Over to West Bexington Beach Dorset on the 16th July Mike Morse sighted GBBGull P:26D on the 16th July this is the first sighting since ringing in June 2021.
Herring Gull 826 ringed June 2021 on the Portland break Waters has given its first sighting seen at Lower Compton waste transfer site near Bristol.
Wayne Turner has succeeded in locating the nest site of GbbGull P:43A on an island off the coast of Guernsey. In addition judging by the size of the mate she is a female.
The pair have one Pulli, 10 years of waiting but well worth it proof of breeding from the second ringed Gull from Portland.
GBBGull P:04D made return visit to West Bexington Beach Dorset on the 3rd July seen by Mike Morse. Previously seen in Guernsey.
No sightings for a while then three very close together, always happy to receive them.
Herring Gull 787 was back on Radipole Lake Weymouth on the 20th June seen by Bob Ford. It was ringed in Weymouth originally in 2019.
Great Black Backed Gull P:05D left the delightful Island of Guernsey for Slapton Sands in Devon seen there on the 18th June by Perry Saunders.
From a Birds of Poole Harbour Boat trip on the 30th May 2022 we have received a sighting of a Great Black Backed Gull P:05A breeding in the Lagoon on Brownsea Island.
GBBGull P:05A ringed by us in June 2012 one of our first. The only previous sighting was in November 2012 at Le sable de L'Onne Vendee France (French Atlantic Coast very popular with our Gulls).
Photo and sighting courtesy of R Goad Photograph ©
The photograph is reproduced with permission of the photographer.
Richard Phillips has sighted another of our Great Black Backed Gulls also on Charmouth Beach Dorset.
GBBGull P:92D ringed June 2021 first sighting was October last year on Guernsey and now at Charmouth on the 16th May.
GBBGull P:62A was back on the Devon Axe seen by Ian McLean on the 22nd march ringed in 2014. An Axe regular with flights up to Chard on the Somerset Dorset Border.
GBBGull P:89D is becoming a regular visitor to Newlyn Harbour in Cornwall, latest sighting from Shaun Grose passed on by Mark Grantham West Cornwall Ringing Group. Seen on the 8th May originally ringed in June 2021.
Gull sightings are still down on previous seasons why remains a mystery, one possibility is the regular storms coming through the channel.
Great Black Backed gull P:12F has given us its second sighting since ringing in June 2021. Seen in the Camel estuary Cornwall on the 11th October by Jane Duffy and Stan Christophers.
The previous sighting was at Padstow December 2021.
Lee Collins is continuing his monitoring of colour ringed Birds that visit Dawlish Warren on the Devon Exe Estuary. Lee tells us that there are not as many c-r birds being seen compared to previous winters, we can only comment on the sightings coming in to us and the number of sightings are certainly down compared to same period in past years.
Lee sent 36 new sightings of Great Black Backed Gull P:87B ringed in June 2015 and so far it has produced over 150 individual sightings all from Dawlish supplied by Lee and his colleagues. The latest was on the 22nd January 2022.
We have already posted a sighting of Great Black Backed Gull P:10F ringed last June as a Pulli. We had sighting from Mimizan France on the 9th January from Sophie Damian Picollet, another has come in from the same day and place with slightly different co-ordinates from Bertrand Lamothe.
To finish with another sighting from Guernsey of Great Black Backed Gull P:43A, seen by Abby Domaille at the old Chouet Landfill site seen 20th February.
Guernsey is the place at the moment to see our Gulls on Perelle Beach sightings thanks to Wayne Turner.
Great Black Backed Gull P:43A returned on the 26th January unfortunately with some type of leg injury hopefully not to serious.
Following on the next day 27th January were two more of our Great Black backed Gulls.
P:33D making its first recorded visit to Guernsey, having travelled the South Coast of England from Portland to Shoreham and a visit to the Axe in Devon. Now a cross channel voyage where next?
P:79C another regular visitor to Guernsey with occasional visits to the Otter Estuary and the Axe Estuary in Devon.
first sightings from last years ringing continue to arrive from the French Atlantic coast to Ferry Bridge which is on the opposite side of Portland Harbour to where the nest sites are situated.
Great Black Backed Gull P:09F was seen back there on the mud flats on the 18th January seen by Dave Bishop.
Great Black Backed Gull P:10F featured in our last post being seen on the 27th December 2021 on the Ile de Yeu of the Vendee coast of France.
By the 9th January it had moved further south along the coast to Courant Mimizan between Bordeaux and Bayonne. Seen by Sophie Damian-Picollet.
It is rare we get Herring Gull sightings so it is always good news when one comes in. Herring Gull 535 hadn't been sighted since ringing in June 215.
That was until the 8th January 2022 when it was sighted at Lubeck-Wakenitz Germany sighting sent in by Institut für Vogelforschung "Vogelwarte Helgoland
A Great Black Backed Gull sighting and a Herring Gull sighting the first HG for some time.
Great Black Backed Gull P:20B hadn't produced a sighting since 2018 and before that 2016 originally ringed in June 2014. That was until 3rd January 2022 Allan Reese found it in flock of Gulls in the Dorchester area of Dorset. Allan sent us a Photo taken at a long distance and naturally there was apiece of grass partially obscuring what we decided after studying the photo was a P.
Nick Adams and Peter Rock sighted Herring Gull 812 back at Lower Compton waste treatment site near to Bristol. Seen on 4th January 2022.
Ringed in June 2019 and all 3 sightings have come from Lower Compton.
Two more Great Black Backed Gull sightings from last year, sent in by Mark Grantham and the West Cornwall Ringing Group.
GBBGull's P:03F and P:12F both ringed in June 2021 and this was the first sighting since then for both. Seen just outside of Padstow Harbour Cornwall on the 31st December 2021 by Shaun Grose.
