Only gulls

Only gull stuff in this post, others can ignore!

Recent ring recoveries now added via files "Rings" on right bar, divided by species (each is a spreadsheet with each bird on a separate worksheet).

For BHG, link, the Musselburgh birds last Dec had been ringed as chicks at Coquet Island, Northumbs (now 5th-win) and Loch Urr, D&G (now 7th-win!), plus the Norwegian bird, ringed as an adult in a park in Oslo on 1/4/00 (none had previous resightings).

Med Gulls stuff is derived from Johan's site but with some incipient analysis. Includes latest sighting of red-PJU6 (c/o Dave), previously at Seton on 11/9/09.

Latest Herring was the returning orange-1787 last autumn but more interesting was the Isle of May chick from 24/7/91, feeding on the grass at Gullane Bents c/p within sight of its birthplace (over 18 years later). Must have another look for that bird, metal ring only, quite worn.

Anyway, two Meds in the roost on the sea tonight (Sunday), one with near full hood and other with just a narrow mask ending in a wider mark. Unfortunately tide quite high and dog walkers as usual running their hounds at the whole flock to make sure none left on the shore, so all attempts to refind Dave's Polish bird futile. Dave had 3 other ads on same day and 4 also last wknd. Also the leucistic Common Gull out in the roost, and a single LBB, plus 73 Herring Gulls remaining beyond dusk.

The previous week, had done final winter atlas TTV in NT47I (Longniddry Bents) and within a minute of starting an adult Med flew SW along Longniddry shore, alighting at the Seton Burn. Already logged for all these tetrads but nice to get in the timed count. The previous day as more useful record with single adult Med with small gulls in grass at Wellington Farm, Millerhill, fortunately just inside NT36, thus a 10km tick for atlas. Flushed and flew to the nearby flood pool at Newton. The following day similar flock at same place but no time to check.

Back to the previous wknd and only single adult Meds were located on shore on 17 & 18 Feb, dusk both days. So the increase to 4 birds by the end of Feb, plus appearance of the Polish bird, may be indicative of a "return" passage; we have never previously had the Polish birds beyond mid-March, so they are not likely to stay long; question is, where do they go mid-winter, it seems they must proceed west (red-7P8 last seen 20/11/10) but we have never had any resightings from elsewhere.