Gulls, terns and colour ringing

Confirmation from the Belgium and Netherlands Mediterranean Gull colour ringing scheme that the juvenile/first winter photographed at West Kirby Marine Lake (WKML) on 6th September 2013 (see below) was ringed at Valdemarslot Slotso, Fyn, in DENMARK, on 16th June 2013 as a pullus.

It was then seen at Uttoxeter Quarry, Staffordshire, UK on 27th July 2013 before being found at WKML on 6th and still there on 10th.

Two adult Med Gulls were photographed at WKML on 31st August 2013 (see blog for 1st Sep) with one adult still present yesterday on the beach between WKML and Little Eye along with a confusing second winter (sub-adult?) bird with very little black on the primaries but a pale bill on the pontoons (see below) this latter bird still present this morning on the Lake itself (see flight shot below); there have therefore been at least four Meds in the area since 31st August.

An adult Yellow-legged Gull was photographed in "the usual place" west of Little Eye between there and "the ridge" on 11th September 2013 (see below).  There have been at least three Yellow-legged Gulls at Hoylake beach (see www.lighthousebirding.blogspot.com).

We are waiting for news on the color ringed Black-headed Gull (possibly from Poland) first seen on 6th September and photographed at WKML on 11th.  Another different color-ringed bird was present on the beach yesterday (12th) but like several color-ringed Sandwich Terns (see below) the lettering could not be made out but we will make enquiries anyway to see if their ringing location can be identified from the colour and sequence of the rings. We have had Sandwich Tern sightings/recoveries before from both North East Scotland and Dublin, Ireland, so it will be interesting to see if we can add to this knowledge.