Colour Ringed Med Gulls

Ignore the date at the top, this update is from Thursday 27th when I went to Folkestone parking on Wear Bay Road,
above the harbour, to try and get some Mediterranean  gull pictures. The weather forecast was for it to bright this afternoon but needless to say the sun stayed firmly behind the clouds for most of the time I was there preventing any hope of  flight shots.

As normal a few slices of bread thrown out of the car window ensured the gulls came close – right along side the car in fact.

There were 3 colour ringed birds among those present – an adult with White 3J90 , 1^st winter Green R29Vand 1^st winter White 33V9.

I contacted Camille Duponcheel who kindly provided the following information.

Med Gull

Adult White 3J90 - The bird was first ringed at Copt Point, Folkestone in 1991. It was sighted on numerous occasions around Folkestone over the next 5 years the last report being in March 2006. In June 2006 it was colour ringed in Antwerp, Belgium but by July it had had enough of Belgium and was back in Folkestone where it was sighted regularly for the next 2 years.

In March 2008 it took another trip to Belgium (Antwerp and Noordelijk Insheeldok wherever that is) but by December 2008 it was back in Folkestone. Reports since then have dried up a little but it continues to flip between Folkestone and Belgium

Med Gull - 1st winter

1^st winter White 33V9 was ringed in Hellevoetsluis, Holland in June, was sighted in Sandwich in August and now is in Folkestone.

Med Gull - 1st Winter

1^st Winter Green R29V was ringed in June by at the Pas de Calais by the Cap Ornis Baguage team and the first report was my one at Folkestone.

There was also a British Museum ringed bird where I can see the numbers 84549 – I don’t know if that’s the complete number but I will try to find out.

Med Gull

On the photograph front the only pictures I liked were the head close-ups; poor depth of field preventing decent images of the complete bird. Still it must be the easiest place in Britain to get med gull pictures!