Rufford - 3rd January 2026

Back at the start of the year, when we'd had a couple of days of very cold weather, I went across to Rufford, for my first visit of the year. I love going when there is a lot of ice (c.80%), as this means many of the ringed gulls are sat on the ice, and therefore, their rings can be more easily read. as a result, on my first visit of the year, I saw 28 ringed birds!

The birds seen were: 206A (3rd sighting this winter), 258A (7th sighting this winter) , 273A (4th sighting this winter), 284A (2nd sighting this winter ), 208B (3rd sighting this winter), 272B (3rd sighting this winter), 274B (my 1st sighting since ringing in November 2022), 280B (3rd sighting this winter ), 293B (1st sighting since November 2024), 202C (5th sighting this winter), 207C (12th sighting this winter), 209C (1st sighting since March 2023), 215C (2nd sighting this winter), 258C (9th sighting this winter ), 273C (4th sighting this winter), 298C (5th sighting this winter), 207F (1st sighting this winter), 221F (7th sighting this winter), 222F (1st sighting since ringing on 2nd November 2024), 230F (1st sighting since March 2025), 2V05 (2nd sighting this winter), 2V16 (5th sighting this winter), 200H (3rd sighting this winter), 208H (2nd sighting this winter ), 209H (1st sighting this winter), 225H (3rd sighting this winter), 230H (1st sighting since ringing in Dec 2025) and 233H (1st sighting since ringing in Dec 2025).

274B

293B

209C

In addition to these birds, I also spotted a Swedish metal-ringed bird. Annoyingly, I only managed to see six of the seven numbers (_449368!!!)

Rufford - 2nd March 2025

 My latest visit to Rufford was on 2nd March, when I had an hour, and spotted 14 Black-headed Gulls, including new birds; 2V03 (ringed on 18th January, as a 5, born last year), 218F (ringed by me, as a 1st winter bird, on 12th October 2024) and J3018 ( a new Norwegian-ringed bird, that was ringed, as a free-flying juvenile, in Oslo, on 5th August 2024).

2V03

218F

J3018

Other gulls seen were: 206A, 258A, 273A, 293A, 251B, 254B, 207C, 258C, 270C, 298C and 230F.

Rufford - 14th December 2024

 Every time I visit Rufford, I seem to be  spotting more and more of "our" green-ringed Black-headed Gulls. Last week's visit, was no different, with no fewer than 24 birds, spotted, including one not seen for three years!!

Birds seen were: 206A, 259A, 273A, 295A, 298A (my first sighting since being ringed in 15th December 2021, but, annoyingly, no photo!), 208B (ringed in January 2022, and this was only the second sighting, last seen at Clumber, in March 2023), 265B (ringed on 5th November 2022. This was only the second sighting, having last been seen, at Center Parcs on 2nd December 2022. This was my first sighting at Rufford),  272B, 280B (ringed by me in November 2022, and a regular visitor ever since), 202C, 207C, 258C, 264C, 270C, 298C, 207F, 219F, 223F, 230F, 234F, 239F, 255F (my first sighting, ringed on 30th November 2024, as a 3, i.e. born this year), 261F and 262F (both fist sightings, and both also ringed on 30th November 2024, as 3s).

208B

265B

255F

261F

262F

In addition, to "our" gulls, there were also approximately 250 other Black-headed Gulls, 100 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 10 Herring Gulls, Common Gulls, 22 Canada Geese, 15 Greylag Geese, 17 Gadwall (my first record for the site?) and 7 Goosander (6m and 1fm).

Rufford Gulls - 24th November 2024

Storm Bert put pay to any ringing this weekend, so instead, I headed over to Rufford to check up on the gulls. I was there for just under two hours, and saw 16 ringed Black-headed Gulls.

Birds seen were: 273A , 293A, 280B (ringed by me, as an adult, in November 2022, and my first sighting since 20th January 2024), 207C, 264C, 270C, 273C, 298C (ringed in February 2024, as a 5, i.e. born in 2023, and my first siting this winter), 207F, 220F, 221F, 223F, 230F, 234F, 239F (a new bird) and 244F (a new bird).

239F (age 3, born this year)

244F (age 3)

Clumber and Rufford - 16th November 2024

 On Saturday, I was out at Clumber Park, with the family. Whilst there, I had a quick check of the Black-headed Gulls and Mute Swans, finding a couple of ringed birds.

The first bird I saw was a Polish-ringed Black-headed Gull, TV02. I checked the number, and realised it was a bird I had first seen, at Clumber, back in February 2023. See the post here, for details, and a picture of this bird, as a 2nd year bird.

TV02

The second bird I saw was a ringed Mute Swan, Y404. This is a new bird for me. I'll update, when I find out where it was ringed. A single Great (White) Egret was also seen on the main lake.

Y404

After Clumber, Jayne and I had a very quick, half an hour, visit to Rufford, where I managed to spot 14 of "our" darvic-ringed Black-headed Gulls: 273A, 277A, 293A, 293B, 207C, 264C, 273C, 207F, 217F, 221F (new), 223F,  229F (new), 230F (new) and 234F (new).

221F

229F

230F

234F