Rufford Gulls - 4th October 2026

On Sunday, Jayne and I had a couple of hours at Rufford. Whilst there, we had the highest number of ringed Black-headed Gulls so far this autumn (13), re-found the Danish-ringed bird and recorded a new, Lithuanian-ringed bird.

Birds seen were: 206A (2nd sighting), 258A (4th sighting), 207C (5th sighting), 215C (1st sighting since January 2026), 258C (2nd sighting), 223F (1st sighting since October 2025), 239F (1st sighting since October 2025), 262F (1st sighting since October 2025), 2V10 (1st sighting since December 2025), 2V16 (4th sighting), 200H (3rd sighting), 208H (1st sighting since February 2026), 225H (4th sighting), VA9644 (2nd sighting) and the Lithuanian-ringed bird, HA65.146. 

215C

223F

239F

262F

2V10

208H

Lithuanian HA65.146

Also seen were: 1 Willow Emerald Damselfly and a single Red Admiral butterfly.

Three Ringed Gulls at Rufford!

I know that the title of this post wouldn't come as a surprise to regular readers, as I often blog about ringed gulls here. The reason I've used it though, is because the three ringed Black-headed Gulls are all juvenile/1st winter birds, that have been ringed in three different countries!

The first gull, TCEP (FS70675) is a bird that was ringed in western Poland, right on the border with Germany, as a pullus, on 26th June 2026. This is the first sighting since ringing, and is 1027km from its place of birth.

TCEP

The second gull, this time a Danish ringed bird, had the metal ring number VA9644. Again, I'll update as soon as I hear back.

VA9644 (ringed on right leg)

The third bird, was a Lithuanian-ringed individual. Annoyingly, I didn't manage to get the full ring number, so, I'll have to try and see it again, and get the remaining letters/digits. I managed to see  _ _ _31.260!

Lithuanian-ringed Gull (ringed on left leg)

In addition to these three gulls, I also managed to spot just one (!) of "our" birds; 2V16, which is the second sighting this season.

2V16 (losing its hood)

The last gull I wanted to mention was an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, that was on the lake. Unfortunately, it appeared to have its left leg tangled in something (presumably fishing tackle). Very annoying!!! It appeared well, despite the entanglement, so, hopefully, it was cope.

Lesser Black-backed Gull

As well as the gulls, there were also 7 Mute Swans (all un-ringed), including one with a wobbly neck, who I've nicknamed Crinkle Neck ( very original I know!!!)

Mute Swan - Crinkle Neck

Rufford - Site Tick!

Yesterday (17th), I went across to Rufford for an early start. I arrived at 8am (not that early!) and spent some time at the Abbey end of the park, before heading over to the mill for a look at the gulls.

I was there early on to look for Hawfinch. Whilst waiting, I picked up two "year ticks", Great-spotted Woodpecker (99) and Treecreeper (100).  Shortly after, one Hawfinch (101) flew in and posed beautifully, against the beautiful blue sky, for a minute or two.

Hawfinch (female?)

After enjoying the Hawfinch, I headed across the park to the Mill end to look at the gulls. I'll blog about that later. As it was still quite early, there weren't many people about, so I managed to see a species that I've never seen there before, a Great White Egret (102)! The bird flew the length of the lake, before landing and fishing just by the path. I walked across, and managed to get this back-lit image. A lovely addition to the site's birds.

Great White Egret

Year List Update - 23rd December 2025

 Yesterday, Luke and I had a few hours birding in Nottinghamshire. Despite the grey, dreary conditions, we added two new species to our  Year Lists.

The first species, Smew (204), was added at Collingham Pits , a set of working/disused gravel pits near Newark. 2 "redhead" birds were seen.

The next species, Caspian Gull (205), was a very nice addition, especially as it was found (by Luke), at our very own Rufford Country Park! This is the second winter in a row, where we've had this species here, and yesterday's bird was a very good looking adult bird. Here are some photos (first two from Luke).

Caspian (right hand bird) and Herring Gull

Caspian Gull

Caspian, Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Caspian Gull

Other birds seen were: Goosander (5; 3 males and 2 females), Kingfisher (heard), Greylag Goose, Tufted Duck, and Mute Swan (Broken Beak, female and 3 cygnets).

Rufford - 6th December 2025

Last Saturday, I had a quick, 1 hour session at Rufford recording 17 of "our" darvic-ringed Black-headed Gulls.

Gulls seen were: 206A (my first sighting since March 2025), 295A (2nd sighting this winter), 272B (first sighting since January 2025), 280B (2nd sighting this winter), 202C (2nd sighting this winter), 207C (ninth sighting this winter), 215C (first sighting since March 2024 - full hood already!!), 270C (third sighting this winter), 298C (second sighting this winter), 215F (third sighting this winter), 221F (fifth sighting this winter), 234F (seventh sighting this winter), 259F (3rd sighting this winter), 292F (first sighting since February 2025), 200H (my first sighting, since ringing on 15th November 2025), 215H (first sighting, since ringing on 22nd November 2025) and 225H (first sighting since being ringed that morning). 

215C

200H

215H

225H

Also seen were: 5 Mute Swans (Broken Beak, his partner and 3 cygnets) and 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Rufford - 15th November 2025

 Yesterday, I had a couple of hours at Rufford. It had been raining very heavily for the previous twenty four hours (!), and the water levels were very high. There were only about 50 Black-headed Gulls there, but I did manage to see 8 ringed birds.

The "best" bird was 223A, a bird that was originally ringed, as an adult, on 13th February 2019. Since then, it has been recorded just 4 times in the UK, and once in Denmark, on 19th October 2025. My sighting was my first, since February 2022 (!), so was long overdue. Welcome back!

223A

Other birds seen for the first time this winter were: 280B (ringed by me, as an adult, in November 2022, and last recorded on 15th February 2025) and 298C (ringed, as a 2nd calendar year bird, on 4th February 2024 and last seen on 2nd March 2025). 

280B

298C

The other birds seen were: 207C (8th time since July), 270C (2nd sighting this winter), 221F (4th sighting this winter), 234F (6th sighting this winter) and 259F (2nd sighting, since being ringed on 18th October 2025).

"Broken Beak" was also on the water, along with his partner and 3 well grown cygnets. Other birds seen were: Grey Wagtail (1 adult an 1 juvenile), 1 Buzzard (overhead) and  a single "redhead" Goosander. 

Broken Beak and family

Rufford - 12th October 2025

Last Sunday, I was down at Rufford for a couple of hours, and had the best session of the autumn so far with 18 ringed birds (16 of "ours", a metal-ringed bird and a brand new Dutch-ringed bird) spotted.

The 16 birds were: 2V10 (2nd sighting this autumn), 2V16 (2nd sighting this autumn), 258A (4th sighting this autumn), 273A (2nd sighting this autumn), 283B (2nd sighting this autumn), 207C (6th sighting this autumn), 245C (3rd sighting this autumn), 258C (7th sighting this autumn), 209F (1st sighting, since ringing, as a 1st winter bird, in October 2024), 214F (1st sighting this autumn), 215F (2nd sighting this autumn), 217F (2nd sighting this autumn), 221F (2nd sighting this autumn), 234F (4th sighting this autumn), 239F (2nd sighting this autumn) and 262F (1st sighting on the autumn. Last seen in December 2024). The metal ringed bird was EM21570 (2nd sighting this autumn). 

209F

214F

262F

The new, Dutch-ringed bird, was an adult, with a white darvic EV.V2. It was originally ringed, as an adult, on 7th June 2022 at Berkel en Rodenrijs, The Netherlands, by Benny Middendorp. It was reported here again on 9th June 2022, and again on 10th March 2024, before my sighting at Rufford.

EVV2

Rufford Gulls - Old and New

I only had chance to spend half an hour at Rufford yesterday, but, in that short time, I manged to see 8 darvic-ringed Black-headed Gulls and a single metal-ringed bird. Along with this, I also managed to add a possible new breeding record for a damselfly species!

The birds seen were: 258A, 245C, 258C, 279C (a new, 1st-winter bird, ringed on Saturday), 215F (the first sighting since being ringed in October 2024),  217F ( my first sighting since February 2025), 239F (first sighting since January 2025) and 2V10 (my first sighting, since being ringed on 1st February 2025). The metal-ringed bird, a 1st winter, was seen, but not identified, as it flew off before I could read the ring! 

279C

215F

217F

239F

2V10

In addition to the gulls, there were also c100 Canada Geese, 4 Greylag Geese, 1 Kingfisher, 5 Mute Swans (Broken Beak, his partner and 3 cygnets), and 3 Willow Emerald Damselflies, including 1 pair egg laying - my first record here!!!

Willow Emerald Damselflies

Rufford - 20th September 2025

 Today's visit to Rufford was a little damp (!), but it did have lead to my highest ever count of Mute Swans, and records of 3 darvic-ringed Black-headed Gulls.

Overall, it was quite a quiet visit, but there were 13 Mute Swans, my highest ever count. There were the usual suspects (Broken Beak, his partner and their 3 cygnets), along with another 8 (all unringed) adults.

There were c70 Black-headed Gulls ( and 1 adult Lesser Black-backed), including 41 juveniles. The 3 ringed birds were all familiar birds: 207C, 258C and 234F.

207C

258C

234F

Other birds seen were: Canada Goose (50), Greylag Goose (22), Little Egret (1), Mallard, Moorhen and Kingfisher (1 heard).

Rufford Visit - 2nd September 2025

 Yesterday, I had my first visit to Rufford for a couple of weeks. It was bright sunshine (with a few rain showers) and 20 degrees, and there were about 70 Black-headed Gulls (c.40 juveniles). 7 darviced gulls were seen, and a new, metal-ringed bird was also spotted.

The darviced birds were: 258A (2nd sighting this autumn/winter), 207C (4th sighting since July), 258C (fourth sighting this autumn/winter), 221F (last seen in February 2025), 234F (second sighting this autumn/winter), 255F (first sighting since January 2025) and 2V03 (2nd sighting this autumn/winter).

221F

255F

The metal-ringed bird (EM21570) was a 3, i.e. born this year. It had been ringed, as a pullus, on 10th June, 158km away, at Marlingford Hall, Norfolk. This is, unsurprisingly, the first sighting since ringing. Hopefully, it'll hang around for the winter.

EM21570

In addition to the gulls, I also recorded 7 Mute Swans, including the 2 unringed birds seen last visit, along with 2 more adults (Broken Beak and his partner) and their 3 new cygnets, 2 Kingfishers, 1 House Martin, dozens of Canada and Greylag Geese, 1 Grey Wagtail, Mallards and an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Broken Beak and family

Lesser Black-backed Gull

In addition to those sightings, I also saw a familiar Black-headed Gull in Bakewell on Monday. It was quite a brief sighting, but enough to get the metal ring EW97345. This is a bird I first saw, in Bakewell, back in September 2018. The bird had been ringed, as an adult (at least 2 years old), in Boston, Lincolnshire on 9th January 2010. Monday's sighting was my first since July 2021.

EW97345

Rufford Gulls - 20th August 2025

 After a couple of weeks away, I had a 2 hour visit to Rufford yesterday afternoon. There were approximately 75 Black-headed Gulls present (c.20 juveniles) and 6 of "own" ringed gulls.

The Black-headed Gulls seen were: 283B (ringed in November 2022, as an adult, and last seen on 4th September 2024), 

283B

207C (3rd sighting this "autumn/winter"), 

207C

245C (ringed in October 2023, and the first sighting since January 2025), 

245C

258C (3rd sighting this "autumn/winter), 

258C

2V03 (ringed in January 2025, and the first sighting since March 2025) and 2V16 (ringed in February 2025, as an adult, and the first sighting since 8th February 2025).

2V03

2V16

Other birds seen were: c.100 Canada Geese, including 1 ringed bird; 5230434., 4 Greylag Geese and  2 adult, unringed Mute Swans.