Gulls - 5th January 2022

 Yesterday (5th) I spent the day at Center Parcs, near Rufford, trying to catch some new Black-headed Gulls for the darvic-ringing scheme being run by Sorby Breck Ringing Group. Unfortunately, the gulls weren't "playing ball", so none were ringed. I did, however, manage to read a Mute Swan ring, W17370, a bird, I'd previously seen at Rufford on 13th December 2020. I also added a few more "year ticks": Siskin, Coal Tit and Great-spotted Woodpecker. 

W17370

Afterwards, I went across to Rufford CP for half an hour, and managed to spot a few ringed birds, including a new (for me), Norwegian- ringed bird, JZ48. 

JZ48

Although a new bird for me (and Rufford), it had been reported a few times at Center Parcs (December 2020, November and December 2021), after being ringed, as an adult, in Norway, on 11th May 2016. Other birds seen were: EUM3, V77K and EL87245.

86 - Siskin

87 - Coal Tit

88 - Great-spotted Woodpecker

New Black-headed Gull - VA5573

There were about 200 Black-headed Gulls at Rufford CP yesterday, including three well known birds, 217A, 237A and V77K (see labels for details of these birds). The sighting of 237A was the first since March 2020 (see here). In addition, a new, 1st winter bird (born this year) bearing a Danish metal ring, VA5573 was seen. 

Danish-ringed Black-headed Gull VA5573

VA5573

Details received from the Danish Ringing Scheme show that the bird was ringed, as a pullus, 877km away, on Hirsholm, Denmark on 25th May 2020.

In addition to the gulls there were also two metal-ringed Mute Swans, W17370 and W17357. The former bird was also present on my last visit, and had been ringed by Birklands RG, 3km away in September 2014. W17357 had also been ringed by Birklands RG, 3km away. It was ringed, as a age 5 bird (born in 2015), on 10th February 2016.

W17357

The final rings read were 2 Canada Geese (5230424 and 5215963) and 1 Greylag Goose (5230471). All 3 birds had been sighted previously, and had been ringed just 3km away (click on the labels to see ringing details).