More Gulls

A walk around the lake in freezing conditions was not very productive, although the red-head Goosander was still present and again asleep on the south of the island.  I ended up on the west bank looking through the Snipe, wildfowl and Gulls.  51 Common Snipe was pretty good but no sign of the Jack Snipe from yesterday.  Adam Bassett picked up a distant Yellow-legged Gull which was fairly close to the island.  It had a very noticeable pristine white head.

Adult Yellow-legged Gull fortunately standing in full view.

There were two colour ringed gulls present.  Black-headed Gull "Yellow 2KRC" was present.  It has been a regular winter visitor since Feb 2016 and was ringed at Pitsea landfill as an adult in March 2015 

There was also a Herring Gull "Orange 0701" (but faded to yellow). See photos below.
The history of this gull is as follows :-

Date                     Grid Ref                 Site                                                         Ring Code

13-Nov-03           SU9589                Gerrard’s Cross landfill (Hedgerley)         0701                                                                                                 

05-Mar-04           SU9589                Gerrard’s Cross landfill (Hedgerley)          0701                                                                                    

27-Nov-10           TQ520800            Rainham landfill, East London                  0701                                                                                               

12-Dec-17            SU875880            Little Marlow Gravel Pits                           0701   

So if you compare the dates to that of "Orange 0570" (see my blog entry for 2nd December 2017) you will see that these two birds were:

• Ringed within a day of each other at Hedgerley Tip.
• Re-sighted at Hedgerley Tip in the same winter as ringed (2013/14).
• Re-sighted on the same day at Rainham Tip 7 years after ringing!
• Re-sighted at Little Marlow GP within 11 days of each other in Dec 2017 after a period of 7 years without being seen anywhere.

This appears to be an amazing coincidence.