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Mediterranean Gull

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RISE OF THE MED GULL

State of this! A Mediterranean Gull in heavy wing moult over Ribchester riverfront today

THE RISE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN GULL CONTINUES! It is interesting to relate my increasing ad hoc local sightings to the fortunes of this bird in the UK. Mediterranean Gull first bred in the UK in Hampshire in 1968 and increased slowly to around 100 pairs by 2000 and then 600-700 pairs by 2010. The current popluation was estimated at around 1200 pairs in 2013-17. This increase is part of a westward range expansion from its ciore areas around the Black Sea that started in the 1950s and in winter our breeding poulation is boosted by more birds from Europe taking it to around 4000 individuals during 2011-15. I imagine that this figure is even bigger now. So, they became so common that I now see one or two around my village in East Lancashire in almost every month of the year, usually when slurry spreading on the silage meadows of the dairy farms causes wandering birds to linger a while. Another reminder that not everything is heading for the exit, these, Little Egrets and ospreys are certainly welcome addiitons to the bird life along the river on my local patch.

Med Gull easily passes in a crowd on the river in Ribchester…

…until it takes to the air and flashes its white wings!

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FIRST SILAGE CUT

Mediterranean Gull (second calendar year) over Ribchester CLICK IMAGES FOR LIGHTBOX

THE FIRST SILAGE CUT OF THE YEAR BROUGHT AN INFLUX OF GULLS TO RIBCHESTER, including at least three Mediterranean Gulls - two fine breeding plumaged adults and a second calendar year bird, found by Phil Larkin, the first time I’ve seen one of these here. Sadly that’s about all the dairy farming regime in the lower valley is good for in terms of attracting birds but it’s an ill wind! The freshly cut grass exposes food for the gulls and I saw the Meds eating several worms while I was there. Along with the Meds there has been a noticeable increase in the number of black-headed gulls, also mostly second calendar year birds (i.e. hatched last summer) and these have spent a lot of time dip-feeding in the foam lines on the river as well as feeding on the fields. I’ve never seen Med Gulls dip feeding here unfortunately, as it is a great way to photograph gulls, at eye level down on the riverbank as they fly into the wind.

There have been a few swifts over the village this week but I am yet to hear a whitethroat singing here this year, although for several reasons I haven’t done nearly as many walks this month as earlier in the year. The weather has been thoroughly depressing lately. Late March was nicer. Other highlights included a male sparrowhawk ripping a House Sparrow apart in the cedar tree in the garden of Churchgates, probably the best view I’ve had of one, it was so preoccupied it didn’t seem to notice me. There is a large starling flock around the fields near the farm at the moment, it’s that time of year when the youngsters leave their nests and go off into the countryside with their parents. They seem to have done quite well despite the weather!

Alston produced some High-Arctic-breeding shorebirds in the last week, grounded by the heavy rain - one (or two?) turnstones, a Wood Sandpiper and a Sanderling (I missed the latter), as well as double figure counts of Dunlin and Common Ringed Plover. It was a privilege, as always, but there is still time for something else in the next week or two. At last, the House Martins seem to have arrived too, with over 20 hawking in the rain over number one reservoir this afternoon in the company of swallows and a few Sand Martins.

Med Gull flight shots with the heather of Longridge Fell in the background

Dip-feeding Common Black-headed Gulls on the River Ribble at Ribchester

An Arctic-bound Ruddy Turnstone in its gaudy breeding plumage stops off at Alston

Soggy Roe Deer doesn’t seem to notice me for some reason?

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GULLS!

Little Gull, adult hawking for insects over Alston No.#1 reservoir CLICK IMAGES FOR LIGHTBOX

GULLS WERE THE MAIN FEATURE OF A BRIGHT AND SUNNY SPRING DAY and I saw seven species within 5km of Ribchester! The highlights being the lovely adult Little Gull at Alston, found by Gavin Thomas and a second calendar year Iceland Gull that flew east at Red Bank at 1046 (a new patch bird for me, identified later from photos with help from Pete Morris, Gavin Thomas and Bill Aspin). There were at least three adult Mediterranean Gulls in the Red Bank area today, no doubt attracted by a combination of slurry spreading and a huge insect emergence on the river. A Peregrine was in the Ribchester area this morning. Unfortunately it was a bit of a mess and showed some ‘non-physiological’ feather damage, which is being scrutinised. A Reed Bunting flew north during a small movement of Meadow Pipits at Red Bank - the first on the Ribchester patch this year.

It was great to see around 60 Sand Martins too, excavating nest burrows and getting back to normal after the Arctic weather last week. There was only a handful of swallows today though. Buzzards were again well into double figures and included one kettle of 8 birds mixed with gulls at Red Bank, an awesome sight!

At Alston there were also two Black-tailed Godwits, two Redshank, three Little Ringed Plovers and a drake Gadwall of note on a splendid day on the local patch that resulted in 63 species. Other stats are now Ribchester 2021 (88) and all time (116), Ribchester April 2021 (74) & Ribchester April all time (82), making April the most productive month of the year.

Iceland Gull (second calendar year) heading east at Red Bank, Ribchester

Iceland Gull, note the light bill

Mediterranean Gull, breeding plumage adult at Red Bank, Ribchester

Little Gull, Alston

Little Gull and Black-headed Gull, Alston

Little and Black-headed Gulls, look at that size difference!

Peregrine (second calendar year), maybe the bird which has been in the area on and off all winter?

Peregrine, showing worrying feather damage, watch this space for an analysis soon.

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WELCOME BACK WILLOW WARBLER!

Willow Warbler singing at Red Bank, Ribchester on 2 April, back from Africa a couple of days earlier than usual.

THE LOVELY DESCENDING NOTES OF WILLOW WARBLER’S SONG greeted me at Red Bank today as more summer migrants return to the village, despite a drop in temperatures over the last couple of days. Red Bank is a regular site for Willow Warbler, which still breeds in a few spots around Ribchester. Swallows are more in evidence around the village now and there are also plenty of Sand Martins excavating their nesting burrows along the riverbank, albeit not in their traditional spots opposite the vicarage/school. A Blackcap was also singing at Red Bank today and a female was close in attendance.

We are lucky to have 5 or 6 pairs of Barn Owls within 5km of the village and they are very conspicuous hunting until well after dawn at the moment. Maybe they have hungry mouths to feed now? Sunny spring days usually also mean soaring birds of prey. Buzzards, kestrels and sparrowhawks have all been up high in the sky this week, a couple of the buzzards showing unseasonal wing damage, ‘Maltese Moult’ as it is known. I am still waiting for an osprey! March finished on 70 for 2021 and 80 species all time, making it the best month for numbers by far now but it also has the most checklists! The Rib yearlist moved on to 84 today as the commoner summer visitors appeared. April started with a pair of Mediterranean Gulls in breeding plumage that flew east along the river yesterday and a late Little Grebe was still at Red Bank today of note. At higher altitude another 12 Common Crossbills flew over in the early morning cold wind.

Barn Owls continue to delight. Everyone loves owls!

The Dell at Red Bank, Rib birding hotspot!

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