Urban gull swaps Falmouth for France

It's been a while since we've blogged, but the weather's not been conducive to much ringing, and apart from a few Meadow Pipits and Linnets at The Lizard and a few more PIT-tagged tits, all's been quiet.

But today we received interesting news of one of our Great Black-backed Gulls from Falmouth, ringed in addition to the birds on Mullion Island. In 2013 we ringed three chicks on the roof of the Falmouth Marine School, but these then disappeared. We presumed they'd stay locally, but then several of the Herring Gulls ringed in the town have wandered, so perhaps Great Black-backs are likely to wander further.

But on 12th October, L:BF8 was seen at Baie de Lampaul on Ile d'Ouessant in western France. We know that birds from Looe Island will wander quite widely into France, but this is the first of our own birds (from Falmouth or Mullion Island) that has been seen abroad.

Thanks to Benjamin Griard for reporting this bird and it'll be interesting to see if it stays around the island over the winter.