Big gulls from points south

On the back of the Black-headed Gulls from earlier in the week (which all came from points east), this time it's Black-backed Gulls of interest (from points south). Of particular note today were two Great Black-backed Gulls sat close to each other on the island at Gothian Sands, Gwithian.

Yellow 2AA1 is a bird ringed as a chick on Herm, Channel Islands in 2013. It was first seen at Dawlish Warren in March 2014 before becoming a regular in Cornwall from January 2015.

Conversely, L:FZ3 is one of our own, ringed as a chick on Mullion Island earlier in 2021. So far it's the only of of this year's chicks to be seen abroad, seen on a beach in Guernesy on 18th September.

Incredibly though, it was back in Cornwall today, at Gothian Sands sat alongside 2AA1.

The other Black-back from the south was a Lesser seen on Hayle estuary. This is a Portuguese-ringed bird from a rehabilitation project run by RIAS.