Expect the Unexpected

Another Gull ringing session today with the NTGG, this time a bit further along the river to Pitsea landfill site a new venue for me and Shaunboy, after a 7am brief it was onto the tip where thousands of gull were evident, comprising of mainly of Black heads.

setting the net

bait layed

here they come

Two catches were made today and the first about 9:30 was a good mixture of mainly Black-heads, Lesser black backs and Herring with a single Common, up to 3 pairs of Med Gulls were milling around but always just outside the catch!

pair of meds

herring

Common

After the first catch was processed we set up for another and it was evident that more larger gulls had moved onto the tip, so with a fresh delivery of rubbish we wait for the birds to once again feed and settle, all scanning around mr Bonser shouts '' Iceland Gull above us '' we all look up to see this Iceland flying above us in the bright sun light and as we all watch the bird flying around and settle down in better light its apparent that in fact it is actually the fucking 2w KUMLIENS from last week!!

All excited hi fiving we are even more delighted to then see the bird fly into our catch area just in time for Paul to press the magic button........

The KUMLIENS was bagged along with the rest of the catch, bio's were taken of this bird and is now bearing a nice orange ring with NB9.T on it, after some photo's were taken the bird flew off none the wiser to his ordeal.

Paul extracts the bird to an applause!!

beauty and the beast !

showing darker g covs and tail band

Ringing Total's

Herring 128

Black Heads 223

Lesser B B 22

Common 1

Ice/Kumliens 1

A great end to the final winter ringing season which produced a first UK rung kumliens.

the old girl couldn't handle the excitement