Mediterranean Gull
14th June 2006, WednesdayThis white winged, black headed, red billed gull has undergone an amazing increase in the RX area during the last decade. At Rye Harbour it has gone from being “Regular summer visitor, first successful breeding in 1996” to 37 pairs, fledging 40 young last year and this year double that number of pairs! Some chicks are now on view at Ternery Pool, but most are hidden in the long vegetation. One reason they are successful at Rye Harbour is the large number of Black-headed Gulls nesting within the protection of the electric fencing. Another reason is ….
…there have been many birds colonising from other colonies all over Europe. From France, Belgium, Holland and Hungary. We know this because many of the birds carry large colour rings that can be read with a telescope. A good example is “Left Green 30EU”, ringed as a chick in Antwerp, Belgium in June 2004, then seen at Wimereux, Pas-de-Calais, France in July, then back to Belgium in April 2005, then Dungeness in July, then back to France in August, September and January 2006. Then seen at Folkestone in February and March 2006 and lastly at Rye Harbour in May. So next time you are birdwatching in Rye Bay try and read the colour rings on the gulls with the truly black heads… and let us know.