Common Gull - Green J074

Last winter, Cameron Moore reported a colour-ringed Common Gull at Whitehead in County Antrim (see here). J074, had been ringed in Bergen in Norway and Cameron's sighting was the first away from the ringing location.

Well, Cameron got in touch again this week to send of a photo of the same bird which is back at Whitehead this winter.

Photo by Cameron Moore

 

I reported it via the Norwegian colour-ringing website and could immediately see that J074 had spent the summer back at Bergen, where it was reported eight times between May and July. There are even a couple of photos of it taken in June.

This is a fantastic record which highlights yet another confirmation that "our" wintering gulls are in fact continental birds migrating here to spend the winter months.

Many thanks to Cameron for reporting his sighting and sending on the photo.