Ringing Recovery of a Black-headed Gull

Way back in January 2014 a black-headed gull was found dead at Pickerings Pasture, not that unusual in the winter: a few usually succumb to the cold. This bird had a ring on its leg numbered ST286977. It was handed to us and we knew it was not a British ring. It was sent off to the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) who investigated the origins of the bird.

An adult black-headed gull.

It has taken quite a long time but we now know it was ringed as a pulli (a young bird) on the 12th June 2012 at Aukkokari, Mynamaki, Turku-Pori, in Finland. At 1,691 miles away from Pickerings Pasture this is a small island in the north of the Gulf of Bothnia.

Black-headed gull chicks in a nest.

Anyone finding a ringed bird please send the information to the (BTO) at British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU or to the British Museum whose address is on all British rings. Alternatively the ring can be passed to Rob Cockbain. It is important to give details as to when the bird was found and any special circumstance (eg Taken by cat).
The information gained from all recoveries is used to assess the rise and fall in bird populations and locally it has added to our information on the importance of the River Mersey as a migration stop-over and as a wintering place for overseas birds.
                                                                                                                                                                                                  RP &CA Cockbain