• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

where do the lesser black backed gulls (uk) go ? (1 Viewer)

kawwauser

kawwauser

Well-known member
i live in Dundee and we have a large breeding population of these birds plus i see them most of the year at a local spot but come winter they all leave and only herring/black headed and the occasional gbb gull are left, i have checked my books and did some web searching but cant find the answer
 
kawwauser said:
i live in Dundee and we have a large breeding population of these birds plus i see them most of the year at a local spot but come winter they all leave and only herring/black headed and the occasional gbb gull are left, i have checked my books and did some web searching but cant find the answer
Click to expand...

They go to Iberia and North Africa, although there is an increasing winter population in England too. I saw an adult in East Lothian last weekend and have seen them in Bristol in January in some numbers in the past. In Lisbon last November they were really common.

David
 
When I started in the late '50s they were generally reckoned to be mostly summer visitors to Britain. Look at the Atlas 2007-11 now to see the difference: their winter squares are almost solid over most of England, Wales, and Scotland from the central lowlands southwards. Don't know why, and don't know whether it's been studied at all.
 
I met a birder from Madrid today and I asked him if there were LBBG in Madrid and he said there 10's of thousands on the rubbish tips there so maybe that answers your question...Eddy
 
Seems to be a lot more this year in inland Lancashire than usual. Do particular colonies winter in particular areas or they just wander anywhere?
 
In North America, this species is found only in winter, mainly in the east. Not sure where ours go to breed, but they must go somewhere.
 
Simon Wates said:
In Portugal its a very numerous winter visitor - in the Algarve alone there are many thousands, maybe 10,000+
Click to expand...

At Upton Warren, Worcestershire we regularly submit sightings of ringed birds and follow up their subsequent histories. A second calendar year LBB Gull sport a black ring with yellow lettering “K+P” was recorded on the reserve on the 4th October 2013. It was ringed in Cardiff as a nestling on the 2nd July 2012 and later recorded at Figueiera da Foz, Portugal on the 11th November 2012.
 
They changed their migration strategy due to the opening of tips. They short-stop and less bother heading to Spain.
 
LabradorDuck said:
In North America, this species is found only in winter, mainly in the east. Not sure where ours go to breed, but they must go somewhere.
Click to expand...

The increase in Eastern North America corresponds with increases in Greenland, and that is the most likely origin of our birds.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 10 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

A
Lesser Black-backed Gull?
Replies
3
Views
1K
Prestdj
Prestdj
S
Yellow Legged Gull and Merlin App- Hampshire UK
Replies
3
Views
815
StephenHampshire
S
Stonefaction
Gull ID, Dundee, Scotland 16/7/23
Replies
3
Views
804
Stonefaction
Stonefaction
Michał Jaro
Lesser black-backed gull?
Replies
3
Views
477
Michał Jaro
Michał Jaro
R
Immature Herring or LBBG? Saskatoon - Canada
Replies
2
Views
494
lou salomon
lou salomon

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top