Little gull? - NE Scotland (1 Viewer)

[Deb Burhinus]

You said they were increasing. I pressed the wrong button...

I’m still not clear what you mean - are you just referring to your local migrants? I’m not sure what button you are referring to - perhaps I am being dense here?

You may find this helpful

http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/file/3878684

“Numbers in UK coastal waters appear to be increasing, perhaps associated with a westward shift in their breeding range and migration route”

”In recent years, non-breeding birds have accumulated a growing number in Western Europe, and for the first time in 2016, the little gull has successfully made their home in Great Britain for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Reserve, Aberdeenshire’s Latch of Strathbeg Reserve.”

Little Gull: Profile, Facts, Range, Nest, Call, Size, Food, Traits - BirdBaron

Little gull, scientific name Hydrocoloeus minutus or Larus minutus, is a small gall Profile, Facts, Range, Nest, Call, Size, Food, Traits

www.birdbaron.com

Some historical background

Little Gull wintering

www.cheshireandwirralbirdatlas.org

https://britishbirds.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/article_files/V71/V71_N12/V71_N12_P563_582_A128.pdf

Apologies if you were only referring to your local passage of birds, I was referring to them as a species as a whole and as passage migrants in UK waters generally.

(There are certainly shifts in migration which might account for local changes but that’s conjecture)

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

I’m still not clear what you mean - are you just referring to your local migrants?

You said they are increasing. There was a sizeable wintering population in the Irish Sea that appears much diminished, and a spring passage at Seaforth that appears to have crashed. Where is the evidence they are increasing?

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

I’m still not clear what you mean - are you just referring to your local migrants? I’m not sure what button you are referring to - perhaps I am being dense here?

You may find this helpful

http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/file/3878684

“Numbers in UK coastal waters appear to be increasing, perhaps associated with a westward shift in their breeding range and migration route”

”In recent years, non-breeding birds have accumulated a growing number in Western Europe, and for the first time in 2016, the little gull has successfully made their home in Great Britain for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Reserve, Aberdeenshire’s Latch of Strathbeg Reserve.”

Little Gull: Profile, Facts, Range, Nest, Call, Size, Food, Traits - BirdBaron

Little gull, scientific name Hydrocoloeus minutus or Larus minutus, is a small gall Profile, Facts, Range, Nest, Call, Size, Food, Traits

www.birdbaron.com

Some historical background

Little Gull wintering

www.cheshireandwirralbirdatlas.org

https://britishbirds.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/article_files/V71/V71_N12/V71_N12_P563_582_A128.pdf

Apologies if you were only referring to your local birds

You've amended your reply which is why mine now looks odd.

Thanks for the reference. I hope it's correct and they are thriving but given it refers to galls, shrubs and so on who knows...

 

[Deb Burhinus]

You've amended your reply which is why mine now looks odd.

Thanks for the reference. I hope it's correct and they are thriving but given it refers to galls, shrubs and so on who knows...

I don’t think your reply looks odd but I am still confused what you meant by you ‘pushed the wrong button’? Apologies for adding additional text to my post, I often do that when in the process of digging out resource material.

Anyway, the references include Natural England and BB, so hopefully reliable, I wouldn’t let a typo bother me too much on one reference link - clearly it should read ‘gull’!

WINTER ATLAS (press the map then press ‘Maps’ then Winter, then press distribution change)

Map Store Viewer

app.bto.org

Sometimes our personal observations don’t always reflect the overall picture.

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

I don’t think your reply looks odd but I am still confused what you meant by you ‘pushed the wrong button’? Apologies for adding additional text to my post, I often do that when in the process of digging out resource material.

Anyway, the references include Natural England and BB, so hopefully reliable, I wouldn’t let a typo bother me too much on one reference link - clearly it should read ‘gull’!

WINTER ATLAS (press the map then press ‘Maps’ then Winter, then press distribution change)

Map Store Viewer

app.bto.org

Sometimes our personal observations don’t always reflect the overall picture.

I wasn’t referring to personal observations alone, the NE source is nine years old and the BB one considerably older. They don’t shed any light on current trends. The other source is unreliable given the poor quality translation.

Anyway it’s a Little Gull. They have declined in the north west, if not elsewhere all well and good.

 

[Deb Burhinus]

I wasn’t referring to personal observations alone

Can you post some reference material please relating to the UK as a whole (not just local records). The Winter Atlas clearly shows an increase in winter Little Gull records but yes, it’s now 9 years old.
There is ongoing evidence in migration shifts which may account for increases in UK waters (rather than overall population numbers) - climate change and food availability often being the main drivers for migration shifts.

I’ll email a colleague tomorrow see if I can get more up to date info.

 

[PYRTLE]

"In recent years, non-breeding birds have accumulated a growing number in Western Europe, and for the first time in 2016, the little gull has successfully made their home in Great Britain for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Reserve, Aberdeenshire’s Latch of Strathbeg Reserve".

Interesting that possible breeding was recorded in North Norfolk between 2008 - 2011.
I'm not quite sure what the phrase " made it their home " actually means in that quote regarding a Scottish RSPB Reserve.... to me it indicates proven and established successful breeding over a few years.

 

[Deb Burhinus]

Anyway it’s a Little Gull

Actually I was responding to the most recent image of the Black-headed Gull and just making some suggestions where the OP might have luck seeing a sizeable flock. I didn’t intend for it to spark off a long discussion! 🙂

Pat, Little Gull bred in Cambridgeshire back in 1975 if I remember correctly.

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

Can you post some reference material please relating to the UK as a whole (not just local records). The Winter Atlas clearly shows an increase in winter Little Gull records but yes, it’s now 9 years old.

I’ll email a colleague tomorrow see if I can get more up to date info.

Thanks for your replies.

Stephen