The LBBG is back at his usual haunt. An apparent Herring Gull mate has been loitering close by.
Hello, esteemed blog readership; Sarah Courchesne here, pinch hitting for Julie Ellis. Julie was unable to make it out to Appledore this week, but we’ve assembled a tactical team of seasoned experts and one foolish undergraduate to band gulls out here for a few days. Thus far, the weather has been, uncivilized, to put it mildly, and we have done scarcely any banding. However, this morning we canvassed most of the island, scouring the rain-drenched cliffs for any banded gulls returning to breed. In our travels, we also came upon the Lesser Black-backed Gull at his accustomed nest site overlooking the sea.
This morning, we observed him in very close proximity to a Herring Gull who appeared to be standing where the LBBG’s nest is usually found. So far, we have been unable to tell if they have eggs at that site, and we will wait a few more days to give them a chance to settle in before we attempt to capture the apparent mate. She has been a bit shy about displaying her legs, so we are not yet sure if she is a banded bird.
Bill Clark, larophile, in the standard dress code for the current conditions. Even indoors.
All will be revealed in additional posts over the next few days, so keep your eyes riveted to this blog for the latest on our exploits out here in the cold and the damp.
