Adam asked if Miranda and I could help Graham Giddens ring the Black-headed Gull chicks on the rafts out on DL’O lagoon. Our role was to count the chicks, estimate the remaining live nests and eggs, rescue any chicks that managed to jump over the chicken wire and all the while avoid falling over in the sludgy mud which sucked your boots whenever you moved.
Black-headed Gulls are an important breeding species in the Solent and they formerly bred in much larger numbers on G Island. It was a privilege to be so close to these birds and Graham ringed them as a quickly as possible to avoid upsetting them too much. The adults soon returned as we waded away from the rafts. There were 76 chicks of which Graham ringed the largest 41.
While there I also noticed a Common Blue butterfly in front of DL’O hide and an Emperor Dragonfly was in Spring Meadow as I drove past.
Patch Birding 