Peterborough Bird Club annual report Common Gull Larus canus | A | Common 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003
2003	Common passage and winter migrant. The year started with a peak count of 1,000 at the Nene Washes on 8 Jan (RSPB). Other notable counts included 400 at Dogsthorpe Star Pit NR on 13 Feb (BHS). Remaining counts were of less than 100 birds. One in Peterborough on 11 Nov was hit by a car in Broadway but was unharmed and later released in the nearby park (BHS).
2002	Common passage and winter migrant. The peak count was of 1,500+ at Fletton BP on 31 Oct (SPD). Other notable counts included 400 at Dogsthorpe Tip on 28 Feb (BHS) and 270+ were at Ferry Meadows CP on 9 Feb (MJW). Away from these sites, all other counts were in double figures only.
2001	Common passage and winter migrant. Recorded throughout the year along the Nene and Welland riverways, with the largest counts being 750 on the Nene Washes 15 Jan (RSPB) and 1,000 at Dogsthorpe Tip 27 Dec (BHS). Recorded also from Milton Park, Deeping Lakes NR, Baston & Langtoft GP, Ferry Meadows CP, Morborne Hill, Prior’s Fen GP, Orton Brimbles, Orton Longueville, Fletton BP, Maxey GP, Sibson and Bainton GP.
2000	Common winter visitor and migrant. The only records received away from the Nene Washes were 20 at Nassington 16 Jan, five at Deeping Lakes NR 12 Mar and Morborne Hill 25 Sep, four at Baston & Langtoft GP 15 Oct and 430 at Orton BP 16 Nov. On the washes, an early peak of 42 on 16 Jan, but scarce in spring. One on 26 Jun was the first returning bird. Up to 60 were present feeding in October, 101 in November and 135 in December, supplemented by roosting birds to peak totals of 250 on 20 Nov and 350 on 18 Dec. There were 46 at Fletton BP on 6 Aug. One showing some characteristics of Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis (of North American origin) at Deeping High Bank in March prompted an intense identification debate; the majority view supported the possibility of it being a hybrid.
1999	Common winter visitor. Low double-figure counts during both winter periods were at Maxey GP, Baston & Langtoft GP and Ferry Meadows CP. At the Nene Washes, 350 roosted during February. At Orton BP, 1,300 were counted 14 Nov, many of these spending the day at Dogsthorpe Tip, which attracts hundreds of wintering and migrating birds.
1998	Common winter visitor, migrant. The only records received were of five at Ferry Meadows CP (1 Feb), six at Fletton BP (26 Nov) and ten there on 1 Dec. Nene Washes: January to March saw up to 77 feeding along the washes, mainly along the tidal Nene, especially among Wigeon flocks, where the mass of feet must attract worms to the surface. Up to 200 roosted during February and March. In May, unusual numbers were present on the receding floods, with up to 46 - all first-summer - birds counted, plus one adult (9 May). Autumn birds appeared from 18 Oct, with 31 on 8 Nov.
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