Peterborough Bird Club annual report Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus | A* | Scarce 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003
2003	Rare passage migrant and winter migrant which has bred. A second-winter bird came into roost at the Nene Washes on 8 Jan (JT). Possibly the same bird was also recorded at Dogsthorpe Tip on 10th and 20 Jan (BHS) and at Ravensthorpe on three occasions between 6-26 Feb (MW, KAF). One to two adults were at Dogsthorpe Star Pit NR on 21 Feb (PT) with one of these birds being seen at Dogsthorpe Tip on 26 Feb (MO). An adult bird in summer plumage was present at Baston & Langtoft GP on 6 Apr (TW) and again on 3 May, when it was joined by a third calendar year bird (SPD, KAF). One was at Deeping Lakes NR on 29 Apr (BHS). Two juveniles were at Hampton Lakes on 25 Jul with one still there on 10 Aug (KD); an adult was also present at that site during the evening of 11 Aug (KD). A first-winter bird was at Dogsthorpe Star Pit NR on 16 Sep and an adult at Fletton BP on 17 Sep (both KD). An adult winter bird was at Farcet Fen on 10 Oct (SPD). Tanholt GP played host to an adult bird on 25 Oct and 14 Nov (SPD) with a first-winter bird there on 26 Oct (SPD, KAF). One adult was at Fletton BP on 12 Nov (KD). Single adult birds seen at Dogsthorpe Star Pit NR 7-8 Dec were considered to be different birds (KD).
2002	Rare passage migrant and winter migrant which has bred. An adult at Dogsthorpe Star Pit NR was the first record of the year on 3 Jan (BHS) and this was followed by a first-winter at Ferry Meadows CP 15 Jan (MJW, SPD). Presumably the same bird was seen there on a further six dates up to 5 Apr (MO). A first winter bird was also seen at Dogsthorpe Tip 26 Feb (BHS). A full summer-plumaged adult was an excellent record at Flag Fen 25 Mar (SPD). An early juvenile was at Ferry Meadows CP 19 Jul and 2 Aug (MJW), with a moulting adult present on 5 Aug (BHS, DG). In October, a second-winter was at Ferry Meadows CP 12 Oct (SPD), with what was almost certainly the same bird at Fletton BP complex 13 Oct (SPD). An adult winter was at Dogsthorpe Star Pit NR 5 Nov (SPD, KAF, BHS). Finally, an adult was seen flying between Elton and Fotheringhay on 30 Dec (BHS). Image © Brian Stone. Click for a larger version.
2001	Rare passage migrant and winter migrant which has bred. Another excellent year. An adult over the Nene Washes RSPB reserve 15 Jan (RSPB, PO), a first–summer Baston & Langtoft GP 31 Mar (BT) with a second–summer there 21–22 Apr (JH). An adult Orton BP 30 Sep (BHS) and Fletton BP 1 Oct (SPD) and presumably the same bird at Ferry Meadows CP 25 Nov (MJW) and at Dogsthorpe Tip and Dogsthorpe Star Pit NR 3rd, 27th & 31 Dec (BHS, MW). A first-winter bird was on the Nene Washes from 17–24 Oct (RSPB) and at Dogsthorpe Star Pit NR 4 Dec (SPD, BHS, MW).
2000	Rare migrant and winter visitor, has bred. As observers pay more attention to local gulls, records of this species have increased sharply. An adult at Dogsthorpe Tip on 20 Jan was joined by a second-winter on 28th. There were singles at Ferry Meadows CP 3 Jan and 19 Feb (GW), Nene Washes 21 Mar, Baston & Langtoft GP in Apr (TW), Prior's Fen GP 28 Apr-13 May (DP), Morborne Hill 23 Sep (JO, BHS et al), Orton Mere 6 Oct (SPD) and Orton BP 16 Nov (SC).
1999	Rare migrant and winter visitor. In the first winter period, adults were seen in the Nene Washes roost on 22 Jan and 24 Feb (MW). Two adults arrived at Baston & Langtoft GP on 3 Apr (TW, AB) and remained as a pair throughout the spring within the Black-headed Gull colony and probably bred. At least one bird was still present on 13 Jun. Further spring records came from the Nene Washes, where singles were seen 2 May and 18 May. An adult roosted at Orton BP 14 Nov (DP, MJH).
1998	Vagrant. Nene Washes: A second-summer bird was present from 6-14 May. It was joined by a first-summer bird (14 May), which was also seen on 4 Jun.
	report home | species index | introduction | next species | contributors | contact