Lachmöwe

Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls - Livermere 26th June 2025

June to August is the peak period at Livermere in my oh so humble, expert opinion... 

It is outside of shooting season, firm under foot, large congregations of breeding/ post breeding birds and the potential for almost anything to drop in...

I mean, probably not a Griffon Vulture or a Puffin - but certainly dispersing wildfowl, gulls and waders. 

I've seen some great birds mid-summer; there is currently a Ruddy Shelduck in attendance and Black Tern, Black-necked Grebe, Whinchat and Wood Sandpiper have all been logged in August. There is inevitably others I've forgotten... 

There is also the thrill of the first juvenile Yellow-legged and Mediterranean Gulls of the year. Scaly juvenile Meds are a particular favourite. Expectantly searching out these gems keeps an inland birder away from alcoholism / recreational drugs / midlife crisis during the sultry, summer months.  

Another favoured past time when views allow is ring-reading. Tantalisingly, I've seen one colour ringed Yellow-legged and two colour ringed Black-headed Gulls recently, all of which kept just out ring-reading range. 

There was one Black-headed which did the honourable thing, coming into ring reading range. Turns out it is a German!

Black-headed Gull 'A730'

I gratefully received the birds history - in German - luckily I am completely fluent and could read every word. The bird was ringed on a lake called Binnenalster in Hamburg back in March of 2013. It has since Rotterdam in 2013, 2022 and 2024, Poland in 2017, Birchington, Kent in 2018 and 2019 and finally - it graced the mighty Livermere on 26th June 2025. 

This is a very, very high level of science. 

I am going to leave you with a gratuitous Yellow-legged Gull photo, because there is currently double figures at Livermere and I like them.

Yellow-legged Gull - Livermere 25th June 2025