Images of our first visit of the season on 16 March 2020 to the gull colony at IJmuiden Forteiland, the Netherlands, as part of our research project.
More and more Lesser Black-backed Gulls are returning now, as well as a small group of Herring Gulls. With around 100 colour rings read, we were able to welcome many birds which we hadn’t seen since the end of the breeding season last year.
Click the image for a larger view.
Lesser Black-backed Gull Green SAAC was originally ringed by us in a colony in nearby Zaandam in 2015, but has been breeding at Forteiland since 2017.
Lesser Black-backed Gull Green YAWB, ringed as a pullus in 2011.
Lesser Black-backed Gull White N:4CL was rehabilitated while wintering in Málaga, Spain, and was briefly seen in the colony. Time will tell if it is one of our breeding birds…
Herring Gulls Green YBMD and YCPZ have paired up again.
Meanwhile in the harbour, Herring Gull Green YBDS is still accompanied by its young from last year…
Gulls to the Horizon 