Today we carried out our annual gull census on ‘Gull Islands’ in Poole Harbour. Its fair to say the colony has had its ups and downs over the last few years with a mass illegal harvest of eggs in 2016, flooding in 2015 and a cold late spring in 2017. Not quite sure what to expect we headed out and were pleased to find that we arrived just in time as some of the chicks were just beginning to hatch out of their eggs. Since the first survey in 2008 where 87 Med Gull nests were found we’ve always struggled to better that total and have in fact seen a year on year decline of Med’s on the islands. However, this year felt different and one of the islands was definitely ‘Med Heavy’, which was proven in the overall totals with 155 Med Gull nests located, which is an incredible total. Although we saw no signs of illegal activity/egging Black-headed Gull nests were down to 4115 but we think this was down to a set of natural causes and could well be in part down to the increase of Med Gull which have a habit of bullying and often predating gull (and tern) nests.
Mediterranean Gull nest totals
2008 – 87
2015 – 64
2016 – 38
2017 – 33
2018 – 155
Black-headed Gull nest totals
2008 – 8951
2015 – 6400
2016 – 2589 (illegal harvesting of eggs occurred)
2017 – 5736
2018 – 4115
Elsewhere around the harbour today an Osprey was again in the Wareham Channel although only seen this afternoon so could have been a new migrant passing through? On Brownsea a Nightjar was visible from the heathland hide, up behind the villa, which is always nice to see before the bracken takes over. In the Corfe River Valley leading down to Wytch Lake 2 Cuckoo were calling. On Lytchett Fields a Spoonbill appeared out of nowhere! With no reports for a week or two it’s good to know that maybe one is trying to over-summer? Around midday a few Red Kite passed over too (they’re almost becoming to common to even mention now) with birds over the Arne Road and Slepe Heath and Lytchett Minster. At Hatch Pond 2 Common Sandpiper flew across the lake indicating some kind of wader passage had taken place if nowhere else showed signs of this! Along Hartland Moor Cuckoo and Woodlark were singing and a Hobby was over central Hartland.
Different stages of Black-headed Gull hatching on ‘Gull Island’ 2018 survey
Spring seems to be creeping along with more displaying and nest building birds today, including multiple Raven pairs/territories…
Find out moreAlthough you couldn’t see further than 100m for much of the day, there were birds to be found…
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