The return of J1P4
Hello! I’m back after a little time away, working and enjoying myself. It’s good to be back. It’s also good to see an old friend again:
J1P4 is back from Norway for another winter in South Devon. J1P4 is a Black Headed Gull, which I’m delighted to see is back in the mild winter weather of South Devon. It is feeding well as part of a group on the River Teign. It spends six or so months in Frognerparken or Østensjøvannet in Norway, and six or so months here. Here’s when I first saw it, in 2020:
Black Headed Gulls used to be a rare sight inland 100 years ago but according to the RSPB there are now 140,000 breeding pairs in the UK. During the winter millions of them come to the UK. They flock here from Russia, Scandinavia and the Baltic States and their population swells to 2.2 million individuals.
J1P4 is 1380 kilometres from its summer home: