Very rare visitor

A, “first winter” bird was seen at Fairlands Valley Lakes on 22 April 2017 with a coloured ring on its leg numbered X307. It had been ringed as a nestling at Oberspreewald – Lausitz, Germany on 6 June 2016. In September 2016 it was seen at the Thames Barrier Park, London and, at Rainham, Essex in October. It was also seen at Amwell, Hertfordshire during January and, February 2017 then, back at the Thames Barrier Park mid-March and, at Amwell again on 11 March.

The same bird was seen again at Fairlands Valley Lakes on 8, 9 and 13 January 2018 and, from 3 to 5 February 2019. Returning in the winter of 2019/20 it was seen almost daily from December 2019 to February 2020 [seen eating a Carp (Cyprinus carpio) on 15 February] and from 17 to 20 March 2020.

On 12 June 2020 it was, “recovered” at Parey in Germany and, noted as probably breeding. It returned to Fairlands Valley Lakes on 12 November and was subsequently seen on 6, 22 and 23 December 2020, regularly in January 2021 and on 12 and 13 February 2021.

On 11 October 2021 it again returned and was seen on various dates during October, November and, December and, during January 2022.

In 2022 it returned earlier than usual and was seen on 25 July and was seen again on 18 and 23 August, 24 September, 7 October, 4 November, 5 and 15 December and several dates in January 2023.

In 2023 it returned even earlier on 21 July and, was seen again on 25 July, 17 August, 11 and 16 October, 5 and 26 December, 2, 16 and 19 January 2024.

It is considered that this bird may be a hybrid with some Herring Gull (Larus argentus) genes. The colony in Germany where it was ringed is known to contain Herring Gulls and hybridisation of the two species is not uncommon.

A third winter bird was also seen at Fairlands Valley Lakes on 14 July 2022.