June 11th

I saw a colour-ringed great black-backed gull on the shore at Balcomie over the weekend. It was ringed on the May Island on the 3^rd July 2017. It has been about Balcomie and Fife Ness ever since. Some birds go far from where they are born and others stay very close: I expect this one will breed on the May when it becomes a full adult in two summers time. Large gulls can take up to 4 years to get breeding and even so they might then need a couple more years before they get good enough at it to fledge chicks.

Born on the May Island – and now living at Balcomie: a two year old great black-backed gull and two years away from being fully adult