I was checking out the Gull roost at high tide this morning along West Park Drive just south of Lock’s Common. I started to count the adult Med Gulls which were in or moulting into winter plumage. My count reached 130 Turnstone and 14 adult Med Gulls when I noticed a juvenile which was ringed Left Leg Yellow “2P15” and small metal ring on Right Leg.

Sean Kingston at the Med Gull ringing project has told me that 2P15 was 1 of 120 Med chicks colour ringed by the Farlington Ringing Group at RSPB Langstone Harbour in Hampshire this summer. This is the first sighting of 2P15 and they have had 1 juvenile with the flock at Llanon south of Aberystwyth in Ceredigion. Apparently the juveniles seem to be heading west at the moment so everyone should keep their eyes peeled for them.

I later found another juvenile at Sandy Bay on the other side of Porthcawl taking my total to a best ever 16 (14 adult / 2 juv).