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Tag Archives: gull chicks

Cheeping up a storm

05 Saturday Jun 2021

Posted by sconzani in birds

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birding, birdwatching, British birds, gull chicks, Lesser black-backed gull, Lesser black-backed gull chicks, urban gull chicks

My nearest Lesser black-backed gulls (the ones who’ve featured in many previous blogs, see here and here) were late getting started this year and are still sitting tight.

210605 LBB chicks (1)

But, down at the end of the lane, in amongst the chimney pots, another regular pair of Lesser black-backed gulls is once again raising a family.

210605 LBB chicks (2)

And, when I passed by yesterday, these three youngsters were cheeping up a storm, especially when mum – or dad – returned to feed them.

210605 LBB chicks (3)

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206/366 Fledging

24 Friday Jul 2020

Posted by sconzani in birds, nature

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birding, birdwatching, British birds, gull chick learning to fly, gull chicks, Lesser black-backed gull, urban gull nest

From an initial count of three chicks, the local Lesser black-backed gulls nesting amongst a neighbour’s chimney pots have managed to raise one to fledging. I’ve been watching it practising its flying skills over recent days and, finally this morning, it has left the shelter of its nest site.

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Though it was pottering around the rooftops for a while, I can no longer see the chick. Now follows the dangerous time for this fledgling of learning to find its own food, finding shelter against bad weather, escaping domestic cats and dogs in the various neighbours’ gardens, and avoiding cars on roads…. Good luck, little one!

200724 lbb chick (18)

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172/366 Chicks

20 Saturday Jun 2020

Posted by sconzani in birds, nature

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gull chicks, gulls nesting amongst chimney pots, Lesser black-backed gull, urban gull nest

The neighbourhood Lesser black-backed gulls, presumably the same pair as last year, have bred again, amongst the chimney pots of a house over the back lane from me. I first noticed them checking out their previous nesting spot a couple of months ago – the photo below was taken on 22 March, and there was a lot of mating activity in early May (see Bonding, 4 May).

200620 1 LBB gulls 22March

The female started sitting in mid May, and I spotted the first chick on 12 June.

200620 2 chicks 12June

Now there are three chicks, the same number as this pair started off with last year, though they only managed to fledge one. I’ll keep you updated on this year’s success (or failure) rate. Fingers crossed!

200620 3 chicks 17June

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184a/365 The Big Yin lives!

03 Wednesday Jul 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, birds, nature

≈ 8 Comments

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birding, birdwatching, British birds, gull chicks, Lesser black-backed gull, urban gull nest

190703 LBB gull chick

The best news! The biggest of the three Lesser black-backed gull chicks is still alive. It must’ve fallen off the roof. I had searched the back of the house with my bins and found nothing and couldn’t hear anything, but now it’s on the roof of the lean-to attached to the back of the house. It’s moving around just fine and a parent has been down to feed it. I suspect it may have fallen into the front garden (a miracle it survived the tumble), the home owners have found it, and moved it around the back and on to the roof so it could be seen by its parents. Fingers crossed!

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184/365 Sad news

03 Wednesday Jul 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, birds, nature

≈ 2 Comments

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birding, birdwatching, British birds, gull chicks, Lesser black-backed gull, urban gull nest

I am the bearer of sad tidings today. All three of the Lesser black-backed gull chicks, who were living amongst the chimney pots across the back lane, have perished. I think one died a week or so ago, probably because it was the runt of the brood and was out-competed for food by its two older siblings. I’m not sure what happened to the other two – one was definitely much larger and more dominant than the other, so perhaps the smaller of the remaining two also died from starvation. I noticed the third chick had disappeared late yesterday afternoon, when I spotted a couple of the local Jackdaws inspecting the nest site – I don’t think they would’ve killed the chick, as it was bigger than them, and they seemed merely to be picking through the nest materials.

190703 jackdaws

The female Lesser black-backed soon chased them off and has spent quite a bit of time sitting on the chimney pots, peering at the nest as if looking for the chick(s). She has also been staying nearby, as if she expects them to reappear and she’s been calling for them, which has been very sad to hear.

190703 lesser black-backed gull (2)

There have been many other gulls in the area, some of whom have been taking an interest in the nest. Several times I’ve heard lots of screeching and watched while the parents chased off the interlopers. I presume that, while the parents were out looking for food, either those gulls or some other predator has carried off the remaining two chicks. ‘Tis the sad reality of the natural world.

190703 lesser black-backed gull (1)

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170/365 Growing fast

19 Wednesday Jun 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, birds, nature

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#365DaysWild, birding, birdwatching, British birds, gull chicks, gull nest among chimney pots, Lesser black-backed gull, urban gull nest

It’s time for an update on the Lesser black-backed gulls who are rearing their brood among the chimney pots on a house in the next street to mine.

190619 lesser black-backed gull chicks (1)

First off, though I thought initially that there were only two, there are, in fact, three chicks, though one is significantly bigger than the other two and much more aggressive when it comes to demanding food from its parents.

190619 lesser black-backed gull chicks (2)

I was a little worried that all the recent rain might have caused them problems as the parents seem to leave them on their own a lot but they all look reasonably healthy so far (they’re at least two weeks old now).

190619 lesser black-backed gull

It must take a lot of effort from the parents to keep their hunger satisfied – if it ever is. I spotted one of the parents with a long bit of fish – young eel? – hanging out of its mouth the other day. I bet that soon got gobbled up when it was later regurgitated. Another progress report soon!

190619 lesser black-backed gull chicks (3)

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156/365 The eggs have hatched!

05 Wednesday Jun 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, birds, nature

≈ 5 Comments

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#365DaysWild, birding, birdwatching, British birds, chicks on rooftop, gull chicks, Lesser black-backed gull, urban gull chicks

Hearty congratulations to Mr and Mrs Lesser black-backed gull, who are now the proud parents of two chicks – at least, I can only see two – there may be more. You might remember that I posted about them nest-building back on 26 April and then again, on 10 May, to say I’d noticed they were now sitting full-time on the nest. Fingers crossed that the chicks flourish and don’t fall out from amongst the chimney pots. I will post another update in a week or so.

190605 LBB chicks

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The heronsew, the ducklings & the chicks

27 Wednesday Jun 2018

Posted by sconzani in birds, nature, parks

≈ 2 Comments

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#30DaysWild, 30 Days Wild, birding, birdwatching, Cosmeston, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, ducklings, Grey heron, gull chicks, gull nesting on urban rooftop, heronsew, Lesser black-backed gull, Mallard, young heron

The blue-sky heat was relieved ever so slightly on day 27 of #30DaysWild by a nice breeze, so I strolled along to Cosmeston Lakes Country Park for a mooch around. I had a lovely time, though after a couple of hours chasing butterflies in the glaring heat, I felt rather envious of the water birds enjoying the cooling water of the lakes.

180627 grey heron (1)
180627 grey heron (2)

180627 grey heron (3)

This young Grey heron – apparently called a heronsew, from the French heronceau – has not yet learnt to fear humans and was very close to the boardwalk by the cafe.

180627 mallard ducklings (1)180627 mallard ducklings (2)

As I was watching it, Mum Mallard brought her brood of five well-grown ducklings out for a swim. They looked a bit like gawky teenagers and have already been taught to approach humans in the hope of some food.

180627 LBB chicks (1)
180627 LBB chicks (2)

Then, on the walk home, I spotted a bundle of fluff moving around on a rooftop. By the time I got the camera out, it had sat back down with its sibling and, though I was on the other side of the street, mother (or father) Lesser black-backed gull flew past screeching at me, before landing on the chimney to keep an eye on its chicks. I’ve heard of these gulls nesting on factories and taller buildings but not on a house in an urban area.

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About me

sconzani

sconzani

I'm a writer and photographer; researcher and blogger; birder and nature lover; countryside rambler and city strider; volunteer and biodiversity recorder.

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