The Marl Med gull

29 Thursday Jan 2026

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birding, birdwatching, British birds, Cardiff birding, Med gull, Mediterranean gull, The Marl

I’ve almost certainly shown you this exact same Mediterranean gull in previous posts (Med gull on The Marl, 16 February 2022, and Mediterranean gull,13 January 2025). Though Med gulls don’t breed locally, we are lucky to have one or two overwinter hereabouts, and this individual is regularly seen with the Black-headed gull flock feeding on a Cardiff park and recreation area called The Marl.

Although it’s not ringed, so we can’t be absolutely certain we local birders are seeing the same bird each time, it seems a high probability as birds frequently stick to regular habits and locations. Also, these gulls can live between 10 and 15 years, which lends weight to the idea that the same bird is returning each winter to an area where it’s been able to find food during previous winters.

And there’s one other factor that makes me think this is the same Med gull – it is a very confiding bird, so confident, in fact, that it’s always the closest amongst the flock of other gulls to any humans and the path around the park, which means you can sit on a park bench and enjoy good views of it as it goes about its daily search for worms and other insects.

Mediterranean gull

13 Monday Jan 2025

Posted by sconzani in birds

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birding, birdwatching, British birds, British gulls, Larus melanocephalus, Med gull, Mediterranean gull

This is another of my sightings from December, certainly the best view I had all year of a Mediterranean gull (Larus melanocephalus).

250113 med gull (1)

As is usually the case, it was with a large flock of Black-headed gulls, searching the grassy playing fields of a Cardiff park for worms and other invertebrates. These gull flocks can be quite skittish but, as there were no dogs being walked off lead on my side of the park, this lot were content to continue their search while I sat on a park bench watching and taking lots of photographs.

250113 med gull (2)

Med gull on The Marl

16 Wednesday Feb 2022

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birding, birdwatching, British birds, British gulls, Med gull, Mediterranean gull

I managed to clock up the 89th species on my 2022 patch birding list on Friday after bumping in to the bird’s finder at the Cardiff Bay Wetlands Reserve. John had, about an hour earlier, spotted a Mediterranean gull among the flock at The Marl playing fields, so I strode in that direction, hoping the bird would still be present. At first I couldn’t find it as The Marl is popular with dog walkers and their pooches were constantly unsettling the large flock of Black-headed gulls prospecting diligently for worms in the lush grass. But, eventually, the birds settled down again and a thorough scan for a white rear end (adult Med gulls have no black on their wing or tail feathers) produced my bird.

220216 med gull

Birding in Barry

12 Monday Mar 2018

Posted by sconzani in birds, nature

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Barry, Barry Docks, Barry Old Harbour, birding, birdwatching, British birds, Curlew, Great Crested Grebe, Med gull, Mediterranean gull, Oystercatcher, Redhsank, Shelduck

The south Wales town of Barry is not exactly what you’d call a prime birding destination but, due to its coastal location, it does turn up regular wader sightings and the occasional rarity. On this visit, I dipped on my target species, the Great northern diver that’s been overwintering in Barry Docks – I saw the bird last year but want to add it to this year’s list – but I still had an enjoyable day’s birding, with a few nice surprises.

180312 Med & black-headed gulls

First up at Barry Docks was the local Mediterranean gull. For those unfamiliar with this bird, you can see some of the differences between it and Black-headed gulls in this photo – in breeding season, the hood on the head of the Med gull covers its entire head and is a true black (not a chocolate brown hood on just the front half of the head), its beak and legs are different, and it has white wing tips.

180312 Great crested grebes

Four Great crested grebes were braving the choppy waves being whipped up by the strong sou’westerly wind.

180312 Shelducks

In Barry Old Harbour, two Shelducks were hoovering the mud for small shellfish and aquatic snails.

180312 Redshanks

At least eight Redshanks were prospecting amongst the salt marsh and along the silty rivulets.

180312 Oystercatchers

Sitting down, five Oystercatchers were so well camouflaged as to be almost invisible, until they got up and one set them all off singing out their characteristic call.

180312 Curlew (1)

The day’s pièce de résistance was the sight of two Curlews prospecting for a late lunch amongst reeds and under rocks. At first, I thought I had the two Black-tailed godwits reported earlier in the week but no, those bills were definitely curved. A nice sighting just the same!

180312 Curlew (2)