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.