Kittiwake International threshold: 20,000** Rissa tridactyla Great Britain threshold: ? † † All-Ireland threshold: ? GB max: 1,394 Oct NI max: 84 Sep During WeBS counts, Kittiwakes were It is important to note that because a recorded at most of the traditional sites few key WeBS sites are near breeding during 2008/09. The peak monthly total of colonies it is likely that breeding success 1,394 birds in October is very low compared may significantly affect WeBS counts at to recent years. The highest counts these sites. Nevertheless, low numbers received were from Arran (800, October) recorded through WeBS may be associated and Dungeness & Rye Bay (500, January) with both the declining UK breeding but, relatively, few were reported from population and recent abysmal productivity Loch Strathbeg where the largest numbers (JNCC 2009). All records in Northern Ireland have frequently been seen in the past. were from Belfast Lough. 04/05 05/06 06/07 07/08 08/09 Mon Mean Sites with mean peak counts of 200 or more birds in Great Britain † Loch of Strathbeg 152 1,130 3,282 785 37 Jul 1,077 Arran 340 701 400 1,000 800 Oct 648 Tay Estuary (690) (740) (190) 300 (17) Aug 577 Dungeness and Rye Bay 500 Jan 500 Beadnell to Seahouses 140 512 850 (460) 200 Apr 432 Durham Coast 279 250 (363) (71) (225) Apr 297 Forth Estuary 170 (276) (379) (127) (334) Oct 290 Otter Estuary to Kingsbridge Estuary 250 250 Winterfield to Catcraig 285 430 3 Sep 239 Glyne Gap 19 457 (233) (78) Dec 238 Dee Estuary (Scotland) 161 191 175 458 183 Sep 234 Tweed Estuary 114 340 410 132 126 Jul 224 Nigg Bay to Cove Bay 846 0 0 (0) 0 212 Sites below table qualifying levels but exceeding threshold in WeBS-Year 2008/09 in Great Britain † Loch Fleet Complex 0 0 (0) (2) 200 Oct 67 † as no British or All-Ireland thresholds have been set a qualifying level of 200 has been chosen to select sites for presentation in this report Black-headed Gull International threshold: 20,000** Chroicocephalus ridibundus Great Britain threshold: 19,000 † † All-Ireland threshold: ? GB max: 195,454 Feb NI max: 12,719 Nov Numbers of Black-headed Gulls recorded Given that the species uses many non- by WeBS in 2008/09 were similar to those in wetland habitats and that counting of gulls the previous year, with February again remains optional, WeBS totals represent a proving to be the peak month. relatively small proportion of the British population estimate (Banks et al. 2009). Several sites no longer feature among those internationally or nationally important, owing to the fact that complete counts of gulls have not taken place in the last five years – since the last wintering gulls survey (WinGS) in 2003/04. However, The Wash has now crept over the qualifying threshold. Submission of counts from the former two sites, as well as from gull roosts at all sites, is encouraged wherever Black-headed Gull (Neil Calbrade) possible. 147 04/05 05/06 06/07 07/08 08/09 Mon Mean Sites of international importance in the UK Bewl Water 69,000 36 55,600 12 67,840 12 48,400 12 35,340 12 Jan 55,236 Thames Estuary 40,048 13,848 10,712 (12,901) (14,183) Aug 21,536 The Wash 11,093 (15,595) 30,097 (18,679) (20,878) Aug 20,689 Sites no longer meeting table qualifying levels in WeBS-Year 2008/09 Humber Estuary (1,028) (2,298) (819) (6,689) (7,865) Sep (7,865) Chew Valley Lake (no data for years shown in this table) Sites with mean peak counts of 10,000 or more birds in Great Britain † Morecambe Bay 16,757 16,695 (15,232) (9,435) 13,758 Aug 15,737 36 Stewartby Lake 14,000 14,000 Eccup Reservoir 6,000 20,000 13,000 12 12 12 12 Tophill Low Reservoirs 8,385 15,000 3,835 12,000 21,000 Oct 12,044 36 36 11 Severn Estuary 9,656 8,278 (3,589) (4,851) 16,121 Dec 11,352 36 12 Doddington Pool 11,000 12,000 11,000 11,000 8,500 Nov 10,700 Blyth Estuary (3,500) 4,203 23,700 3,971 (5,312) Feb 10,625 36 Ribble Estuary 9,750 10,228 15,261 10,055 6,389 May 10,337 Wintersett & Cold Hiendley Reservoirs 5,000 20,000 6,000 Jan 10,333 Sites with mean peak counts of 1,000 or more birds in Northern Ireland † 11 11 11 Belfast Lough 7,515 9,936 (6,823) 4,971 2,168 Nov 6,283 11 11 11 11 Strangford Lough 3,111 4,011 3,889 4,109 5,656 Feb 4,155 Loughs Neagh and Beg (2,267) (3,472) (3,978) (2,610) (2,989) Mar (3,978) Outer Ards Shoreline 2,419 4,566 3,800 2,893 3,614 Nov 3,458 Lough Foyle 1,057 2,565 2,091 3,237 3,324 Oct 2,455 Larne Lough 1,396 591 2,245 1,989 2,453 Feb 1,735 † as few sites exceed the British threshold and no All-Ireland threshold has been set qualifying levels of 10,000 and 1,000 have been chosen to select sites, in Great Britain and Northern Ireland respectively, for presentation in this report Little Gull International threshold: 1,230 Hydrocoloeus minutus Great Britain threshold: ? † † All-Ireland threshold: ? GB max: 160 Sep NI max: 1 Jul In 2008/09, Little Gulls were noted at 57 Hornsea Mere remains the UK’s only site sites across Britain and at a further two in of international importance for this species. Northern Ireland. Although this represents a It traditionally supports exceptionally large more widespread distribution during WeBS numbers of passage birds in autumn, Core counts than the previous year, the although the peak count there during totals recorded were unimpressive. The autumn 2008 was considerably lower than peak Core count noted during autumn most recent years. Numbers present there passage was 134 at Hornsea Mere in are presumably at least partly dependent September, while that during spring was 32 on feeding (and roosting) conditions at Staines Reservoir in April. The latter offshore in the North Sea. count presumably coincided with a flux of In Northern Ireland, singles were seen at weather-dependent spring passage, as birds Bann Estuary in July and August, and Loughs were seen at several other inland localities Neagh & Beg in October, November and on the same date. February. 04/05 05/06 06/07 07/08 08/09 Mon Mean Sites of international importance in the UK 12 12 12 Hornsea Mere 7,000 160 (16,000) 21,500 1,200 Sep 7,465 Sites with mean peak counts of 5 or more birds in Great Britain † Alt Estuary 201 12 530 12 162 13 97 13 75 13 Apr 213 Tophill Low Reservoirs 90 13 375 12 26 12 250 12 125 13 Sep 173 Forth Estuary 321 (0) 25 9 3 Sep 90 Tay Estuary 28 26 206 (3) (0) 87 North Norfolk Coast 8 32 176 30 10 Jul 51 Monikie Reservoirs 38 (0) 38 Humber Estuary (0) (3) (0) (33) (2) May (33) Alde Complex (0) 49 0 0 0 12 East Chevington Pools 18 3 14 7 18 Jun 12 Anstruther Bay 0 0 0 55 0 11 Tees Estuary 3 4 6 11 21 Aug 9 148 04/05 05/06 06/07 07/08 08/09 Mon Mean 13 13 Moray Firth 8 9 9 Staines Reservoirs 1 1 6 1 32 Apr 8 Morecambe Bay 7 3 14 (0) 3 Aug 7 Yetholm Pond 20 0 0 7 Sites below table qualifying levels but exceeding threshold in WeBS-Year 2008/09 in Great Britain † Dee Estuary (England and Wales) 3 1 (5) (0) (6) Mar 4 Dungeness and Rye Bay (2) 0 0 4 (5) Oct 2 † as no British or All-Ireland thresholds have been set a qualifying level of five has been chosen to select sites for presentation in this report Mediterranean Gull International threshold: 6,600 Larus melanocephalus Great Britain threshold: ? † † All-Ireland threshold: ? GB max: 522 Aug NI max: 2 Sep Mediterranean Gulls were recorded at count data from sites not appearing in the 103 sites in Britain and three in Northern table below is sought in order to provide a Ireland in 2008/09, a similar number to the more complete picture of the status of this previous year. The peak monthly British expanding species in southern Britain. total of 552 in August represents the The most notable feature of highest recorded by WeBS, promptly concentrations away from the south coast surpassing the previous maximum registered stronghold was a further increase in in April 2007. numbers in Breydon Water & Berney WeBS counts at five sites were in excess Marshes area. Elsewhere, 34 at Swansea Bay of 100 birds, and 32 other sites held at least in July represents the highest count ever five birds. These include a WeBS record from Wales and, similarly, 45 at Minsmere Core count of 341 at Brading Harbour in in April is a site peak. Mediterranean Gulls August. Several other south coast locations, were seen at four sites in Scotland, some of which are not currently monitored including three at Loch Ryan in January and through WeBS (including Copt Point in Kent) February. Records from Northern Ireland also hold up to several hundred birds on a included two at Lough Foyle in September.