Counted another 1,980 LBBGs into roost from WNW-NE of Shrewsbury this evening, which along with a few smaller counts elsewhere means there are 💥5,500+💥 roosting on those all important roofs! Staggering 🤯 #urbangulls #shropshirebirding #seabirdscount

Small, roughly week old, Lesser Black-backed Gull chick in the nest

Middle-sized Lesser Black-backed Gull chicks on a roof

Large Lesser Black-backed Gull chick slowly losing its down

One of the oldest Lesser Black-backed Gull chicks in the colony taking short flappy flights on its roof

Another #seagullSunday added a few more to the tally at the Shrewsbury gullery. Now 104 LBBG and 12 Herring chicks ranging from hatchling to, er, flapling #urbangulls #seabirdscount #shropshirebirding

A Lesser Black-backed Gull chick doing a penguin impression in front of a plastic owl

Herring Gull and chick on a roof

Herring Gull pair and three chicks on a roof

Another #seagullSunday at the Shrewsbury gullery saw counts of 67 LBBG chicks from 33 checked nests, and a whopping 10 Herring chicks from 6 nests. 16 LBBG and 2 HG nests still sitting #urbangulls #seabirdscount #shropshirebirding #superseabirdSunday

Lesser Black-backed Gull chick walking down a roof

Two Lesser Black-backed Gull chicks nestled in rooftop vegetation

A Lesser Black-backed Gull chick on a roof

Herring Gull and chick on a roof

Checked on the #Shrewsbury gullery this evening and it was a chickfest. Downy bundles all over the place 🐥 #urbangulls #seabirdscount #shropshirebirding

A collage of gull nests on a Shrewsbury roof. Top, the view from the plane courtesy of Claire; middle, the view of the same nests from a car park; bottom, the phonescoped view of the lefthand two nests, a Herring Gull on the ridge and a Lesser Black-backed Gull below it

From the plane to the car park to the scope - locating, confirming and identifying more incubating gulls in the Shrewsbury gullery on another #seagullSunday. 62 LBBG and 7 Herring nests so far... #urbangulls #seabirdscount #shropshirebirding

Incubating adult Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls in a rooftop colony

Three incubating adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls in a rooftop colony

An incubating adult Herring Gull enjoying some shade in a rooftop colony

Aerial photo of part of the Shrewsbury gullery, containing some of the nests seen in the previous photos

Spent some of #seagullSunday down to earth, ground-truthing some of our aerial survey findings. Five Herring and 30 LBBG nests in one small section #urbangulls #seabirdscount #shropshirebirding

A sea of flat roofs in northern Shrewsbury

Dots on roofs, the gullery

Several gulls on the roofs where it all started in Shrewsbury

Reflecting on our survey (thanks for the idea Claire!)

Fantastic opportunity to see the Shrewsbury gullery from a different angle this evening 🛩 Many thanks to all involved #shropshirebirding #urbangulls #seabirdscount

A pair of Lesser Black-backed Gulls mating on a roof whilst another adjusts its new nest nearby, all oblivious of the recently fitted bird spikes!

An adult Lesser Black-backed Gull incubating on a rooftop nest

Two Lesser Black-backed Gull nests in close proximity on a roof

One of a record 5 Herring Gull nests located on Shrewsbury roofs today

I missed a #seagullSunday last week, and haven't they been busy! The Shrewsbury gullery contains 36+ LBBG nests and a record 5 Herring Gull nests so far... #urbangulls #seabirdscount #shropshirebirding

Adult Herring Gull on the nest on a Shrewsbury roof

Pair of adult Herring Gulls on a roof

Squabbling Lesser Black-backed Gulls

8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls on a Shrewsbury roof

A massive 16 Herring Gulls in the Shrewsbury gullery this morning along with ten times as many LBBGs - nest sites are starting to become valuable #urbangulls #seabirdscount #shropshirebirding

A smart pair of Lesser Black-backed Gulls on their breeding roof

A smart pair of Lesser Black-backed Gulls engaging in some pair bonding on their breeding roof

Another smart pair of Lesser Black-backed Gulls on their breeding roof

Just look at those legs! 😎 Another sunny Sunday in the Shrewsbury gullery, lots of activity and just maybe one or two sitting already #urbangulls #seabirdscount #shropshirebirding

Long-calling male Lesser Black-backed Gull on his nesting roof

Female Lesser Black-backed Gull getting settled on her nesting roof

Pair of Herring Gulls looking comfortable on their potential nesting roof

Visiting potential parents on #mothersday in the Shrewsbury gullery. At least 121 LBBGs and 14 Herrings today, most paired up and some settling down 🤞 #urbangulls #seabirdscount #shropshirebirding

A smart pair of adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls on a roof where they will hopefully breed this summer

An early visit to the Shrewsbury gullery today: at least 43 pairs of LBBGs and 4 pairs of Herrings back on territory is a great start to the season #urbangulls #seabirdscount #shropshirebirding

Cabinet Secretary Gillian Martin MSP launched a public consultation on the draft Scottish #Seabird Conservation Action Plan at the Scottish Seabird Centre today. The JNCC Seabirds Team contributed, incl #SeabirdsCount data. Have your say at www.gov.scot/publications...

Wide variation in the Shrewsbury gullery today: sitting birds, tiny chicks and fledged juveniles. Could some have tried again following disturbance from roofing work? 🤔 #urbangulls #seabirdscount

From balls of fluff to fully fledged juvs, the Shrewsbury gullery was in full swing this morning. At least 85 young LBBGs & 2 Herrings, along with a flock of 170 non-breeding 2cy/3cys #urbangulls #seabirdscount

A flying visit to the Shrewsbury gullery today produced dozens of fluffy chicks on the rooftops. Looks like a good year 🤞 #urbangulls #seabirdscount

Spying on central Birmingham's rooftop #urbangulls from the Secret Garden on the library today. Nests and chicks of LBBGs and Herrings on the ICC. We need more rooftop vantage points in Shrewsbury... #seabirdscount

First visit of the season to the Shrewsbury gullery this morning where despite some roof removal, a remarkable 33 LBBG nests and 2 Herrings 🤞 #urbangulls #seabirdscount

🌊 New in SEABIRD 36 (Early Release) 🌊

Richard Luxmoore and colleagues:
'Population surveys of burrow-nesting #seabirds on the St Kilda archipelago: results and insights from the 2019 #SeabirdsCount census'

#SeabirdJournal

doi.org/10.61350/sbj...

📷: Danni Thompson

An image tweet showing the new book, Seabirds Count, at the day-long Seabirds Count symposium in Edinburgh on 6 Dec 23 delving into the book and individual stories of the UK’s seabirds.

#SeabirdsCount is a new book charting the history of UK #seabirds. Yday it was also the subject of a day-long symposium. Not that you’d know on here as I haven’t seen a single mention of either. We’ve got so much work to do to get #ornithology and important news of #birds migrated over here

Great to be at the #SeabirdsCount conference, hear about the immense work & the results, and pickup a copy of this fantastic and important book.
Question - what are Britain & Ireland’s commonest & rarest regular breeding seabird species?
Answer - buy the book!

Probably the last of my regular updates from the Shrewsbury gullery - they're starting to leave home! 😭 20+ fully fledged LBBGs today 💪🐥 #urbangulls #seabirdscount

Another week on, and fledging is underway in the Shrewsbury gullery! Some are looking so grown up, others less so, but all healthy 🥳 #urbangulls #seabirdscount

Amazing variation in the record 87 LBBG chicks in the Shrewsbury gullery at the moment, and even a couple of adults still sitting patiently #urbangulls #seabirdscount

They grow up so fast! A few of the older LBBG chicks are on the verge of fledging in the Shrewsbury gullery this evening 🐥 #urbangulls #seabirdscount

Your weekly update of hot news from the hot roofs of the Shrewsbury gullery: 3 big and one tiny Herring Gull chicks and 56+ LBBG chicks! You're welcome 💥 #urbangulls #seabirdscount

The first Herring Gull chick was visible today amongst 30+ baby LBBGs in the Shrewsbury gullery and plenty still sitting #urbangulls #seabirdscount

Following last year's first county success, there are 3 Herring Gull nests in the Shrewsbury gullery this year along with 24+ LBBG nests #urbangulls #seabirdscount

One last check of the Harlescott gullery this evening, still a handful of lazy LBBGs refusing to leave home, and at least one juv HG with shouty parents #urbangulls #seabirdscount

Spent yesterday writing about Yellow-legged Gulls for the #SeabirdsCount book… so feels like karma to see my first in Northumberland at Boulmer today! @NTBirdClub @JNCC_UKseabirds @smp_seabirds