Weedon's World

In November, Mike found a colour-ringed Mediterranean Gull in Peterborough, and questions whether metal rings could be easier to read

- Mike Weedon

Every day, as I am sure I have mentioned before, I cycle to work through Ferry Meadows CP, which is only a mile away from the BW office in Peterborough. And, of course, every day I do a bit of birding along the way, particularly scanning the three lakes which sit in a meander of the River Nene, and have a habit of drawing down birds which use the river as a migration route and want to ‘cut the corner’. One place I always check is the little T-shaped pontoon bridge outside the watersports centre on the largest lake, Gunwade. Gulls (and the odd tern) use it for a rest and a preen, and I always hope something good will appear among them. In mid-November, something good was there, a second-winter Mediterranean Gull. And, to add further interest, it had a green ‘colour ring’ on its right leg (metal on the left). But I had no camera, and couldn’t quite read the lettering.