Last Casp of the season? Perhaps.

Hard work this weekend! Biggest stress I had was failing to get the full code on a metal ringed adult Lesser Black-backed Gull on Greenland Dock that was probably Dutch ringed. First world problems I guess.

adult Lesser Black-backed Gull Rotherhithe, London 25th March 2017 - origin unknown, rather frustratingly!

Anyway with the northerly winds, migration wasn't quite on the cards enough to give it a good go so I favoured a couple of lie-ins to recharge the batteries. Particularly as the tides for the Thames weren't until late afternoon/evening for both today and yesterday. So it turned into another gulling weekend, perhaps the final one of the season? We'll see.

Anyway, a new 1st-winter Caspian Gull at Thames Barrier Park today was the highlight. It never came that close, but I was just thankful to see it as Dante and I were both getting a bit disillusioned with proceedings have lobbed over 10 loaves of bread out between us: -

1st-winter Caspian Gull Thames Barrier Park, London 26th March 2017

This was the 27th Caspian Gull of the season, and possibly (but hopefully not) the last. One thing I did learn today was mid and high tide visits could be worthwhile here in the future, as the gulls seemed much keener to come to bread when it was in the water rather than on the exposed mud.

Spread across both days, I managed only eight rings - a regular Danish Great Black-backed Gull, a 1st-winter Danish Lesser Black-backed Gull that Josh had seen in West London in February and six different NTGG rings.

1st-winter Lesser Black-backed Gull V.JZ4 (Danish ringed) Thames Barrier Park, London 26th March 2017

One thing that is worth saying here is the guys who have been ringing at Rainham and Pitsea have reached an end of an era. The last two catches made (yesterday and a couple of weeks ago), their rings no longer end in 'T' but it is now 'Z' so gullers be aware! I had my first of the new ring combo today at Thames Barrier Park: -

1st-winter Herring Gull DA1Z Thames Barrier Park, London 26th March 2017 - one of a new breed of NTGG rings ending in 'Z' and not 'T'

Anyway, just one week left at school before I hopefully manage to get a few nice new gulls seen in April... very much looking forward to it.