Over the last couple of years I have located several gull breeding colonies in Northamptonshire and elsewhere on my travels. Plus I have continued the work at the old British Shoe factory first started by Dave Gray. At this time of year seeing gulls over any flat roofed building is worth checking out. I recently spotted some gulls over the Northern Perimeter Road at Hinckley. Steve Nichols also spotted gulls in this area, as he was driving along the same road. I decided to do a thorough search of the area last weekend and eventually I spotted a Lesser Black-backed Gull sitting on a nest on one of the large warehouses. Something spooked the gulls and in all 27 Lesser Black-backs took to the air above the roof. The bird below is the only one visible from ground level, but I believe there are more pairs with eggs on the roof.
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| Lesser Black-backed Gull Incubating Eggs on the Roof of a Hinckley Warehouse |
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| Adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, Hinckley |
If you do see gulls in any industrial areas round Leicestershire this summer please let me know, so that I can check for signs of breeding. Better still, carry out a bit of detective work yourself and see if you can find out if they are breeding.
