Dutch Birding volume 27 (2005) no 1

Baltic Gull at IJmuiden in September 2002

On 20 September 2002, an adult colour-ringed 'lesser black-backed gull' Larus fuscus was observed among a group of Lesser Black-backed Gulls L f graellsii and European Herring Gulls L argentatus at IJmuiden, Noord-Holland, the Netherlands. The white ring was read (C09K) but the bird flew off before the plumage could be studied. The bird proved to be a Baltic Gull L f fuscus, ringed on 12 July 1996 at Savonlinna, Mikkeli, Finland (62:09 N, 28:24 E), at a distance of 1782 km from IJmuiden. This is the second ringing recovery for the Netherlands; the first was on 18 December 2001 on Vlieland, Friesland (ringed on 7 July 1995 at Kerikmäki, Mikkeli, Finland (C364)). Recently, the Dutch rarities committee (CDNA) has decided to remove all records from the Dutch list except for ringed birds of proven provenance. As a result, nine previously accepted individuals from 1992-2000 have been removed from the Dutch list. Therefore, these two sightings of colour-ringed birds are now the only two records of Baltic Gull on the Dutch list. If accepted, a colour-ringed bird photographed at Westkapelle, Zeeland, on 16 October 2004, also ringed in Finland, will be the third record.

Fred Cottaar, Lutulistraat 42, 2037 CB Haarlem, Nederland