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25 October 2013

Satellite Tagged Baltic Gull from Sweden in SW Saudi Arabia (Jizan) – Data supplied by Per Hansson

An adult female Lesser Black-backed Gull (Baltic Gull) Larus fuscus fuscus was ringed earlier this year in Umea, Sweden at her breeding habitat, an archipelago with brackish water outside the Ume River Delta "Holmsunds skärgård". She was fitted with a satellite transmitter to record her movements and named Laura. The route Laura has used is shown on the map below and until now she has visited (or passed) the following countries outside Sweden: Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia (Kaliningrad), Poland, Estonia, (Belarus), (Ukraine), (Moldovia), Turkey, (Cyprus), Israel and Saudi Arabia. She passed the Turkish mountains at 1590 metres above sea level and her highest speed has been 94 kilometres per hour. She passed through Europe in two days with only one stop over at the Black Sea coast of Turkey. Laura took just a short rest after reaching the Red Sea coast and continued her flight along the western coast of Saudi Arabia passing Jeddah before heading on to Jizan. Laura arrived in Jizan Province (Al Sehi) on 21 September and has remained in the same location since indicating this may be her wintering ground? Many Baltic Gulls winter in this area and it will be interesting to see her movements.
Laura's Route
Baltic Gull - Photo curtesy of Rob Tovey

 Help is needed by the ringing team to contact some local people from Jizan, and hopefully a photographer who can take a picture of her or the flock she joins. The point of the project to connect people who are inspired by birds. If you can help with this matter please contact me (see details under Contact Me Tab at top of this page). I would like to thank Per Hansson for informing me of this bird and its location.