Herring Gull

A common & resident bird to the reservoir; with numbers increasing steadily in recent years due to a small breeding colony within the town.

10/12/67 - Maximum count of 366 birds. (DEP).

No available information between 1968 & 1994.

1991 - At least 2 pairs bred successfully in Chard town this year, with the adults & young visiting the reservoir regularly.

14/05/95 - 34 birds.

1996 - Bred in Chard town & the young visited the reservoir on a regular basis.

13/10/97 - 29 adults. Bred in Chard town & 11 young regularly visited the reservoir.

1998 - Bred in Chard town.

??/11/98 - 63 birds.

16/11/98 - 29 birds.

29/01/99 - 24 birds.

??/03/99 - Highest count of 50 birds. Bred in Chard town this year.

19/03/99 - 46 birds.

06/11/00 - 112 birds.

20/02/01 - 60 birds.

16/04/02 - 127 birds.

20/10/03 - 136 birds.

04/08/04 - 300 birds also 176 on 04/09/04

16/08/05 - 225 birds.

14/11/05 - 298 birds

12/11/06 - 160 birds.

23/01/07 - 155 birds. 2 oiled birds 22/01 presumably from Seaton.

2008 - Regular through the year with 140 on 19/01/08

2009 - 300+ on 16/12. Albino on 28/09, 05/11 and 12/11

2010 - Albino gull believed to be Herring Gull on 03/03, 15/03, 17/03, 01/04, 07/05 and 13/08

2011 - 150+ on 25/12. Albino bird believed to be Herring Gull on 04/01, 17/02, 08/03, 18/03 and 24/10

2012 - Recorded most days. New record count of 525+ (more flying over) on 06/11 (record beaten in 2018). Also 300+ on 26/07

2013 - Recorded most days. 300+ on 09/02 and 397 on 24/02

2014 - Recorded most days. Max 186 on 18/06

2015 - Recorded most days. Max 250+ on 24/03

2016 - Recorded most days. Max 250+ on 15/03

2017 - Recorded most days. Max 433 on 08/07. Colour ringed (red G+D) bird seen on 22/03 was ringed at Bath on 29th June 2016 as a nestling

2018 - Recorded most days. New record count of c.550 on 08/07 (SH) with c.500 also seen on 05/07 and 07/07. Also c.450 on 29/06 and 30/06 and 353 on 26/07

2019 - Recorded most days. Max c.400 on 29/06 and 02/08. Also a leucistic bird seen several times in September with the 'hand' of the wings pure white but otherwise in normal first year plumage

2020 - Recorded most days. Another record breaking year with 500+ on 08/05 and 29/05 and 600+ on 02/06 (SH) and again on 07/06

2021 - Recorded most days. Max c.400 on 10/07. Also other days with over 300 in July

2022 - Recorded most days. Major record breaking max of 1550 on 08/08 counted from photograph (KGH). the previous 2020 record count of 600+ was exceeded 10 times during July and August starting with 750 on 10/07. That new record was broken again with c.900 on 29/07. That record was then broken yet again with a staggering 1550 on 08/08. There were 1500+ again on 10/08 and 11/08 and still an amazing 1000+ on 12/08

2023 - Recorded most days. Max 450 on 08/09. Otherwise usually double figures and up to 300 summer and winter.