On Wednesday 2nd September 2020, I received an email from Suzanne Belshaw, which contained a whole list of ring sightings, which she had recorded lately. These included several colour-ringed Mute Swans and Greylag Geese, but I shall not go into these in too much detail, as their ringing details, probably have not been submitted to the BTO as yet.
The colour-ring codes for the Mute Swans, were NJN , NLS , NLV and NLJ . A fifth Mute Swan, was ringed with a metal-ring only - 5101911 , but the ring used was a size 'L', whereas Mute Swans should be ringed with a size 'M'. I have submitted 5101911 to the BTO, and it will be interesting to see what the outcome concerning this bird will be. Of the four colour-ringed Swans, only NLS was on my spreadsheet, having been recorded by both Suzanne and myself. The dates of our sightings, were made on the 8th October 2019, and 12th October 2019. Although I submitted our sightings, we never received the recovery details. Despite the BTO, having asked for the actual ringing details from the ringer concerned, they were never passed over. The other three birds were previously unknown to either Suzanne or myself.
Mute Swan - 5101911 - Belfast Waterworks, Belfast (01 Sep 2020)
(Waiting for the Ringing Details)
(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)
Five colour-ringed Greylag Geese were - (White) 017, (White) 023, (White) 024, (White) 026, and (White) 039. The birds (White) 023, (White) 024, and (White) 026, had been previously recorded, whereas (White 017), and (White) 039, were previously unknown to Suzanne and myself. The Swans and Greylags, were recorded at the former Belfast Waterworks on the 1st September 2020. It's likely, that all these birds were actually ringed at the Waterworks.
A colour-ringed Black-headed Gull, also spotted at the Waterworks on the 1st September, was of much more interest. This Norwegian bird, rung - J7L8 , was ringed as an adult male, on the 12th April 2017, at Engervannet, on the western fringes of Oslo. Having been recorded within Norway on seven occasions during 2018 and 2019, it's first appearance in Northern Ireland, was recorded by Paul McCullough, at the Waterworks, on the 11th October 2019. It was not seen again, until the 18th May 2020, when spotted at the Koksabukta Nature Reserve, at Oslo. This was the gull's only re-sighting in Norway, before Suzanne noted it's return to the Waterworks for the second year running. The distance from Oslo to the Waterworks, is 1,148 kms / 713 miles (WSW), and the duration is now 3 years, 4 months and 20 days, since being ringed.
Black-headed Gull - J7L8 - Belfast Waterworks, Belfast (01 Sep 2020)
(Ringed as an Adult Male, on the 12th April 2017, at Engervannet, Oslo, Norway)
(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)
On the 31st August 2020, Suzanne was in County Down, where she recorded two colour-ringed Gulls at Islandhill, which is a popular area to visitors, and is situated on the northern shore of Strangford Lough.
Black-headed Gull - 2ARL , belonged to Adam McClure's former Northern Ireland Study. The gull was ringed as a chick, on the 23rd June 2015, at the Castle Espie Wetland Centre, which is owned by the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust. The bird went un-recorded until I spotted it back at it's natal colony, on the 13th May 2018, and recorded it there again on the 27th May 2018. My third sighting, once again at Castle Espie, occurred on the 22nd April 2019. Although not proved, it was likely nesting at the Centre. I couldn't get to Castle Espie this summer, due to the lockdown measures, but it's good to know the bird is still alive. Islandhill, is just under 2 kms (N), from Castle Espie, and the duration is now 5 years, 2 months and 8 days, since being ringed.
Black-headed Gull - 2ARL - Islandhill, Strangford Lough, Co. Down (31 Aug 2020)
(Ringed as a Chick, on the 23rd June 2015, at the WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre, Co. Down)
(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)
A colour-ringed Herring Gull - 0P:W , has now been recorded on 10 occasions since it was ringed as an un-sexed breeding adult on the 23rd May 2014, on the Copeland Islands situated just off the coast of County Down. Although I do not have all of the re-sighting records, as some dates were discovered through the DemOn Ringing Database, those I do know of, were all made here at Islandhill, bar two. On the 25th October 2015, Graham McElwaine spotted 0P:W , at Knockinelder Bay in County Down, whilst, on the 7th February 2016, I photographed the gull at Whitehouse Lagoon, just north of Belfast. The duration since being ringed, is now 6 years, 3 months and 8 days, and the distance from Big Copeland Island to Islandhill, is 17 kms / 10 miles (SW).
Herring Gull - 0P:W - Islandhill, Strangford Lough, Co. Down (31 Aug 2020)
(Ringed as an Un-Sexed Adult, on the 23rd May 2014, on Big Copeland Island, Co. Down)
(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)
On the 30th August, Suzanne recorded two regulars at Whiteabbey Beach in County Antrim, the birds being Common Gull - 2AIP , and Black-headed Gull - 2CPN . I myself, recorded 2CPN on the 16th August 2020, at Whiteabbey Beach, with the bird having been last recorded there on the 14th December 2019. The gull was ringed a a chick, on the 16th June 2017, at the RSPB's Blue Circle Island Nature Reserve, on Larne Lough, Co. Antrim. Suzanne's latest sighting is the 14th record for the bird, with all previous sightings having been made on the shore at Whiteabbey. The very first re-sighting occurred on the 24th September 2017, and the gull has been recorded each year since. The distance from Blue Circle Island to Whiteabbey, is 19 kms / 11 miles (SSW), and the duration since being ringed, is now 3 years, 2 months and 14 days.
Black-headed Gull - 2CPN - Whiteabbey Shore, Belfast Lough, Co. Antrim (30 Aug 2020)
(Ringed as a Chick, on the 16th June 2017, at the RSPB's Blue Circle Island Reserve, Larne Lough, Co. Antrim)
(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)
On my visit to Whiteabbey on the 16th August, I had hoped to record Common Gull - 2AIP , with the bird having last been spotted on the 21st December 2019. Although I failed to record it, I was pleased to hear of the sighting from Suzanne. 2AIP , was ringed as a chick, on the 11th June 2012, on Big Copeland Island, in County Down. The bird went un-recorded until the 10th October 2015, when I discovered it here. Suzanne's latest sighting, is the 20th record for the gull with all sightings having been made on the Whiteabbey shore. No re-sightings have been made during the five month period of March to July. The distance from Big Copeland to Whiteabbey Beach, is 23 kms / 14 miles (W), and the duration, is now 8 years, 2 months and 19 days, since being ringed.
Common Gull - 2AIP - Whiteabbey Beach, Belfast Lough, Co. Antrim (30 Aug 2020)
(Ringed as a Chick, on the 11th June 2012, on Big Copeland Island, Co. Down)
(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)
The sighting of another Copeland gull by Suzanne, on the 29th August, was especially interesting. Having received a copy, of all of the colour-ringing data for Herring Gulls ringed on Big Copeland Island from Shane Wolsey, on checking my spreadsheet, I thought Suzanne had recorded the first ever sighting of - 0N:W . On submitting Suzanne's sighting to the BTO, via my DemOn account, I saw that the gull had been sighted earlier in 2020 (8th February). I requested a copy of the sighting from the BTO, and when it arrived, it just read Bangor, Co. Down. Suzanne's sighting, was actually made at Bangor Harbour, which is 8 kms / 4 miles (W), of Big Copeland Island. 0N:W , had been ringed as an un-sexed adult, on the 23rd May 2014, and the duration as of Suzanne's sighting, was 6 years, 3 months and 6 days.
Herring Gull - ON:W - Bangor Harbour, Bangor, Co. Down (29 Aug 2020)
(Ringed as an Un-Sexed Adult, on the 23rd May 2014, on Big Copeland Island, Co. Down)
(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)
My thanks as always goes to Suzanne, for reporting her sightings along with the photographs. Indeed, some of the re-sightings helps to fulfill my quest, to try and record birds from previous winters, which adds to each ones longevity record.
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