Lockdown Continues...

It has been a few weeks since my last post, and I now have enough to produce this latest publication.  Included, are the three sightings made by Suzanne Belshaw, which, though now out-dated, I had been sitting on these whilst waiting for more material for a post.

 

Here in Northern Ireland, we are still deep into our latest 'lockdown' due to the Coronavirus Pandemic.  At present, we will be in 'lockdown' until at least, the 5th March, though there will be a review later this month.  Some of our ministers, are suggesting that the current 'lockdown' should be kept in place until Easter, which this year, is at the start of April.  When not at work, I cannot really go anywhere, except for visits to my local park.  I'm really missing, not getting 'out and about', especially for my weekly visits to Antrim Marina.

 

Looking at the NIBA website, I see that there are still plenty of bird sightings being reported, so there are plenty of folk who are obviously travelling about despite the lockdown.  Being a ringer, I have to follow the BTO's request, that ringers and survey workers must follow the 'lockdown' regulations.  I'd rather keep my permit, rather than come into conflict with the organisation.  At the same time, I have been busy, submitting lots of previously un-reported sightings from Adam's former Northern Ireland Black-headed Gull Study.  Trying to keep myself occupied at home, I have also been adding BTO Online Ringing Report entries to my main 'Ring Reading Spreadsheet'.  Whilst doing this, I have also discovered further sightings for some of the birds that have been recorded in the past.

 

One in particular, belonged to Adam's former project.  Black-headed Gull -  2APC , had been ringed as a chick on the Copeland Islands, on the 19th June 2013.  Eight re-sightings had been reported at various locations in counties Antrim and Down, the last of which, was made on the 1st October 2016.  I discovered  2APC  on the Online Ringing Report for 2017, having been spotted at RSPB Bowers Marshes, in Essex, England (18th January 2017).  The distance, was 534 kms / 331 miles (SE), and the duration was 3 years, 6 months and 30 days.  As the gull would have been ringed, using metals belonging to the Copeland Island Bird Observatory, the recover details would have gone to them, so this is why I knew nothing about that sighting.  Strangely, now that I respond to sightings for Adam's former project, there has been no further reports of  2APC .

_____________________________________________________________________________

 

From Suzanne Belshaw

I have been sitting on three ring sightings made by Suzanne Belshaw.  In sighting order, the first of these, is that of the Polish rung Black-headed Gull -   T58T .  This was Suzanne's second sighting of the gull this winter, having recorded it's return, on the 26th November 2020.    T58T , was ringed as an un-sexed adult, on the 16th July 2016, at Świnoujście, in north-west Poland, close to the border with Germany.  The gull has now accumulated a long list of re-sightings in both Northern Ireland and back at home in Poland, plus venturing over the border into Germany (PDF).  The distance from Świnoujście to Lurgan Park Lake, is 1,334 kms / 828 miles (WNW), and the duration since being ringed, is 4 years, 4 months and 25 days.

 

Black-headed Gull  -    T58T   -  Lurgan Park Lake, Lurgan, Co. Armagh  (11 Dec 2020)

(Ringed as an Un-Sexed Adult, on the 16th July 2016, at Świnoujście, Poland)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

 

Black-headed Gull -   2ACP , belongs to Adam McClure's former Northern Ireland Study, and Suzanne has recorded this bird on numerous occasions.  The gull was ringed as an un-sexed adult, on the 9th February 2013, in a car park at Sprucefield Shopping Centre.  We have no idea where the bird breeds, as there has been no sightings between the months of March to June.  Most re-sightings, have been made at the Shopping Centre, but Suzanne has recorded the gull very close to her home in Lisburn, which was where her latest sighting was made, on the 13th December 2020 (PDF).  The sighting was made 2 kms / 1 miles (N), from Sprucefield, and the duration since being ringed, is now 7 years, 10 months and 4 days.  The photo of   2ACP  taken by Suzanne, is not too clear, as it was taken through the windscreen of her car.

 

Black-headed Gull  -    2ACP   -  Lisburn, Co. Antrim  (13 Dec 2020)

(Ringed as an Un-Sexed Adult, on the 9th February 2013, at Sprucefield Shopping Centre, Co. Antrim)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

 

Suzanne's sighting of a Scottish rung Great Black-backed Gull, was especially pleasing to receive.  White 1L8:C, was ringed as a chick, on the 26th June 2017, at Horse Isle Nature Reserve, in Ayrshire, Scotland.  All five sighting records for this gull, have been made here in Northern Ireland.  The first of these, was made by me on Christmas Day 2018, where I discovered the bird foraging amongst the rubbish at Belfast's Waste Transfer Station, on the Dargan Industrial Estate (Photo).  My next two sightings of (White) 1L8:C, were made on the 12th October 2019, at Whitehouse Lagoon, and on the 27th October 2019, on Whiteabbey Beach, both sites being slightly north from Dargan.

Whiteabbey Beach, was again the scene of the birds fourth re-sighting, when Suzanne recorded the gull on the 5th August 2020.  This latest sighting of (White) 1L8:C, was made by Suzanne, on the 21st December 2020, at the RSPB's Window on Wildlife Reserve, on Belfast's Harbour Estate.  Clearly, (White) 1L8:C, is wintering each year around Belfast Lough.  The distance from Horse Isle NR, to the RSPB Reserve, is 130 kms / 80 miles (SSW), and the duration since being ringed, is 3 years, 5 months and 25 days (PDF).

My thanks goes to Suzanne once again for her contributions towards my blog, these are always appreciated, and adds a few more day's to longevities.

 

Great Black-backed Gull  -  1L8:C  -  RSPB Window on Wildlife Reserve, Belfast  (21 Dec 2020)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 26th June 2017, at Horse Isle Nature Reserve, Ardrossan, Ayrshire, Scotland)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

 

 *******************************************************

 

From César Álvarez Laó

On Friday morning of the 22nd January 2021, a 'sleepy eyed me', was alerted by an incoming email on my phone.  Having worked the night before, into the early hours of the morning, I was still sleeping when my phone 'beeped'.  Trying to read the email without my glasses, I took the gull sighting to be - (White) - 2FAA.  I went back to sleep again, knowing that (White) - 2FAA, would belong to Tom Dougall.  Once I did get up, I re-directed the email to Tom, who quickly replied, to say that the gull concerned belonged to me.  Ooops, on re-reading the original email sent by César Álvarez Laó, it said, 'blue ring with white code "2FAA".

This was certainly one of my birds, so I had to 'grovel' with my apology, and added the ringing details for -   2FAA .   César, had spotted -   2FAA , the previous day (21st January 2021), at Avilés Estuary, on the northern coast of Spain, and also included a previous un-reported sighting at the same location, on the 13th February 2020.    2FAA , had been ringed as a chick, on the 4th June 2019, at Inch Island Lake, in County Donegal, in the Republic of Ireland.  The gull was a juvenile when spotted in February 2020, and had flown an amazing 1,279 kms / 794 miles (S), to reach the Avilés Estuary.  César's latest sighting on the 21st January 2021, takes the duration since being ringed, to 1 year, 7 months and 17 days.  Thanking César for his sightings, I asked if he had taken any photos.  He did, but unfortunately, they came out blurred, caused by camera shake in a very strong wind.

My sincere thanks goes to César for reporting the bird, and to Mónica Álvarez Couceiro, who was with César at the time.  I also informed members of the Causeway Coast Ringing Group, who invited me to ring Black-headed Gull chicks at Inch Island, with permission having been given by the Irish Parks and Wildlife Service.

Black-headed Gull  -    2FAA   -  Avilés Estuary, Avilés, Northern Spain  (21 Jan 2021)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 4th June 2019, at Inch Island Lake, Co. Donegal, Republic of Ireland)

(Photo Courtesy of César Álvarez Laó)

 

 *******************************************************

 

From Scott Black

Whilst on my tea break at work on the evening of Friday 5th February 2020, I checked my phone for emails, to find one had arrived from Scott Black in Motherwell, Scotland.  Earlier that afternoon, Scott was at Strathclyde Country Park, when he discovered a Black-headed Gull from my Antrim Marina Study site -   2FDJ .

  2FDJ , was caught and ringed as an un-sexed 2nd calendar year bird, on the 18th November 2019, at Antrim Marina.  That winter, the gull remained at the Marina, until the 9th March 2020.  Having resumed my weekly visits at the beginning of August 2020, I recorded the return of   2FDJ , on the 25th October 2020.    2FDJ , was recorded regularly until the 4th January 2021, when 'lockdown' prevented any further visits.

With Scott's latest sighting of the gull in Motherwell, it is interesting to see that the bird has departed a month earlier, as compared to last year.  Scott was in agreement with me, that it is possible, that   2FDJ   could be enroute to a foreign country.  At present, I have no idea where many of the gulls which winter at the Marina, breed at during the summer months.  One thing is for certain, and that is, the gulls at Antrim Marina are very 'people' tolerant, and no matter where they go, they will allow for close approach.  Hopefully, during this summer   2FDJ , will appear in front of someone - somewhere.

It was also good to hear that Scott follows my blog, where he found details about his latest sighting.  My thanks goes to Scott, for his sighting report and photo.  I have submitted the sighting to the BTO, but for now, I estimate the distance from Antrim Marina to Motherwell, as being 183 kms / 114 miles (NE), and the duration since being ringed, is now 1 year, 2 months and 19 days.  The full history for   2FDJ , can be read (here).

Black-headed Gull  -    2FDJ   -  Strathclyde Country Park, Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland  (05 Feb 2021)

(Ringed as an Un-Sexed 2nd Calendar Year Bird, on the 18th November 2019, at Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim)

(Photo Courtesy of Scott Black)

 

 *******************************************************

  

The Peoples Park, Ballymena

Due to the current 'lockdown', I have not been able to go anywhere to look for rings, other than at my local park, which is situated quite close to where I live.  As with last winter, I have made frequent visits to the park without any success, until the 31st January 2021.  This time, I did spot a Darvic on a Black-headed Gull, and I was in for a surprise.  Zooming in with my camera, I caught the code -   2AXV .

 

  2AXV , was ringed as a chick, on the 7th June 2016, at Marsh Lane Nature Reserve, near Coventry, in the West Midlands area of England.  The initial re-sighting was made by me, on the 23rd October 2016, when   2AXV  first appeared at The Peoples Park (photo).  The then juvenile remained at the park until March 2017.    2AXV , returned during the winters of 2017/2018, and 2018/2019, but despite my efforts, the gull was not recorded during the winter of 2019/2020.  My latest sighting of   2AXV , appeared to show that the gull was fairly wary, as it would not venture away from the edge of the lake.

 

Recently whilst adding links to my spreadsheet from the BTO's Online Ringing Reports, I discovered that   2AXV , had been spotted back at it's natal colony, on the 11th April 2018, this being the only sighting other than those here at Ballymena.  The full re-sighting history for   2AXV , can be viewed (here).  The distance from Marsh Lane to The Peoples Park, is 408 kms / 254 miles (NW), and the duration since ringing, is now 4 years, 7 months and 24 days.

Black-headed Gull  -    2AXV   -  The Peoples Park, Ballymena, Co. Antrim  (31 Jan 2021)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 7th June 2016, at Marsh Lane Nature Reserve, near Coventry, West Midlands, England)

 

 *******************************************************

  

Ringing Details Received

On Friday 29th January 2021, I received an email from Nigel Buxton concerning a new Ostercatcher sighting, which I made at Belfast's Connswater Mudflats, back in November 2020.  The bird ringed Red (J1), on the left leg, with a plain Red ring on the right leg, was caught and ringed at a roost on the River Spey at Newtonmore in Scotland, along with several other Oystercatchers, on the 17th March 2018.  The bird was subsequently recorded twice at the roost, on the 30th March 2018, and on the 30th March 2019, which were it's only previous sightings before I spotted the bird on the 14th November 2020.  The duration since ringing, was 2 years, 7 months and 28 days, and the distance from Newtonmore to the Connswater Mudflats, is 295 kms / 183 miles (SW).

 

Also on the 14th November 2020, I re-sighted another Oystercatcher belonging to the same colour-ringing project.  This bird was originally ringed with a metal only, on the 29th March 1996, at the same River Spey roost, and then was recorded on the 18th March 2002, 14th March 2003, 20th March 2006, and on the 4th April 2015.  On the 17th March 2018, this Oystercatcher was caught at the same time as Red(J1)-Red mentioned above, and received a new metal ring, and was colour-ringed Red(Y1)-Red.

The next three sightings of Red(Y1)-Red, have all been recorded by me.  I first came across the bird, on the 11th August 2019, at Kinnegar Beach, which is fairly close to the Connswater Mudflats, where my second and third sightings have been made (23rd February 2020, and 14th November 2020).  Red(Y1)-Red, is the oldest Oystercatcher which I have recorded, the duration being 24 years, 7 months and 16 days.

I had hoped to record both birds again before the end of this winter, but our current 'lockdown' means Belfast is too far away to visit.  Hopefully, I'll be able to record both birds next winter.  Nigel apologised for the late reply, though I was very pleased to receive all of the details.

 

Oystercatcher  -  Red(J1)-Red  -  Connswater Mudflats, Belfast Harbour Estate  (14 Nov 2020)

(Ringed as an Un-Sexed Adult, on the 17th March 2018, at Newtonmore, The Highlands, Scotland)

 

 *******************************************************