Info Overflow...

This post was put out on the 7th June, and I could not find time to include my ususal introductory.  I have been getting out to the breeding colonies of both Black-headed, and more especially, Common Gulls.  Colour-ring sightings are flowing to such an extent, I cannot even find time to work on my blog.  Being employed outside of birdwatching, and chores around home, still require my attention and also eats away at time.

All ring sightings are being submitted to the BTO as I record them each day, and the sightings are also entered onto my main 'Ring Reading' spreadsheet, as well as a new Common Gull Database which I have created to house the ringing and re-sighting details of Shane Wolsey's former project on Big Copeland Island, as well as my own project on Rathlin Island.

I have lots of photos which need editing before I can even think about future posts.  At the rate I'm going, it may take up the whole month of July to catch up.  As I finally complete this introduction, it is now the 16th June, and I have also began the process of colour-ringing this summer's chicks.  After each visit to the islands, I also have to find time to add these new birds onto the BTO's Database.  The usual emails also arrive in, which also need answering.  An extra few hours in a day would be extremely useful, but that ain't going to happen.

 

One other point that is slowing me down, is this new blogging interface which was introduced by Google.  It has become so awkward to work with.  I've recently discovered that I cannot now add photos between paragraphs of text.  The photos when added, now make their way to the bottom of the page, and now cannot be 'dragged and dropped' as in the past.  I've discovered that the only way around the problem, is to add all of the photos first, and then add the text in-between.  My 'Ring Reading' counterpart in Dublin (Graham Prole), has also mentioned how the new interface is causing him problems as well.

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Waterfoot - 15th May 2021

On Saturday 15th May, I worked the east coast of County Antrim, starting at Glynn and worked my way northwards to Waterfoot.  I was on the lookout for colour-ringed Common Gulls which belonged to my Rathlin Island project, that are still not mature enough to breed this summer.  Very few gulls were en-counted, the best site being the river outlet on Carnlough Beach.  Around 20 Commons Gulls were present here, most of which were juveniles from last year.  No rings were spotted, although I was keeping my fingers crossed that I would spot one of the nine late chicks that I ringed on Rathlin Island last summer.  Due to the 'Lockdown' most chicks had fledged on the island by the time I was allowed onto it.

Waterfoot has a very small breeding colony, which extends northwards from the pier at Red Bay, towards the harbour at Cushendall.  Usually, around four pairs nest along this stretch and today I found three nests containing 2x3 eggs, and one with two eggs.  There appears to be a further three pairs, but I'm not sure if they have nests, or are still to lay eggs.  I would be more than happy, to colour-ring four or five chicks here, which would be a record.

 

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Rathlin Island - 16th May 2021

Today saw me making my second 'Ring Reading' trip to Rathlin Island.  Since 2017, I have colour-ringed a total of 174 Common Gull chicks on the island, and I'm now looking for surviving birds which have integrated into the overall breeding population.  Having had a look at the colonies at Rue Point, Doon Bay, Ushet Lough and Roonivoolin during my first visit, today saw me checking the largest colony at Arkill Bay, and then heading northwards along the coast towards Bruce's Castle, where I had scoped a couple of small colonies in 2019.  Looking at the Ordnance Survey map of Rathlin, these two smaller colonies are around Portawillin and Portcastle.

Sitting on the hillside overlooking Arkill Bay, I spent at least two hours scoping the gulls here.  I was very disappointed, as I only recorded two colour-ringed birds, though I reckoned as many as fifty pairs were breeding along this stretch of the coast.  Every so often, I would flush the gulls into the air, hoping to spot more rings, with little success.

The first of the two colour-ringed birds spotted, was -   2AVT .  It was ringed as a chick, on the 17th June 2017, at Rathlin's Rue Point Lighthouse.  Five previous re-sightings of this gull have all been made by me on the island.  On the 16th & 18th June 2019, I encountered -   2AVT  firstly at Arkill Bay, and then at it's natal colony at Rue Point, but on the 24th June 2019, it had returned to Arkill Bay.  At this point, it had been just over two years since it was ringed, so was probably not old enough to breed and was perhaps prospecting for a nest site.

After the easing of the first 'Lockdown', I managed a few late visits at the tail end of the breeding season, by which time most chicks had fledged.  I did however, recorded -   2AVT  at Arkill Bay on the 4th and 7th July 2020, so I believed that it had bred there last summer.  During today's visit, I couldn't tie -   2AVT  to a nest, but I'm sure it is breeding here.  The duration since being ringed, is now 3 years, 10 months and 29 day's.  Arkill Bay, is roughly 2 kms / 1 mile (N), from the natal colony at Rue Point.

Common Gull  -    2AVT   -  Arkill Bay, Rathlin Island, Co. Antrim  (16th May 2021)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 17th June 2017, at Arkill Bay, Rathlin Island)

 

The second bird to be spotted was -   2BKJ , which I initially thought was the same gull I recorded at Rue Point on my first visit this summer to the island, on the 2nd May 2021.  It wasn't until I got back home, did I realise, that, that bird was rung -   2BJK .

  2BKJ , was ringed as a chick here at Arkill Bay, on the 24th June 2019, which makes the duration just 1 year, 10 months and 22 days.  I watched -   2BKJ  actively going through courtship display with it's partner.  They kept disappearing below a rock depression, which I think is their chosen nest site.  The pair, unlike others, were definitely not sitting on eggs, suggesting they are just prospecting on a nest site, especially as -   2BKJ  may still be immature.

There has been three previous re-sightings of -   2BKJ , and my sighting of the bird today is a first for me.  Richard Else, who worked for the RSPB on Rathlin, recorded the then juvenile at Church Bay on the island, on the 7th & 8th December 2019.  On the 7th July 2020, Linda Thompson spotted -   2BKJ  at Sandy Bay in Larne, County Antrim, a distance of 54 kms / 33 miles (SSE).

Common Gull  -    2BKJ   -  Arkill Bay, Rathlin Island, Co. Antrim  (16th May 2021)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 24th June 2019, at Arkill Bay, Rathlin Island)

 

Before I began the long, awkward trek towards Bruce's Castle, I looked for and found the nest of the pair of Great Black-backed Gulls which nest on the headland on the north tip of Arkill Bay.  The nest contained three eggs, so hopefully I'll get to ring their chicks sometime in mid to late June.

In the summer of 2019, when I discovered the two smaller Common Gull colonies towards Bruce's Castle, I noted that there was a pair of Great Black-backed Gulls with at least one chick.  Before moving towards Bruce's Castle today, I scoped for the pair and spotted them on a tiny islet, and the female was sitting on a nest.  This was great news, as this is the third pair of Great Black-backed's to be found nesting between the East Lighthouse and Rue Point Lighthouse.  During my visit on the 2nd May, I could see that the Great Black-backed Gull was on the headland at Doon Point, though I did not venture there to look for eggs.  The nest would have been just out of view from where I was.

At Portawillin, I was able to climb onto the rock islet to discover the Great Black-backed Gulls had three eggs here as well.  The problem is that the islet is so small, it seems likely that the chicks will be led off the rock once they have hatched.  It may then be difficult to locate the chicks if this happens.  Whilst climbing up the islet, I passed within inches of an Eider duck sitting tightly on her nest.  She was un-dettered by my presence and remained on the nest.

Now scoping through the Common Gulls at Portawillin, I spotted another colour-ringed bird.  Although quite distant, I managed to capture the code, which was the first ever sighting of -   2BKK .  Interestingly, -   2BKK , was the next bird to be colour-ringed after -   2BJK  which was mentioned above.  Here again, -   2BKK , just like   2BJK , is probably just prospecting for a nest site.

 

The two small colonies at Portawillin and Portcastle, between them, have around 25 to 30 nests, but all are widely spread out.  Chicks may be hard to locate when the time comes round to ringing.  Both sites are very difficult to get too, as the farmland behind them are strictly marked 'No Trespassing'.  At some point, I need to track down the landowner, to see if we can come to some sort of an arrangement over access.

Common Gull  -    2BKK   -  Portawillan, Rathlin Island, Co. Antrim  (16 May 2021)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 24th June 2019, at Arkill Bay, Rathlin Island)

 

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Castle Espie - 22nd May 2021

The Castle Espie Wetland Centre was my main target today, in the hope of recording a few more colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls.  On leaving home, my first stop was at the RSPB's Window on Wildlife Reserve in Belfast.  The hides here are still not open, and having to scope the nest platforms through a perspex screen is not ideal.  However, having scanned through the Black-headed Gulls on the nest platform for over an hour, not a single ring was spotted.

 

Moving on to Castle Espie, I spent the best part of a couple of hours searching through the nesting Black-headed Gulls, but only spotted one colour-ringed bird -  2BKK .  It was ringed as a chick at Castle Espie, on the 19th June 2014.  Today's sighting is the 9th for -   2BKK , with all records having been made at Castle Espie.

 

The first two re-sightings were made by Kevin Kirkham on the 3rd April & 3rd July 2016.  During the breeding season of 2018,   2BKK  was recorded on four occasions - 13th May, 27th May, 16th June (Reserve Warden) and on the 24th June.  In 2019, I recorded -   2BKK  on the 25th May (breeding) and on the 7th July.  This was the last time the gull was recorded until today.  Due to the first 'Coronavirus Lockdown' in 2020, Castle Espie was closed to the public throughout the breeding season.  The duration since being ringed, is now 6 years,11 months and 3 days.

 

On leaving Castle Espie, I went to Millisle in search for ringed Common Gulls.  On arrival, I discovered that the whole seafront and beach, were packed with families.  Normally, a few gulls would hang around the car park looking for tit-bits of food, but the sheer numbers of folk about had obviously put them off visiting.

 

Black-headed Gull  -    2BKK   -  Castle Espie Wetland Centre, Strangford Lough, Co. Down  (22 May 2021)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 19th June 2014, at Castle Espie Wetland Centre)

 

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Antrim Marina and Ballintoy Harbour - 23rd May 2021

Today started off with persistent rain, so I was at odds on what to do.  Antrim Marina was heavily thought about, but I did not know whether I could take my car through the barrier giving me access to the car park beside the slipway.  The key fob, has now been replaced by a scanner which reads the number plate of your vehicle, so access can be gained without having to get out of the car.  I applied to the Antrim & Newtownabbey Council for inclusion.  I received a reply, to say that I could get access, and due to the nature of my 'Ring Reading Project', did not have to pay the customary fee.  However, I had to fill in a form and send it back to them.  Having not received a reply, I decided to take a chance and drove to Antrim Marina.  Pulling up to the barrier, I was really delighted to see it lifting up.

I parked at my usual spot beside the short concrete jetty, and soon afterwards, the rain stopped and the sun began to shine.  Very few Black-headed Gulls appeared during my visit which lasted for around three hours.  Just five colour-ringed gulls were recorded, the aim being to identify summer residents which would no doubt, be nesting on the nearby former 'Torpedo Platform'.  Having colour-ringed 18 Black-headed Gulls here during last winter, with my 'Blue Darvic Rings', I'm trying to establish their residential status.    2FHA , was the only one of the 18 to be recorded.    2FDK , which was caught and ringed here in November 2019, now looks to be a resident.

The sighting of   2CSR , was of particular interest.  This bird was caught and ringed here in December 2017, as a 2nd winter bird.  The only Spring and Summer records for this bird, up until now, was made on the 2nd April 2018, when Suzanne Belshaw and myself, recorded the gull on the same day.  Due to the construction of the new 'Gateway Centre' during the summer of 2019, very few summer visits were made at the Marina, and the same applied during the summer of 2020, due to the first 'Lockdown'.  It now seems that -   2CSR  is also a resident to the area.

  2AAB  &   2BRA , are definite year round residents, having been recorded during the breeding season over several years.  Out on the 'Torpedo Platform', the first eggs may well have hatched by now, which should see an increase in the number of gulls visiting the Marina.

Colour Ringed Black-headed Gulls Record at Antrim Marina on the 23rd May 2021

2BRA	2AAB	2FHA	2CSR	2FDK

Just three Mute Swans were present throughout my visit.  One bird had a metal ring, and after capturing the number, this was my third sighting of -   Z78581 .  The bird had been caught and ringed as an adult female, on the 29th November 2020, at the former Belfast Waterworks in Cliftonville, Belfast.  I first recorded the swan here at the Marina, on the 12th April 2021, followed by a second sighting on the 26th April.  The distance from Belfast, is 22 kms / 13 miles (WNW), and the duration since being ringed, is now 5 months and 24 days.

Mute Swan  -    Z78581   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (23 May 2021)

(Ringed as an Adult Female, on the 29th November 2020, at the Former Belfast Waterworks)

 

I returned home for a couple of hours, had my dinner, and then headed up to the north coast to check on the Common Gulls at Ballintoy Harbour.  At one of the nests, on an islet surrounded by the sea, two small chicks were spotted, the first seen this summer.  I looked around all the islets to see where the sitting birds were located, and it may be possible to reach some nests with a very low tide.  During the visit, I also noted the metal-rung Common Gull, which I've seen here over the last couple of years.  It is nesting on the edge of a rocky islet, and is within range of my camera to capture details on the ring.  However, this time, I could only see the 'ring butts' before the bird settled back onto it's nest.  How I would love to capture this one.  I'll come back again in another two weeks or so, and hopefully find a youngster or two to ring.

 

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From Suzanne Belshaw

Suzanne Belshaw was in touch again, concerning the sighting of a metal-rung juvenile Herring Gull.  The bird was spotted near her home in Lisburn, Co. Antrim, but she was unsure about it's metal number.  The photos that Suzanne took, showed that the 2nd letter and the 1st number were not too clear, though she thought it might be -   GY82513 .  I was asked to have a look at the photos, and see if I could make out the whole number.  I could not solve Suzanne's bird either, so I went onto DemOn, to try out some possibilities, as to what the number should be.  To me, the letter could have been a ' Y ' or a '  V ', and the first number, '  3 ', '  5 ', or '  8 '.

DemOn, does not show ringing locations, but I tried the following combinations to see if I could detect which number may have belonged to Suzanne's gull :-

 

  GV32513  - used on a Mallard

  GV52513  - used on a Barn Owl

  GV82513  - used on a Lesser Black-backed Gull

 

  GY32513  - used on a Herring Gull (ringed as a chick, on the 12th July 2020)

  GY52513  - unused ring or possibly ringing data un-submitted

  GY82513  - unused ring or possibly ringing data un-submitted

 

Suzanne's gull appeared to be -  GY32513 , but at this point, the latter two rings could not be discounted, just in case they too had been used on Herring Gulls.  The only solution would rest on Suzanne finding this bird again.

 

Luckily on the 16th May, the gull was spotted again in the same location, and this time, the ring was fully read as being -   GY32513 .  I submitted the sighting on Suzanne's behalf, and the bird had been ringed on The Copeland Islands in County Down.  The distance to Lisburn, was 40 kms / 24 miles (WSW), and the duration as of the 16th May 2021, was 10 months and 4 days.  Good to see a bit of perseverance paying off.  My thanks goes to Suzanne for the sighting and photos.

Herring Gull  -    GY32513   -  Drumbeg Drive, Lisburn, Co. Antrim  (16 May 2021)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 12th July 2020, on Lighthouse Island, The Copeland Islands, Co. Down)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

 

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From Dylan Bennett

Iain Livingstone copied me into his email reply to Dylan Bennett, concerning a juvenile Black-headed Gull rung -   2HJ2 .  Dylan spotted -    2HJ2 , on the 3rd May 2021, at St. Mary's Point in the Whitley Bay area of Tyne and Wear, England.  The gull was ringed as a chick, on the 24th June 2020, at the Elvanfoot colony in South Lanarkshire in Scotland, and had one previous re-sighting.

 

On the 7th January 2021,   2HJ2  was spotted by Craig Johnston in the car park of the McDonald's fast food outlet, on the Rushmere Shopping Centre in Craigavon, Co. Armagh.  At that time, the duration since being ringed, was 6 months and 14 days, with the juvenile travelling 206 kms / 128 miles (WSW) to get to Craigavon.

 

The distance from Elvanfoot to Whitley Bay, is 147 kms / 91 miles (ESE), and the duration, as of Dylan's sighting had jumped to 10 months and 9 days.  The distance from Craigavon, here in Northern Ireland, to St. Mary's point is 324 kms / 201 miles (ENE).

 

It's good to know, that this youngster is still alive, and I thank Iain for keeping me informed and to Dylan for his sighting report and photograph.  

 

Black-headed Gull  -    2HJ2   -  St. Mary's Island, Whitley Bay, Tyne & Wear, England  (03 May 2021)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 24th June 2020, at Elvanfoot, South Lanarkshire, Scotland)

(Photo Courtesy of Dylan Bennett)

 

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