Taking It Easy...

Over the past month, since finishing ringing Common Gull chicks on Rathlin Island, I've taken a step back from my Ring Reading activities, to catch up on a lot of work needing done around the home and garden.  The only thing needing done now, is to power hose my back yard, but this has had to wait, as the water service here have been appealing to people to conserve water supplies as the reservoirs are becoming critically low.  Its a good feeling to have cooler temperatures once again.  I hated wakening up every morning to find myself stuck to the bedsheets.  Working nights have me at a disadvantage, as the sun is hitting the back of my house in the early morning.

Despite doing little in the way of birding, ring sightings have been coming in.  This post lists these, and I'm nearly finished on a post concerning this summers breeding Common Gulls, which should be posted fairly shortly.

It is now time for me to get out into the field again, and it is also time to resume my weekly visits to Antrim Marina.  What have we in store for this winter at the site?  Just cannot wait to get started again.

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From James McDowell

On Saturday 10th July, I received an email from my ringing trainer John Clarke, and attached was a photo taken by a friend of his.  The picture was of a juvenile Black-headed Gull, with a colour-ring (White) 2461, taken in front of the hide at the Bann Estuary, near Castlerock in County Londonderry.

In my reply to John, I stated that the bird belonged to the Lough Ree Gull Ringing Group in County Longford in the Republic of Ireland, and duly copied in Brian Burke who is the ringing co-ordinator for the project.  Brian replied to say that the gull was ringed as a chick, on the 17th June 2021, on Goat's Island on Lough Ree.

By the 10th July 2021, it had only been 23 days since - (White) 2461 had been ringed, but the movement of 189 kms / 117 miles (NNE), is quite impressive for such a young bird.  I emailed John, to ask the photographer if I could use his photo on my blog, and James McDowell replied giving me his permission.  My thanks goes to John, Brian and James for their input.  This is the first of hopefully many sightings of juveniles reported so far, since the breeding season has ended.  There should be more to come, as easing of 'lockdown restrictions' meant that this year many ringers such as myself have been able to get to the nesting colonies.

Juvenile Black-headed Gull  -  (White)  2461  -  Bann Estuary, Co. Londonderry  (10 Jul 2021)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 17th June 2021, at Goat's Island, Lough Ree, Co. Longford, Republic of Ireland)

(Photo Courtesy of James McDowell)

 

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From Graham McElwaine

Graham McElwaine sent me an email on the 10th July, reporting on the return of Black-headed Gull - (White) 2APK, to the car park at Castlewellan Forest Park.  A large lake is situated adjacent to the car park.  I copied in Tom Dougall in my reply to Graham, and Tom responded to say that no other sightings of this gull have been reported, other than the entries already on my spreadsheet.

 

(White) 2APK was ringed as a chick, on the 14th June 2015, in the Moorfoot Hills area in Scotland.  This latest sighting by Graham, is the 7th record of the bird, recorded here in Northern Ireland, with five of these at Castlewellan :-

 

2nd January 2017 - Castlewellan Forest Park, Co. Down - James O'Neill

26th June 2017 - Lurgan Park Lake, Co. Armagh - Suzanne Belshaw

30th September 2018 - Castlewellan Forest Park, Co. Down - Graham McElwaine

25th July 2019 - Castlewellan Forest Park, Co. Down - Graham McElwaine

15th July 2020 - Dundrum Inner Bay, Co. Down - David Nixon

17th September 2020 - Castlewellan Forest Park, Co. Down - Graham McElwaine

10th July 2021 - Castlewellan Forest Park, Co. Down - Graham McElwaine

 

The distance from the Broad Law colony in Scotland to Castlewellan Forest Park, is 249 kms / 154 miles (SW), and the duration since being ringed, is now 6 years and 26 days.

My thanks goes to Graham for this re-sighting of (White) 2APK, as it has now returned for yet another winter in County Down.  I've added a photo taken by Suzanne Belshaw in 2017, which is the only picture I have of this gull.

Black-headed Gull  -  (White) 2APK - Lurgan Park Lake, Lurgan, Co. Armagh  (26 Jun 2017)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 14th June 2015, at Broad Law, Moorfoot Hills, Borders Region, Scotland)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

On Wednesday evening of the 28th of July, I received another email from Graham whilst I was at work.  This time Graham was reporting on another two re-sightings, one a Great Black-backed Gull, and the second was that of a Herring Gull.  Both birds were spotted at the Moneycarragh roost, on Dundrum Inner Bay, County Down.

Great Black-backed Gull - (White) 6B6:C, was ringed as a chick, on the 3rd July 2019, on the Isle of Plada, a small island just off the southern coast of the Isle of Arran in Ayrshire, Scotland..  It's first ever re-sighting was made on the 7th January 2020, by an unknown observer, at Dougarie on the Isle of Arran  - 24 kms / 14 miles (NW).

 

The previous two re-sightings of this gull, have both been made here at Dundrum Inner Bay, on the 28th June 2020 by Graham himself, and on the 11th July 2020 by David Nixon.  The duration of Graham's latest sighting, is 2 years and 25 days, and the distance from the Isle of Pladda, is 138 kms / 85 miles (SSW).

 

Herring Gull -   B01:D , was ringed as a chick, on the 4th July 2019, on the island of Ireland's Eye in County Dublin, Republic of Ireland.  Today's sighting of -   B01:D , is the third re-sighting of the gull with all re-sightings having been made at the Moneycarragh roost here at Dundrum Inner Bay - (2nd September 2020 by Graham, and on 30th March 2021).  The duration since being ringed, is now 2 years and 24 days, and the distance from Ireland's Eye, is 96 kms / 59 miles (N).

 

Again, my thanks to Graham for these sighting reports.

 

I had not finished this post, when another email arrived with me from Graham on the 30th July.  It involved a second sighting this winter of Black-headed Gull - (White) 2APK (see above).  It was still at Castlewellan Forest Park, and the duration since being ringed, has now increased to 6 years, 1 month and 16 days.

 

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From Kate McAllister

On the 15th July 2021, Kate McAllister was in touch, to report on her latest visit to Antrim Marina.  Whilst at the Marina, she recorded five colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls belonging to my study at the site.  Originally, I began recording the wintering Black-headed Gulls at Antrim Marina, which became a part of Adam McClure's former Northern Ireland Study which ran from October 2012 until 2018.  Unfortunately Adam had to give up the project, due to work and family commitments, and I now respond to sightings of his gulls.

 

I decided to continue with my study at Antrim Marina, and also re-trained as a ringer to enable me to add new birds to my study there.  Although I record the gulls on a weekly basis from the beginning of August to the end of March each winter, I try to undertake random visits during the summer to record the resident birds.  Sadly this summer, practically no visits were made to the Marina, as when time allowed, I concentrated on my Common Gull project on Rathlin Island.

 

The five Black-headed Gulls recorded by Kate are :-

 

  2AAK  - ringed as an adult male at the Marina on the 21st December 2012.  Considered to be a non resident, as there have never been any sightings recorded at the Marina during the months of April, May or June.  Sightings on the 16th July 2015, and on the 25th July 2020, had been the earliest return dates to be recorded, now bettered by one day due to Kate's latest sighting.  This was also the 241st sighting record at Antrim Marina, and the duration since being ringed, is now 8 years, 6 months and 24 days.  Where this bird breeds is not known as yet.

 

Black-headed Gull  -    2AAK   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (15 Jul 2021)

(Ringed as an Adult Male, on the 21st December 2012, at Antrim Marina)

(Photo Courtesy of Kate McAllister)

 

  2CJT  was ringed as a juvenile/1st winter bird on the 4th December 2016 at Antrim Marina.  The gull is considered to be a year round resident, as there have been numerous breeding season sightings and therefore may nest on the nearby 'former' torpedo platform.  Kate's latest sighting, is now the 159th record of the gull overall at the Marina, bar one unusual sighting.  For some reason, -   2CJT  took itself off to Scotland, having been spotted at Lochwinnoch in Renfrewshire, on the 25th February 2021 (photo included), but was recorded back at Antrim Marina on the 12th April 2021.

 

  2CSA  was ringed as a juvenile/1st winter bird on the 19th November 2017 at Antrim Marina.  Kate's latest sighting is the 95th record for the gull at the Marina, but it's residential status is not known due to the lack of summer visits since being ringed.  The duration since ringing, is now 3 years, 7 months and 26 days.

 

  2CTC  was ringed as a juvenile/1st winter bird on the 24th December 2018 at Antrim Marina.  Kate's latest sighting is the 55th record of the gull at Antrim Marina.  Again, very little is known about the birds residential status, due to a lack of summer visits.  The duration since being ringed, is now 2 years, 6 months and 21 days.

 

  2FHA  was ringed as an adult, on the 28th December 2020 at Antrim Marina.  I recorded this gull at Antrim Marina, on the 12th, 19th and 26th April, and also on the 23rd May 2021, which suggests this bird is breeding locally.  It has been 6 months and 17 days since -   2FHA  was ringed.

 

My thanks goes to Kate again for these sightings, they all help.

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From David Galbraith

David Galbraith has been in touch again with me concerning a Great Black-backed Gull that has now appeared onto his fishing boat for a 5th time.  David was just off the Maidens, which are a pair of islands a short distance off the coast of Larne in County Antrim, when the bird landed.  (White) 9H5:C, was ringed as a chick, on the 26th June 2017, at Horse Isle Nature Reserve, just off the coast from Ardrossan in Ayrshire, Scotland.

The gull first appeared on David's boat on the 29th July 2020, close to the Portmuck Island, which lies just around the headland of Islandmagee opposite Larne.  In the same area on the 7th August 2020, the bird made it's second appearance.  This year, the gull landed on the 22nd March 2021 near the Maidens, and 9 days later on the 31st, it again appeared just off Portmuck Island.  I contacted Iain Livingstone, and in his reply, Davids five sightings have been the only ones since the gull was ringed.  The distance from Horse Isle Nature Reserve to the Maidens, is 96 kms / 59 miles (SW), and the duration since being ringed, is now 4 years and 20 days.

My thanks goes to David for the sighting along with the photo, and to Iain for his comments.

Great Black-backed Gull  -  (White)  9H5:C  -  Offshore, near the Maidens Rocks, Co. Antrim  (16 Jul 2021)

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

(Photo Courtesy of David Galbraith)

 

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From Tom Cooney

On the 23rd July 2021, I received an email from Tom Cooney, reporting on the sighting of Common Gull -   2BNF .  This was a first re-sighting of one of my Rathlin Island birds, which had been ringed on the 24th June 2019, at the Arkill Bay colony.  The gull was spotted on the beach at Rockmarshall, in Dundalk Bay, County Louth in the Republic of Ireland.  The distance from Rathlin, is 143 kms / 88 miles (S), and the duration since being ringed, is 2 years and 29 days.  Unfortunately there was no photo to go along with the sighting, but Tom was lucky to even read the code on the ring due to a heavy heat haze.  My thanks goes to Tom for the sighting, and perhaps the gull will return to Rathlin next summer to breed.

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Black-headed Gull - Orange 2CHP

Of late, there has been a large build up of Black-headed Gulls on the rooftops at Sainsburys Retail Park in Ballymena, County Antrim, where I live.  It has been a long time since gulls appeared in numbers here, where in the past, looked likely for a ring or two.  I had noticed the gulls on a couple of evenings whilst driving past on my way to work.

On Sunday 25th July 2021, I took the opportunity to park in the car park on the other side of the carriageway from the Retail Park, which also presented a bit of height where I could through the gulls.  Despite a heavy heat haze rising of the rooftops, I spotted a colour-ringed Black-headed Gull, though from where I was parked, the ring appeared to be Black.  Zooming in with my camera, which has a far greater reach than my telescope, I could see that the ring was Orange and just about managed to capture the code -   2CHP .

In my mind, I thought this may well be a first sighting, but on checking my spreadsheet back at home, I was in for a surprise - I had spotted this one in the past.    2CHP  had been ringed as a chick, on the 25th June 2016, on the RSPB's Blue Circle Island Reserve, on Larne Lough in County Antrim.  The only previous sighting was made by me on the 7th March 2020, on the shore at Glynn on Larne Lough, which is just a short distance away from it's natal island.  There could be little doubt, that it was going to nest on the island that summer.

The distance from Blue Circle Island to Sainsburys Retail Park in Ballymena, is 34 kms / 21 miles (WSW), and the duration since being ringed, is now 5 years and 1 month.

Black-headed Gull  -    2CHP   -  Sainsburys Retail Park, Ballymena, Co. Antrim  (25 Jul 2021)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 25th June 2016, at RSPB Blue Circle Island Reserve, Larne Lough, Co.Antrim)

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From Rachelle Regan

An email arrived with me on the 30th July 2021, from a Rachelle Regan, who, going by her email address, works with the RSPB.  On the 25th June 2021, she spotted Black-headed Gull - 2AFN, at the RSPB's Hodbarrow Reserve in Cumbria, England.  I replied asking for any possible photos, but have heard nothing since.  This sighting of -   2AFN , was a first since the gull was ringed as a chick, on the 19th June 2014, at the WWT Castle Espie Reserve in County Down.  I wonder, has this bird been breeding at the Hodbarrow Reserve over recent years, as the duration since being ringed, is now 7 years and 6 days.  I'm waiting on the offical recovery from the BTO, but I've worked out the distance, as roughly being 161 kms / 100 miles (ESE).

My thanks goes to Rachelle for this sighting report.  Goes to show, that there are still birds out there belonging to Adam's former Northern Ireland Project, which are still awaiting first re-sightings.

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