Holding Back...

I remained at home last weekend, but made my weekly visit to Antrim Marina as normal.  I badly needed time to catch up on many fronts, one of these being the promised ringing and re-sighting data that I hold for the Castle Espie Wetland Reserve.  I was supposed to work on this during July, but I finally managed to do this over the weekend, and the info is now on a memory stick awaiting delivery to Ross Mcllwrath the head warden.  I might just pop into the Reserve on Sunday, and could have another bash at reading Common Gull rings at Millisle while I'm down that way.

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Antrim Marina - Monday 23rd August 2021

Today saw me undertaking the third of my weekly visits to Antrim Marina for this autumn and winter season, to read the colour-rings on the Black-headed Gulls.  The day was calm, with plenty of sunshine and practically no wind.  Arriving at 09:05, I departed for home at 12:15, to grab a couple of hours 'kip' as I was working tonight.

A further three colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls were recorded during last weeks visit, which took the overall total to 23, and today saw another two being added to the list.  It did not 'fizz' on me at the time, but my first ring sighting of the day was one of the two.    2ABK , it a resident at the Marina, and it was not until I got back home, that I realised that I had not recorded the gull over my first two visits.  The second bird, and my fifth sighting of the morning, was -   2ACV , which I knew was a returning bird.  A single breeding season sighting of -   2ACV , occurred back in 2016, when it was spotted at the RSPB's Leighton Moss Reserve in Lancashire, England, so I resume that it breeds there.  The only other re-sighting of -   2ACV  away from Antrim Marina, was made on the 23rd July 2015 by Suzanne Belshaw.  Suzanne spotted the gull at Sprucefield Shopping Centre near Lisburn in County Antrim, before being recorded by Neville McKee on the 28th July, the bird having returned to the Marina.

 

  2ABK , was ringed as an adult female, on the 23rd January 2013, at Antrim Marina, and the duration since being ringed is now 8 years and 7 months.    2ACV , was ringed as a juvenile/1st winter bird, at Antrim Marina, on the 21st October 2013, making the duration now, 7 years, 10 months and 2 days.

 

Black-headed Gull  -    2ACV   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (23 Aug 2021)

(Ringed as a Juvenile/1st Winter Bird, on the 21st October 2013, at Antrim Marina)

Around 40 Black-headed Gulls were present on my arrival, and numbers had reached the 100+ mark by 10:30.  As the morning approached midday, numbers quickly fell, with around 30 birds remaining.

 

During today's visit, I was approached by a lady, and was asked, if I was Gareth Platt.  On my reply, she introduced herself as Kate McAllister, so it was great to place a face to the name.  Kate apparently lives in Carrickfergus, but when she visits Antrim Marina, she usually records some of the colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls and reports them to me.  I also heard more about two young kids, who have attempted to read rings at the Marina, and one has successfully received a grant from the BTO to purchase a telescope.  Great news to hear of children taking up the challenge of ring reading, and who knows, one of them could take over my project here when I become too old to carry on.  Gulls that I'm ringing now, may well out live me, so to have someone capable of furthering my project would be immense.

 

As today, was a really fine, warm day, the gulls were less interested in the bread offerings, unlike last week.  I had rings at the ready today, but I might as well have not bothered.  For some reason, I could not get my car through the barrier today, the car acting as my ringing station, as well as a hide, and shelter from the elements. 

Colour Ringed Black-headed Gulls Recorded at Antrim Marina on Monday 23rd August 2021

2ABK	2CSB	2FFJ	2CSR	2ACV	2CTC	2ABN	2FDK	2FHA	2CJT
2ABL	2AAN	2FFP	2CSJ	2BRA	2FFX	2FFF	2ABS	2AAK

Black-headed Gulls Recorded This Winter but Absent Today

2AAA	2AAB	2CSA	2FFA	2FFL	2FHC

Over the previous two posts, I have added the latest photos of gulls caught and ringed here last winter.  Of the eighteen caught and ringed, eight have been recorded so far this winter, these being ones ringed with Blue Darvic's, with the exception of -   2FDK , which was ringed here in November 2019.

 

  2FFJ , was caught and ringed as an un-sexed adult, on the 14th December 2020.    2FFJ , was then recorded until the 4th January 2021, when the second 'Coronavirus Lockdown' began.  On easing of restrictions,   2FFJ  was still at the Marina on the 12th April 2021, which was it's last re-sighting until I began my weekly visits on the 9th August.  It may just be possible, that -   2FFJ  is a year round resident, but future summer re-sightings would confirm this.  The duration as of today's re-sighting, is now 8 months and 9 days.

 

Black-headed Gull  -    2FFJ   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (16 Aug 2021)

(Ringed as an Un-Sexed Adult, on the 14th December 2020, at Antrim Marina)

 

  2FFP , was ringed here as an un-sexed adult, on the 21st December 2020.  I recorded the gull a week later, on the 28th December 2020, which was the last time that I saw it until I resumed my weekly visits on the 9th August 2021.  The duration for this bird, is now 8 months and 2 days.

 

Black-headed Gull  -    2FFP   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (09 Aug 2021)

(Ringed as an Un-Sexed Adult, on the 21st December 2020, at Antrim Marina)

 

Other Birds at Antrim Marina

On my arrival, a single adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, and the adult Herring Gull were present.  Moments afterwards an adult Common Gull flew in.  At 10:12, a second adult Common Gull, along with juvenile appeared, but there was no sign of the Scottish-rung bird that arrived back last week.

The female Mute Swan, along with her six cygnets, swan in from the Lough at 09:25.  On reaching the slipway, I began hand feeding the cygnets with bread, hoping to catch a gull or two, but today, they were not 'biting'.  At 10:05, a male Mute Swan arrived, and joined up with the family party.  The cygnets and the female were quiet happy with him being there, so is he the father?  A pair of Mute Swans then swan in at 10:40, but they were quickly chased off by the new male.

 

While I was talking to Kate, a Kingfisher 'whizzed' past heading out towards the breakwater.  Minutes later, the same bird 'whizzed' past again, heading back upriver.

 

Mallard numbers topped the 100 mark at 10:54.  Whilst most were lying down enjoying the sunshine, I conducted a full count which came to 104 birds.  On my first weekly visit this autumn on the 9th August, I noted three season late Mallard chicks.  Three became two, on last week'a visit, and two became one today.  As I was sitting on a bench, this little character came up to me and quite happily took some brown bread.  I wonder if it will survive another week.

 

The only other species to be recorded today, were 8 Jackdaws.  

 

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