Fourth 2024 Visit to Rathlin Island...

Rathlin Island - Wednesday 19th June 2024

I was hoping to make two visits to Rathlin Island this week, but our recent run of unsettled weather meant I could not get to Rathlin until today.  Although yesterday (Tuesday) was dry, a strong northerly wind was not ideal to visit nesting colonies, as the wind direction would mean that temperatures would be lower, which would reduce time spent in the colonies considering that there would be gulls still on eggs or small chicks.  Instead, I spent a few hours at a Peregrine nest site on the east coast of County Antrim to obtain a head count of the number of chicks.  Even with my telescope set up to view the cliff ledge, it was continually being swayed by the wind.  An initial two well feathered chicks, eventually saw a third appearing.  Being greedy, I wanted four, but with a feed being quickly dropped onto the ledge by the female, I had to settle for just the three.

The weather today was forecasted to be dry and warm with just a light westerly wind, and this was exactly what I got.  My plan for the day, was to visit the Common Gull colony at the Rue Point Lighthouse, both to read colour-rings on the adults. and to ring chicks large enough to take a colour-ring.  From there, I would scope the Common Gulls on the small islet on Ushet Lough, drop down to the shore at Roonivoolin to look for and ring chicks belonging to a pair of Great Black-backed Gulls, and if I had time, a quick visit to the Doon Bay Common Gull colony before returning to catch the ferry.

As things panned out, this was going to be one of those days where nothing goes to plan.  Leaving the ferry, I walked the two and a half miles to Rue Point, and on my arrival, people were already walking through the centre of the colony to get to the lighthouse.  I sat down a short distance away and waited.  My plan now, was to sit until the area cleared, let the gulls settle down for half and hour, before going in to look for ring-able chicks and a quick read of rings on the adults.

The time passed by, as people were leaving, others were arriving.  This was constant through to around 2pm, when finally the gulls were able to get a bit of peace and quiet.  I attempted to read colour-rings from a distance, but once again, I was defeated by a heavy heat haze and only three colour-rings were readable out of a number of photos taken.

The very first ring to be read, was that of my favourite Common Gull -  2BCL .  Having been ringed as a chick in 2018 on Ushet Lough, I recorded it on three occasions away from Rathlin Island as a juvenile and second calendar year bird in three different counties - Antrim, Down and Londonderry.  All sightings since 2020, have been made on Rathlin.   2BCL  is nesting exactly in the same spot as last year, on the shoreline just to the north from the main Rue Point colony, where it raised two chicks (PDF).

Common Gull  -   2BCL   -  Rue Point, Rathlin Island, Co. Antrim  (19 Jun 2024)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 18th June 2018, at Ushet Lough, Rathlin Island, Co. Antrim)

Common Gull -  2CIP , is what I consider, to be a prospecting gull as it is not at full breeding age having hatched in 2022.  I was able to watch this bird and it's partner for quite some time, and was convinced that they do not have a nest.  This is my second sighting this summer of -  2CIP , having been spotted back on Rathlin's Rue Point on the 27th May 2024.  Only a short time before this, the gull was spotted on the Isle of Mull in Scotland (PDF).

Common Gull  -   2CIP   -  Rue Point, Rathlin Island, Co. Antrim  (19 Jun 2024)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 27th June 2022, at Rue Point)

Common Gull -  2BVC , is another bird which I have recorded on two occasions away from the island before it's return in May 2023.  Ringed at Arkill Bay in June 2021, I spotted the gull at two different locations on the east coast of County Antrim in July 2022.  On the 7th May 2023, I recorded it's return to Rathlin, when I spotted it on the tiny rocky islet on Ushet Lough.  As it was still an immature, I reckoned that it was prospecting a nest site for 2024.  However, when I recorded it today, it has chosen to nest on the rocks between Rue Point and the Smugglers Cottages (ruined buildings).  Perhaps it decided that the rocky islet on Ushet was too densely populated and decided for a quieter seaside view instead (PDF).

Common Gull  -   2BVC   -  Rue Point, Rathlin Island, Co. Antrim  (19 Jun 2024)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 22nd June 2021, at Arkill Bay, Rathlin Island, Co. Antrim)

With the gulls having had time to settle for a while, I grabbed my ringing gear and went looking for large Common Gull chicks to ring.  A short while later, five chicks had been colour-ringed when I accidently flushed two Oystercatchers chicks.  One was able to fly off, whilst the second decided to 'leg it'.  After a brief chase, I managed to catch the youngster and walked back to where the rest of my gear was lying.  This should have included my second ringing box which holds larger metal rings for larger birds.  Having rummaged around the inside of my rucksack, I realised that the box was still sitting on my kitchen table back at home.  I decided to take a photo before taking the chick back to where it was flushed and it quickly shot off on foot.

Fully Grown Oystercatcher Chick, Rue Point, Rathlin Island, Co. Antrim  (19 Jun 2024)

Having lost so much time at Rue Point waiting for it to clear, I did not have time to visit the Common Gull colony on Ushet Lough, and due to the fact that I did not have my larger rings with me, there was no visit to the Great Black-backed Gull nest site on the Roonivoolin shore.  I did have a little time on my way back to the harbour to scope the Greylag Geese on Ushet Lough.  I was looking for one bird with a neck collar -  BVJ , which I found.  This is my second sighting of this bird here this summer and my 6th sighting overall since 2018.  It was ringed on Rathlin Island as an adult male, on the 10th February 2017 - the duration since being ringed, is now 7 years, 4 months and 9 days. 

Greylag Goose  -   B|VJ   -  Ushet Lough, Rathlin Island, Co. Antrim  (19 Jun 2024)

(Ringed as an Adult Male, on the 10th February 2017, on Rathlin Island)

As I made my way back to the harbour, my thoughts returned to the Common Gulls nesting at Rue Point.  In my years since first visiting the colony, I had never seen so much disturbance as to what I had witnessed today.  At one point, there were 10 people at the lighthouse.  Some of the folk even ventured onto the rocks and none of them had a clue that the gulls calls were actually alarm calls.  Something really needs to be done here, with the nesting area cordoned off a short distance away.

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