From Suzanne Belshaw and Rachelle Regan...

From Suzanne Belshaw

An email from Suzanne Belshaw arrived with me on Sunday evening on the 4th August 2024.  Earlier that day, Suzanne fell in with a metal-rung Lesser Black-backed Gull in Lisburn, Co. Antrim.  Having taken a photo of the gull, several photos were also taken of the ring.  Piecing the ring number together, Suzanne realised she had fallen in with an 'old friend'.

The gull was a Portuguese bird - rung  LV19833 .  It was ringed as an unsexed 3rd calendar year bird, on the 22nd January 2022, at Sítio das Hortas, Santarém, in the Lisbon area in Portugal.  Suzanne first recorded the gull in Lisburn on the 3rd July 2022, with two further sightings in the same area on the 31st July 2022 and on the 21st August 2022.  I reported Suzanne's sightings to the BTO, and the official distance to Lisburn, was given as 1,764 kms / 1,096 kms (N).

Suzanne's latest sighting, takes the duration since being ringed, to 4 years, 6 months and 13 days.  Apparently, neither Suzanne or myself have made any attempt to contact the owner.  I will try to sort this one out, to obtain a full re-sighting history, although, seeing as the gull only has a metal ring, Suzanne's sightings are likely to be the only ones to date.  Suzanne noted that the gull has an injured right foot, but looking at the photo, it does not look serious.

My thanks goes to Suzanne for the sighting report and photos.

Lesser Black-backed Gull  -  Portugal   LV19833   -  Lisburn, Co. Antrim  (04 Aug 2024)

(Ringed as an Unsexed 3rd Calendar Year Bird, on the 22nd January 2022, at Sítio das Hortas, Santarém, Portugal.

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

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From Rachelle Regan

This afternoon (Monday 5th August 2024), I was preparing a blog post for Suzanne's Lesser Black-backed Gull, when an email arrived from Rachelle Regan.  Rachelle works as a warden on the RSPB's Hodbarrow Nature Reserve in Cumbria, England.

Rachelle sent belated sightings of two colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls that belonged to Adam McClure's former Northern Ireland Black-headed Gull Study (2012 to 2018) which I now respond to.  The first gull -  2AFN , is no stranger to Rachelle.  It was ringed as a chick, on the 19th June 2014, at the WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre in County Down.

All four of the birds previous sightings were made at the Hodbarrow Reserve - 25th June 2021, 18th March, 6th April and 11th April 2023.   2AFN  was spotted at the main breeding colony on the 26th April 2024, taking the duration since being ringed, to 9 years, 10 months and 7 days.  Hodbarrow is situated 162 kms / 100 miles (ESE) from Castle Espie.

Unfortunately, a recent photo could not be obtained, but I have included the photo taken by Rachelle on the 6th April 2023.

Black-headed Gull  -   2AFN   -  RSPB Hodbarrow Nature Reserve, Cumbria, England (6th April 2023)

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

(Photo Courtesy of Rachelle Regan)

The second Black-headed Gull -  2BJT , was a really nice sighting.  Also ringed at Castle Espie as a chick on the 19th June 2014, just one previous sighting was made by myself at Castle Espie on the 27th May 2018, where I found it was breeding.  Although subsequent visits were made after 2018 to Castle Espie, the gull has never been seen there since.

This summer's sighting at the main breeding colony at RSPB Hodbarrow, may possibly indicate that the gull has been nesting undetected there since 2018.  As with -  2AFN , the duration since being ringed, is now 9 years, 10 months and 7 days, the distance is 162 kms / 100 miles (ESE).  It would be nice to know where these gulls go to for the winter.

My thanks goes to Rachelle for both sightings, and it was brilliant to get a photo for -  2BJT .

Black-headed Gull  -   2BJT   -  RSPB Hodbarrow Nature Reserve, Cumbria, England  (08 May 2024)

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

(Photo Courtesy of Rachelle Regan)

I have included my photo of -  2BJT  taken at Castle Espie on the 27th May 2018.

Black-headed Gull  -   2BJT   -  WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre, Co. Down  (27 May 18)

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