From David Nixon...

From David Nixon

David Nixon has been in touch again, concerning four gull sightings that he made on Thursday 17th October 2024.  All four were photographed at the high tide roost at Dundrum Inner Bay (South), Dundrum, County Down.

The first, was the third sighting this autumn of Herring Gull -  T6VE .   T6VE , was ringed as a chick, on the 3rd July 2019, on the Calf of Man, Isle of Man.  All but two of this bird's 22 re-sightings have been reported at the Dundrum Inner Bay (South), with the first ever sighting having been made at Millquarter Bay on Strangford Lough, County Down on the 27th July 2020, and back on the Calf of Man on the 19th June 2023.

A regular winter visitor to Dundrum, the distance from the Calf of Man, is 71 kms / 44 miles (WNW).  The duration since being ringed, is now 5 years, 3 months and 14 days.

Herring Gull  -   T6VE   -  Dundrum Inner Bay (South), Dundrum, Co. Down  (17 Oct 2024)

(Ringed as a chick, on the 3rd July 2019, on the Calf of Man, Isle of Man)

(Photo Courtesy of David Nixon)

The second bird was that of an immature Herring Gull -  H74:M .  This bird was also ringed on the Calf of Man, as a chick, on the 1st July 2023.  This is the 4th sighting record for this gull, having previously been spotted on the 3rd March 2024 at Ardglass Harbour in County Down, here at Dundrum Inner Bay (South) on the 10th May 2024, and back at Ardglass Harbour on the 19th May 2014.  The duration since being ringed, is 1 year, 3 months and 16 days.  The distance from the Calf of Man, is 72 kms / 44 miles (WNW).

Herring Gull  -   H74:M   -  Dundrum Inner Bay (South), Dundrum, Co. Down  (17 Oct 2024)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 1st July 2023, on the Calf of Man, Isle of Man)

(Photo Courtesy of David Nixon)

The third bird was a juvenile Herring Gull rung -  D99:M .  It has been reported to Mark Fitzpatrick who is the ringing coordinator for the Isle of Man.   D99:M , would most likely to have been ringed as a chick on the Calf of Man this past summer.

Herring Gull  -   D99:M   -  Dundrum Inner Bay (South), Dundrum, Co. Down  (17 Oct 2024)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the (Waiting for Details)

(Photo Courtesy of David Nixon)

The fourth gull is from the Isle of Arran in Ayrshire, Scotland.  Great Black-backed Gull - (White) 6B6:C, was ringed as a chick on the 3rd July 2019, on the Isle of Pladda, situated just off the southern coast of the Isle of Arran.  It's first sighting was made at Dougarie on Arran, on the 7th January 2020.

Since then, all six sightings including today's have been recorded here at Dundrum, twice in 2020 (June and July), July 2021, April 2022 and on the 23rd August 2023.  The duration since being ringed, is 5 years, 3 months and 14 days.  The distance from the Isle of Pladda to Dundrum, is 138 kms / 85 miles (SSW).

My thanks again goes to David for his sightings and excellent photos.

Great Black-backed Gull  -  (White)  6B6:C  -  Dundrum Inner Bay (South), Dundrum, Co. Down  (17 Oct 2024)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 3rd July 2019, on the Isle of Pladda, Isle of Arran, Ayrshire, Scotland)

(Photo Courtesy of David Nixon)

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