From David Nixon and Suzanne Belshaw...

From David Nixon

David Nixon was in touch regarding two immature Great Black-backed Gulls that he spotted on the high tide roost at Dundrum Inner Bay (South), on the 30th April 2025.  With codes reading - (White) P:13H and -  003:M , these were not the usual 'run of the mill' gulls normally recorded here belonging to the Manx Ringing Group (Isle of Man) or the Irish Midland Ringing Group (Co. Dublin).  

On checking the codes on the cr-birding site birding site, these gulls had been ringed in England and Scotland respectively.

(White) P:13H, was exceptionally interesting due it's long north-westerly movement.  A first re-sighting, the gull was ringed as a chick, on the 27th June 2023, on the breakwater of Portland Harbour in Dorset, England.  I contacted Guy Hayden who is one of the project leads for the Portland Gull Project.  A sizeable colony of Great Black-backed Gulls nest on the breakwater along with Herring Gulls.  Each year, over 50 Great Black-backed Gull chicks are colour-ringed, and David's sighting was only the second to be reported in Ireland, and the most northerly.

The distance from Portland to Dundrum, is 470 kms / 292 miles (NW), and the duration since being ringed, was 1 year, 10 months and 3 days.  Our thanks goes to Guy for supplying the ringing info.

Great Black-backed Gull  -  (White)  P:13H  -  Dundrum Inner Bay South, Dundrum, Co. Down  (30 Apr 2025)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 27th June 2023, at Portland Docks Breakwater, Portland, Dorset, England)

(Photo Courtesy of David Nixon)

The second immature Great Black-backed Gull -  003:M , was also a first re-sighting.  Having contacted Mark Oksien from the Isle of May Bird Observatory, he replied with the ringing details.   003:M , was ringed as a chick, on the 18th July 2024, on the island of Isle of May in Fife, Scotland.  The distance to Dundrum, is 299 kms / 186 miles (SW), and the duration since being ringed, was 9 months and 12 days.

Looking through my 'Main Ring Reading Spreadsheet', this was the fourth Great Black-backed Gull from the Isle of May, which has been recorded in Northern Ireland.  David and I offer our thanks to Mark for his speedy reply, along with the gull's ringing details.

My thanks goes to David for his sightings and photos.

Great Black-backed Gull  -   003:M   -  Dundrum Inner Bay South, Dundrum, Co. Down  (30 Apr 2025)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 18th July 2024, on the Isle of May, Fife, Scotland)

(Photo Courtesy of David Nixon)

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From Suzanne Belshaw

Suzanne Belshaw has been in touch again with her latest 'Big Gull' sightings.  As a 'Ring Reader' myself, nothing gives me greater pleasure than managing to read 'metal-rings'.  Suzanne has become very good at reading metal rings and very little escapes from her these days.

What's even better, is the confirmation of birds previously recorded, and one such Portuguese Lesser Black-backed Gull, returned to Lisburn in County Antrim to pay Suzanne another visit.   LV19833 , was first recorded by Suzanne on the 3rd July 2022, with a second sighting on the 31st July and a third on the 21st August 2022, with the gull being spotted near Suzanne's home address.

In 2024, the gull returned to the same spot in Lisburn, on the 4th August, and Suzanne's latest sighting occurred on the 20th April 2025, again close to home.

 LV19833 , was ringed as a third calendar bird, on the 22nd January 2020, at Sítio das Hortas, Santarém, Portugal.  The distance to Lisburn, is 1,764 kms / 1,096 miles (N), and the duration since being ringed, is now 5 years, 2 months and 29 days.  Although, Suzanne failed to capture the number '1' when reading the ring this time, there is no doubting that it is the same bird.

Lesser Black-backed Gull  -   LV19833   -  Lisburn, Co. Antrim  (20 Apr 2025)

(Ringed as an Unsexed 3rd Calendar Year Bird, on the 22nd January 2020, at Sítio das Hortas, Santarém, Portugal)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

Suzanne's second two sightings were juvenile Herring Gulls that were ringed as chicks, on the 1st July 2023, on Old Lighthouse Island, The Copeland Islands, Co. Down.  They belong to a relatively new project belonging to Roisin Kearney.

 021:C , was spotted by Suzanne at the Commons in Donaghadee in County Down on the 21st April 2025.  The Commons is just around the corner from Donaghadee Harbour.  The distance from the Old Lighthouse Island, is just 6 kms / 3 miles (S), and the duration since being ringed, was 1 year, 9 months and 20 days.

One previous sighting of -  021:C, was recorded by Graham McElwaine on the 20th January 2025, when he spotted it on the seafront a Millisle, just a couple of kilometres south from Suzanne's sighting.

Herring Gull  -   021:C   -  The Commons, Donaghadee, Co. Down  (21 Apr 2025)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 1st July 2023, on Old Lighthouse Island, The Copeland Islands, Co. Down)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

The sighting of -  146:C , was a first for this Herring Gull.  It was also spotted on the 21st April 2025, but was found at Groomsport Harbour in County Down.  The distance from the Old Lighthouse Island to Groomsport, is 7 kms / 4 miles (WSW), and the duration since being ringed, was 1 year, 9 months and 20 days.

Again, my thanks goes to Suzanne for her sighting reports and photos.  Really good of the Portuguese Lesser Black-backed Gull to pay Suzanne another visit.

Herring Gull  -   146:C   -  Groomsport Harbour, Groomsport, Co. Down  (21 Apr 2025)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 1st July 2023, on Old Lighthouse Island, The Copeland Islands, Co. Down)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

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