Recent Sightings...

From John Clarke

John Clarke is my former 'Ringing Trainer', and recently he sent me a photo of a colour-ringed Dunlin that he had spotted on the Bann Estuary situated on the north Londonderry coast.  My task then, was to find the owner of the project, which ended with a surprising outcome.

On searching for the Dunlin on a copy of a spreadsheet produced by the International Wader Study Group, I discovered that the Dunlin belonged to a project in Spain.  I replied to John with the good news (nice one - ringed in Spain), as well as copying in the email address for the project.

A few days later, we received a reply from a delighted Paloma Peon Torre.  He said the bird had been ringed on the Villaviciosa Estuary in Asturias, Northern Spain.  However, he went on to say that the bird could not be identified as an individual, as the Dunlins on the Estuary are ringed with the same combination of colour rings.  What we do know, is this bird was one of 275 colour-ringed between the 5th May and 1st December 2022, using this combination of 'Yellow' above a 'Red Flag'.

Under this system, it is more about where these birds go to rather than identifying them as individuals.  The metal ring on the birds right 'Tibia' would need to be read otherwise.

A PDF File was attached to the reply, which detailed the ringing and sightings of these Dunlins.  Looking through it, I noticed that two sightings of this 'Colour Combination', were reported here in Northern Ireland in 2019 - the first on 6th August at Larne, County Antrim, the second on the 17th August at Bangor, County Down.

I worked out the distance from the Villaviciosa Estuary to the Bann Estuary, as being 1,301 kms / 808 miles (N).

Dunlin, Bann Estuary, Castlerock, Co. Londonderry  (22 May 2025)

(Photo Courtesy of John Clarke)

John also contacted me about a colour-ringed Herring Gull which he spotted on rocks between the north coast towns of Portrush and Portstewart - ringed -  143:C .

This on was quickly sorted as it was on my 'Main Ring Reading Spreadsheet'.  The bird belongs to Roisin Kearny's relatively new project based on the Old Lighthouse Island in County Down, which is the home of the Copeland Bird Observatory.  The project involves colour-ringing chicks of Lesser Black-backed Gulls as well as Herring Gulls.

 143:C , was ringed on the 1st July 2023, on Lighthouse Island.  Previous sightings occurred in August 2023 at The Skerries in County Dublin, January 2024 at Portballintrae in County Antrim, and July 2024 on Rathlin Island also in County Antrim.

John's sighting at Port Gallen near Portstewart is 93 kms / 57 miles (NW) from the Copeland Islands.  This is a direct line measurement, though the gull would have travelled a far greater distance flying around the coasts of County Antrim and County Londonderry.  The duration since being ringed, is 1 year, 10 months and 22 days,

My thanks goes to John for the sightings and photos and to Roisin for supplying the history for -  143:C .

Herring Gull  -   143:C   -  Port Gallen, Portstewart, Co. Londonderry  (23 May 2025)

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

(Photo Courtesy of John Clarke)

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From Rachelle Regan

On the 24th May 2025, I received and email from Rachelle Regan, reporting the return of a colour-ringed Black-headed Gull belonging to Adam McClure's former Northern Ireland Black-headed Gull Study.

Rachelle works as a warden on the RSPB's Hodbarrow Nature Reserve in Cumbria, England.  The Black-headed Gull -  2BJT , was recorded on two occasions, the first on the 25th March and then within a breeding colony on the reserve on the 29th April 2025.

 2BJT , had been ringed as a chick, on the 19th June 2014, at the Castle Espie Wetland Centre in County Down.  The gull then went unrecorded until the 22nd May 2018, when I spotted it as a breeding adult back at Castle Espie.

Despite further visits to Castle Espie during the following breeding seasons up to the outbreak of the 'Covid-19 Virus', there were no further sightings at Castle Espie.

Roughly 6 years had passed, when, on the 8th May 2024, Rachelle reported her first sighting of -  2BJT  at the Hodbarrow Reserve.

Having reported her latest sightings, Rachelle asked if the gull had been seen since last year, which it hadn't.  It's not often that we hear of gulls relocating to other colonies, which makes these sightings very interesting.

RSPB Hodbarrow lies 162 kms / 100 miles (ESE) from Castle Espie, and the duration since being ringed, is now 10 years, 10 months and 10 days (as of the 29th April 2025).

My thanks goes to Rachelle for the sighting reports and the photo.  It would be nice to know where this gull spends it's winter days.

Black-headed Gull  -   2BJT   -  RSPB Hodbarrow Nature Reserve, Cumbria, England  (25 March 2025)

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

(Photo Courtesy of Rachelle Regan)

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