Antrim Marina - Wednesday 10th December 2025...

Antrim Marina - Wednesday 10th December 2025

Another Wednesday visit to Antrim Marina, followed the heels of 'Storm Bram' which passed through Northern Ireland yesterday.  I did not see any signs of damage around the Marina, but there was much debris and sand washed ashore on the small Sandy Beach and around the concrete jetty and the slipway.  Another problem, was the compound used by the dredging team has not been removed.  With two diggers, a barge and a tender boat, the Low Wooden Jetty is still being avoided by the gulls.

On my arrival, around 40 Black-headed Gulls were present and despite having gulls present at all times, numbers never surpassed the 60 mark.  This is still well down from what is expected for this time of the year.  Studying a wintering population, a number of these are colour-ringed so that their movements can be tracked.  So far this winter, I have recorded a total of 24 colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls with some well overdue to return.  They are all likely to breed in foreign countries, with some destinations as yet unknown.  Each week, I undertake one weekly visit to read the ringed gulls present, and if possible, catch new birds to be ringed.

Today, I arrived at the later time of 11:40, and ended my visit at 2:30pm.  No new returnees were recorded today, though a Black-headed Gull with a White Darvic Ring was spotted on the concrete jetty just after 1pm.  When spotted, I was using my binoculars to check for any gulls with just metal-rings.  All that I noticed on the White Darvic was the letter 'E', as the gull disappeared behind a bollard.  Grabbing my camera, as I got out of my car, the gull flew off towards the breakwater and did not return.  Back at home, I checked the online cr-birding site, and this gull would have been ringed in The Netherlands.  Now, I am hoping that gull will put in another appearance so that I can capture the full code on the ring.

Of the 24 colour-rings that I have recorded this winter, I had read 10 rings by 12:49.  I then had to wait until 1:57 to record my 11th ring ( 2FFT ), which turned out to be the last for the visit.  It is bad enough having several overdue returnees, but to have 13 absentees as well today, asks the question - what is going on with the gulls?  Even the metal-rung Black-headed Gull from Iceland was absent for a second week running. 

There is not much more I can say at the minute which is frustrating.  A special note though for -  2FKA , which was the only juvenile ringed here last winter - it has recently surpassed the milestone of one year since being ringed.   2AAN  from Adam McClure's former Northern Ireland Black-headed Gull Study, will in contrast, reach it's 13 year milestone on the 21st December, when ringed here as an adult female. 

Colour Ringed Black-headed Gulls Recorded at Antrim Marina on Wednesday 10th December 2025

2FJA	2CSR	2FFA	2FKA	2CJT	2CSK
2ABN	2AAN	2FIF	2BRA	2FFT

Colour Ringed Black-headed Gulls Recorded at Antrim Marina This Autumn/Winter but Absent Today

2ACV	2BRD	2CTA	2FDK	2FFX	2FHV	2FIL
2FJF	2FJK	2FJN	2FJT	2FJV	2FJX

Other Birds at Antrim Marina

Parking at my usual spot beside the small concrete jetty, 6 adult Mute Swans along with two cygnets were resting on the slipway.  After my initial count of all species present, my attention returned to the two cygnets.  I confirmed my suspicion that they were not siblings.  One which lay and slept for around two hours, was slightly smaller and it's plumage browner than that of the older youngster.  Once all of the adult swans stood up, I could see the metal ring of the resident female -  X4707 .  Later on, her youngster (the larger cygnet) and her mate made their way to the grass on the edge of the car park to feed.  In time, it also became clear, that the smaller cygnet was not related to any of the other adults.  I reckon that it was worn out due to 'Storm Bram' which blew through Northern Ireland yesterday.  Another pair of swans arrived from upriver at 12:40, with a single adult arriving in from Lough Neagh at 1:41pm, taking the total number of adults to 9.

Mallard numbers were slightly better this week, with around 50 birds present throughout today's visit.  Again, most if not all legs were checked for rings.

The resident pair of Herring Gulls were also present throughout my visit, along with this year's youngster and a second calendar bird which I still believe was last year's chick.  This one now has a badly injured left leg and limps very heavily when on the move.  Their father also had a leg injury a couple of week's ago and has the slightest of limps now.

Just a single adult Common Gull when I arrived today.  I took until 1:39 before a second adult appeared and by 2pm, 4 adults were present.  The metal-rung Scottish female did not appear today.  A high of 8 adults was recorded once this winter.

The adult Moorhen was also present throughout today's visit.  As usual, it walked up and down the long wooden jetty and the small concrete jetty eating the seagull droppings. 

1 Hooded Crow and a male Pied Wagtail were brief visitors, while a single pair of Jackdaws made repeated visits.

The Small Sandy Beach Obscured by Debris Following Storm Bram

(Note the Small Concrete Jetty Behind the Security Fence and my Car Overlooking the Jetty)

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