Ringing Update...

Ringing Details Received

At last the ringing details for some of my recent sightings have started to arrive from The British Trust for Ornithology.  The Christmas Holidays must be well and truly over.

 
Oystercatcher  -  FH84092

I have been eagerly waiting for the ringing details of this one, the BTO having emailed me last week to state my sighting of this bird had been accepted.

Initially, having spotted this 'metal-ringed' Oystercatcher, a man and his dog scared this bird off, along with the rest of the Waders that were on the shoreline at Sandy Bay in Larne.  After completing my four hour weekly visit to Antrim Marina on the 27th December 2015, I drove down to Sandy Bay and made another attempt at obtaining the ring number.

After locating this Oystercatcher, I was persistent in trying to scope and photograph the ring.  Although this bird was standing on one leg having a rest, it soon tired of me edging closer to it and then moved off onto the surf and started to feed.  While in the water, I kept on scoping and saw the first two letters on the ring 'FH'.  Just as well I got this, as when I checked my photos at home, I only had the 5 numbers which follow on from the first two letters.  The whole number was -   FH84092 .

However, the first number looked a bit dubious.  To me, it looked like an 8, but might possibly have been a 3.  Having sent copies of the photos to fellow 'Ring Watchers', Graham Prole and Adam McClure, both agreed it looked like an 8 and I should report the bird to the BTO.

It was well worth the effort in obtaining this ring number, as this Oystercatcher was not ringed locally.  It was ringed as a chick on the 14th June 2014 at North Ronaldsay, Orkney Islands, Scotland, by a member from The North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory.  The distance was given as 540km / 335 miles in a South-south-west direction and 561 days after being ringed.

Oystercatcher  -  London    FH84092   -  Sandy Bay, Larne  (27 dec 2015)

North Ronaldsay, Orkney Island to Sandy Bay, Larne  (540km / 335miles SSW)

Herring Gull  -  GA00153

It took two attempts to obtain the full ring number for this Herring Gull that I spotted at Millisle in County Down.  The ring on this gull was put on up-side down and on my first visit to Millisle on the 19th December, I could only get a partial number -   GA0**** , missing the final four numbers on this British ring.

I decided to have a second go on Christmas Eve and despite bright sunshine, was able to complete the number -   GA00153 .  Now, having this gull's ringing details, I got an unexpected surprise.  It was ringed on the 22nd June 2005 as a chick on the nearby Copeland Islands, situated 8km to the north.

The surprise, it was supposed to be a Lesser Black-backed Gull and not a Herring Gull, which my photo clearly shows it to be.  This is now the second identification mistake concerning gulls ringed on the Copelands, that I have discovered.  The first was the Black-headed Gull that I recorded at Antrim Marina, which should have been a Common Gull (see 22 Mar 2015 and 01 Mar 2015).

Both of these mistakes were probably made by the same ringer, coincidentally on the same date 22nd June 2005, with both gulls having their rings placed up-side down.  I have pasted the recovery details for the two gulls below.

Herring Gull  -  GA00153

Dear Gareth D.A. Platt

Thank you for taking the time to report to us details of a bird ring you found. Information about this bird and its movements is given below.

Ringing Scheme: London Ring Number: GA00153 Species of bird: Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)

This bird was ringed by Copeland Bird Observatory as age nestling, sex unknown on 22-Jun-2005 time unknown at Big Copeland Island, Down, UK

OS Map reference IJ5883 accuracy 0, co-ordinates 54deg 40min N 5deg 33min W accuracy 0.

It was found on 24-Dec-2015 time unknown at Millisle, Down, UK

OS Map reference IJ6075 accuracy 0, co-ordinates 54deg 36min N 5deg 31min W accuracy 0.

Finding condition: Sight record by non-ringer

Finding circumstances: Field Record

Extra Information: -

It was found 3837 days after it was ringed, 8 km from the ringing site, direction SSE.

Black-headed Gull  -  EG55380

Dear Gareth D A Platt

Thank you for taking the time to report to us details of a bird ring you found. Information about this bird and its movements is given below.

Ringing Scheme: London Ring Number: EG55380 Species of bird: Common Gull (Larus canus)

This bird was ringed by Copeland Bird Observatory as age nestling, sex unknown on 22-Jun-2005 time unknown at Big Copeland Island, Down, UK

OS Map reference IJ5883 accuracy 0, co-ordinates 54deg 40min N 5deg 33min W accuracy 0.

It was found on 23-Feb-2014 time unknown at Antrim Marina, Antrim, UK

OS Map reference IJ1485 accuracy 0, co-ordinates 54deg 42min N 6deg 14min W accuracy 0.

Finding condition: Sight record by non-ringer

Finding circumstances: Field Record

Extra Information: -

It was found 3168 days after it was ringed, 45 km from the ringing site, direction W.

Herring Gull  -  London    GA00153   -  Millisle, County Down.

 Map Showing the Copeland Islands to Millisle.

Common Gull  -  Yellow 2BBC

No surprises with this Common Gull, which I spotted at Millisle on the 19th December 2015.  Shane Wolsey emailed the gull's details and it was as I expected, one of the initially ringed birds from his colour-ringing project on the Copeland Islands.

  2BBC  was ringed as an adult (probably breeding), on the 23rd June 2009.  18 Common Gulls were ringed that year with 'Yellow-Darvics' (12 adults and 6 chicks).  The decision was taken to switch to 'Blue-Darvics' after this, as they would show up better on the gulls greenish-yellow legs.

Big Copeland Island is only 8km to the north from Millisle (map above).  There have been numerous re-sightings of the gull at Millisle, the last having been reported on the 28th March 2013.

Many thanks to Shane for these details.

Common Gull  -    2BBC   -  Millisle  (19 Dec 2015)

Black-headed Gull  -  EG55718

On my first ever visit to Donaghadee on Christmas Eve, I spotted this Black-headed Gull a short distance away from the harbour.    EG55718  now becomes the 2nd oldest BHG on my records.

At 9 years, 6 months and 14 days since being ringed as a chick on the Copeland Islands, it just beats the Icelandic-ringed   537949 , which I spotted at Victoria Park in Belfast, by 22 days (see my last post).  The Copelands are situated just 4km / 2½ miles to the north of Donaghadee, so this BHG is very much a local bird.

Black-headed Gull  -  London    EG55718   -  Donaghadee, County Down  (24 Dec 2015)

 Map Showing the Copeland Islands to Donaghadee

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Thursday 7th January 2016

Today, I popped down to the coastal villages of Glenarm and Carnlough.  Other recent visits here were not reported, as nothing was found.  My target though, was the Black-headed Gull   260D  from Eoin McGreal's study at Lough Mask in the Republic of Ireland.  I try to re-sight this gull at least once a month, as it winter's at Glenarm Harbour.

On today's visit, I did re-sight   260D  and discovered what may be the reason for not seeing this gull for a while.  It has obviously suffered some kind of injury to it's left leg.  Looking at the knee and ankle joints, they are both out of shape and perhaps swollen.  The lower leg is now splayed out to the left.

  260D  has probably 'laid-low', while recuperating, hence the non-sightings.  On today's visit, it certainly looks and flies very well and seems to be healthy enough otherwise.

Black-headed Gull  -    260D   -  Injured Left Leg   (07 Jan 2016)

At Glenarm Harbour, I also spotted a 'metal-ringed' Herring Gull, but it flew off before I could get near it.  At Carnlough Beach, I spotted another 'metal-ringed' Herring Gull, also a 'metal-ringed' Common Gull.  Both were too far away, to even attempt to get the numbers.

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