Sightings Reported...

Black-headed Gull  -    2E18

Recently, I have received two emails concerning gulls, that I have previously recorded.  The first of these, was from my ringing trainer, John Clarke.

 

On the 9th September 2017, John, made a visit to the Strand Road, in Coleraine, Co. Londonderry.  While there, he re-sighted the Scottish 'colour-ringed' Black-headed Gull -   2E18 .  John, also sent me a photo of the gull, standing on the jetty, which is situated on the bank of the tidal River Bann.  I was also at the same jetty, in the last week of August, but there was no sign of any ringed BHGs that day.

Ringed by the Clyde Ringing Group, this is now the third consecutive winter, that   2E18 , has been recorded here.   My thanks to John, for the report and photo.  Below, I've added all the known sighting dates for this gull. this

Black-headed Gull  -    2E18   -  Strand Road, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry  (09 Sep 2017)

(Photo Courtesy of John Clarke)

Date	Details	Location	Distance / Direction	Duration
24 Jun 2014	Ringed as a Chick (U) by The Clyde RG	Elvanfoot, South Lanarkshire, Scotland	0 kms / 0 miles	0y  0m  0d
26 Dec 2015	Spotted by Gareth Platt	Strand Road, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, N. Ireland	194 kms / 120 miles (W)	1y  6m  2d
03 Jan 2016	Spotted by Gareth Platt	Strand Road, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, N. Ireland	194 kms / 120 miles (W)	1y  6m  10d
30 Jan 2016	Spotted by Gareth Platt	Strand Road, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, N. Ireland	194 kms / 120 miles (W)	1y  7m  6d
26 Aug 2016	Spotted by John Clarke	Strand Road, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, N. Ireland	194 kms / 120 miles (W)	2y  2m  2d
17 Oct 2016	Spotted by Gareth Platt	Strand Road, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, N. Ireland	194 kms / 120 miles (W)	2y  3m  23d
07 Dec 2016	Spotted by Gareth Platt	Strand Road, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, N. Ireland	194 kms / 120 miles (W)	2y  5m  13d
30 Dec 2016	Spotted by Gareth Platt	Strand Road, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, N. Ireland	194 kms / 120 miles (W)	2y  6m  6d
09 Sep 2017	Spotted by John Clarke	Strand Road, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, N. Ireland	194 kms / 120 miles (W)	3y  2m  16d

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Common Gull  -    2A06

The second email arrived a few days ago, from a 'Ring Reader' in Scotland, who also happens to follow my blog.  Wishing to remain anonymous, he has re-sighted a Common Gull, which both Cameron Moore and I had spotted at Carrickfergus Harbour, here in County Antrim.

(G.B.), scoped   2A06 , at the Pow Burn, Prestwick, in Ayrshire, Scotland, on the 17th September 2017.  Having been ringed as an adult, during the breeding season in July 2015, we can assume, that   2A06  may well be on the move back to Northern Ireland, from it's nesting site at Westhill in Aberdeenshire - (presuming it again bred there again in 2017).

Unfortunately, (G.B), was unable to get a photo, but he did include an update on the gull's re-sighting history, which was sent to him.  It turns out, this was the first sighting, since Cameron spotted the gull in February 2016.  My sincere thanks goes to (G.B), for letting me know about   2A06  - (full re-sighting history below).

Common Gull  -    2A06   -  Carrickfergus Harbour, Co. Antrim  (12 Dec 2015)

Date	Details	Location	Distance / Direction	Duration
02 Jul 2015	Ringed as an Adult by The Grampian RG.	Westhill, Aberdeenshire, Scotland	0 kms / 0 miles	0y  0m  0d
12 Dec 2015	Spotted by Gareth Platt	Carrickfergus Harbour, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland	349 kms / 216 miles (SW)	0y  5m  10d
19 Feb 2016	Spotted by Cameron Moore	Carrickfergus Harbour, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland	349 kms / 216 miles (SW)	0y  7m  17d
17 Sep 2017	Spotted by (G.B)	Pow Burn, Prestwick, Ayrshire, Scotland	232 kms / 144 miles (SW)	2y  2m  15d

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Common Gull  -    2BBJ

Another Common Gull, was the subject of a phone call recently, between Cameron Moore and myself.  Reporting, a number of his latest ring sightings, he included a juvenile Common Gull -   2BBJ  .  Actually, his initial thoughts on the 'colour-ring', was that it read -   Z88J .  I was able to correct Cameron on this, as it was a bird that I ringed as a chick on the 10th July 2017.

 

  2BBJ , was the last of 38, Common Gull chicks, which I 'colour-ringed' this summer and the first to be reported.  Ringed on the shoreline, between Waterfoot and Cushendall, in County Antrim,   2BBJ , has not travelled too far as yet.  Cameron's sighting at Whitehead, is just 41 kms / 25 miles, to the south-west from Waterfoot.  I was led to believe, that Cameron had taken a photo, but I have not received one as yet.

Date	Details	Location	Distance / Direction	Duration
10 Jul 2017	Ringed as a Chick (U) by Gareth Platt	Waterfoot, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland	0 kms / 0 miles	0y  0m  0d
09 Sep 2017	Spotted by Cameron Moore	Whitehead, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland	41 kms / 25 miles (SW)	0y  1m  30d

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