It's been a while now since my previous post, and here in Northern Ireland, we are still facing weeks of 'lockdown' regulations. The original planned date for perhaps easing the 'lockdown', has now been extended to the 1st April, from the original date of the 5th March. Although there will be reviews during the month of March, when the easing of restrictions do begin, this will be in gradual stages. Personally, I was hoping that we would be clear to have a 'clean' run through the summer months, when I would be able to ring gull chicks in the months of May and June. As things stand at present, the month of May is beginning to look unlikely, so I may well miss out on ringing Black-headed Gull chicks for the second summer running. June looks to be more promising, and this is when I ring the chicks of Common Gulls on Rathlin Island, but worse, is the situation on the Copeland Islands. I have all necessary permissions to ring Common Gull chicks on the Big Island, but here they tend to breed a few weeks earlier than on Rathlin, so the chick there would be ring-able in May.
It is really hateful, that wildlife enthusiasts who run their own ringing and survey projects, should be refrained from doing so. After all, we tend to visit sites on our own. As I live in Ballymena, I still cannot visit Antrim Marina, and, as my weekly visits would end on the last weekend of March, I will now miss the final few weeks of this winter's 'Ring Reading' at the site. As I'm about to publish this post, the first schools reopened today, and tomorrow morning, I will receive my first Covid vaccination.
Over the past few weeks, a few ring sightings have been reported to me, and two especially concerned two Black-headed Gulls from my study at Antrim Marina. Apart from 'binge watching' some tv shows such as Sons of Anarchy, I have been busy submitting loads more re-sightings from Adam McClure's former NI Black-headed Gull Study. Other than birds that he originally ringed at Antrim Marina, I nearing the end for all gulls ringed at the other sites.
On top of that, with permission from Adam's ringing trainer, Neville McKee, and approved by those at the BTO, I now have full access to Neville's DemOn account. This now puts me in the position, where I can correct some of the ringing and re-sighting submissions, which had been entered by Neville himself, and some entered by Wes Smyth on Neville's and Adam's behalf. Much time and effort has been made by myself to sort everything out, but the end is in sight. Just as a precaution, I have begun to re-work Adam's own BHG Database, adding 'check boxes' to ensure all details match those on my 'Ring Reading Spreadsheet', my 'Antrim Marina Spreadsheet', and to be sure that all DemOn entries are also ticked off. When all's done, I can be sure that all the data is up to date and correct. I've no idea about what I'll do with all this, but there is a lot of information there for someone to work with.
All in all, despite the 'lockdown', I have kept myself busy, and the days and weeks appear to be slipping by quite quickly. Now that spring has finally arrived, I'm itching to get out and about again, and hopefully that's sooner, rather than later.
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| From John Clarke |
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My ringing trainer, John Clarke, who lives in Coleraine in County Londonderry, is quite lucky as he lives just a couple of miles away from the coast. Well inside the 10 mile 'lockdown' limit for travelling for exercise, he, along with his dog, are within reach of the coastal towns of Portrush and Portstewart. On the 8th February 2020, whilst at the East Strand Car Park in Portrush, John spotted a metal-rung Black-headed Gull. As he had his camera in the car, John just managed to capture the complete ring number - EY90877 .
I reported the bird on John's behalf, which means we both obtain a copy of the ringing details. The gull had been ringed as a chick, on the 15th June 2018, at Foulis Point, in the Highland Region of Scotland. The distance to Portrush, is 306 kms / 190 miles (SSW), and the duration since being ringed, was 2 years, 7 months and 24 days. The East Strand Car Park, was the wintering site of another Scottish Black-headed Gull, which had been recorded there between 2012 & 2017, but that bird has no doubt died since. John did not send a full picture of the Black-headed Gull, so I cropped out the ring number from the photos that he did send.
Cropped Ring of Black-headed Gull - EY90877 - East Strand Car Park, Portrush, Co. Antrim (08 Feb 2021)
(Ringed as a Chick, on the 15th June 2018, at Foulis Point, Highland Region, Scotland)
(Photo Courtesy of John Clarke)
An Oystercatcher which John spotted in Portstewart, on the 18th February 2021, was of particular interest, as I have recorded this bird in the past. John emailed me about the sighting, after he received a copy of the birds PDF File from Boddi in Iceland. The Oystercatcher was initially ringed with a metal only - FH14394 , on the 10th February 2008, as an adult, at Penmon Quarry in Beaumaris, Anglesey in North Wales. On the 5th September 2009, the bird was controlled (caught) by another ringer, at Annan in Dumfries & Galloway in Scotland - 192 kms / 119 miles (NNE).
It was a number of years before - FH14394 was seen again, but on the 7th May 2016, whilst breeding in Iceland, it's ring was read. On the PDF File, it does not mention how the ring was read, by I reckon it was caught in a trap on the nest. For safety, the eggs would likely to have been removed, until the bird was caught. A year later, on the 7th May 2017, the bird was caught on the nest again, but this time, it was fitted with colour-rings - Orange over Black on the left tarsus, with a White ring inscribed 'JA' on the right tarsus - ON-W(JA).
It was my turn next to spot the bird. On the 18th March 2018, I spotted the colour-rings on Kinnegar Beach, on the shores of Belfast Lough in County Down. I had hoped to record this bird at Kinnegar since, but there had been no sightings until this latest one, made by John at Portstewart in County Londonderry. The distance from Wales to Portstewart, 272 kms / 169 miles (NW), and the duration since being ringed, was 13 years and 8 days. Whilst most Oystercatchers prefer to winter at a particular site, it seems as if this bird bucks the trend. My thanks to John for his sightings, and the Oystercatchers PDF File can be read (here).
Oystercatcher - ON-W(JA) - Portstewart, Co. Londonderry (18 Feb 2021)
(Ringed as an Un-Sexed Adult, on the 10th February 2008, at Penmon Quarry, Anglesey, North Wales)
(Photo Courtesy of John Clarke)
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| From David Nixon |
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On the 11th February 2021, David Nixon was checking on the gulls at the Inner Bay of Dundrum in County Down, when he spotted a colour-ringed Great Black-backed Gull - 1NR . The photograph taken by David Nixon, is the first ever, of a bird with quite an interesting, or should I say, lack of re-sighting history. The gull belongs to a former project, run by Chris Honan, but Dublin based ring reader Graham Prole, now responds to the sightings. Initially, Graham had no positive date, as to when 1NR was ringed, though it would have been as a chick on the island of Ireland's Eye, in County Dublin.
I know Graham requested the ringing details for these colour-ringed Great Black-backed's from the BTO, and on looking at the latest PDF File sent to David, the metal number and the ringing date - 30th June 2012, are now included. Strangely, since being ringed, the gull went un-recorded until the June 2020, which began a sequence of sightings in County Down.
The first of these was made by John Smyth on the 20th June 2020, and if I can remember correctly, was made on a boat just off the shore of Coney Island. On the 30th June 2020, the gull was then spotted by Declan Clarke at Ballyhornan Beach in County Down, 27th July 2020 at Millquarter Bay in County Down by Graham McElwaine, and on the 2nd September 2020, again by Graham McElwaine at the Inner Bay, at Dundrum in County Down.
David Nixon's latest sighting of 1NR at Dundrum Inner Bay, on the 11th February 2021, now takes the duration since being ringed, to 8 years, 7 months and 12 days. Graham Prole in Dublin, and indeed Mark Fitzpatrick on the Isle of Man, have both commented on the length of time which passes before some first re-sightings made, which is quite remarkable due to the size and habits of these gulls.
The distance from Ireland's Eye island, to Dundrum Inner Bay, is 95 kms / 59 miles (N), and the PDF File sent to David can be read (here). Again, I cannot thank David enough for sharing his sightings, along with the photos.
Great Black-backed Gull - 1NR - Dundrum Inner Bay, Dundrum, Co. Down (11 Feb 2021)
(Ringed as a Chick, on the 30th June 2012, at Ireland's Eye Island, Co. Dublin, Republic of Ireland)
(Photo Courtesy of David Nixon)
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| From Alasdair Fyffe |
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On Thursday the 11th February, I received an email from Alasdair Fyffe, asking if the gull in the attached photo belonged to me. The Black-headed Gull, ringed - 2FDJ , was mine, and it had been recently reported in Motherwell, Scotland, on the 5th February 2021 by Scott Black. This was Alasdair's second attempt to find the owner, as he initially thought the ring was black. Waiting on a second email from Alasdair, which is a good Scottish surname, gave me an idea the gull had been spotted in Scotland again.
The reply came the following day, in which Alasdair had spotted - 2FDJ , at Kay Park Lake in Kilmarnock in Scotland. Having been sighted in Motherwell on the 5th, 2FDJ, had now moved 34 kms / 21 miles (SW), to get to Kilmarnock. Another email arrived from Alasdair on the 14th February, who reported that - 2FDJ , had been seen again earlier that day, as well as the day before. Also included, was a better photo of the gull.
As I write, nothing more has been heard of - 2FDJ , so I presume the gull has now moved on - but where to? I had copied Scott into my replies with Alasdair, and he suggested the bird might well be on it's way back to Antrim. Initially, we both thought - 2FDJ might be heading towards Scandinavia, but for now we'll have to wait to see where the gull surfaces next. I cannot visit Antrim Marina, as it is just outside the 10 mile 'lockdown limit'.
2FDJ , was ringed as an un-sexed 2nd Calendar Year Bird (hatched in 2018), at Antrim Marina, on the 18th November 2019. The distance to Kilmarnock from the Marina, is 150 kms / 93 miles (NE), and the duration since being ringed, is now 1 year, 2 months and 27 days.
My thanks goes to Alasdair for these three sighting and allowing me to use his photograph.
Black-headed Gull - 2FDJ - Kay Park Lake, Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, Scotland (14 Feb 2021)
(Ringed as an Un-Sexed 2nd Calendar Year Bird, on the 18th November 2019, at Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim)
(Photo Courtesy of Alasdair Fyffe)
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| From Geoffrey Wood |
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On the 13th February 2021, I received a very interesting email from a Geoffrey Wood, who lives in Holywood in County Down. I was asked, if I could trace the owner of a Herring Gull, that was colour-ringed - 0C:W . I instantly knew that this bird had been ringed on the Copeland Islands, and I actually hold a copy of all the ringing data for these gulls, which had been included along with Common Gull data that I received from Shane Wolsey, on taking over his former Copeland Common Gull project.
On checking my spreadsheet, I discovered that - 0C:W , had not been recorded since the day it was ringed. Before replying to Geoffrey, I downloaded the photo, and checked it's properties, to see what date it had been taken on. I thought, that couldn't be right, as the date was listed as being the 24th July 2018. I informed Geoffrey, that his sighting had been ringed as an un-sexed adult bird, on Big Copeland Island in County Down, on the 22nd May 2014, and that this was the first and only record for the gull since being ringed.
On enquiring about the date that the photo had been, Geoffrey confirmed that the date was correct. The Herring Gull had been photographed in Geoffrey's back garden in July 2018, but it was not until he recently downloaded the photos from his camera, did he realise that the gull had a colour-ring. On looking for the owner on the internet, Geoffrey came across my blog, where he found my email address.
I cannot thank Geoffrey enough for his efforts to report this sighting and to use his photograph - always better late than never. At the time of the sighting, it had been 4 years, 2 months and 2 days, since 0C:W had been ringed. The distance from Big Copeland Island to Geoffrey's garden in Holywood, is just 17 kms / 10 miles (W).
Herring Gull - 0C:W - Holywood, Co. Down (24 Jul 2018)
(Ringed as an Un-Sexed Adult, on the 22nd May 2014, on Big Copeland Island, Co. Down)
(Photo Courtesy of Geoffrey Wood)
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| The Peoples Park, Ballymena - 21st February 2021 |
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Due to the continued 'Lockdown', the only site where I can record gulls, is at my local park - The Peoples Park in Ballymena. I have not ventured to the park, since the 31st January 2021, on which occasion I re-sighted a Black-headed Gull - 2AXV (see previous post). Knowing that a metal-rung Lesser Black-backed Gull was due to return, I visited the park today.
The park is just down the road from where I live, but when I arrived, the car park was almost full and there were families all over the place. Having took a loaf of bread with me, the Black-headed Gulls were not in the least bit interested. They had obviously been well fed before I arrived, so I had a lot of trouble trying to persuade the gulls to come off the lake. I resorted to watching the gulls on the roof of the pavilion, though there were not too many. No rings on any of the Black-headed Gulls, and there was no sign of Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
Looking over the lake to the roof of the former Cottage Hospital, to my delight, a pair of Lesser Black-backed's were perched. I knew the ringed bird would have been one of the two, which was confirmed, once I walked up the main road. Although the birds were quite distant from me, I zoomed in with my camera, and could see the metal ring. The light was quite bad, as the sun was on the other side of the birds from where I stood. Having took just the one photo, I returned home and downloaded the picture.
On cropping out the ring, I could see the numbers ' 27 ', which was enough to convince me, that - GC27112 , had indeed returned as expected. GC27112 , had been ringed as a chick, on the 1st July 2006, at Horse Isle Nature Reserve, just off the Ayrshire coast in Scotland. I first recorded the gull, which is a female, here at the park, on the 17th March 2015. I have recorded the gull every year since, with the earliest return date being on the 17th February 2017, and the latest date before departing to it's breeding site, having been made on the 6th April 2020.
Lesser Black-backed Gulls would be present in my home town of Ballymena throughout the summer months, but as yet, I have not recorded them breeding here. The nearest breeding colony that I know of, is on the roof of the Tesco warehouse at Kilbegs in Antrim town, just over 10 miles away. This colony would exceed 100 pairs nesting in total.
My latest sighting of GC27112 today, now takes the duration to 14 years, 7 months and 20 days since being ringed. The distance from Horse Isle NR, to the Peoples Park, is 125 kms / 77 miles (SW). It may well be possible, that GC27112 , may well breed at it's natal colony, but having checked the metal number on the BTO's DemOn Ringing Database, this gull has yet to be recorded anywhere else. I will obtain better photos in the near future, just to confirm the whole ring number.
Lesser Black-backed Gull - GC27112 - The Peoples Park, Ballymena, Co. Antrim (21 Feb 2021)
(Ringed as a Chick, on the 1st July 2006, at Horse Isle NR, Ardrossan, Ayrshire, Scotland)
Just to be sure, to be sure, as the saying goes, I returned to the Peoples Park the following day (Monday), hoping that the gulls would be on the roof of the pavilion. Happy days, there they were, perched on their usual spot from where I was able to zoom in with my camera to take pictures of the metal ring. It is easier to take photos from the decking area of the pavilion, but due to Covid, the access doors are now kept locked. I had to actually walk away from the pavilion, so as to get a good view of the ring, but I more or less captured the full number, so as to confirm the sighting.
Lesser Black-backed Gull - GC27112 - and her mate - The Peoples Park, Ballymena - Monday 22nd February 2021
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| From G.B. in Scotland |
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During each of my weekly visits to Antrim Marina, usually without fail, one bird is almost sure to be among the first to be re-sighted, and that is - 2CJT . 2CJT , was ringed as a juvenile, on the 4th December 2016 at the Marina. On that particular day, Adam McClure met up with me in the hope of catching and ringing a few more birds for his project. Unfortunately, the gulls did not fancy being caught that day, except for - 2CJT .
Juvenile Black-headed Gull - 2CJT - Shortly After Being Ringed on the 4th December 2016
Over the years since being ringed, I had always assumed that 2CJT was an all year round resident at Antrim Marina. Being definitely old enough to breed in 2019 and 2020, random summer visits in the months of June and July, helped in my conclusion about it's residential status. I even had a May sighting in 2017, as well as a June sighting in 2018. Due to the new 'Covid lockdown', the last of my weekly visits to Antrim Marina, was on the 4th January, where 2CJT was recorded for the 155th time.
I was preparing for work on the 25th February 2021, when an email arrived from an observer in Scotland, who prefers to be referenced by his initials only - (GB). Over the years (GB) and I, have exchanged emails on a number of occasions, the most recent, concerned a metal-rung Black-headed Gull which I recorded at Antrim Marina, which had been ringed in Iceland in 2013. On submitting that sighting through my DemOn ringing account, I had noted that the gull had been recorded in the British Isles in the past. Having mentioned this in my blog, (GB), who is a regular reader, informed me, that it was he, who had recorded the gull at Victoria Park in Glasgow.
This latest email from (GB), 'really blew my socks off', as - 2CJT , had been spotted earlier on the afternoon of the 25th February, at Castle Semple Loch, Lochwinnoch, in Renfrewshire, Scotland. My idea of - 2CJT being a resident to Antrim Marina, had now been 'blown completely out of the water'. This now poses a question, as to the origins of - 2CJT ? Was this gull a foreign bred bird, having been reared outside of Northern Ireland, or as (GB) suggested in his email - 2CJT has developed 'itchy feet'. Only further summer sightings can now answer that question.
Even now, as I write this, I still cannot get over with this sighting record. Castle Semple Loch, is 159 kms / 98 miles (NE), from Antrim Marina, and the duration since being ringed, is now 4 years, 2 months and 21 days. Only recently (read this and my previous post), another Black-headed Gull - 2FDJ , has been reported in Scotland. 2FDJ , was also ringed at Antrim Marina, and has been spotted in the neighbouring county of Lanarkshire. In my reply to (GB), I also alerted Scott Black in Motherwell, and Alasdair Fyffe in Kilmarnock, just in case - 2CJT might appear on their patches.
My thanks goes to (GB) for the sighting and permission to use his photo. Again, I was really pleased to receive this record of a gull that is always 'under my feet' at Antrim Marina.
Black-headed Gull - 2CJT - Castle Semple Lock, Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire, Scotland (25 Feb 2021)
(Ringed as a Juvenile, on the 4th December 2016, at Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim)
(Photo Courtesy of G.B.)
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