Explorers...

Another weekend has passed, and it was another weekend where I failed to get out.  By the time that I got a few things sorted on Saturday, it was too late to go out, and Sunday was too dark and wet.  I'm not fond of carrying all of my optical equipment on wet days, and my camera does not perform well at long distances in poor light.  Better to save on the cost of fuel, than having a wasted day.

 

Good news, is that I have now purchased my new laptop.  I had intended to do this before Christmas, but having caught a cold or flu, it was best that I stayed clear of the shops.  During this week, I went to Currys as I had a £100 voucher which I received from work a year ago last October.  That, along with the £50 off sale, meant the laptop saved me £150.  It should arrive instore tomorrow (Saturday), which will mean another venture into town.  Not sure whether it's an age thing, but these day's I loathe being among crowds of shoppers.

Usually, my weekly visits to Antrim Marina heads my posts, but this week I decided that the Antrim Wildlife Explorers Group should take the lead.  The group is a junior members group of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.  Together, they went to Antrim Marina on a Ring Reading expedition, and produced an exceptionally good total.  I think it's a great idea to get youngsters involved with Ring Reading, especially as we do not have many dedicated Ring Readers in Northern Ireland, though we do have loads of birdwatchers.  Personally, I'm hoping that one or two of these youngsters, will progress, and perhaps some day they can take over my Black-headed Gull Study at Antrim Marina.  Few sites offer a better place to study a wintering population at close quarters.

 

News from other observers, has been on the quite side this week, but a couple of re-sightings have been reported to me by David Galbraith and Suzanne Belshaw.  These will be added to my next post.

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Antrim Wildlife Explorers

On Tuesday the 4th January, I received an email from Kate McAllister, who undertakes random visits to Antrim Marina to read rings belonging to my Black-headed Gull Study on the site.  Kate was letting me know, that the Antrim Wildlife Explorers, planned a two hour visit to the Marina on Saturday (8th), from 10:30 until 12:30, to read rings.  The Explorers are a junior group of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and I was invited to meet up with the group if possible.  I had to decline due to the short notice, as I had already planned to do other things on Saturday, and it would have been sometime in the early afternoon before I was free to head out.  As it panned out, by the time I was free, it was too late to go out anyway.

On the Saturday, the group suffered an early blow, as one family could not attend due to a positive Covid test, which meant that 3 to 8 children (including cousins), severely depleted numbers.  This left two children, Rowan aged 11, and Hannah aged 13, looking for rings, along with group leaders Kate, Judith and an unnamed male.  The children's parents were also in attendance.

 
At the Marina, Kate read out snippets from some of my previous emails explaining the life histories of a couple of gulls which I stated, had died recently.  My star bird     2FDJ  was also mentioned, having been spotted in Scotland in February 2020, before being reported in eastern Estonia in April 2020, and returning to the Marina in October 2020.  Kate also brought a map along, so that she could show the children where Estonia was.  Kate also mentioned my idea, that if any of the children, should take an avid interest in 'Ring Reading', then perhaps someday they could further my study.  I am 61 years of age, and many of the gulls that I colour-ring now, may possibly out-live me, it would be fantastic to have somebody to take the 'reigns'.

 

When the task of reading rings began, Judith acted as scribe, writing down the ring codes being recorded by youngsters Rowan and Hannah.  Meanwhile, Kate was photographing as many rings as she could.

 

Judith, along with Rowan and Hannah

 

 

Hannah using Binoculars to Read Rings on the Short Concrete Jetty

 

At the end, everyone compared their ring sightings, with an impressive 22 colour-rings having been read, which also included the Estonian -   2FDJ .  I had a quick look over my Antrim Marina Spreadsheet, and apart from my visits here, this appears to be the highest total ever read by any other individual or group at this site, so well done to all involved.

2AAK	2AAN	2ABK	2ABN	2ABS	2ACV	2BRA	2CJT
2CSA	2CSB	2CSR	2CTC	2FDT	2FDJ	2FFA	2FFF
2FFP	2FFX	2FHL	2FHP	2FIA	2FIH

Kate says that one of the children asked - what was the difference between the Blue and Orange rings? - with one suggestion that one may be older, different ringers use different colours or even different countries.  In a way, all of the answers were correct.

When applying for a colour-ring project, the ringer concerned will be allocated with a colour and a set of codes unique to their own project.  In the British Isles, which includes the Republic of Ireland, the ringer is allocated a colour and code set, but with British Black-headed Gulls (and Common Gulls), the code always starts with the number '2', followed by three letters, or three numbers, or a combination of three letters/numbers.  In other countries, the codes start with a letter.  Norway for an example, uses the letter 'J' to start the combination for their Black-headed Gulls and Common Gulls, but at present, they use mainly White or Green rings.  The Dutch, begins with 'K', and the Germans with 'X', are further examples.

 

When Adam McClure began his Northern Ireland Black-headed Gull Study, he was allocated Orange Darvics, with a three letter code, which of course was preceded by the number '2' - hence,   2AAA ,   2AAB  and so on.  The very first gulls to be ringed by Adam during his former study, were ringed at Antrim Marina.  When I first noticed these ringed gulls at the Marina, I began my own project, reading these rings to run alongside Adam's now former study.  At the same time, I re-trained as a ringer, and eventually obtained a permit allowing me to catch and ring the gulls as well.

 

When Adam gave up on his study due to work and family commitments, I took over control of his study, not only to continue using his colour-rings, but also to respond to sightings of his gulls that had been ringed elsewhere.

 

After Adam gave up on his project, his remaining colour-rings were collected by another ringer, who was supposed to pass them onto me.  These included the remaining -   2C**  series of rings, as well as the complete -   2D**  series.  I'm having much difficulty in obtaining those rings from that ringer, but why, is another story.

 

The use of the Blue Rings at the Marina, was the result of having taken over Shane Wolsey's former Common Gull project on the Copeland Islands, which ran from 2010 until 2014.  I was wanting to start my own Common Gull project on Rathlin Island, so I received the Blue Rings from Shane.  Having ran out of Orange Rings at Antrim Marina, I applied to transfer my Blue   2F**  series of rings, from use on Common Gulls, now to be used on Black-headed Gulls.  As Blue   2F** , did not clash with any other British Black-headed Gull projects, the transfer was allowed. 

 

So, in a way, the Orange rings are on earlier rung birds, with the Blue Rings being used more recently, but as can been seen, I was forced into this situation.  On the plus side, the blue rings stand out more, but sometime in the future, gulls will be ringed once again with Orange rings.

 

Kate also asked a question - why does she see more blue rings in the winter, but not in the summer.  This one is easily answered, as each winter, I catch more gulls and ring them.  Last winter, I added 18 birds to my project, and so far this winter, a further 15 have been caught and ringed.  As many of the earlier gulls that Adam ringed with Orange rings have since died, those with Blue rings will now easily outnumber the Orange.  During the summer months, most of the colour-ringed gulls, will have gone home to their own countries, though some gulls at the Marina are year round residents.

 

I have expressed my interest to meet up with the group on their next visit to Antrim Marina, hopefully before the end of March, at which time many of the gulls will be departing.  Come to think of it, I have never ringed any gulls at the Marina during the summer months.  Just how many of the gulls which breed on the nearby former 'Torpedo Platform', are summer visitors, before migrating to their wintering sites?  We know that one gull from Adam's former project, is a summer visitor and must nest on the 'Torpedo Platform'.    2ADD , was caught and ringed as an adult whilst wintering at Carrickfergus.    2ADD  arrives back in early March each year, and then returns to Carrickfergus after the breeding season has ended.

 

My thanks goes to everyone involved with the 'Ring Reading' at Antrim Marina.

 

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Antrim Marina - Monday 10th January 2022

Today, I arrived at Antrim Marina at 09:10. The weather was quite mild, though dull and calm.  Just 21 Black-headed Gulls were present, most of which were perched on the long wooden jetty.  Further arrivals trickled in slowly throughout the morning, and judging by the ringed birds, many only remained for short periods of time.  Overall numbers at any one time, did hit the 80 to 90 mark, still well below the expected 200+ mark recorded in previous winters.  Last Monday's visit, saw Black-headed Gull numbers exceeding 150 for the first time this winter.

The first ring to be read, was that of -   2FIA  at 09:15, and at 10am, I read -   2AFD  and then -   2ABL  .    2ABL   managed to discard it's colour-ring some time back, so these days I have to read it's metal ring instead.  If -   2ABL  remains on site, it gives me a 'headache', as I have to keep reading the metal-ring, just in case it is another metal-rung bird.  To see -   2AFD  was really pleasing, as he rarely visits the Marina these days.  Although originally ringed as an adult male at the Marina, he can now be found at the Castle Way car park in the centre of the town of Antrim.

This winter, knowing that -   2AFD  was due back from Latvia, I looked for him at Castle Way on a couple of occasions, before he surprised me by turning up at the Marina on the 22nd November.  On Christmas Day, whilst returning home from Belfast, I stopped by the Castle Way car park to finding him standing on the ground among other Black-headed Gulls.  Today's sighting here at the Marina, is my third sighting of -   2AFD  this winter.

 

Only 26 out of 53 colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls were recorded today, so half were absent.  I departed just after 12:30, and the last two rings to be read, was the Polish bird -   2CSL  at 12:11, and the Estonian bird -   2FDJ  at 12:24.  There is still no sign of -   2AAR , which further cements my idea that he died soon after my last sighting of him on the 22nd November 2020.  Usually,   2AAR  would have been among the earliest birds to be recorded each week, and was rarely absent.  In the past,   2AAR  had been spotted at a breeding colony in Poland.

 

I still find it hard to believe, that gulls from other ringing projects have not been recorded here this winter.  It will not be too long now, until gulls begin their travels back to their breeding colonies, so I'm hoping for a 'passage' bird or two.

 

With the weather being quite mild, whilst trying to catch more gulls to be ringed, they were being cautious and keeping their distance.  When extremely hungry, they are easier to catch.  Today, I was having no luck at all, until one of the swans stood on top of a gull.  The bird was pinned to the ground, as if the swan was standing on a block of wood and not moving.  Rescuing the gull, I took it back to the car and duly ringed it -   2FIJ .  Soon afterwards, I located -   2FIJ , standing in the car park non the worst for wear.  It's always amusing to watch the gulls trying to remove their rings soon after being ringed, but in a couple of days, they do get used to them.    2FIJ , is now the 15th Black-headed Gull to be caught and ringed here this winter. 

 

Black-headed Gull  -    2FIJ   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (10 Dec 2022)

(Ringed as an Un-Sexed Adult, on the 10th December 2022, at Antrim Marina)

 

Colour Ringed Black-headed Gulls Recorded at Antrim Marina on Monday 10th January 2022

2FIA	2FFL	2CJT	2FFF	2ABK	2FDT	2ABL	2AFD	2CSA
2FHP	2FDK	2FFA	2ABN	2FHC	2CSJ	2AAN	2FHA	2CSK
2ABS	2CTC	2FFX	2CSR	2BRA	2AAK	2CSL	2FDJ

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

2AAA	2AAB	2AAR	2ABA	2ACV	2BRD	2CSB	2CSX	2CTA
2FDV	2FFC	2FFJ	2FFN	2FFP	2FFT	2FHF	2FHH	2FHJ
2FHK	2FHL	2FHN	2FHT	2FHV	2FHX	2FIC	2FIF	2FIH

Other Birds at Antrim Marina

Just 6 Mute Swans were present when I arrived this morning, 5 on the slipway, while the sixth was on the small sandy beach.  At 09:30, a seventh swan which had lingered for a period of time at the breakwater decided to come in.  During the morning, I was informed by several people, that a swan was lying dead on the rocks at the breakwater.  Having took a look, I then wondered if this was the mate of the bird that had been lingering there.  As the morning wore on, I also wondered if the dead swan was the bird which sits alongside my car on each visit, as there was no sign of that bird today.

 

The first cygnet flew in at 09:36, overtaking a second cygnet that swam in from the Lough, which eventually made it onto the slipway at 09:42.  Another pair of Mute Swans swam in from the Lough at 09:44, followed moments afterwards by a pair along with two cygnets arriving from upriver.  I now had 11 Swans, plus four cygnets.  A further count later in the morning, gave me a total of 13 Swans and four cygnets, so two birds had slipped in un-noticed.

I'm fairly sure, that all birds were checked for rings, and two had metals -   Z78580  and   Z78574 .    Z78580 , was ringed as a juvenile here at the Marina, a year ago in November past.    Z78574 , was a new sighting which had been recorded during last Monday's visit to the Marina.  On the BTO's DemOn Ringing Database, I could see that the swan was also ringed as a juvenile in November 2020, but DemOn, does not show ringing locations.  Having submitted my sighting to the BTO, the recovery has since arrived back with me.

 

  Z78574 , was ringed as a juvenile, on the 8th November 2020, at Ballyronan Nature Reserve, which is situated in the north-west corner of Lough Neagh.  Antrim Marina, lies in the north-east corner of the Lough, and the distance was given as 20 kms / 12 miles east.  The duration since being ringed, is now 1 year, 2 months and 2 days.

 

Mute Swan  -    Z78574   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (10 Jan 2022)

(Ringed as an Un-Sexed Juvenile, on the 8th November 2020, at Ballyronan NR, Ballyronan, Co. Londonderry)

 

Mallard numbers remain low for this time of the year.  With just 34 counted on my arrival, by the time that I departed, numbers had reached the 60'ish mark.  As usual, most were checked for rings.

Lack of numbers have been a constant theme throughout this winter at the Marina, covering swans, ducks and gulls.  In par with the reduced number of Black-headed Gulls, just a single adult Common Gull appeared today.  Last week saw a joint high of seven birds for the second time this winter, with 12 to 15 being the normal peak numbers in previous years.  Our usual adult Herring Gull, arrived at 10:15, and a juvenile made a brief appearance at 11:30.

Just 5 Jackdaws, and 1 Hooded Crow, were the only other species noted.

 

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