Final Post...

We are now into early April, and with most gulls having now departed to their breeding sites, this is my final weekly blog post for the winter.  Throughout the summer months, posts will be published occasionally, and depends on the amount of material which comes my way.  For the next couple of weeks, I shall spend much time submitting sightings of Black-headed Gulls at Antrim Marina to the BTO.  For each colour-ringed gull recorded, I will only submit the final sighting for each month of the winter season, otherwise the BTO would be inundated with sightings.

Towards the end of April, I will begin my visits to Rathlin Island, as my colour-ringed Common Gulls will have returned to their nest sites.  I expect to record several first re-sightings for birds that were ringed there in the past as chicks, and will now return to integrate into the overall breeding population.  Colonies around the coast of County Antrim will be checked as well, just in case any of my Rathlin birds decide to nest elsewhere.

At present, it seems as if I will not get onto Big Copeland Island to record the colour-ringed Common Gulls at their nests.  In ran into problems last summer, as permissions to visit the island, had unknown to myself, changed hands from father to son.  Without the permission of Ryan McCulla, I cannot visit the island.  If anyone reading this, could supply me with a phone number for Ryan, I would be extremely grateful.  Over the last two summers, I have recorded several first re-sightings of Common Gulls belonging to Shane Wolsey's former project on the island, which ran from 2009 until 2014.  The best place to record such birds, are on their nesting grounds.

Throughout May and June, I will make repeated visits to the Black-headed Gull nesting colonies at both the RSPB's Window on Wildlife Reserve in Belfast, and the WWT Castle Espie Reserve in County Down - a number of colour-rings should be recorded at both sites.  I have not been to the Black-headed Gull breeding colony at Inch Island in County Donegal, because of the Republic of Ireland's 'Covid Restrictions, but I hope to get there this summer.  A small number of chicks have been colour-ringed at this site, so there is every chance to obtain a few first re-sightings here.  If all goes well, I am hoping to be invited back onto the island to ring chicks this summer.

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Antrim Marina - Monday 28th March 2022

Today saw the conclusion of my weekly visits to Antrim Marina for another winter, having began back on the 9th August 2021.  Last Monday, Suzanne Belshaw stepped in to cover my visit, as my car was with the mechanics having failed the MOT test with a couple of minor faults.  I got the car back on Tuesday and it has now been re-booked for a re-test on Friday 8th April.  During Suzanne's visit, the number of Black-headed Gulls present, never exceeded the 35 mark, and just 12 colour-rings were recorded.

Over the course of this winter, a total of 40 colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls were recorded at the Marina having been ringed over the winters from November 2012 until December 2020.  A total of 15 new gulls were added to that total this winter, from September to early January, these being a mix of juveniles, 2nd year birds and full adults, taking the overall total to 55 colour-ringed gulls.

Having taken my wife to work first, I left Ballymena and arrived at Antrim Marina at 9:15.  The weather conditions were excellent, being calm and sunny.  Just seven Black-headed Gulls were present on my arrival, and over the course of my visit, which lasted until 12:45, the highest count made, was just 22 Black-headed Gulls.  Only six colour-rings were recorded, which included the first bird to be ringed here -  2AAA .

At one point, I walked up to the breakwater and looked over to the former 'Torpedo Platform' which sits just offshore on Lough Neagh.  It was a hive of activity, with the gulls there clearly trying to claim spots on which to nest, and there were several hundreds of gulls on the platform.

Some of my colour-ringed gulls are year round residents and will nest on the platform, whilst others will be heading back to their nests sites in other countries.  I will not return to the Marina until the end of April, and will then undertake random visits over May and June to record the resident birds, some of which may be birds that were ringed here this winter.

One gull which I had expected to return in March, was -  2CSX , which was last recorded at the Marina, on the 19th September 2021.  This had been it's third sighting for this winter, though we know from the past, that it can be found at the former Waterworks in Belfast.  Whether -  2CSX  is still alive or dead is now uncertain, especially as the Waterworks was closed to the public for a while due to a severe outbreak of 'Bird Flu' there.

Two Black-headed Gulls that returned to Antrim Marina this winter, were considered as having died by their sudden absence.  The first of these was -  2AAR , which we knew breeds in Poland.  Having arrived back on the 18th October 2021 as predicted, the gull was recorded weekly up until the 22nd November 2021.  Normally among the first to be recorded from week to week, I instantly knew the bird had died.   2AAR  had been ringed here as an adult male, on the 21st December 2012.

The second loss I found devastating.   2FDV , arrived at Antrim Marina on the 19th October 2020, being a metal-rung juvenile.  The gull had been ringed as a chick, on the 13th July 2020, at Marsh House Farm, on Stockton-on-Tees in England.  I managed to catch the youngster on the 9th November 2020, and fitted the colour-ring.   2FDV  remained at Antrim Marina until the 12th April 2021.  It's return for a second winter running, was recorded on the 11th October 2021.  Thereafter, it was recorded up until the 29th November 2021, when I found the bird lying on the low wooden jetty, having suffered a broken leg.  It looked very sorry for itself and was obviously in poor condition.  My efforts to catch it was in vain and this was the final sighting of it.  Such a shame, as I hoped that some day it would be recorded back at it's natal colony in England.

Another bird with a bad leg injury, was that of -  2FIC , a juvenile that I caught and ringed this winter, on the 22nd November 2021.  On the 21st February 2022,  2FIC  was limping very heavily, though it was still fairly mobile.  I thought the youngster would survive, but this was the final sighting for that gull.  I reckon we have lost this one as well, but I could be wrong.  Juveniles do tend to wander during their first winter, so it could be possible that it is still alive.

Two other noticeable absentees this winter, was that of Antrim resident -  2AAV , and summer visitor -  2ADD , both birds among the earliest to be ringed by Adam McClure, belonging to his former Northern Ireland Black-headed Gull Study.   2ADD , had been ringed at it's wintering site at Carrickfergus Harbour on the east coast of County Antrim.  This gull would come to Antrim Marina each year for the breeding season, before returning to Carrickfergus for the winter.  For a couple of weeks before reaching Antrim Marina, it would park itself at Antrim's KFC outlet, and after the breeding season, would stop by the KFC outlet again for a short time before going back to Carrick.  Ringed as an adult male, on the 29th November 2013, at Carrickfergus Harbour, it's final sighting was made here at Antrim Marina on the 12th April 2021.  Despite many efforts to record -  2ADD  at Carrickfergus this past winter, it seems likely that he died during the 2021 breeding season, where he probably nested on the nearby former 'Torpedo Platform'.

As for the year round resident -  2AAV , if this gull was not recorded during the weekly visits to Antrim Marina, it could often be found at the Elim Church on Antrim's Parkhall Housing Estate.  This winter, it has not reappeared at Antrim Marina, and despite numerous visits to the Elim Church, it has not been seen there either.  Ringed at Antrim Marina as an un-sexed adult, on the 28th December 2012, it final sighting was made here on the 14th December 2020.  The bird may have survived at least into the breeding season of 2021, but the second 'Covid Lockdown' prevented visits until early April 2021.

Over the coming weeks, I will be keeping my fingers crossed for sightings of Antrim gulls in other countries.  My star bird at present is -  2FDJ , who should be well on it's way back to Estonia.  I'm also eager to hear of birds which I caught and ringed at the Marina this winter.  Of the 15 that were ringed, no doubt some will likely to be residents to the Antrim area, but surely some belong to other countries.

Colour Ringed Black-headed Gulls Recorded at Antrim Marina on Monday 28th March 2022

2ABS	2FHL	2CSK	2CJT	2AAA	2FHA

Below is the latest photo of -  2FHA , my final sighting for the 2021/2022 winter.

Black-headed Gull  -   2FHA   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (28 Mar 2022)

(Ringed as an Un-Sexed Adult, on the 28th December 2020, at Antrim Marina)

Other Birds at Antrim Marina

Except for Black-headed Gulls, not a single gull of any other species appeared at the Marina today  I had hoped to see the adult Mediterranean Gull which Suzanne saw here last Monday.

On my arrival, there were 13 Mute Swans and 3 cygnets, but numbers quickly doubled to 26 Mute Swans and 6 cygnets.  Even more Mute Swans could be seen on the Lough just beyond the breakwater, but these birds decided to stay out there.  I would be fairly certain, that all of the swans at the Marina were checked for rings, as birds would constantly alight onto the slipway for a while before returning onto the river.  Two rings were recorded, these being the now two usual birds -  Z78574  and  Z78580 .

Just two Mallards were present on my arrival, both being drakes.  A further count just before I departed at 12:45, saw just 12 Mallards, two of which were females.  It's likely that females could be sitting on eggs in the woodland opposite the Marina.

4 Jackdaws, 1 Magpie and a male Chaffinch, were the only other species seen on today's visit.

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Saturday 26th March 2022

I only had a couple of hours to spare this afternoon, so I decided to head off to Belfast to check on the Black-headed Gull colony at the RSPB's Window on Wildlife Reserve.  During the summer of 2020, the hides were closed to the public due to the first 'Covid Lockdown', which prevented me from checking for colour-ringed birds from Adam's former project.  In April 2021, the second 'Covid Lockdown' ended, but the RSPB decided to keep their hides closed throughout the breeding season, so no ring sightings were made for a second year running.

The hides are now open, but there is a restriction in place, meaning only one family at a time can enter the hides.  I spent a long time in hide one, which overlooks nesting platform two, with plenty of Black-headed Gulls vying for nest sites.  A few pairs had substantial nests built, but most had yet to begin building.  On this platform, I'm especially on the lookout for three gulls in particular, all of which have nested on this platform in the past -  2BAL ,  2BHB  and  2CJF .

My last sighting of -  2BAL , was made on the 15th November 2020, at the seaside town of Donaghadee in County Down, where this gull is known to be a winter visitor.  Ringed as a chick in 2014,  2BAL  has nested on the WoW reserve in 2018, 2019, and was seen in March 2020 on the platform before the first 'Covid Lockdown'.  Despite a handful of visits to Donaghadee this winter, I have not recorded  -  2BAL , so whether it is still alive is unknown.

 2BHB , was also ringed as a chick in 2014, and has nested on platform two in 2017, 2018, and was seen on the platform on the 29th June 2020, after the first lockdown ended.  I last saw -  2BHB  in November 2020 at the nearby Whitehouse Lagoon, but David Nixon recorded the gull on Whiteabbey Beach on the 19th February 2022, so it should return to breed here soon.

 2CJF , was ringed as a chick in 2016, and nested on platform two in the breeding season of 2019, it was also seen at the same time as -  2BHB  above, on the 29th June 2020.  Until this winter, the wintering site of -  2CJF , was unknown, and then it was recorded on two occasions at a Business Park in the City of Dublin - 30th December 2021, and on the 19th January 2022.  On the 24th February 2022,  2CJF  returned to the area having been spotted by Ronnie Doggart on Kinnegar Beach.

None of the three birds that I was looking for, were spotted on the platform, so I made my way to the visitor centre which overlooks nesting platform One.  Back in April 2019, I spotted another one of Adam's Black-headed Gulls -  2AFF  on this platform, but subsequently could not prove whether it bred on the platform.  Previous to that sighting -  2AFF  had only been recorded on four occasions - May 2014 and September 2015 at the nearby Whitehouse Lagoon, November 2018 at Whitehead in County Antrim, and in February 2019 at Ballyholme in County Down.  It was ringed as a chick in June 2013, on the Copeland Islands in County Down, and may possibly breed on one of the three islands which make up the Copelands.

On platform one, the Black-headed Gulls appear to be further forward in their nest building with far more nests having been built.  No colour-rings were spotted, but a metal-rung Black-headed Gull standing on a post fairly close to the visitor centre, was just beyond reach of my camera.  A single adult Mediterranean Gull was on the platform, and I was informed that a pair of Med Gulls had been on the platform earlier.

Having had no luck at recording any rings, another visit in a couple of weeks time should produce something.  Before returning home, I had time to make a quick visit to nearby Kinnegar Beach.  Being such a good day, the beach was swarming with people, so very few birds were about.  I then checked the nearby pond, where I spotted a juvenile colour-ringed Common Gull.  I knew this was likely to be -  2HCH , which had been recorded on two occasions lately by David Nixon.

Conditions were not good for my camera, as the sun and slight heat haze meant I could not get a very good photo, but the bird was indeed -  2HCH .

Juvenile Common Gull  -   2HCH   -  Kinnegar Pond, Belfast Lough, Co. Down  (26 Mar 2022)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 13th June 2021, on Big Copeland Island, The Copeland Islands, Co. Down)

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Sunday 27th March 2022

Today I covered the east coast of County Antrim, beginning at Larne, and making my way northwards to Cushendall.  Surprisingly few gulls or waders were encountered along the route, except for Carnlough Bay, where I recorded the only ring of the day.

With weather conditions being fairly calm and sunny, there were plenty of people walking along the beach at Carnlough.  In the centre of the beach, the Glencloy River flows out towards the sea, and it is here where many gulls and waders come to feed and bathe.  At least 100 to 120 gulls were present, with Common Gulls having the highest number, followed by Black-headed Gulls.  My attention was fully focused on the Common Gulls, where I was hoping to record any of my colour-ringed birds, belonging to my project on Rathlin Island, which lies just off the northern coast of County Antrim.

At this site, I know the birds are fairly 'jumpy', so I decided to scope them from a safe distance.  Although I had an incoming tide, all birds were still fairly far away and legs were not always viewable due to the stony foreshore.  I had a couple of near misses, where some folk were getting a bit to close, but for once, they turned back before the birds were scared off.

Although most Common Gull legs were checked, I did not record any of my birds, but I did record one with a Yellow Darvic.  Due to the distance, and a slight 'heat haze', I just about managed to capture the code -  2K27 , which I instantly recognised as being a Scottish bird, which would have been ringed by the Clyde Ringing Group.

On returning home, I emailed Iain Livingstone - the ringing co-ordinator, as well as submitting my sighting to the BTO via it's colour-marks only.  As yet, Iain still has not replied, but I have now received a recovery from the BTO.

 2K27 , was ringed as a chick, on the 23rd June 2021, at a site known as the 'Ringing Stone', on the Isle of Tiree, Argyll & Bute, Scotland.  The distance was given as 181 kms / 112 miles (SSE), from Tiree, and the duration since being ringed, was now 9 months and 4 days.

Juvenile Common Gull  -   2K27   -  Carnlough Bay, Carnlough, Co. Antrim  (27 Mar 2022)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 23rd June 2021, on the Isle of Tiree, Argyll & Bute, Scotland)

I have no previous records of Common Gulls from Tiree, so I was well pleased with having a new site entered onto my main Ring Reading Spreadsheet.  Tiree, is where my wife's father lived and worked in the latter years of his life, and he is now buried on the island.  Curious about 'The Ringing Stone', I did a search on the internet and found this (Read), a piece of Geology to go along with the sighting.

As well as the gulls, I scoped quite a number of waders, which included upwards of 70+ Turnstones, a small number of Ringed Plovers and Oystercatchers, and a single Sanderling.  A good bit of time was spent on the Turnstones, as I have yet to record a colour-ringed one, and for now, the wait continues.  There was no sign of the Icelandic Oystercatcher which winters here, but this colour-ringed bird is likely to be back in Iceland by now.

As already stated, very few gulls or waders were to be found along the coast, but on reaching Glenarm, I stopped by a nearby Peregrine site to see what was happening.  The was my second visit here of late, and no birds were seen on my first visit.  The pair often nests on the high cliffs directly above the Coast Road, but occasionally nest on the same stretch of cliffs that run slightly inland.  It was on this inland section of cliff where I spotted the male resting on a hillock directly below the cliff.  In the past, I have recorded the Peregrines nesting on two different ledges on this section cliff, but when scoped from the road, it is impossible to view directly onto these ledges.  Although there was no sign of a female, she could well be sitting on eggs.

I finished off the afternoon, checking the shoreline between Waterfoot and Cushendall Harbour.  Each year, a loose colony of Common Gulls nest along this stretch, with normally four to five pairs being present.  I did expect to see Common Gulls here today, as they should be returning to their nest sites, but not one gull was to be seen.  For the present, I wouldn't be too worried, as the gulls here tend to lay their eggs slightly later than their cousins elsewhere.  Last summer, the Common Gulls had a disastrous breeding season, and not a single chick was raised to the fledging stage.

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From David Nixon

In my previous post, I mentioned the email sent to me by David Nixon, reporting on four colour-ring sightings which he had made on the 24th March 2022, in the Kinnegar area (Beach/Pond), of Belfast Lough, Co. Down.  Three of those birds, were first re-sightings in Northern Ireland, plus the second sighting lately of the juvenile Common Gull -  2HCH  (first reported on the 19th March 2022).  Having reported on that bird, I decided to hold back on the other three until this post, as we were waiting on the ringing details, which have since arrived.

On Kinnegar Pond, which is situated just over a private access road from Kinnegar Beach, not only did David record  juvenile Common Gull -  2HCH , he also spotted a Black-headed Gull -  2Y35 .  Having submitted the gull to the BTO via it's colour-marks only, a recovery was received a couple of days later.

 2Y35 , had been ringed as a chick, on the 12th June 2021, at Martin Mere in Lancashire, England.  David did not state in his email, that this Black-headed Gull was a juvenile.  Having obtained the bird's metal number through the recovery, I entered it onto my DemOn Ringing Account to find that this was the youngsters first re-sighting since being ringed 9 months and 12 days earlier.  The distance from Martin Mere, was given as 225 kms / 139 miles (WNW).

On Kinnegar Beach, an adult Common Gull was spotted, colour-ringed -  J74R .  I entered David's sighting onto the 'Live' Norwegian Ringing Database and soon obtained the birds ringing and re-sighting history.  The gull was ringed as a chick, on the 24th June 2016, on Slottholmen Island in the south eastern area of Norway, slightly north of Kilsund.  The distance to Kinnegar Beach, is 1,005 kms / 624 miles (WSW), and the duration since being ringed, is now 5 years, 9 months.  David's sighting however was not the first for this gull.  Back in February 2017, the then juvenile bird was spotted on the south facing coast of Cornwall in England.

Back in April 2019, I recorded another Norwegian Common Gull -  J76R , on Kinnegar Beach, which had also been ringed on the same date and location as David's -  J74R .  I made a check for -  J76R  on the 'Live' Norwegian Database, but there has not been any further re-sightings since I recorded it in 2019.

The third new sighting made by David, was that of an Icelandic Oystercatcher, ringed Red over Yellow on it's left leg, with White (XE), on the right leg.  David reported his sighting to Boddi in Iceland, and a reply quickly followed.  RY-W(XE), was ringed as an un-sexed adult, on the 10th June 2021, at Svarfhólsvöllur Golf Course in south-west Iceland.  David's sighting was the first outside of Iceland, with the distance being 1,338 kms / 831 miles (SE).  The duration since being ringed, is now 9 months and 14 days.  Before leaving Iceland, RY-W(XE), was recorded on three occasions during June and July 2021, feeding two chicks at first, and latterly with just one chick.

My thanks goes to David for these sighting reports, just a pity there were no photos to go along with them.  It will be interesting to see if any of these birds make it back next winter.

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