Returning Gulls...

This post was finished barring this introduction on Friday, but I've been so busy over the weekend, only now I have found time to finish this.  Yesterday afternoon, I was out in the countryside with Peregrine falcon enthusiast Jim Wells.  He was wanting to see my new drone in action, so we checked out a couple of former sites, where these birds have not nested in years.  With chicks having fledged in June, these former sites are checked out in case there has been signs of occupation.  My drone certainly saves on much legwork, and the cliff faces as well as cliff tops were checked out by my drone for any signs of nesting or signs of kills.  There was no sign of occupation at either of the two sites visited.  Two other sites have been active in recent years, so we did not use the drone for these.  Anyways, one of these two was hidden by low cloud, so we did not get back to that particular one.  

Jim was in awe how quickly and easily these tasks were undertaken.  He reckoned that it would be a game-changer, if drones could be used on sites to check out nests under licence.  It would cut down on time and disturbance during routine monitoring of active Peregrine nests - straight up, and straight down again, then away we go.  I've no idea whether the licencing of drones for such work would be allowed, but that's one for Jim to work on.

Back to the gulls, and a number of birds have been reported, most of which, having returned to their wintering sites, and since completing this post on Friday, a further three sightings have been reported to me.  These will have to go into my next post.  Tomorrow (Monday 1st August), will see me returning to Antrim Marina to begin my weekly visits monitoring the winter population of Black-headed Gulls.  A couple of non-residents have already returned, courtesy of sightings made by Suzanne Belshaw.  From now, my post will be published weekly.

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From Suzanne Belshaw

Suzanne Belshaw has sent another couple of emails concerning her latest ring sightings which clearly show that gulls are rapidly returning to their wintering sites.

Antrim Marina

On the 7th July 2022, Suzanne went to Antrim Marina with the aim to walk the path at Rea's Wood, which follows the shoreline of Lough Neagh.  Having discovered that the path was closed, Suzanne carried out a brief check of the Black-headed Gulls and recorded five with colour-rings.  Since September 2013, I have been studying the winter population of Black-headed Gulls at Antrim Marina, to run alongside Adam McClure's former Northern Ireland Study.  Despite Adam giving up on his project in June 2018, I have carried on with mine, and also respond to sightings of Adam's former study birds.

The standout sighting from the five Black-headed Gulls recorded by Suzanne, was that of -  2AAN .   2AAN , was among the earliest gulls to be ringed here by Adam, on the 21st December 2012.  Over the years since being ringed, I have considered -  2AAN  as being a winter visitor to Antrim Marina, as there have never been any breeding season sightings through the months of April, May and June.  Sightings at the Marina in July 2015, and again in July 2016, were thought to be early return dates, but where -  2AAN  actually bred at was unknown until June of this year.

On the 16th June 2022,  2AAN  was spotted by Geraldine Seymour on the Inver River at Larne in County Antrim, which lies 31 kms / 19 miles (ENE) from Antrim Marina.  This sighting suggests that the gull may be breeding on the nearby Blue Circle Island Nature Reserve on Larne Lough.

Suzanne's sighting today, is the 273rd sighting record to go onto my spreadsheet for this gull.  The duration since being ringed is now 9 years, 6 months and 16 days.

Black-headed Gull  -   2AAN   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (07 Jul 2022)

(Ringed as an Adult Female, on the 21st December 2012, at Antrim Marina)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

 2CSR , is a gull that I ringed at Antrim Marina, as a 2nd calendar year bird, on the 24th December 2017.  I'm leaning towards the thought, that -  2CSR  is another winter visitor to the Marina.  Except for May 2021, no other sightings for the months of May or June have ever been recorded, and this one exception may possibly have resulted in an earlier failure in the breeding season.  As with all the gulls ringed at Antrim Marina, I rely on breeding season sightings coming in from other observers, though these are few and far between.  It is now 4 years, 6 months an 13 days since I ringed -  2CSR .

Black-headed Gull  -   2CSR   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (07 Jul 2022)

(Ringed as an Un-Sexed 2nd Winter Bird, on the 24th December 2017, at Antrim Marina)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

 2FIA , is a recent addition to my Antrim Marina Study, having been caught and ringed as a 2nd Winter Bird, on the 15th November 2021.  Very few visits have been made to Antrim Marina this summer, but -  2FIA  was recorded here on the 26th June 2022.  It's far too early to make any assumptions about this gull, as it will take a couple of years to build up a profile on the bird's comings and goings.  It is now 7 months and 22 days since I ringed -  2FIA .

Black-headed Gull  -   2FIA   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (07 Jul 2022)

(Ringed as an Un-Sexed 2nd Winter Bird, on the 15th November 2021, at Antrim Marina)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

 2AAK , is another of Adam's earliest gulls to have been ringed here at Antrim Marina.  It was ringed as an adult male, on the 21st December 2012.  I consider -  2AAK  as being a winter visitor to Antrim Marina, as there have never been any sightings during the months of April, May or June.  A couple of July sightings at Antrim Marina in the past, indicates that the gull has returned post breeding season, and again suggests that it's breeding site is not that far away.  The duration since being ringed, is now 9 years, 6 months and 16 days.  This latest sighting, is the 278th sighting record on my spreadsheet.

Black-headed Gull  -   2AAK   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (07 Jul 2022)

(Ringed as an Adult Male, on the 21st December 2012, at Antrim Marina)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

 2FHX , is another recent addition to my Antrim Marina Study.  I ringed it as a 2nd Winter Bird, on the 8th November 2021.  After being ringed, I recorded the bird on the 15th, 22nd and 29th November 2022, and then it suddenly disappeared from the site for a time.  Where it went to is a mystery, then on the 14th March 2022, I spotted it back at the Marina.  Suzanne Belshaw recorded -  2FHX  here at the Marina, on the 21st March 2022, followed by a sighting here by Graham McElwaine on the 5th April 2022.  Again, it will take a bit of time to build up a profile on this bird's comings and going's.  The birds absence for a couple of months last winter, might mean that it is using Antrim Marina as a staging post to it's wintering site, but time will tell whether this is the case.  It is now 7 months and 29 days since I ringed -  2FHX .

Black-headed Gull  -   2FHX   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (07 Jul 2022)

(Ringed as an Un-sexed 2nd Winter Bird, on the 8th November 2021, at Antrim Marina)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

Kinnego Marina

Suzanne visited Kinnego Marina on the 13th July 2022, where she recorded two Black-headed Gulls belonging to Adam McClure's former Northern Ireland Study.   2BPS  and  2BPT , were both ringed as females at Kinnego Marina on the 31st October 2014.  All re-sightings records for the two of them have been recorded at Kinnego Marina, with 66 and 76 sighting records respectively.  I reckon both gulls breed fairly close to the Marina, as sightings have occurred in April as well as July, though none as yet in the months of May or June.  The duration since they were ringed, is now 7 years, 8 months and 13 days.

Black-headed Gull  -   2BPS   -  Kinnego Marina, Lough Neagh, Co. Armagh  (13 Jul 2022)

(Ringed as an Adult Female, on the 31st October 2014, at Kinnego Marina)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

Black-headed Gull  -   2BPT   -  Kinnego Marina, Lough Neagh, Co. Armagh  (13 Jul 2022)

(Ringed as an Adult Female, on the 31st October 2014, at Kinnego Marina)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

Newtownards

On the 23rd July 2023, Suzanne called into a Shopping Centre car park in Newtownards in County Down, which has both a McDonalds and a KFC Fast Food Outlet.  Whilst there, she spotted a metal-rung Common Gull which quickly took off, and then a colour-ringed Black-headed Gull - (White) 2BDF.

Suzanne, copied me into an email sent to Tom Dougall who is the ringing coordinator for the Borders Ringing Group in Scotland.  A couple of days later, Tom replied with the gulls details.  (White) 2BDF had been ringed as a chick, on the 3rd June 2018, at the Broad Law colony, on the Moorfoot Hills, in the Borders Region of Scotland.  Suzanne's sighting, was the first record for the bird since it was ringed, the duration now being 4 years, 1 month and 20 days.  I submitted Suzanne's sighting to the BTO, and a recovery has been received.  The distance from the Broad Law colony to Newtownards, is 213 kms / 132 miles (SW).

Black-headed Gull  -  (White)  2BDF  -  McDonalds Fast Food Outlet, Newtownards, Co. Down  (23 Jul 2022)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 3rd June 2018, at Broad Law, Moorfoot Hills, Borders Region, Scotland)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

Whiteabbey and Sprucefield

On the 25th July 2022, Suzanne called by Whiteabbey on the shores of Belfast Lough.  Whilst searching for ringed gulls, she noted four Mediterranean Gulls, though non of them were ringed unfortunately.  Two were adults, one was a second calendar year bird, and the fourth was a juvenile.  The shore at Whiteabbey, has in the past, been a good spot where German colour-ringed Med Gulls have turned up, so is well worth keeping on eye on in the next couple of months.

The only colour-ringed gull recorded at Whiteabbey, was Common Gull -  2AIP , which over the years is a regular winter visitor here.   2AIP , was ringed as a chick, on the 11th June 2012, on Big Copeland Island in County Down.  After being ringed, the gull went unrecorded until the 10th October 2015, when I first came across the bird here at Whiteabbey.  Since then,  2AIP  has been recorded at least once every autumn/winter since.  Today's sighting by Suzanne, is the earliest post breeding season sighting to have been recorded.  The latest pre breeding sighting here was made on the 12th February 2017.  The gull has never been recorded in the months of March to June, where presumably it is breeding back on Big Copeland Island.  

Today's re-sighting is the 23rd record of the gull since it was ringed, and the duration since ringing is now 10 years, 1 month and 14 days.  Whiteabbey, lies 23 kms / 14 miles (W) from Big Copeland Island.  It's history can be read (here).

Common Gull  -   2AIP   -  Whiteabbey Shore, Belfast Lough, Co. Antrim  (25 Jul 2022)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 11th June 2012, on Big Copeland Island, The Copeland Islands, Co. Down)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

After visiting Whiteabbey, Suzanne called by the Sprucefield Shopping Centre, on route to her home in nearby Lisburn.  The Shopping Centre, has a McDonalds Fast Food Outlet, which is like a magnet for attracting hungry gulls, and a regular autumn visitor was recorded here today.  

Black-headed Gull -  250B , was ringed as a chick, on the 6th June 2008, at Lough Mask in County Mayo, in the Republic of Ireland.  The gull was first recorded at Sprucefield Shopping Centre by Adam McClure on the 1st July 2013, which happens to be the earliest post breeding season sighting ever recorded here.  Since then, the bird has been recorded at least once at Sprucefield every autumn since then. 

 250B , appears to use Sprucefield as a staging post before moving on to it's wintering site, which is as yet, unknown.  All autumn records have been recorded in the months of July and August, before the gull moves on.  The only pre breeding season sightings here at Sprucefield, were recorded by Suzanne back in 2016, where she recorded -  250B  on four occasions between the 17th February through to the 4th March.

Sightings back at Lough Mask, have been recorded in June 2009, June 2010, June 2017, and twice in May 2019.  Suzanne's sighting today, is now the 29th sighting record to go onto my Main Ring Reading Spreadsheet, and the duration since being ringed, is now an impressive 14 years, 1 month and 19 days.  The distance from Lough Mask to Sprucefield, is 232 kms / 144 miles (ENE).

My thanks again as always, goes to Suzanne for her sightings, along with the photos.

Black-headed Gull  -   250B   -  Sprucefield Shopping Centre, Co. Down)  (25 Jul 2022)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 6th June 2008, at Lough Mask, Co. Mayo, Republic of Ireland)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

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From Cameron Moore

The 'Tern Season' has started.  Every year around this time, a wealth of Tern sightings are recorded especially around Belfast Lough, as these birds move around the coasts before heading south for the winter.

Cameron Moore lives in the Whitehead on the shore of Belfast Lough, and Terns are often recorded here in good numbers.  Recently, Cameron has been in touch, reporting two colour-ringed Sandwich Terns and five colour-ringed Common Terns.  As compared to Sandwich Terns, colour-ringed Common Terns tend to be a bit of a rarity.  The five recorded by Cameron of late, has doubled the total that has been entered onto my 'Main Ring Reading Spreadsheet' in the past.

The two Sandwich Terns were spotted at Whitehead on the 19th July 2022, and both belonged to a project at Lady's Island Lake, in County Wexford in the Republic of Ireland.  The distance from Lady's Island Lake to Whitehead, is 287 kms / 178 miles (N).

 KZB , was ringed as a chick, on the 27th June 2018, therefore taking the duration since being ringed to 4 years and 22 days.  Just prior to Cameron's sighting here,  KZB  had been recorded twice at Stranraer in Scotland - 10th & 14th July 2022.  In September 2020, it was recorded at Duncannon Strand in County Wexford, and in March 2022, it was spotted in Namibia, Africa.

Sandwich Tern  -   KZB   -  Whitehead, Belfast Lough, Co. Antrim  (19 Jul 2022)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 27th June 2018, at Lady's Island Lake, Co. Wexford, Republic of Ireland)

(Photo Courtesy of Cameron Moore)

(White) K3D, was ringed as a chick, on the 17th June 2016, taking it's duration to 6 years, 1 month and 2 days with Cameron's latest sighting.  In September 2016, it was recorded three times on Duncannon Strand in County Wexford.  In September 2018, it was seen at Kartong in Gambia, Africa.  This was the bird's last sighting until now.

My thanks goes to Tony Murray for supplying the ringing and re-sighting histories for both birds.

Sandwich Tern  -  (White)  K3D  -  Whitehead, Belfast Lough, Co. Antrim  (19 Jul 2022)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 17th June 2016, at Lady's Island Lake, Co. Wexford, Republic of Ireland)

(Photo Courtesy of Cameron Moore)

Of the five Common Terns recorded by Cameron on the 20th & 22nd July 2022, one was well known to both of us, and all five belongs to the Dublin Bay Birds Project in the Republic of Ireland.

 PFV , was ringed as an unsexed adult, on the 26th August 2015, on Sandymount Strand in Co. Dublin.  I believe the Terns are caught at night on the Strand, with the use of a bright torch to dazzle them.  I made the first ever sighting of  PFV , on the 10th July 2016, at Glynn on Larne Lough, Co. Antrim.  It was probably nesting on the RSPB's Blue Circle Island Reserve on the Lough.

The bird's second sighting was made by Cameron here at Whitehead, on the 2nd August 2017.  Jan Rod, was next to record -  PFV , at The Skerries in County Dublin, on the 23rd August 2018.  On the 28th July 2019, I fell in with -  PFV  for a second time here at Whitehead.  A gap of almost three years has passed by, before Cameron's latest sighting here at Whitehead.  The duration since being ringed, is now 6 years, 10 months and 24 days, and the distance from Sandymount Strand is 163 kms / 101 miles (NNE).

Common Tern  -   PFV   -  Whitehead, Belfast Lough, Co. Antrim  (20 Jul 2022)

(Ringed as an Un-Sexed Adult, on the 26th August 2015, on Sandymount Strand, Co. Dublin, Republic of Ireland)

(Photo Courtesy of Cameron Moore)

Having reported all five Common Terns to Tara Adcock at Birdwatch Ireland, we received the histories for all of them.  Tara also allowed me to submit these sightings to the BTO via my DemOn Ringing Account.  I noted while submitting the sightings, for a couple of birds, the date when the colour-rings were fitted, were the dates given by Tara as the ringing date.  This was not quite exact, as chicks had been ringed a number of days earlier with metals only.  For these birds, I added an extra line on my spreadsheet to give the original ringing date, followed by the date when the chicks were fitted with the colour-rings.  Therefore, the ringing dates below, are the dates when the birds were ringed with metals.

 P0C , was ringed as a chick on the 19th June 2020, on one of the nest platforms at the Port of Dublin.  Cameron's sighting was a first for this bird, with the duration being 2 years, 2 months and 1 day since being ringed.  The distance to Whitehead, is 159 kms / 98 miles (NNE).

Common Tern  -   P0C   -  Whitehead, Belfast Lough, Co. Antrim  (20 Jul 2022)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 19th June 2020, on SPA Nest Platform, Port of Dublin, Republic of Ireland)

(Photo Courtesy of Cameron Moore)

 P7C , was also ringed as a chick, on the 19th June 2020, on the Tolka Nest Platform at the Port of Dublin.  Cameron's sighting was another first, with the duration also being 2 years, 2 months and 1 day.  This time, the distance was given as 160 kms / 99 miles (NNE).

Common Tern  -   P7C  -  Whitehead, Belfast Lough, Co. Antrim  (20 Jul 2022)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 19th June 2020, on Tolka Nest Platform, Port of Dublin, Republic of Ireland)

(Photo Courtesy of Cameron Moore)

As with -  PFV  above,  PFF  was caught and ringed during the same catch, on the 26th August 2015 at Sandymount Strand in County Dublin.  Cameron's sighting at Whitehead on the 20th July 2022, was the first within the British Isles.  The distance to Whitehead, is 163 kms / 101 miles (NNE), and the duration since being ringed, is 6 years, 10 months and 24 days.

 PFF  has been recorded previously at the Kartong Bird Observatory in Gambia, Africa, in November 2016, September 2018 and November 2019.  These sightings appear on the BTO's Online Ringing Reports (2019 Report), and gives a distance from Dublin to The Gambia, as 4,571 kms / 2,840 miles (SSW).

Common Tern  -   PFF   -  Whitehead, Belfast Lough, Co. Antrim  (20 Jul 2022)

(Ringed as an Un-Sexed Adult, on the 26th August 2015, on Sandymount Strand, Co. Dublin, Republic of Ireland)

(Photo Courtesy of Cameron Moore)

Cameron's sighting of -  5P3 , was another first.  It was ringed on the 2nd July 2018, on a nesting platform at the Port of Dublin.  The duration since being ringed, is 4 years and 20 days, and the BTO recovery gives a distance to Whitehead, as being 161 kms / 100 miles (NNE).

My thanks goes to Cameron for supplying these sightings along with the photos, and to Tara Adcock at Birdwatch Ireland, for supplying the ringing and re-sighting histories.

Common Tern  -   5P3   -  Whitehead, Belfast Lough, Co. Antrim  (22 Jul 2022)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 2nd July 2018, on SPA Nest Platform, Port of Dublin, Republic of Ireland)

(Photo Courtesy of Cameron Moore)

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Three From Myself

Over the last couple of weeks, there has been a steady build up of Lesser Black-backed Gulls at the Pennybridge Industrial Estate, in my home town of Ballymena, Co. Antrim.  I work at a factory on the estate, so whenever I can, I scope the gulls there.  On Thursday 14th July, I spotted one gull with a White Darvic, but unfortunately, I did not have my camera with me.  On Friday afternoon, I returned to the Industrial Estate, and just over an hour later, I scoped and the photographed the bird - 7E1:C.

On returning home, I entered - 7E1:C onto my Main Ring Reading Spreadsheet, to discover this was a re-sighting, as I had recorded the bird before.  7E1:C, was ringed as a chick, on the 9th July 2015, on Horse Isle Nature Reserve in Ayrshire, Scotland.  My sighting of the gull on the 2nd August 2018, here at Pennybridge, was a first for the bird since it was ringed according to Iain Livingstone, who is the ringing coordinator for the Clyde Ringing Group.

On Tuesday the 19th July 2022, I then spotted another Lesser Black-backed Gull with a Black Darvic.  However, I could only see the top edge, so could not read the code.  This bird could possibly have been the same Portuguese-rung bird that I recorded here in July 2018.  On Wednesday 20th, I tried for this bird again, but only got - 7E1:C for the second time in 5 days.

The duration since - 7E1:C was ringed, is now 7 years and 11 days up to my latest sighting, and the distance from Horse Isle NR, is 125 kms / 77 miles (SW).  Whilst writing this blog piece, it dawned on me that I had not contacted Iain about my latest sightings.  An email has now been sent, so if there has been any further re-sightings since 2018, Iain will let me know.  So far, I've made another couple of attempts for the Black Darvic rung bird, without any luck. 

Lesser Black-backed Gull  -  (White)  7E1:C  -  Pennybridge, Ballymena, Co. Antrim  (15 Jul 2022)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 9th July 2015, on Horse Isle Nature Reserve, Ayrshire, Scotland)

On Saturday 23rd July 2022, Jim Wells and myself, were due to head out to so that Jim could see my new drone in action.  He had been impressed with the video of my first long distance flight, where I checked out a Raven nest site on Slemish Mountain.  Two small issues occurred during that flight.  The first, was a loss of signal between the drone and myself.  When this happens, the drone automatically stops, and turns round to fly back unaided to where it took off.  On this occasion, the signal returned very quickly, so I cancelled the 'Return to Home' and carried on with my flight.  

The second issue happened at the foot of the mountain, where I was informed that I had exceeded the legal height to fly, which is 400 feet above the ground.  This 400 foot altitude, is the height from where the drone is, whether it be at sea level, or from the top of the mountain.  I reckon that the 'Calibration' was the main factor here.  My drone was originally calibrated at my home which is at a low altitude, whereas on the Slemish flight, I was already on high ground.  Best solution now, will be to recalibrate my drone at all new locations.  Going into my drone settings, I readjusted my altitude settings and was able to complete that particular flight (Slemish Flight).  As things turned out, Jim and I postponed our outing due to poor weather, as thundery showers were forecast and there was low cloud.

The rain as forecast duly arrived, and I decided to head off to the coast to read rings instead.  As I drove over the mountain at Shanes Hill, it was raining fairly hard, with cloud sitting at road level.  I then made my way to Whitehead, where I could sit in my car and try to read rings on the Terns.  Around 80 Common Terns, along with a handful of Sandwich Terns were present.  Only the one colour-ringed bird was seen, and that was Common Tern -  PFV , which Cameron Moore had spotted here three days ago.  The account for this bird, can be read above in Cameron's sightings.  Two other Common Terns were ringed with metal rings.  Both birds were just beyond range from my camera, so neither were read. 

Common Tern  -   PFV   -  Whitehead, Belfast Lough, Co. Antrim  (23 Jul 2022)

(Ringed as an Un-Sexed Adult, on the 26th August 2015, at Sandymount Strand, Co. Dublin, Republic of Ireland)

By the time I left Whitehead, the rain had stopped and the sun finally broke through the clouds.  My next stop was at Glynn, where I could check out the gulls and waders from the railway platform.  With the tide pushing in, there were surprisingly few birds about.  I stayed for about an hour, and continuous scoping revealed nothing.  I then moved on to Sandy Bay in Larne, but once again, very few birds were around.  A small group of Dunlins were nice to see, especially in their summer plumage.

Glenarm and Carnlough, were to be my final two stops for the afternoon.  Driving along the coast road, on reaching Drains Bay, I noticed a nice sized group of gulls on the fresh water outlet.  Looking through these birds with my binoculars, I spotted a Common Gull with a Blue Darvic.  This surely had to be one from my Rathlin Project.  On zooming in with my camera, I captured the code -  2BVC , and I realised that I had recorded this same bird recently at Glynn on Larne Lough.

 2BVC , was ringed as a chick, on the 22nd June 2021, at the Arkill Bay colony on Rathlin Island.  My first re-sighting was made 20 days ago, on the 3rd July 2022, at Glynn on Larne Lough.  Drain's Bay, is three miles north from Glynn, and 50 kms / 31 miles (SSE) from Arkill Bay.  The duration since being ringed, is now 1 year, 1 month and 1 day.  If all goes well,  2BVC  may well return to Rathlin Island in the summer of 2023 to prospect a nest site, and breed for the first time in 2024.

Common Gull  -   2BVC   -  Drains Bay, Co. Antrim  (23 Jul 2022)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 22nd June 2021, at Arkill Bay, Rathlin Island, Co. Antrim)

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From Vittorio Caschera

My 'Ring Reading' counterpart in Co. Dublin, Graham Prole, redirected an email he received from Victor Caschera.  Victor reported the sighting of a Common Gull to Graham, as possible being -  ZACN , but Graham realised the bird was a regular winter visitor to the Broadmeadows Estuary, and was in fact -  2ACV .

 2ACV , belongs to Shane Wolsey's former Common Gull project, on Big Copeland Island in County Down, and I now respond to sightings of the gulls.   2ACV , was ringed as a chick, on the 28th May 2010.  It's first re-sighting was made at Broadmeadows on the 15th September 2015, by Graham Prole.  Over the years since, the bird has made Broadmeadows it's regular wintering site.

Here in Northern Ireland,  2ACV  has been recorded on the seafront at Millisle in County Down in the months of June and July, no doubt having completed it's breeding attempts.  Millisle is situated 8 kms / 5 miles south of Big Copeland Island, where it may well have nested.  I have had difficulty trying to obtain permission to visit the island which is privately owned, but on the 30th May 2021, I managed to locate -  2ACV  at it's nest on the island, having been allowed access by Alan McCulla.  Alan's son Ryan, has since taken over from his father, and I have been unable to find a way of contacting him about future visits to the island.  

Having met the gamekeeper, I was informed that Ryan did not want anyone visiting without permission, so for now, there's nothing I can do.  Having had limited access, I had recorded several colour-ringed Common Gulls from Shane's former project, that had never been re-sighted from the day they were ringed.  I know in my own mind, several of these gulls, plus others that have yet to be recorded back on the island will still be alive.  One example, is that of -  2AIP , which was re-sighted recently by Suzanne Belshaw at Whiteabbey (read above).  This bird winters at Whiteabbey, but likely nests on Big Copeland, but as yet, has not been recorded there.  

Victor's latest sighting, takes the duration since being ringed, to 12 years, 1 month and 24 days, and Broadmeadows is 141 kms / 87 miles (SSW) from Big Copeland Island.

My thanks goes to Victor for the sighting report and photograph and to Graham Prole for re-directing Victor's email.  The full re-sighting history for -  2AVC  can be read (here).

Common Gull  -   2ACV   -  Broadmeadows, Swords, Co. Dublin, Republic of Ireland  (22 Jul 2022)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 28th May 2010, on Big Copeland Island, The Copeland Islands, Co. Down)

(Photo Courtesy of Vittorio Caschera)

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Ringing Recovery

Back on the 3rd July 2022, Suzanne Belshaw fell in with a metal-rung Lesser Black-backed Gull near her home in Lisburn, County Antrim.  Having took a lot of photographs, Suzanne successfully managed to capture the full ring number -  LV19833  and realised that her bird was from Portugal.  I submitted the sighting to the BTO through my DemOn Account, but told Suzanne it may take several weeks before we obtain a recovery as the Portuguese tend to be on the slow side when responding to sightings.

The recovery has now arrived.   LV19833 , was ringed as a unsexed 3rd calendar year bird, on the 22nd January 2020, at a site called Sítio das Hortas, just to the east of the Portuguese capital of Lisbon.  The distance to Lisburn was given as 1,764 kms / 1,096 miles (N), and the duration since being ringed, as 2 years, 5 months and 11 days.

All credit to Suzanne for her efforts in capturing the number.  As Ring Readers, to read metal-rings is a far harder job than reading colour-rings, and to obtain a result like this is really rewarding.

Lesser Black-backed Gull  -   LV19833   -  Lisburn, Co. Antrim  (03 Jul 2022)

(Ringed as an Un-Sexed 3rd Calendar Year Bird, on the 22nd January 2020, at Sítio das Hortas, Santarém, Portugal)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

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