Icelandic Returnee...

I was out again with Peregrine enthusiast Jim Wells on Saturday 6th August, helping him to check a couple of marginal nest sites which are rarely used these days.  Jim has been checking Northern Ireland Peregrine nest sites since 1977.  With most chicks having fledged by June, all former sites are then checked to see if there has been any signs of occupation.  With the aid of my new drone, we were able to obtain clear footage of the cliffs, to look for signs of kills, droppings etc.  At one site, we flew the drone up to a nest ledge that had been used this summer.  With no sign of the adults or the three chicks, I was able to obtain a close up view of the nest ledge which is not easily seen from below, and a nice site it was too.

On Sunday, I covered the coast from Whitehead, making my way northwards to Cushendall.  Although, loads of legs were checked, unfortunately not a single ring was spotted.

Now that Jim has finished checking Peregrine sites, my focus now returns fully on the task of 'Ring Reading'.  There will be numerous returnees to discover, as well as birds recently ringed as chicks.  With Antrim Marina on the go as well, I'm hoping that the suspension of ringing activities will be lifted sometime in the near future.  Ringing has been suspended in Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and more recently in Wales due to 'Bird Flu'.

___________________________________________________________________________________

Antrim Marina - Monday 8th August 2022

Last week saw the beginning of my weekly visits to Antrim Marina, as I have been studying a wintering population of Black-headed Gulls there.  I began the study, to run alongside Adam McClure's Northern Ireland Black-headed Gull Study, which ran from November 2012, until June 2018.  Adam had to give up on his project due to work and family commitments.  I became involved with the project in September 2013, when I read colour-rings at Antrim Marina for the first time.  From then on, I decided to visit Antrim Marina once every week, commencing from the first weekend in August, until the last weekend in March each year.  Despite Adam giving up his study, I decided to continue with mine, especially as I had retrained to be a ringer myself.

This winter, is now my 10th winter overall reading rings and when possible, I try to catch new birds for my study.  Last week, I slept in on Monday morning, but undertook my first visit for this autumn and winter season on Tuesday 2nd August.  A reasonably good total of 27 colour-rings were read, these being the baseline for this winter's visits.

The conditions for today, saw a warm, calm day, but unlike last week, very few gulls appeared.  Arriving just after 9am, just four Black-headed Gulls were present at the Marina, and moments later they were gone.  Initially, it was very quiet and there was even a lack of people, whereas, you'd normally see a good number of walkers - a cemetery would probably have been busy.

As the morning wore on, the gulls did arrive, as did more people.  After the initial four Black-headed Gulls had taken flight, I had to wait until 10:20, before a small group of gulls arrived.  One of these had a Blue Darvic, and having read the code through my binoculars, I scrambled to grab my camera.  Having read -  2FHV , I instantly knew this bird had returned from Iceland. 

 2FHV , was the 9th of 15 Black-headed Gulls that I caught and ringed here last winter.  I caught it on the 8th November 2021, and ringed it as an un-sexed adult.  It was recorded during the following two visits (15th & 22nd November 2021), and then the gull went missing for a while.  Graham McElwaine visited Antrim Marina on the 24th February 2022, and -  2FHV , was one of 9 colour-rings that he read that day.  This was the last I heard of the bird until a redirected email arrived from Iceland.  This email had initially been sent to Paul Roper of The Thames Gull Group in England.  

Aevar Petersen, reported the sighting of -  2FHV , on behalf of Ólafur Larsen, who had spotted and photographed the bird.  It was seen at Akureyri in northern Iceland, on the 26th June 2022, and I was informed of a second sighting at Akureyri, on the 8th July 2022, by the Icelandic Museum.  Akureyri, is 1,381 kms / 858 miles (NNW) from Antrim Marina.  I was really pleased to see the return of -  2FHV  today.  The duration since being ringed, is exactly 9 months.

Black-headed Gull  -   2FHV   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (08 Aug 2022)

(Ringed as an Un-Sexed Adult, on the 8th November 2021, at Antrim Marina)

This small group of gulls did not stay long, and this pattern of coming and going, was repeated all morning.  At no time, was there any more than 30 to 35 Black-headed Gulls, though some birds did make return visits.  The best group of the morning arrived next, and contained a few colour-rings.  The next to be read at 10:41, was that of -  2FIJ , which I knew was a second returning bird, though in my own mind I was not sure of it's history here.

On returning home, I consulted my spreadsheet, to learn that this was the last of the 15 gulls to be ringed here last winter.  It was ringed, as an unsexed adult, on the 10th January 2022.  After being ringed, it was only recorded once at the Marina, and that was on the 21st March 2022, when spotted by Suzanne Belshaw during one of her rare visits here.  The duration is now 6 months and 29 days since this gull was ringed.

Black-headed Gull  -   2FIJ   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (08 Aug 2022)

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

Altogether, 15 colour-rings were recorded during today's visit, with three of these having not been recorded last week.  The third was that of -  2ABS .  Amongst the earliest of the Black-headed Gulls to be ringed here by Adam, I fairly confident that this bird is an all year round resident to Antrim Marina.  Over the years, there has been a number of breeding season sightings at the Marina, which suggests that this gull is likely to breed on the nearby former 'Torpedo Platform'.   2ABS , was ringed here as an adult female, on the 23rd January 2013.  Most breeding season sightings have occurred in the month of June, which would correspond with the timing of having chicks.  The duration since being ringed, is now 9 years, 6 months and 16 days.

Of the 15 Black-headed Gulls caught and ringed here last winter, 7 of them were juvenile/1st winter birds.  The only one of those 7 youngsters to have been recorded back so far, is -  2FHP .   2FHP , was ringed here on the 8th November 2021.  It was subsequently recorded throughout most weeks for the remainder of the winter, with the final sighting having been made on the 21st March 2022.  My last weekly visit for the 2021/2022 winter season was made on the 28th March 2022.  Very few summer visits were undertaken at the Marina, but I did record -  2FHP , on the 28th May 2022.

Having resumed my weekly winter visits,  2FHP  was recorded last week, as well as today.  The duration for this bird, is now 9 months exactly.  Below is a photo showing -  2FHP  taken on the 15th November 2021, and the one taken today.

Black-headed Gull  -   2FHP   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (08 Aug 20220

(Ringed as a Juvenile/1st Winter Bird, on the 8th November 2021, at Antrim Marina)

The three additional sightings today, takes my overall total to thirty colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls recorded so far during this autumn/winter season, with two visits having been made.  One gull that I am especially interested in, is -  2CSX .  This gull was last recorded here at Antrim Marina, on the 19th September 2021.  After that date, it may have gone to the former Belfast Waterworks, where it is known to frequent during the winter months, before returning to Antrim Marina prior to the onset of the breeding season.  However, the gull failed to return to the Marina last spring, so a question mark now hangs over it's head, whether it is still alive.  The gull was ringed as a juvenile at Antrim Marina in December 2018, and it is therefore still a fairly young bird.

Colour Ringed Black-headed Gulls Recorded at Antrim Marina on Monday 8th August 2022

2FHV	2FIJ	2FHP	2FFA	2ABL	2FIA	2CTC	2FHX
2FFF	2FIH	2FIF	2ABS	2CSA	2FDK	2CSB

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

2ABA	2FFX	2ABN	2FFC	2CJT	2FHC	2AAB	2AAA
2CSK	2AAN	2FFP	2FHA	2ACV	2CSL	2AAK

Other Birds at Antrim Marina

Along with the lack of Black-headed Gulls at the Marina today, the same can be said of other species of birds.  On my arrival, there were two adult Herring Gulls, which included the bird with the injured wing recorded here last Tuesday.  It was still on the long wooden jetty, and was very grateful for some bread that I threw down to it.  Also present, was the same juvenile Herring Gull which walked up to me last week as I sat in my car, and took bread directly from my hand.

A single adult Common Gull, came and went throughout the morning, and I'm fairly sure that it was the same bird each time.  A second calendar Common Gull appeared at 9:28, and it too, came and went throughout the morning.

Over the years that I have been here, an occasional Common Tern would fly in from Lough Neagh, but none have ever landed until today.  At 10:21, a bird flew around the river which flows past the Marina, and eventually landed on the new gateway which has recently been erected on the long wooden jetty.  I had meant to take a photo of this gateway last week, but forgot after having conversations with several people.  Today, I got my photo of the gateway, as well as the Common Tern.  The gateway is not locked, so anybody can open it and walk through.  The Common Terns are still breeding on the nearby former 'Torpedo Platform' at present.

Common Tern  -  Antrim Marina  (08 Aug 2022)

The New Gateway on the Long Wooden Jetty, Antrim Marina  (08 Aug 2022)

35 Mallards were present on my arrival, but numbers increased slightly to around 50 before I departed.  No Mute Swans at first, but the family party, along with the four cygnets arrived around 10:30.  All four cygnets are now confidently feeding from my hand.

Other than the waterbirds, only 4 Jackdaws were noted today.

*******************************************************

From Suzanne Belshaw

On the 3rd July 2022, Suzanne Belshaw spotted a metal-rung Lesser Black-backed Gull close to her home in Lisburn, County Antrim.  Having taken several photos of the gull and it's ring, Suzanne managed to capture the full ring number to discover her bird was from Portugal.  I submitted Suzanne's sighting of -  LV19833  to the BTO, and after a short wait, we received the ringing details.

 LV19833 , was ringed as a third calendar year bird, on the 22nd January 2020, at Sítio das Hortas, Santarém, Portugal, which is situated just to the east of the capital Lisbon.  The distance to Lisburn in County Antrim, was given as 1,764 kms / 1,096 miles (N).

On the 31st July 2022, Suzanne encountered the same gull again near her home.  To be 'Sure to be Sure', as the Irish saying goes, Suzanne once again set about photographing the ring number, and indeed, the bird was -  LV19833 .  The duration since being ringed, is now 2 years, 6 months and 9 days.

My thanks again goes to Suzanne for her sighting report and photos.  As I've said before, capturing metal-numbers is a real treat for us 'Ring Readers' - well done Suzanne.

Lesser Black-backed Gull  -  Portugal   LV19833   -  Lisburn, Co. Antrim  (31 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)

*******************************************************

From Steven Fyffe

An email from Steven Fyffe, saw the third sighting in recent weeks, of Black-headed Gull -  250B .  Steven spotted the gull at the Sprucefield Shopping Centre in County Down, on the 10th August 2022.  Ringed as a chick, on the 6th June 2008, at Lough Mask, County Mayo in the Republic of Ireland,  250B  uses Sprucefield Shopping Centre as a staging post when moving to it's wintering quarters which are as yet unknown.  All autumn sightings at Sprucefield have occurred during the months of July and August before the bird moves on.  A straight line of flight from Lough Mask through Sprucefield, could possibly take the gull into Dumfries & Galloway in Scotland.

The only spring sightings of -  250B  at Sprucefield occurred in February & March 2016, when the gull was making the return journey to Lough Mask.  At Lough Mask, the gull has been recorded on five occasions - June 2009, June 2010, June 2017 and twice in May 2019.   250B , was first discovered at Sprucefield Shopping Centre, on the 1st July 2013, when spotted by Adam McClure.  The other two recent sightings were made by Suzanne Belshaw on the 25th July 2022, and by David Nixon on the 29th July 2022.  This sighting made by Steven, is the 26th at Sprucefield.  The distance from Lough Mask to Sprucefield, is 232 kms / 144 miles (ENE), and the duration since being ringed, is now 14 years, 2 months and 4 days.

My thanks goes to Steven for his sighting report, along with a photo.  With this gull getting on in years, it would be fantastic if someone could spot the bird at it's wintering site - here's hoping!!

Black-headed Gull  -   250B   -  Sprucefield Shopping Centre, Co. Down  (10 Aug 2022)

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

(Photo Courtesy of Steven Fyffe)

*******************************************************