Three Marina Returnees...

Antrim Marina - Monday 10th October 2022

Ahead of my visit to Antrim Marina on Monday 10th October, I received an email from Suzanne Belshaw on Sunday evening.  Whilst shopping in Antrim town on Saturday 8th October, as Suzanne was in the area, she made two visits to Antrim Marina.  Not a lot was happening during the first visit, but when Suzanne called back, a total of 15 colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls were recorded.  No doubt comparing the sightings with those on my recent posts, Suzanne noted that one bird stood out -  2FDX .

On checking my spreadsheets, I was delighted, as this was a first sighting.   2FDX , had been ringed as a juvenile/1st winter bird, at Antrim Marina, on the 23rd November 2020.  After being ringed, the young gull simply disappeared until Saturday past.  I never got to taking a photo of the then juvenile, but look at it now.  It has been 1 year, 10 months and 15 days since the bird was ringed.  Many juveniles fail to survive through their first winter, so this was a very pleasing sighting.  Another juvenile that I ringed at the Marina last winter, had a first, and so far the only sighting, in May 2022, in Staffordshire, England.  I wonder if that gull will also make it back to the Marina this winter.  

With the addition of -  2FDX , I was now on the lookout for 36 colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls on Monday, that have recorded at Antrim Marina this winter, a total that includes one bird caught and ringed in September 2022.

My thanks to Suzanne for these sightings and photos.

Black-headed Gull  -   2FDX   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (08 Oct 2022)

(Ringed as a Juvenile/1st Winter Bird, on the 23rd November 2020, at Antrim Marina)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

Colour Ringed Black-headed Gulls Recorded at Antrim Marina by Suzanne Belshaw on Saturday 8th October 2022

2ABL	2ABS	2CJT	2CSA	2CTC	2FDK	2FDX	2FFA
2FFF	2FFP	2FHP	2FHV	2FHX	2FIA	2FIK

I arrived at Antrim Marina today, on the lookout for 36 colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls which have been recorded here so far this winter, which now included the recent sighting of -  2FDX  by Suzanne Belshaw.  The early morning saw about 80% blue sky with sunshine, and practically no wind.  It was a bit chilly to start with, as temperatures must have close to freezing.  One heavy shower of rain at 12:15, lasted for around 10 minutes.

Parking up beside the small concrete jetty, my first sighting was that of -  2FHC , at 09:14 on the rails in front of me.  It was one of five birds present, but as I was noting the gull on my checklist, a flock of gulls suddenly appeared.  Numbers slowly built up, and at 10:49, I had a returnee -  2FDJ , this being the 16th to be recorded.  I was delighted to see the return of this bird, as it is Antrim Marina's furthest flyers.

 2FDJ , was ringed at Antrim Marina, as a second calendar year bird, on the 18th November 2019.

Below are the key sightings for -  2FDJ  :-

Ringed on the 18th November 2019, departed after the 9th March 2020.

Returned on the 25th October 2020, departed after the 4th January 2021 (Covid Lockdown).

Spotted on the 5th February 2021, Strathclyde Country Park, Motherwell, Scotland.

Spotted on the 11th, 13th & 14th February 2021, at Kay Park, Kilmarnock, Scotland.

Spotted on the 4th April 2021, at Tartu, eastern Estonia (2,060 kms / 1,280 miles (E).

Returned on the 16th October 2021, departed after the 28th February 2022.

Returned today, 10th October 2022.

As the sighting in eastern Estonia was just 44 kms away from the Russian border, it is unknown as to which country the gull actually bred in.  The duration since being ringed, is now 2 years, 10 months and 22 days.

Black-headed Gull  -   2FDJ   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (10 Oct 2022)

(Ringed as a 2nd Winter Bird, on the 18th November 2019, at Antrim Marina)

By 11am, there were easily 100+ Black-headed Gulls spread throughout the Marina.  At 12:10, my 25th sighting of the day, was a second returnee -  2FFT .  It was standing on the ground of the car park, and as was about to take a photo, all the gulls lifted into the air.  Two ladies appeared onto the concrete jetty and began throwing bread into the water for the ducks.  It took a while, but I eventually managed to get my photo.

 2FFT , was ringed at Antrim Marina, as an unsexed adult, on the 21 December 2020.  Since being ringed, re-sightings here are a bit of a rarity, with today's sighting being only the 5th altogether.  Previous sightings were made on the 8th & 15th November 2021, 31st January 2022, and on the 7th February 2022.  Despite the bird not being a regular visitor, it was good to see that it is still alive and well.  The duration since being ringed, is now 1 year, 10 months and 17 days.

Black-headed Gull  -   2FFT   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (10 Oct 2022)

(Ringed as an Un-Sexed Adult, on the 21st December 2020, at Antrim Marina)

My 27th and final sighting was that of -  2ABA  at 12:25, and by this time, overall numbers had dropped to around the 60 - 70 mark.  Today was clearly a good day to try and catch one or two new birds to ring, as they were clearly 'biting'.  To my dismay, a Chinese couple in their forties arrived with a shopping bag each, full of broken up bread.  Throwing it around the car park for the gulls, they soon had their fill and a lot of bread remained uneaten.

With the recent returnees -  2FDX ,  2FDJ  &  2FFT , my overall total of colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls has risen to 38 for my next visit.  I was going to predict the return of -  2FDJ  in this post, but the bird has beaten me to it.  Looking through my Antrim Marina Spreadsheet, two birds that are absent, are  2FFJ  &  2FFL .  Last winter, both were recorded from August onwards, so I'm wondering, what has happened to them.  The first was an adult when ringed in December 2020, while the second was a juvenile, also ringed in 2020.

One other gull 'stuck out' from today's sightings, and that was -  2FFC , recorded at 11:56.  There are times, when it could be absent for weeks at a time, so today's 5th sighting for this winter was a good one to get.

Black-headed Gull  -   2FFC   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (10 Oct 2022)

(Ringed as an Un-Sexed Adult, on the 30th November 2020, at Antrim Marina)

In my last couple of posts, I forgot to mention two other Black-headed Gulls.  The one legged (left leg) bird which hovers at my car window to announce its arrival, has disappeared recently.  It first appeared late on last winter, but returned early this winter.  Then we have a bit of a runt - this scrawny looking juvenile, is around half the size of a normal Black-headed Gull, so would obviously fair poorly in the scrums for food.  Today, for the third week in a row, it would walk right up to me sitting in my car, and I would feed it bits of brown bread.  The youngster has no fear, and casually strolls right to my feet.  I could easily lift it to ring, but for now, I'll leave it well alone just to see how it progresses. Should I decide to ring it, I will give it a metal only, unless it grows large enough to add a Darvic.

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

2FHC	2FHX	2FHP	2FFF	2CSA	2CSR	2AAB	2FFA	2ACV
2ABN	2CTC	2FIF	2AAK	2FDK	2BRA	2FDJ	2FHV	2ABL
2FHA	2FIK	2CJT	2CSB	2AAN	2FFC	2FFT	2FFP	2ABA

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

2AAA	2ABS	2CSK	2CSL	2CSX	2FDX
2FFX	2FHJ	2FIA	2FIH	2FIJ

Other Birds at Antrim Marina

My usual adult Herring Gull arrived at 9:39 this morning, having been absent last Monday.  A juvenile Herring Gull appeared at 10:07, and this same bird has been recorded here in recent weeks.  It too, would easily come right up to me in the car, and the adult Herring Gull tolerates the youngsters begging calls.  At 10:05, two adult Common Gulls arrived together, and a third arrived at 11:05.  None were ringed, which leaves me still waiting for the return of the small Scottish-rung female.

Having just parked on my arrival, I noticed a Mute Swan party in the distance at the breakwater leading into Lough Neagh.  Looking through my binoculars, it was our usual family with the four cygnets.  They swam right past the Marina, heading upriver, though one of the cygnets broke away and came ashore onto the slipway.  A short time later, the family returned onto the slipway.  At 11:13, I spied a further three cygnets swimming in from Lough Neagh, and these to headed off upriver.  At 11:30, they came back down and alighted onto the slipway.  The two adults were unfazed by their presence, and they mingled in with the other four cygnets.  After a while, the three slightly larger cygnets returned towards Lough Neagh.  I was surprised by them, as they easily came to my hand for a feed of bread.  Someone, somewhere, has been feeding them.

Around 40 Mallards were present on my arrival, with numbers quickly increasing to at least 70 birds altogether.  As usual, most legs were checked, but still no rings.

A single Hooded Crow arrived at 10:13, and the 'pied' Hooded Crow, which first appeared two weeks ago, arrived at 10:33.  This 'pied' bird, is still slightly nervous being around people.  Just two Jackdaws today - what is going on with this species?  In the past, numbers would have been higher than this.

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Saturday 8th October 2022

My main targets for today, were two colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls - a Norwegian bird which frequents the Kilroot Power Station (Shore) and Carrickfergus Leisure Centre, and one at Whiteabbey belonging to Adam McClure's former Northern Ireland Project.

At Kilroot, I timed my arrival to coincide with an outgoing tide.  I wanted to be settled into position on the seawall, so as not to appear threatening to the seabirds as they arrived.  A small freshwater river flows over the beach, where the gulls would come to bathe and drink freshwater.  Having sat for about threequarters of an hour, the waders and then gulls, began to arrive.

An Orange Darvic on a Herring Gull was the first ring to be spotted, and I knew this was going to be another sighting of a Scottish-rung bird.   A:H58 , was ringed as a chick, on the 12th July 2018, on Lady Isle Island, near Troon in Ayrshire, Scotland.  All re-sightings for this bird has been made here at Kilroot - 29th November 2020, 3rd October 2021, 10th September 2022, and today's sighting.  The duration since being ringed, is now 4 years, 2 months and 26 days, and the distance from Lady Isle to Kilroot, is 111 kms / 68 miles (SW).

Herring Gull  -   A:H58   -  Kilroot Power Station, Belfast Lough, Co. Antrim  (08 Oct 2022)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 12th July 2018, on Lady Isle, Ayrshire, Scotland)

After a while, I noticed two Herring Gulls with Yellow Darvic's.  I knew both birds were from the Copeland Islands, as I could just about see -   :W , poking above the waterline.  One gull was standing in a pool of water, but as the tide retreated the second ring was revealed -  0V:W .

 0V:W , was ringed as an unsexed adult, on the 23rd May 2014, on Big Copeland Island in County Down.  The first re-sighting, was made on the 6th November 2014, when Cameron Moore spotted the gull at Ballycarry Bridge on Larne Lough, Co. Antrim.  I made the second re-sighting here at Kilroot, on the 29th November 2020.  Today's latest sighting, takes the duration to 8 years, 4 months and 15 days since being ringed, and the distance from Big Copeland Island, is 15 kms / 9 miles (WNW).  I entered the metal number onto the BTO DemOn Ringing Database, which confirmed that these three sightings, are the only ones to be submitted so far.

Herring Gull  -   0V:W   -  Kilroot Power Station, Belfast Lough, Co. Antrim  (08 Oct 2022)

(Ringed as an Un-Sexed Adult, on the 23rd May 2014, on Big Copeland Island, The Copeland Islands, Co. Down)

Whilst waiting for my second Copeland Herring Gull to arrive, I noticed a distant colour-ringed Oystercatcher.  I immediately wondered if this was an Icelandic bird that I recorded here back in 2020.  Zooming out with my camera, I recognised the colour rings - Black over Black on the left leg, and White(CC) on the right leg - NN-W(CC).

The bird was metal-ringed only, as an adult breeding female, on the 11th June 2009, at Hvalfjarðareyri in south-west Iceland.  On the 2nd June 2019, it was again captured whilst breeding and the colour rings were fitted.  Although it has been recorded on numerous occasions in Iceland, the only sighting away from that country was made here at Kilroot, on the 29th November 2020.  I tried several times to re-sight this bird last winter without any luck.

Having reported my latest sighting to Boddi Þórisson in Iceland, he replied to say that - NN-W(CC) had a predated nest during this past summer, though this has yet to be entered onto the PDF File (read).  The duration since being ringed, is now 13 years, 3 months and 27 days, and Kilroot lies 1,390 kms / 863 miles (SE) from Hvalfjarðareyri.

Oystercatcher  -  NN-W(CC)  -  Kilroot Power Station, Belfast Lough, Co. Antrim  (08 Oct 2022)

(Ringed as an Breeding Adult Female, on the 11th June 2009, at Hvalfjarðareyri, SW. Iceland)

Having secured my Icelandic Oystercatcher, I refocused on the second Copeland Herring Gull.  It was still standing in the same pool of water with just -  :W  showing on its colour-ring.  In the distance, I could see a small party of people, along with two dogs walking in my direction.  My gull never moved, and once the party reached my position, all of the birds took to the air and my chance of a second Copeland colour-ring was gone.  The small group were 'armed' with large plastic bags, and began picking up plastic rubbish on the high tide line.

With the tide well on its way out, I decided to make a quick dash to the beach at Whiteabbey and decided to visit Carrickfergus Leisure Centre later in the day instead of now.  Arriving at Whiteabbey, I was keen to re-sight one of Adam's McClure's Black-headed Gulls belonging to his former Northern Ireland Project  This bird, ringed -  2CPN , was last seen here on the Whiteabbey shore, on the 19th February 2022.  Over the last couple of months, both Suzanne Belshaw and myself have visited the shore here at Whiteabbey, but no sign of -  2CPN .

Scoping through the Black-headed Gulls, I noticed one with a Red Darvic in the distance.  Moving to the footpath beside the main road, I had a better angle of the bird and duly captured the code -  2HP4 .  I had a feeling, that this was the same bird previously recorded here by Suzanne and myself.  On returning home, I checked my spreadsheet, and Suzanne had the first ever re-sighting on the 23rd November 2021, whilst I recorded the gull on the 16th January 2022.

 2HP4 , was ringed as a chick, on the 24th June 2020, at the Elvanfoot colony in South Lanarkshire, Scotland by the Clyde Ringing Group.  The distance to Whiteabbey, is 166 kms / 103 miles (WSW), and the duration since being ringed, is now 2 years, 3 months and 14 days.  I emailed Iain Livingstone who is the ringing coordinator, but I would be fairly sure, that these three sightings are the only ones for this bird so far.

Black-headed Gull  -   2HP4   -  Whiteabbey Shore, Belfast Lough, Co. Antrim  (08 Oct 2022)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 24th June 2020, at Elvanfoot, South Lanarkshire, Scotland)

Continuing to scope through the gulls, I then spotted a Black-headed Gull with a Blue Darvic.  This one turned out to be one of my Antrim Marina study birds -  2FFN , and this was my second sighting of the gull here on Whiteabbey Beach.   2FFN , was ringed as an unsexed adult, on the 14th December 2020, at the Marina.  The first re-sighting, was made at Antrim Marina, on the 11th October 2021, which remains the only sighting at the Marina so far.  I fell in with -  2FFN  for the second time, on the 27th August 2022, here at Whiteabbey.  This third sighting altogether, takes the duration since being ringed, to 1 year, 9 months and 4 days.  The distance from Antrim, is 23 kms / 14 miles (ESE).  Will it return to Antrim Marina at some time this winter?

Black-headed Gull  -   2FFN   -  Whiteabbey Shore, Belfast Lough, Co. Antrim  (08 Oct 2022)

(Ringed as an Un-Sexed Adult, on the 14th December 2020, at Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim)

With no more rings spotted at Whiteabbey, I drove to the nearby Whitehouse Lagoon.  The tide was well out by now, and very few birds were to be found on the Lagoon.  A distant colour-ringed Oystercatcher was spotted, which I instantly recognised as being an Icelandic bird, with just two colour-rings remaining.  This bird, was originally ringed with Green over White on the left leg, and had a Green Flag over a Black ring on the right leg.  According to Boddi Þórisson, many of the Icelandic Oystercatchers managed the remove the 'Flags' themselves, hence the introduction of White-coded Darvics in later years.  Not only, had my bird here at Whitehouse Lagoon, lost its 'Flag' on the right leg, but the plain Green ring on the left leg, somehow managed to slip inside the plain white ring on the same leg (I managed to obtain a photo showing this some time ago now).

GW-GfN, was ringed as an unsexed breeding adult, on the 5th June 2015, at Mjóanef, Eystri Rangá, in Southern Iceland.  It's first ever re-sighting was recorded by me, here at Whitehouse Lagoon, on the 6th September 2015, and the bird has returned every winter since.  The duration since being ringed, is now 7 years, 4 months and 3 days, and the distance from Iceland, is 1,294 kms / 804 miles (SE).  Boddi sent me an updated PDF File, which can be read (PDF).  He also stated that the access to the birds breeding site was closed off during the summer, due to some dispute concerning landowners.  Boddi, is hoping that it will be resolved next summer, and they plan to catch both adults and give them new colour-rings.

Oystercatcher  -  GW-GfN  -  Whitehouse Lagoon, Belfast Lough, Co. Antrim  (08 Oct 2022)

(Ringed as an Un-Sexed Breeding Adult, on the 5th June 2015, at Mjóanef, S. Iceland)

With the mudflats at Dargan, not being that far away, I decided to head there next.  The good thing about these mudflats, is that the land runs parallel to the outgoing tide.  Lots of Black-headed Gulls were spread throughout the area, but after a very long scoping session, not one ring was to be seen.  By now, the sun was low in the west, so it was a little too late to be heading back to Carrickfergus, instead, it was off to home. 

Footnote

A further email has been received from Suzanne Belshaw, with sightings of two gulls that she forgot to report, having spotted the birds at Whiteabbey Beach, on the 27th September 2022.  One of these was the Black-headed Gull that I had been looking for -  2CPN  as mentioned above.

 2CPN , had last been seen here on the 19th February 2022.  The bird was ringed as a chick, on the 16th June 2017, at the RSPB's Blue Circle Island Reserve, on Larne Lough, Co. Antrim.  It was first spotted on the Whiteabbey shore, on the 24th September 2017, and has been recorded here at least once every winter since.  The duration on the 27th September, is 5 years, 3 months and 11 days, since being ringed, and the distance from Blue Circle Island, is 19 kms / 11 miles (SSW).

Black-headed Gull  -   2CPN   -  Whiteabbey Shore, Belfast Lough, Co. Antrim  (27 Sep 2022)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 16th June 2017, at RSPB Blue Circle Island NR, Larne Lough, Co. Antrim)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

The second gull is also a regular winter visitor to the shore at Whiteabbey - Common Gull -  2AIP .  Although I looked at several Common Gulls during my visit, I could not find it.

 2AIP , was ringed as a chick, on the 11th June 2012, on Big Copeland Island in County Down.  Its first sighting was made by me on the 10th October 2015, here at Whiteabbey, and it too, has been recorded at least once every winter since.  The duration, is now 10 years, 3 months and 16 days, and the distance from Big Copeland Island, is 23 kms / 14 miles (W).

Common Gull  -   2AIP   Whiteabbey Shore, Belfast Lough, Co. Antrim  (27 Sep 2022)

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

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

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Ringing Recovery

In my previous post, I reported on a Black-headed Gull ringed - 22L5.  The gull was spotted by Steven Fyffe on the 29th September 2022, at Lady Bay, on Lough Neagh, Co. Antrim.  The code on the ring was not clear judging the photos, though Steven thought it could be either - 1215 or 1715.  If the was a British-rung bird, the code would start with the number 2.  I copied in Suzanne Belshaw, in my reply to Steven, and on the following day (30th September), Suzanne located the gull and captured the code -  22L5 .

An email was sent to Colin McShane of the Belvide Black-headed Gull project, and after a few days, no reply was received, so I therefore reported the gull to the BTO by it's colour-marks only.  On the 7th October, a reply finally arrived from Colin, offering his apologies, as they had been at an annual ringing camp on the Algarve (nice).

 22L5 , was ringed as a chick, on the 8th June 2019, at Belvide Reservoir, in Staffordshire, England.  Its first re-sighting was made on the 4th May 2020, when the bird turned up at Portmadog Harbour, in Gwynedd, Wales.  The gull then returned to the Belvide Reservoir and was seen twice in April 2021, and again in March 2022.  Suzanne's sighting on the 30th September, takes the duration to 3 years, 3 months and 22 days since being ringed.  The recovery has not arrived from the BTO, so I worked out the distance as being, 340 kms / 211 miles (NW).

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