Antrim Marina (Monday 21st August 2023)

Antrim Marina - Monday 21st August 2023

Today saw me making my fourth weekly visit of the 2023/2024 autumn/winter season at Antrim Marina, to study the wintering population of Black-headed Gulls.  It was a cloudy, but warm day (21°C), with a very strong wind blowing in from the west over Lough Neagh.  Unlike the previous visits, the strength of the wind kept the gulls off the roof of the 'Gateway Centre'.  On my arrival, around 70 Black-headed Gulls were dotted around the jetties and the front car park.  Taking my gear out of the boot of my car, I nearly 'died' as I realised that my most important piece of equipment - my camera, was left sitting on a kitchen chair back home.  I chose a later start than normal, arriving at 12:30 and departed at 4:30.

With the addition of -  2AAN  and  2BRD  last week, the overall total of colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls now sat at 18 out of a total of nearly 50 rings read here last winter.  Although 70 Black-headed Gulls were present when I arrived, numbers decreased slightly over the course of today's visit.  By the time of my departure, 14 out of the 18 colour-ringed gulls recorded in prior weeks were recorded today, and more concerning, was the fact that no more returnees were recorded.

I could be wrong, but the way things are looking at the present, many of my study birds are not going to make it back this winter.  Some of the earliest colour-ringed gulls, which were ringed here as part of Adam McClure's former Northern Ireland Study, should have been on site by the beginning of August.  These are the likes of -  2AAA ,  2AAK ,  2ABL  and  2ABN .  Another bird -  2ABS , was last seen on the 7th November 2022, and I'd be fairly certain now that this one has perished since then.

There are also lots of gulls missing that I have ringed over the course of the last couple of winters.  Has 'Bird Flu' taken it's toll on many of them?  One bird -  2FFC  was found dead at a breeding colony in Germany over the summer, with this gull testing positive for the virus.  Two gulls among today's list of re-sightings -  2ACV  and  2FFX , survived through the outbreak of 'Bird Flu' at the RSPB's Window on Wildlife Reserve in Belfast this summer.

Colour Ringed Black-headed Gulls at Antrim Marina on Monday 21st August 2023

2CJT	2FIA	2FIK	2FIP	2FJA	2FHV	2AAB
2AAN	2CSK	2FFX	2FFA	2ACV	2FIL	2BRA

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

2BRD	2FHC	2FIF	2FIJ

Back on the 8th August 2023, a metal-rung Black-headed Gull appeared, and this bird turned out to be an Icelandic bird.  Having only taken a couple of photos, the gull flew off, leaving me two digits short of completing the whole number on the ring -  543335 .  The gull was very comfortable being around people feeding the ducks, so I thought there would be a good chance of competing the number at some point should it remain in the area.  During my visit to the Marina last week, there was no sign of the gull, which left me wondering if it was still about.

Around 1:45pm during today's visit, I spotted a gull with an upside-down metal-ring, telling me my gull was back again.  Having forgotten to bring my camera along today, I chased after the bird with my telescope and I was fairly sure that the last two digits read ' 35 '. thus giving me -  543335 .  Again, I saw that the gull was ultra confident at being around people, so I thought at having a go to try to catch it whereby I could fit a colour-ring onto it's right leg.  Dropping bread between the legs of the swans on the slipway, my bird made its way directly behind the swans and was reluctant to come any closer.  I reckon that I will have a good chance at catching the bird in a few weeks time, once there is less natural food for the gulls to eat.  Later in the evening, I decided to take a chance that I had read the number correctly, and sent an email to the Icelandic Institute of Natural History.

On the following day (Tuesday 22nd August), whilst sitting having my breakfast, I decided that I should go back to Antrim Marina with my camera.  Having submitted seven recent ring sightings to the BTO, I made my way back to the Marina.  Having arrived, about two dozen Black-headed Gulls were present.  After a short, but heavy shower of rain, I began to search through the gulls with my binoculars and spotted my Icelandic bird resting on what used to be, the short wooden jetty.  Moving my car closer to the jetty, I began throwing out bits of bread which drew my gull closer to me and I took lots of pictures of the ring.  I was correct with the ring reading -  543335 .

I returned home well pleased, and a short time afterwards, a reply arrived from Iceland.  The Icelandic Institute of Natural History did not have the details for my gull, except to say that it had been ringed this year.  They will get in touch with the ringer and will send me the details once they have them.  Seeing as this bird was only ringed this year, there could be a good chance that it has wintered at the Marina in the past.

Black-headed Gull  -  Iceland   543335   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (22 Aug 2023)

(Ringed in Iceland during 2023 - Ringing Details being Sought from the Ringer Concerned)

Other Birds at Antrim Marina

Today was yet another poor day concerning other species of birds visiting the Marina.  A pair of Herring Gulls was present throughout my visit, and presumably, the same Lesser Black-backed Gull frequently came and went.  I am still waiting to record the first Common Gulls of the autumn/winter season, especially that of the small female metal-rung bird from Scotland.  This one first appeared here as a juvenile in February 2014, and has wintered in the area around Antrim Marina every winter since.

The Mute Swan pair, along with their four cygnets were also present throughout today's visit.  Just before I departed at 4:30, a further four adult swans arrived, though none of these were ringed.  Again, the Mallard numbers were around the 60 mark, and still no rings among them.

A juvenile Cormorant seen at 1:22 was first seen in front of the slipway diving for fish, and then slowly made it's way up-river.  2 adult Jackdaws and a single juvenile completed today's list of other bird species.

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