Antrim Marina - (Sunday 29th October 2023)

Antrim Marina - Sunday 29th October 2023

Prior to today's visit to Antrim Marina, I received an email from Graham McElwaine who visited the Marina on Friday 27th October 2023.  Whilst at the Marina, Graham recorded two colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls -  2FFA  and  2CSK , the latter being absent two days later during my visit.  Graham made no comment on the numbers that were present, though there was other colour-ringed gulls whose rings were not read.

Today, I arrived at the Marina at 10:30, and departed at 2pm thoroughly frustrated.  With 24 colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls recorded so far during this autumn/winter season, only 11 were recorded during today's visit.  I had arrived with high hopes, seeing as the weather the day before, saw very wet and windy conditions which often leads to very hungry gulls.

The weather conditions on my arrival, saw a nice blue sky, and a very light breeze with the temperature reading 11°C.  Normally under such conditions, the gulls would often perch themselves on the roof of the 'Gateway Centre', but not today.  A count of the Black-headed Gulls gave a total of just 39 birds.  A second count at 1pm, saw a total of around 50, and after that numbers actually decreased.

I was absolutely bored stiff today, bad enough that half of my gulls have failed to return at all this winter, but to have more than half of previously recorded gulls being absent did not help.  Overall numbers for this time of the year should be somewhere nearer 200 birds.

The few gulls that were present today, were clearly hungry, but not enough that I could catch any.  The Icelandic-rung -  543335 , was however just inches away from being caught.  This bird arrived on the 8th August 2023, having been caught and ringed in Iceland in July 2023.

Now that we have moved into the month of November, I am now hoping on the return of  2FDL  from Sweden, and  2AFD  from Latvia.   2AFD  was spotted in Riga, Latvia on the 30th June and on the 1st July 2023, followed by a sighting on the 11th July 2023, at Cromer in Norfolk, England.  These days,  2AFD  is more often to be seen at the Castle Way car park in the centre of Antrim Town, but a quick check before going to the Marina, saw no gulls present.

Colour Ringed Black-headed Gulls Recorded at Antrim Marina on Sunday 29th October 2023

2FFA	2FIP	2ABN	2FIK	2FHC	2AAN	2FIL	2CJT	2FFX	2FIF	2BRA

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

2AAB	2ACV	2BRD	2CSK	2CSR	2FDJ	2FDK
2FHT	2FFT	2FHV	2FIA	2FIJ	2FJA

Other Birds at Antrim Marina

Once again, the high number of Mute Swans grabbed my attention on my arrival.  A count gave me at total of 11 birds, along with 7 cygnets.  The cygnets were in two groups independent of any adults.  They were of similar ages, so the group of three were new arrivals to the Marina.  On my previous visit, two slightly younger cygnets were accompanied by a juvenile Whooper Swan, none of which appeared today.  At 11:27, a further two adults arrived in from the direction of Lough Neagh, taking the total to 13 (White) swans.  It took a while for all of the birds to come ashore, and the ring of -  Z78580  was read at 10:50.

Around 50 Mallards, saw numbers decreasing to about 30 birds by 1pm.  Still no rings on any of these.

The adult male Herring Gull was present throughout my visit, and two Common Gulls appeared just after 1pm.  There is still no sign of the Scottish-rung female.

A Robin was seen several times skulking around the bushes beside the small Sandy Beach.  I cannot remember having seen one here before.  6 Jackdaws and 2 Hooded Crows were the only other species to have been noted today.

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I have not been out and about of late, as the MOT in my car expired in late September.  Except to visit Antrim Marina, I only drive to work and back home again.  Back at the beginning of August, I went online to book an MOT appointment, but the earliest date that I could get, was the 30th November, which came as a bit of a shock.  Even the letter from the DVLA, informing me that my MOT was due, did not arrive until the beginning of September.  Surely, with a backlog, they should have sent reminders out earlier.  I still believe the police are still turning a blind eye as to the backlog situation, so long as a date for an MOT test has been applied for.  I still think it is better to stay off the road as much as possible until the car has its MOT.

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