Antrim Marina - (Sunday 10th December 2023)

Antrim Marina - Sunday 10th December 2023

Today saw a very late start to my weekly visit to Antrim Marina, as I arrived at midday.  Earlier, very heavy rainfall due to Storm Elin, meant I had to wait at home until conditions improved.  While waiting at home, it became so dark at one point, that we had to put the kitchen light on.  Looking at the forecast, a brief rest-bite in conditions would see drier sunnier conditions from around midday to 2pm, before the next front of rain would make it's way in. 

On my arrival, around 60 Black-headed Gulls were spread out along the front of the Marina.  With 33 colour-rings to look out for, these included four adults that were caught and ringed last Sunday (3rd December).  During the visit, I was hoping to obtain my first photos of these newly rung gulls.  Two of the four were recorded today, with my 6th colour-ring sighting being that of -  2FJN  at 12:16, followed by my 16th ring sighting at 13:00 -  2FJL .

Black-headed Gull  -   2FJN   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (10 Dec 2023)

(Ringed as an Unsexed Adult, on the 3rd December 2023, at Antrim Marina)

Black-headed Gull  -   2FJL   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (10 Dec 2023)

(Ringed as an Unsexed Adult, on the 3rd December 2023, at Antrim Marina)

My visit today only lasted for two and a half hours, when the sky began to darken down again as the next front approached.  Of the 33 colour-rings I was looking out for, 23 were recorded today, meaning I had 10 absentees.  Taking a closer look at these absentees, three birds -  2FDK ,  2FFT ,  2FHT , have had just a single sighting each so far this winter, while -  2FIJ  has had two.  Of these,  2FDK  really stands out, as in previous winters, this gull would be recorded on a regular basis during most weeks and is regarded as a year round resident.  Have I lost this one as well now?  I am convinced that the other three are using the Marina as a 'staging post' before moving on to their wintering sites wherever they may be.  

Another gull that has disappeared of late is -  2FHV .  Last winter,  2FHV  returned to the Marina on the 8th August 2022, having been spotted for a second time during the summer in Iceland, on the 8th July 2022.  Having returned, it was recorded regularly until the 10th October 2022, before disappearing until February 2023.  This winter,  2FHV  was recorded back, on the 31st July 2023, with regular weekly sightings until the 22nd October 2023.  Judging by my records, it may be possible that I will not see this one again until next spring.

No further returnees were recorded today, so the Swedish -  2FDL  is now well overdue.  Last winter, this gull returned on the 28th November 2022.  The Icelandic meal-rung Black-headed Gull -  543335 , which has been here since the 8th August 2023, was spotted again today at 12:35.

By 2pm, numbers had risen to around the 80 mark, which is still very low when compared to previous winters.  From time to time, an elderly man would arrive with a carrier bag full of bread to feed the ducks and swans, and he hates the gulls as he says they are too greedy.  Unlike the ducks and swans which can feed on grass and weed, there is little in the way of natural food for the gulls around the Marina.  That elderly gent arrived today, and the gulls of course managed to get their share of his bread.  I thought catching new birds to be ringed would be very difficult.  On trying, the gulls came fairly close, but not close enough.  I was fortunate, that a swan stood on the wing of one adult Black-headed Gull, which I duly rescued and this one is now ringed -  2FJT .

With the addition of -  2FJT , I will be on the lookout for 34 colour-rings on my next visit, and hopefully a returnee or two.  I still having many Blue Darvic-rung gulls missing from last winter.  Along with -  2FJT , I will hope to obtain my first photos of -  2FJK  and  2FJP  which did not show up today.

Among today's sightings, was that of the recently returned -  2CTA , which I had to resurrect from the 'dead list', and -  2BRD , which is a rare visitor to the Marina these days.  This is now my third sighting for -  2BRD  this winter, though I am convinced that it remains in the area of Antrim Town throughout the winter.  This same gull would appear at Lurgan Park Lake in County Armagh, just before the onset of the new breeding season.

Colour Ringed Black-headed Gulls Recorded at Antrim Marina on Sunday 10th December 2023

2FIF	2ABN	2BRA	2ACV	2CSK	2FJN	2FJA	2FJJ
2FIL	2CSR	2FIP	2FFA	2AAN	2FJF	2FHC	2FJL
2AAB	2CJT	2CTA	2BRD	2FDJ	2FFX	2FIK

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

2AFD	2FDK	2FFT	2FHT	2FHV	2FIA	2FIJ	2FJH	2FJK	2FJP

Other Birds at Antrim Marina

On my arrival, 13 (White) Mute Swans and 6 cygnets were present.  I say (White) swans, as usually one or two are immatures judging by their beak colour.  Among these swans,  Z78580  was recorded again at 12:27.  At 12:25, a further two swans arrived from the direction of Lough Neagh, with a 16th swan having slipped in un-noticed by 2pm.

Around 12:45, chaos erupted around the slipway, when four canoeists came paddling down river at speed towards the swans and ducks.  The birds went crazy as the canoeists, four abreast travelled directly towards them.  Oblivious to the panic that they were causing, the birds started to fly out towards the Lough before landing a short distance away, only to be disturbed again by these 'idiots'.  Fair enough, one man realised what was happening, and he broke away to the far side of the river and showed a bit of common sense.  If only I had a shotgun!!!

Eventually, all of the ducks and swans returned to the slipway.

"Idiots"

Mallard numbers were at last slightly up this week, with around 40 to 50 birds at all times.  As usual, most legs were checked for rings.

Two adult Herring Gulls were present throughout my visit, one being the resident male, the second, which stayed close to him, was a bird that I have not seen before judging by it's size and markings.  The first three Common Gulls arrived together just before 12:40, with a further two adults appearing just after 1pm.  So far this winter, 10 adults have been the highest number to be counted at any one time, and once again, there is still no sign of the small Scottish metal-rung female.

It has been a long time since I saw a Moorhen here, but this one, who quite happily walked about within feet of people, happily strutted about for about an hour before returning onto the river.  The Robin, was seen again skulking around the bushes beside the small sandy beach.

Repeated visits by two Jackdaws, were the only other species noted today.

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