Antrim Marina - (Sunday 4th February 2024)

Before I begin on this weeks account for Antrim Marina, I must make mention of an email that I received this week.  Tirso Fernández from Galicia in Spain, was directed to contact me with ten Black-headed Gulls that he recorded at Antrim Marina, back on the 10th December 2023.  These sightings were made around 3:30pm.  All ten gulls had been recorded earlier that day during my weekly visit.  My thanks goes to Tirso for taking the effort to make sure I obtained these sightings, all of which were backed up with photographs.  I replied with full re-sighting histories for each gull, but only the Estonian -  2FDJ  has a history of any worthy note.  Although Tirso has not got back to me, I would assume he was in Northern Ireland on holiday at that time.

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

2AAB	2AAN	2BRA	2CSR	2FDJ	2FIP	2FJA	2FJF	2FJJ	2FJN

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Antrim Marina - Sunday 4th February 2024

Today, I arrived at Antrim Marina at the slightly later time of 10:20, departing at 2:45pm.  On my way to the Marina, I stopped by the Castle Way car park in the centre of the town of Antrim, just in case the Latvian Black-headed Gull -  2AFD  might be there.  For the first time this winter, a small flock of around 40 Black-headed Gulls were standing around the car park, but my gull was not among them.  Seeing as -  2AFD  did not appear at the Marina today, I called by the car park again on my way home, but there was still no sign of him.

At the Marina, a very strong wind was blowing in off Lough Neagh, and the showers of drizzle were practically non-stop.  The temperature gauge in my car read 9°C, though it felt a lot colder.  A head count of 41 Black-headed Gulls were dotted all around the car park.  Not many were keen on standing on the metal rails of the jetties for too long.

With 35 colour-rings to look out for, the first was that of -  2ACV  at 10:25.  Recording rings was a slightly slow process, and by 12:04, what was to be my final colour-ring sighting, was that of the juvenile -  2FJF  which was ringed here on the 12th November 2023.  The Icelandic Black-headed Gull -  543335 , which has been here since the 8th August 2023, was also spotted again at 11:30.

During last weeks visit, I had my second sighting of another Icelandic Black-headed Gull -  595818 , having first recorded it here on the 12th November 2023.  At 12:14, I spotted a metal-rung Black-headed Gull on the top rail of the short concrete jetty directly in front of my car.  Seeing as the ring was on the gull's right leg, I thought this was going to be another sighting of -  595818  ( 543335  is ringed on the left leg).  Scoping this bird, I noted a ' 6 ' in the number, and unlike Icelandic rings, the address was below the numbers - I had a new sighting.

Camera in hand, I took a photo of the gull, and a zoomed in shot of the metal ring, revealing ' 645 ' and the beginning of the word Stockholm - a Swedish bird.  The sighting could not have occurred at a worse time, as a couple of folk arrived to feed the ducks.  Eventually, I managed to relocate the bird and managed one more photo before it flew off again, disappearing completely.  The second photo revealed the final two digits ' 88 ', but I knew Swedish rings have seven numbers in total -  645**88 . 

I remembered, that I recorded a Swedish bird here in more recent winters, and when I returned home, I made a search of - Sweden ' 645 ' on my spreadsheet, and found a match.  Unfortunately, that bird which was recorded here on the 17th February 2020, was rung -  6453864 .  I doubt whether I will see the gull again this winter, but I have entered the partial sighting onto my spreadsheet for future reference should it reappear again.

Swedish Black-headed Gull  -   645**88   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (04 Feb 2024)

Despite having recorded my final colour-ring at 12:04, I had hoped for a flurry of late arrivals, as was the case last week.  It wasn't to be, so my final total finished on 18, with 17 absentees.  No further returnees have been recorded since the late return of the Swedish -  2FDL , on the 28th January 2024.  Overall numbers fluctuated widely throughout the morning, with a maximum number of an estimated 70 Black-headed Gulls around 13:10 (Photo Below).  Once again, with all of the birds having had several feeds, I made no attempt to catch and ring any new birds.

Ducks, Swans and Black-headed Gulls Spread Out Over The Car Park

The Small Concrete Jetty is Just to the Left Behind the Fencing

Colour Ringed Black-headed Gulls Recorded at Antrim Marina on Sunday 4th February 2024

2ACV	2FJJ	2AAN	2CSR	2BRA	2FIK	2ABN	2FIP	2CSK
2FIF	2FJA	2CJT	2AAB	2FFA	2FFX	2FHC	2FJT	2FJF

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

2AFD	2BRD	2CTA	2FDJ	2FDK	2FDL	2FFT	2FHT	2FHV
2FIA	2FIJ	2FIL	2FJH	2FJK	2FJL	2FJN	2FJP

Other Birds at Antrim Marina

On my arrival today, 13 Mute Swans and two cygnets were already out of the water standing around the slipway.  A third cygnet announced it's arrival having flown down river from the direction of Antrim town at 11:01, and was followed at 11:20, by a further 6 swans and a 4th cygnet.  I'm fairly certain, that the four cygnets were siblings having hatched during the summer a short distance upstream.  With all legs checked for rings, there was no sign of -  Z78580 , for the third week in a row.  I asked Danny, who volunteers for the Lough Neagh Rescue Team, if he had heard of any swans having been found injured over recent weeks, but he has not heard anything.  Danny and his team mates had been out searching the nearby shore's of Lough Neagh for the man who has been missing since the 17th December 2023.

This must be the worst week ever regarding the Mallards.  Just 14 birds were present when I arrived, with just 27 present by the time of my departure.   Upwards of 100 birds would normally be found here in previous winters, but I have not got a clue as to what is going on with these birds.  All legs were checked, but still no rings this winter.

Talking of low numbers, not a single adult Common Gull appeared today.  Two juveniles were spotted at 10:55 and 1:06pm, and I know these were different birds, as the first had heavy black feathering around the wing butts.  It was really surprising not to record at least a couple of adults.

The usual Herring Gull pair arrived at 10:38, closely followed by the 3rd calendar year bird which first appeared a couple of weeks ago.  It did not hang about for long, as it was constantly being chased by the resident pair.

Both the adult and juvenile Moorhens were present throughout my visit.  The juvenile is growing ever confident being around people.

One Hooded Crow and a single Rook, both made brief appearances, and a pair of Pied Wagtails appeared several times.  A Cormorant spent around 30 minutes fishing along the length of the Marina before flying out towards Lough Neagh.

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