Antrim Marina - (Sunday 10th March 2024)

Antrim Marina - Sunday 10th March 2024

Today, I arrived at Antrim Marina at 10am, the weather being overcast, a temperature reading gave 9°C, and a fairly strong wind was blowing in from a north-easterly direction which made it feel a lot colder.  Parking in my usual spot beside the small concrete jetty, just 7 Black-headed Gulls were present.

With 34 colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls to look out for, it quickly became clear, that ring reading today was going to be a long, slow process.  The first two rings read, were that of -  2FIP  and -  2CJT  at 10:18 and 10:19.  Just over two hours later at 12:05, the ring of -  2FJN  was the sixth to be read, and just 10 minutes before my 2pm departure, the ring of -  2CSK , was my 9th and final ring of the day.  This left me with a whopping 25 absentees.

Throughout my visit, there was a total lack of gulls, with birds clearly coming and going.  My highest count of Black-headed Gulls, gave me a total of 34 birds at 12:09, with just the one colour-ringed bird among them.  I was beginning to think that the metal-rung Icelandic bird -  543335  would not appear today, but it was eventually spotted at 1:15pm.  Having appeared at the Marina on the 8th August 2023, it should head back off to Iceland any time now.  I really had hoped to add one of my colour-rings to this gull before it departs, and despite a couple of near misses, I doubt that I will catch it now.

Another three visits will complete this winter's surveying at the Marina, and overall, results have been really disappointing, especially with half of my colour-ringed gulls having failed to return in the first instance.  The lack of wintering Black-headed Gulls here only emphasises the loses due to bird flu during the breeding season. 

I respond to four Northern Ireland colour-ringing projects (2 Common and 2 Black-headed Gull), and sighting reports from other observers have just about been non-existent this winter, which also highlights the plight of the gulls elsewhere.

Colour Ringed Black-headed Gulls Recorded at Antrim Marina on Sunday 10th March 2024

2FIP	2CJT	2FIK	2FJA	2FJF	2FJN	2AAB	2CSR	2CSK

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

2AAN	2ABN	2ACV	2AFD	2BRA	2BRD	2CTA	2FDJ	2FDK
2FDL	2FFA	2FFT	2FFX	2FHC	2FHT	2FHV	2FIA	2FIF
2FIJ	2FIL	2FJH	2FJK	2FJL	2FJP	2FJT

Graham McElwaine - Monday 11th March 2024

An email arrived with me on Monday evening on the 11th March.  Graham, who lives in County Down, surveys Whooper Swans in the Toome area of County Antrim.  As usual, on completing his survey, Graham calls in to Antrim Marina to walk his dog before returning home.  Well aware of my gull project at the Marina, Graham recorded five colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls among an estimated 30 birds that were present.  Two of these -  2FDJ  and -  2FJL , were absent during my visit yesterday (Sunday 10th March).  His sighting of -  2FDJ  was of special interest, as I have not seen this gull since the 18th February 2024, and thought it had departed enroute to Estonia

Back in 2021,  2FDJ  was recorded on 4 occasions in February (Scotland), before turning up in eastern Estonia on the 4th April 2021.  Having been spotted just 44 kms from the border with Russia, which country it actually bred in, is unknown.

 2FJL , is an adult, which I caught and ringed at the Marina, on the 3rd December 2023.  Since being ringed, it is not regularly recorded at the Marina, with Graham's sighting being the 6th record for this bird.

Colour Ringed Black-headed Gulls Recorded at Antrim Marina by Graham McElwaine on Monday 11th March 2024

2CJT	2FDJ	2FIP	2FJA	2FJL

Graham had read my blog about the recent appearance of a very confiding Cormorant, with that bird back on the concrete jetty during his visit today.  Graham noted a lady taking photos of the bird, and she too was surprised with the birds confiding nature, and even knew what species it was.

Leaving the Marina, Graham made his way to Rea's Wood.  The entrance to the wood, is on the edge of the main car park beside the Marina.  There is a footpath which runs alongside the edge of Lough Neagh, and a scene from 'Game of Thrones' was actually filmed there.  Graham stated that there were lots of gulls on a sand-bar, but he did not have his telescope with him.  I found this of interest, as I walked that stretch years ago in search of possible sites to view gulls, and there were no sand-bars at that time.  I must take a look during my next visit to Antrim Marina.  As always, my thanks goes to Graham for his sightings.

Other Birds at Antrim Marina

3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were present on my arrival, though they flew off shortly after.  Presumably, two of these made several brief returns during the morning.  The resident pair of Herring Gulls were also present throughout my visit, but not one Common Gull appeared today.

12 Mute Swans, plus the family group of 4 cygnets, were also present throughout my visit.  A further 3 adult Mute Swans swam in from Lough Neagh at 11:18, and the overall total of (White) Mute Swans increased to 17, with two more having slipped in un-noticed when a count was made at 12:30.  With so many feeds of bread being available, all legs were checked, but no rings.

Mallard numbers were up just slightly, with an initial 22 birds at first, increasing to 31 altogether at 12:30.  Once again, I would be fairly certain that all legs were checked for rings.

The confiding Cormorant that appeared for the first time last week, popped up onto the small concrete jetty at 10:24.  A 2nd Cormorant appeared at 11:00, and it too hauled itself onto the jetty.  Both birds caught the attention of many passers-by, and appeared calm whilst having their photos took.  A third Cormorant arrived at 12:10, and after swimming around in lots of circles beside the jetty, was not so sure about the number of folk about, making a hasty retreat.

Cormorants on the Short Concrete Jetty at Antrim Marina  (10 Mar 2024)

4 Jackdaws, 1 Rook and a male Pied Wagtail, were the only other birds noted today.

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