Rathlin Island - Wednesday 15th May 2024

Rathlin Island - 15th May 2024

Today I undertook my first visit this summer to Rathlin Island to record colour-ringed Common Gulls.  Back in 2016, I surveyed the sub colonies of these gulls with the view of starting a new colour-ringing project.  Having estimated an overall population of 100 plus pairs, I began my study on the island in 2017.  My aim was to see how many colour-ringed chicks survived to adulthood and integrate into the overall population.  Over the years since 2017, it became obvious that the output of chicks through to the fledging stage was rather hit or miss.  More often than not, the gulls have had poor breeding seasons, though 2019 and 2022 were exceptionally good years.  The reasons for the poor output of chicks was unknown, but recently, though I have never seen either during my visits, Ferrets and Rats appear to the main culprits.  Apparently, the island is infested with both species, and work is now underway to eradicate them.

Another factor that may be affecting the populations around the island is 'Bird Flu'.  Last summer, a fair proportion of gulls that had been colour-ringed over previous years, failed to show up at their respective colonies.  All of these problems, are making a difference to my overall aims.

On today's visit, I travelled over on the 10am ferry, and returned to Ballycastle on the 5pm ferry.  I went to the sub-colony at Arkill Bay, which is now split into two parts.  The southern section is now looked after by the Royal Society for the Protection of birds and is now known as the Craigmacagan Reserve.  The north section is on private land.  As things panned out, I spent the whole afternoon scoping backwards and forwards between the two sections.

I would sit on the hillsides overlooking the colonies for any sign of rings, and when spotted, I would zoom in with my powerful Nikon P1000 to take photos of each gull and ring.  As it turned out, I could not have chosen a worse day to visit.  The heat haze rising off of the rocks was nothing normal, and by zooming in, the haze just got worse.  The only decent photo I took, was of my ninth ring-sighting just after 3pm.  Shortly beforehand, a cool easterly wind began blowing in from the sea which helped.

Below are the 'cropped out' rings for all nine gulls that were recorded, a series of other photos were so poor due to the haze, nothing could be read on those rings with certainty.  The very first ring, though in poor condition, belongs to -  2BBF .  I know this for definite, as he was spotted at his favoured nest site from previous years.  He was also the only one spotted today having been ringed when I began my project in 2017.  He was ringed at this same colony on the 24th June 2017.  Away from the island, I spotted him twice as a juvenile at Carnlough in County Antrim in June and July 2018.  The duration as of today's sighting, is 6 years, 10 months and 21 days since being ringed.

Colour-ringed Common Gulls Recorded at Arkill Bay, Rathlin Island on Wednesday 15th May 2024

 2BJX , was ringed as a chick at Arkill Bay, on the 24th June 2019.  It's only two sightings away from Rathlin Island were recorded as a juvenile by Jan Rod in January 2022, when spotted on Gormanstown Beach in Co. Meath, in the Republic of Ireland.  Since then, it has been recorded by me at Arkill Bay in June 2022 and June 2023.  The duration, is now 4 years, 10 months and 21 days.

The only decent photo that I took today, was that of -  2BTL .  This one turned out to be a first ever sighting of the bird, despite being ringed as a chick here at Arkill Bay, on the 15th June 2021.  The duration is now 2 years and 11 months exactly since it was ringed.

Common Gull  -   2BTL   -  Arkill Bay, Rathlin Island, Co. Antrim  (15 May 2024)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 15th June 2021, at Arkill Bay)

 2BVH , was ringed as a chick at Arkill Bay, on the 22nd June 2021, and I recorded the bird as fledged on the 11th July 2021.  Since then, the only other sighting was made at this colony, on the 14 May 2023.  The duration, is now 2 years, 10 months and 23 days.

With the exception of one gull -  2CCL , the final four were all first ever sightings.   2CCL , was ringed at the Arkill Bay colony as a chick, on the 14th June 2022.  It was spotted by holiday makers Pete and Ann Wilson on the 15th July 2023, on the beach at Ballycastle, just a 'good' stones throw away from Rathlin.  Today's sighting comes 1 year, 11 months and 1 day since being ringed.

 2CAV ,  2CFA ,  2CFK  and  2CFL , were all ringed at the Arkill Bay colony in June 2022.  These four, along with -  2CCL  would be prospecting nest sites, as they will not be full breeding age until next year.  I am fairly sure, but I will need to confirm this on another visit, but it looks likely that -  2CFK  and  2CFL  are paired up together.  This would be something, seeing as I ringed them one after the other.  The duration for these gulls, are just under 1 year and 11 months since being ringed.

As stated above, my main aim was to see how many surviving chicks would integrate back into the overall breeding population.  Not only have today's nine sightings returned to Rathlin, but all have returned to their own natal colonies.

Overall, I think the population is slightly lower in both sections at Arkill Bay.  The legs of those gulls sitting on eggs could not be seen, and for many, their partners were obviously away feeding.  In this case, there is plenty of scope for more rings to be read here over the next two months.  My next visit to Rathlin, will see me covering the Doon Bay and Rue Point sub-colonies, as well as checking the small islet on the freshwater Ushet Lough.

Resident islander Ric Else, has said he will try to visit the Portawillan and Portcastle sub-colonies which lie to the north from Arkill Bay.  So far, I have been unable to obtain permission from the landowner to visit these colonies.  I would be fairly confident, that some of my colour-ringed Common Gulls can also be found at these two sites.

It has also come to light through the Rathlin Island Bird Report (PDF), that a further two sub-colonies were found at Bull Point in the west of the island and on the north coast.  With most of Rathlin's Common Gulls being located along the east coast, these two new sites are a 'trifle' out of the way.  If I can find the time, I might just take a look at these anyway.

Since quitting my job back in early April, I have been doing voluntary work with the Northern Ireland Raptor Study Group.  The main focus, is surveying the hills for Hen Harrier and Merlin nest sites, as well as looking for nest sites of other Raptors.  Many long hours is involved sitting scanning for these birds.  Although this is sensitive work, I do hope to get a few good photos for my blog.  Something a bit different from Ring Reading.

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