Antrim Marina - Sunday 18th August 2024

Antrim Marina - Sunday 18th August 2024

Today saw me making my third weekly visit to Antrim Marina to study the wintering population of Black-headed Gulls.  My four hour visit began at 10am, finishing at 2pm.  Weather-wise, it remained fairly cloudy throughout my visit, and a fairly strong wind was blowing in from the west.  The temperature gauge in my car read 15ºC, rising to 19ºC by the time of my departure.

Among the Black-headed Gulls, I was looking for a total of 21 colour-ringed birds, with five of these having been added to this winter's list after last Sunday's visit.  The overall total this winter, should reach 34 once all of the returning birds arrive back.  As the weeks pass by, I will attempt to catch and ring more gulls to add to my project.  Last winter, roughly half of my colour-ringed gulls failed to return with 'Bird Flu' having been the major cause of the fatalities.  Under normal circumstances, only a few might not return, the reason being for natural reasons.

Parking alongside the small concrete jetty, a quick count of the Black-headed Gulls, gave a total of around 70 birds.  All were spread out over all of the jetties, and due to the strong wind, most were lying down making rings impossible to read.  Usually, the bulk of the colour-rings would be read in the first hour after arrival.  Today, it was a long drawn out task, with the ring of -  2ABN  being the last of 18 rings to be read at 1:31pm.   2ABN  was absent last week, but on my first winter visit the week before, it arrived with a really bad leg injury.  When I saw the gull briefly today, it was difficult to tell if there was any improvement.

The very first ring to be read today, was not one of my gulls, but the Icelandic metal-rung bird -  543335  which arrived back to the Marina last week for a second winter running.  Ringed in July 2023, it remained at the Marina from August 2023 till late March 2024.

There was one new addition to this winter's list, as my 5th sighting saw the return of -  2BRD .  This was one of four birds ringed here by Adam McClure on the 1st February 2015, as part of his Northern Ireland Study which ended in 2018.  An adult male,  2BRD  is an infrequent visitor to the Marina each winter, though I reckon it does remain in the area around the town of Antrim.  We still do not know where this bird goes to breed each summer, but every spring in the weeks leading up to the breeding season, it can be found at Lurgan Park Lake in County Armagh which is 28 kms / 17 miles (SSW) from Antrim.  The duration since being ringed, is now 9 years, 6 months and 17 days.

Black-headed Gull  -   2BRD   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (18 Aug 2024)

(Ringed as an Adult Male, on the 1st February 2015, at Antrim Marina)

Last week, I reported on seeing -  2AAB , which had survived the breeding season.  Unfortunately, I could not get a photo, as once the gull had a good feed of bread from my hand, it took a good drink of water and then decided to lie down on the jetty.  Year round resident -  2AAB  is Northern Ireland's oldest 'home' ringed bird, having been ringed here by Adam on the 11th December 2012.  With a duration of 11 years, 8 months and 7 days, it falls well short of -  250B  which is currently wintering at Sprucefield in County Down, having been ringed in County Mayo in the Republic of Ireland in June 2008 - 16 years, 2 months and 3 days when last seen.

Black-headed Gull  -   2AAB   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (18 Aug 2024)

(Ringed as an Unsexed Adult, on the 11th December 2012, at Antrim Marina)

Overall, numbers remained around the 70 mark for most of today's visit, dropping off slightly shortly before my departure.  There was little sign of the 'Blue-Green Algae' around the Marina, and even the slipway which was sitting thick with a green coating was now clear.

With the addition of -  2BRD  today, this winter's total now sits at 22 birds.  With 12 still to return, the next few weeks will be interesting.  Not one of gulls from known foreign countries were reported during the past breeding season.  One such bird -  2FHV , is already late returning from Iceland.  Ringed here in November 2021, the return dates over the past two winters, are, 8th August 2022 and 8th August 2023.

Colour Ringed Black-headed Gulls Recorded at Antrim Marina on Sunday 18th August 2024

2FFA	2FJT	2CSK	2FIL	2BRD	2FJA	2FFT	2FJK	2FIJ
2FJN	2ACV	2FHC	2AAB	2FIF	2FFX	2CJT	2CSR	2ABN

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

2AAN	2BRA	2FJF	2FJL

Other Birds at Antrim Marina

The large number of Mallards present, caught my eye for a second week running.  A count gave roughly 70 birds on my arrival, with 80 to 85 present when I departed.  Until people started to arrive with bread, most like the gulls were lying down on the jetties.  Once on the move, most legs were checked for rings, but as usual, none were to be found.

For the third visit running, not a single Mute Swan turned up.  Several people that I talked to asked about the swans wondering why none were present.  A couple wondered if the 'Algae' had anything to do with it, though I did say to them that the 'Algae' had no effect on the swans here last winter.

The squealing of the juvenile Herring Gull, could be heard for the large part of my visit.  Present along with his father when I arrived, it constantly followed 'papa' begging for food until late on, when it managed to get it's share of bread being fed to the ducks.  The female did not appear until 10:53.

Juvenile Herring Gull Begging for Food from his Father  - Antrim Marina  (18 Aug 2024)

Not a single Common Gull appeared during the visit.  Three adult along with a juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull arrived together at midday.  All managed to get some bread before flying away again shortly afterwards.

At 11:55, a Cormorant came ashore on the slipway.  Limping heavily with an injured right leg, it walked up onto the short concrete jetty, resting on the far corner.  I wonder if this is the same bird which appeared here to rest on the jetty during my final weeks last winter.

Up to 7 Jackdaws were constant visitors throughout my stay, and a single male Grey Wagtail and a Rook made brief appearances.

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