From Suzanne Belshaw & David Nixon...

From Suzanne Belshaw

Suzanne Belshaw has been in touch to inform me of her latest ring sightings.  My favourite is the Common Gull with a metal-ring.  Metal rings on small gulls can often be very difficult to read, and the best way to do it, is to get as close as possible to the bird, and take photos from different angles.  At times this can be very difficult, and sometimes the gull would just fly off when you are hoping it will stay put.

On this occasion Suzanne was successful in capturing the number, albeit, she was not quite sure of one digit.  Reporting the bird to me as -  EG55364 , she also thought the number might have read -  EG56364 .  Being a ringer myself, I checked both numbers via the BTO's DemOn Ringing Database.  Bingo!!, the second number has never been used.

 EG55364 , was ringed as a chick, on the 22nd June 2005, on nearby Big Copeland in County Down.  Unsurprisingly, this was the gull's first sighting since being ringed, with a duration now standing at 19 years, 2 months and 1 day.  Suzanne found the gull on the shore by the Commons in Donaghadee (also known as Coal Pit Bay), Co. Down.  The Commons lies 6 kms / 4 miles (S) from Big Copeland.  Well done Suzanne, I'm a big fan of those who can nail these metals.

Common Gull  -   EG55364   -  The Commons, Donaghadee, Co. Down  (23 Aug 2024)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 22nd June 2005, on Big Copeland Island, The Copeland Islands, Co. Down)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

A visit to Belfast Waterworks on the 22nd August 2024, produced two re-sightings.  The first was that of a Norwegian colour-ringed Black-headed Gull -  J7L8 .  This is the 5th Northern Ireland sighting for this gull, with all five sightings being recorded here at the Waterworks.   J7L8 , was ringed as an adult male, on the 12th April 2017, at Lake Engervannet, on the outskirts of Oslo, Norway.

The first sighting was made by Paul McCullough, on the 11th October 2019.  The next three sightings were made by Suzanne, on the 1st September 2020, 20th September 2022 and on the 12th October 2022.  Suzanne says that she did see a gull here at the Waterworks during the 2023/2024 winter on a couple of occasions, though she was not able to check for the code as the gull flew off.

This latest sighting, take the duration since being ringed, to 7 years, 4 months and 10 days.  The Waterworks lies 1,148 kms / 713 miles (WSW) from Lake Engervannet.  Back at home,  J7L8  has been recorded during the spring and/or the summer months every year since being ringed, with the last date having occurred in late March 2024.

Black-headed Gull  -  Norway   J7L8   -  Belfast Waterworks, Cliftonville, Belfast  (22 Aug 2024)

(Ringed as an Adult Male, on the 12th April 2017, at Lake Engervannet, Oslo, Norway)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

Normally, Mute Swans and Greylag Geese at the Waterworks are not pursued by ringers.  However, some of these birds do get themselves into trouble for one reason or another.  Debbie 'Doolittle' Nelson takes injured animals into her care.  Some Mute Swans would also find their way into her care, and once rehabilitated would be colour-ringed before release.

We do not know if this was the case for -  NLX , but it was ringed at the Waterworks as an adult male on the 4th September 2020.  First recorded here by Suzanne in January 2023, her second record was made on the 18th August 2023.  With this latest sighting, the duration since being ringed, is 3 years, 11 months and 18 days.

Mute Swan  -   NLX   -  Belfast Waterworks, Cliftonville, Belfast  (22 Aug 2024)

(Ringed as an Adult Male, on the 4th September 2020, at Belfast Waterworks)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

Suzanne spotted a colour-ringed Black-headed Gull at Whiteabbey Beach on the 26th August 2024.  With the code reading -  XC1V , this is a bird from Germany.  As it is not on my spreadsheet, this will likely be a first ever sighting here in Northern Ireland.  Obtaining ringing recoveries from Germany are often notoriously slow, so I have emailed one of my contacts - Hendrik Trapp, in the hope he can contact the ringer involved.  For now, the wait continues. 

My thanks again goes to Suzanne for her sightings and photos.

Black-headed Gull  -  Germany   XC1V   -  Whiteabbey Beach, Belfast Lough, Co. Antrim  (26 Aug 2024)

(Waiting for the Ringing Details)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

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From David Nixon

David Nixon has also got in touch with three sightings, one being a Black-headed Gull which flew off before he could obtain a photo.  This bird (White) 2499, was ringed as a chick, on the 17th June 2021, at Lough Ree in County Longford in the Republic of Ireland.  All four sightings for this gull, have occurred around the North and South Inner Bay at Dundrum, Co. Down.

The first sighting was made by David in October 2022, followed by a second in August 2023.  David Knight also recorded the gull at the South Inner Bay in November 2023.  A few more winter sightings would be needed in order to consider this bird as a winter visitor to the area.  David himself, along with Graham McElwaine undertake regular visits to the area, but (White) 2499 might possibly be using the area as a 'staging post'.  The duration since being ringed, is 3 years, 2 months and 10 days, and Dundrum is situated 159 kms / 98 miles (ENE) from Lough Ree.

With photos successfully taken for the other two gulls, the first is of a Manx (Isle of Man) Herring Gull colour-ringed -  T6VE .   T6VE , was ringed as a chick, on the 3rd July 2019, on the Calf of Man.  The bird's first re-sighting was made by Graham McElwaine on the 27th July 2020, when spotted at Millquarter Bay on the western shore of Strangford Lough.  Since then, all but one of the 19 re-sightings have occurred here at the high tide roost at Dundrum Inner Bay South covering the period from 2020 to 2024.  The exception was in June 2023, when spotted back on the Calf of Man.  The duration since being ringed, is now 5 years, 1 month and 24 days, and the distance from the Calf to Dundrum, is 71 kms / 44 miles (WNW).

Herring Gull  -   T6VE   -  Dundrum Inner Bay South, Dundrum, Co. Down  (28 Aug 2028)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 3rd July 2019, on the Calf of Man, Isle of Man)

(Photo Courtesy of David Nixon)

The sighting of Great Black-backed Gull -  T48:D , is only the second record for this bird here in Northern Ireland, with both sightings having been made at the high tide roost at Dundrum Inner Bay South.   T48:D , was ringed as an unsexed breeding adult on the 21st May 2023, on Ireland's Eye Island in County Dublin, Republic of Ireland.  The previous sighting here at Dundrum was made by Graham McElwaine on the 17th October 2023.  Graham Prole, who responds to sightings of gulls ringed by the Irish Midlands Ringing Group, says that  T48:D  was back breeding on Ireland's Eye Island during this past summer.  The duration since being ringed, is 1 year, 3 months and 6 days, and the distance to Dundrum, is 96 kms / 59 miles (N).

My thanks goes to David for his sightings and photos, and to Mark Fitzpatrick from the Manx Ringing Group, Graham Prole from the Irish Midlands Ringing Group for supplying updates.

Great Black-backed Gull  -   T48:D   -  Dundrum Inner Bay South, Dundrum, Co. Down  (28 Aug 2024)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 13th June 2021, at Dalkey Island, Co. Dublin, Republic of Ireland)

(Photo Courtesy of David Nixon)

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