From Suzanne Belshaw and John Clarke...

From Suzanne Belshaw

Another email arrived with me recently from Suzanne Belshaw concerning her latest sighting, along with two overlooked sightings from the end of August, and a near miss when trying to capture the metal number of a Mute Swan.  Also in the email, Suzanne stated that her sighting of a Norwegian Black-headed Gull was accepted.

The two belated sightings were of Black-headed Gulls recorded at Ballyholme in County Down on the 31st August 2024.  Responding to Suzanne, it had recently crossed my mind that no gull sightings had been reported at Ballyholme this winter.  I know a couple of birders operate in that area.  Normally, there are three Black-headed Gulls that are recorded in the area each winter, so it was good news that Suzanne had spotted two of them.

Black-headed Gull -  2ABT , belongs to Adam McClure's former Northern Ireland Study which ran from 2012 until 2018.   2ABT  was among the earliest of the gulls to have been ringed, and was ringed at Ballyholme as an adult male on the 24th January 2013.  Ballyholme is the wintering site for this gull, and has been spotted here almost every winter since being ringed.

In the summer months, the gull is often recorded at Sandy Bay in Larne, Co. Antrim.  The nearest breeding colony to Larne, is on the RSPB's Blue Circle Island Reserve on Larne Lough.  I once spotted -  2ABT  on the shore at Glynn (3rd July 2022), which is a stone's throw away from the island.  Over this past summer, the gull was recorded on the one occasion, and that was at Sandy Bay on the 8th June 2024 by Suzanne.

This latest sighting, is the 37th for the bird since being ringed in 2013.  The duration since being ringed is now 11 years, 7 months and 7 days.

Black-headed Gull  -   2ABT   -  Ballyholme Beach, Ballyholme, Co. Down  (31 Aug 2024)

(Ringed as an adult Male, on the 24th January 2013, at Ballyholme)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

The second Black-headed Gull spotted at Ballyholme, was the Polish -  TRX9 .  This bird was ringed as a chick, on the 5th June 2019, on Ptasia Wyspa Island, on Lake Rynskie, Poland.  The gull has been a regular winter visitor to Ballyholme, since first being spotted there by John O'Boyle, on the 12th September 2021.  This latest sighting, is now the 22nd record at Ballyholme.  One sighting prior to it's first sighting here, was recorded on the 4th August 2019, when spotted at Ringstone Reservoir in West Yorkshire, England.

Suzanne has checked the 'Live' Polish Ringing Database, and -  TRX9  has yet to be seen back in it's native Poland.  The duration since being ringed, is now 5 years, 2 months and 26 days, and Ballyholme is situated 1,760 kms / 1,093 miles (W) from Ptasia Wyspa Island.

Black-headed Gull  -   TRX9   -  Luke's Point, Ballyholme, Co. Down  (31 Aug 2024)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 5th June 2019, at Ptasia Wyspa Island, Lake Rynskie, Ryn, Poland)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

Suzanne's most recent sighting was that of a metal-rung Black-headed Gull which is a frequent winter visitor the Lurgan Park Lake in County Armagh.   EZ02451 , was ringed as a chick, on the 20th June 2017, at the Elvanfoot colony in South Lanarkshire, Scotland.  All 21 sightings of this gull has been recorded at Lurgan Park, the first being as a juvenile bird on the 7th September 2017.  As with all metal-rung birds, Suzanne had to confirm the number via a series of photos.  Normally, gulls ringed at Elvanfoot are colour-ringed, but during the 2017 season, there were so many chicks about, they ran out of colour-rings hence -  EZ02451  being ringed with only the metal-ring.

The duration since being ringed, is now 7 years, 3 months and 13 days, and the distance from Elvanfoot is 202 kms / 125 miles (WSW).

Black-headed Gull  -   EZ02451   -  Lurgan Park Lake, Lurgan, Co. Armagh  (03 Oct 2024)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 20th June 2017, at Elvanfoot, South Lanarkshire, Scotland)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

Back in September, Suzanne sent me a series of photos which she believed was that of a Norwegian Black-headed Gull ringed (White) J2154.  I edited one photo to sharpen the brightness and contrast to make the code stand out better, and then sent a re-sized photo back to Suzanne with recommendation that she should report the sighting onto the 'Live' Norwegian Ringing Database and upload the photo to await the acceptance of the sighting.

Brilliant news has come back - the sighting was accepted.  Suzanne spotted (White) J2154 at Whitehouse Lagoon, Belfast Lough, on the 25th September 2024, the bird's first sighting outside of Norway.  It was ringed as a chick, on the 15th June 2023, at Leirbergholmen Island, a short distance to the south-west from Stavanger.  One previous sighting was made on the 19th May 2024, when spotted at Revtangen - 19 kms / 11 miles (SW) from it's natal island.

The distance to Whitehouse Lagoon, 846 kms / 524 miles (SW) from Leirbergholmen Island, and the duration since being ringed, was 1 year, 3 months and 10 days.

Black-headed Gull  -  (White)  J2154  -  Whitehouse Lagoon, Belfast Lough, Co. Antrim  (25 Sep 2024)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 15th June 2023, on Leirbergholmen Island, Hafrsfjorden (Fforde), Norway)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

Also back in September, Suzanne spotted a metal-rung Mute Swan at Stoneyford Reservoir just outside of Lisburn in County Antrim.  Unfortunately, Suzanne was only able to capture -  X474*  with her camera, knowing she was one number short.  On taking a closer look at the photo, it would appear that the ring butt is actually obscuring the final number.  I had a similar problem with a metal-rung Mute Swan which I came across at Glynn on Larne Lough a couple of years ago.  I cannot find the photo, and therefore may have accidently erased it.  I reminded Suzanne, that the whole number can also be found in miniature on the ring-butt. which may help.  Knowing Suzanne, I'm sure she will 'nail' this one in the future.

Again, my thanks goes to Suzanne for her sightings and photos.

Mute Swan  -   X474*   -  Stoneyford Reservoir, Lisburn, Co. Antrim  (19 Sep 2024)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

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From John Clarke

My ex ringing trainer John Clarke has been in touch concerning the return of an Icelandic colour-ringed Oystercatcher - NY-S(UY) - Black over Yellow on the left leg, Grey Ring (Silver) with the letters UY on the right leg.

NY-G(UY), was ringed as a chick, on the 25th July 2019, in the area of Víðir Football Stadium in south-west Iceland.  The initial sightings in Northern Ireland occurred in December 2019 and February 2020 at Portballintrae on the north coast of County Antrim.

On the 15th August 2020, I spotted this bird at the Bann Estuary near Castlerock in County Londonderry, and by the 6th November 2020, the bird had moved eastwards along the coast to Portrush in County Antrim, when John himself first had his first sighting.  John also recorded - NY-S(UY) in January 2023 and in September 2023 back in Portrush.  This latest sighting at Portrush would appear to be this bird's favoured wintering site.

Back in Iceland, a single sighting was made in June 2022 in the south-west of the island.  Boddi, who is the ringing coordinator, is not sure whether it was seen this summer, as all sighting info has yet to be submitted to him. 

The distance from Víðir Football Stadium to Portrush, is 1,330 kms / 826 miles (SE), and the duration since being ringed, is 5 years, 2 months and 14 days.

My thanks goes to John for the sighting report and photo.  Not so long ago, John reported an Oystercatcher at the Myroe Levels on Lough Foyle, County Londonderry.  That particular bird had been spotted there in the past, but the ringer concerned failed to supply any details.  I had another go after John's sighting, but even after the British Trust for Ornithology asking the ringer to supply details, once again we are being ignored.  Most 'Ring Readers' in Northern Ireland have had similar problems.

Oystercatcher  -  NY-S(UY)  -  East Strand Car Park, Portrush, Co. Antrim  (09 Oct 2024)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 25th July 2019, near Víðir Football Stadium), SW Iceland)

(Photo Courtesy of John Clarke)

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