Antrim Marina...

Antrim Marina

For those who regularly read my posts concerning the wintering population of Black-headed Gulls at Antrim Marina, unfortunately, I had to cancel my last two weekly visits due to my health.

As posted in my blog on the 10th March 2025, I made mention of a strong easterly wind which was quite chilly.  Having been exposed to the wind over four hours, as the week passed by, my head, neck and shoulders seized.  For the best part of the next fortnight, I suffered from constant headaches and pain, eating painkillers for breakfast, lunch and supper.  As I write (Thursday 27th March), my head and neck are nearing normality, but another problem surfaced.  Trying to get out of bed in the mornings was difficult, and on one morning I managed to hurt my lower spine.

Since then, I have more or less been confined to the kitchen chair, due to the pain when trying to walk.  I thought it may have eased off by now, but no end is in sight.  It looks like a visit to the doctor has to be made soon.

Although I have not been able to visit Antrim, two sightings of my colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls have been reported to me.

In my blog post on the 3rd March 2025, I made mention of -  2BRD , which by then, should be found at Lurgan Park Lake in County Armagh, and I was eagerly waiting on an email from Suzanne Belshaw, as she covers the site.  An email duly arrived from Suzanne, to say that she spotted -  2BRD  at Lurgan Park Lake on the 13th March 2025.

 2BRD  was caught and ringed at Antrim Marina on the 1st February 2015, and though he winters in the Antrim area, he always moves south to Lurgan prior to the new breeding season starting, and here again, he is true to form.  Despite these known movements, exactly where he breeds is still unknown.

My thanks again goes to Suzanne for the sighting report, along with the photo.

Black-headed Gull -   2BRD   -  Lurgan Park Lake, Lurgan, Co. Armagh  (13 Mar 2025)

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

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

On the 21st March 2025, an email arrived from Ian Enlander.  On that day, Ian visited the RSPB's Window on Wildlife Reserve in Belfast, where he spotted Black-headed Gull -  2FFX .  Although I had expected -  2FFX  to leave Antrim Marina earlier, I last saw him at the Marina on the 10th March.

I caught and ringed -  2FFX , as a juvenile/1st winter bird at Antrim Marina, on the 21st December 2020, and he has returned to winter each year since then.

On the 26th June 2022, while I was visiting the Window on Wildlife Reserve, I spotted -  2FFX  on nesting Platform One situated directly in front the visitor centre.  At this point, the gull was still immature, so I suspected he was choosing a possible nest-site for the 2023 season by which time he would reached full maturity.

On the 19th March 2023,  2FFX  was back on the same Platform where I witnessed his courtship display and the carrying of nest material.  A further three sightings there through to the 20th May 2023, was made by myself and Derek Polley who volunteers for the RSPB almost every Thursday.

During the 2024 breeding season,  2FFX  was not spotted at all at the WoW Reserve, though I would reckon he was there somewhere.  Ian's latest sighting was good news, and in his reply to where the gull was spotted,  2FFX  was actually seen back on Platform One.  My thanks to Ian for his sighting.

Derek Polley has also been in touch concerning sightings of colour-ringed Black-tailed Godwits at the WoW Reserve.  Reporting back, that Black-headed Gull -  2FFX  may return to the reserve, as he was nearing the end of another winter at Antrim, Derek said measures were being undertaken by the RSPB to prevent Black-headed Gulls from nesting on Platform One.

Photo of Platform One Courtesy of Derek Polley

The idea, was to keep the Platform clear so that the Common Terns could use the Platform when they return from their wintering quarters.  A more recent email from Derek, says those measures have failed, as the gulls are still managing to nest on the Platform.  Looking at the photo, those 'spikes' will actually assist the gulls to keep their nests safe from predation by Lesser Black-backed and Herring Gulls.  My thanks to Derek for this info.

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My next post will feature a record breaking juvenile Common Gull which was reported to me recently having been spotted in southern Spain.

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