Too Fat & Common Gulls...

Black-headed Gull  -   2FAT

On the 8th April 2025, I received an email from a Dorothy Jones.  Earlier that say, Dorothy visited the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust's Slimbridge Reserve in Gloucestershire, England.  Whilst at the Reserves Rushy Hide, she spotted one of my Black-headed Gulls - ringed,  2FAT .

I instantly knew that this was a first re-sighting of a chick that I ringed on Inch Island Lake in County Donegal.  Other than at Antrim Marina, Inch Island is the only other site where I have ringed Black-headed Gulls with my Blue Darvics.

Checking my data,  2FAT  was ringed on the 4th June 2019, and the duration since being ringed was now 5 years, 10 months and 4 days.  The distance from Inch Island to Slimbridge, is 497 kms / 309 miles (SE).  Since 'Covid' times, I have not been able to get back onto Inch Island to ring more chicks.

Replying to Dorothy, I asked had she managed to obtain a photo for blog purposes, but she said that the gull was too 'flighty' and was not seen again.  This would not surprise me, as we are into the breeding season now.

This sighting was very interesting in itself.  Many gulls return to their natal colonies to breed, but here we have one that may well be nesting at Slimbridge.  Another point of interest, is that this gull has been out and about for nearly six years before being spotted.  I'm hoping now, that someone else will spot this bird again in the future.

My thanks goes to Dorothy for the unexpected sighting.

Inch Island Lake to WWT Slimbridge  -  497 kms / 309 miles (SE)

******************************************************

Rathlin Island Common Gulls

Since early March, Ric Else and Hazel Watson, have been sending me emails reporting on the return of Common Gulls to their nesting colonies on Rathlin Island, along with sightings of some of my colour-ringed birds.  Ric and Hazel are residents on the island, and work with the RSPB at their Reserve at Bull Point.  When off duty, they travel around the island documenting sightings for their Rathlin Bird Report, as well as keeping an eye out for my gulls.

When the breeding season ends, virtually all of the gulls leave the island and do not return until the following spring.  What perplexes me, is where do these gulls go to, as nobody spots these colour-ringed birds.  With the exception of one gull, only one other of my gulls was spotted from the end of June 2024 until March 2025, having been seen in Newcastle, Co. Down in December 2024.  The exception, is -  2BXA , who appears to be the only year round resident on Rathlin, normally being spotted in Church Bay or Mill Bay.

I have not had time to blog on Ric's previous sightings, but here I have included the latest batch of four.

 2BBC , was ringed as a chick, on the 24th June 2017, at Doon Bay on Rathlin (2017 was the year I began my colour-ringing project here).  The gull has been recorded during the winter months at Dundrum South Inner Bay in County Down in 2018, 2021 & 2023.

It's first re-sighting back on Rathlin was recorded by Ric Else in April 2020, when spotted back at it's natal colony at Doon Bay, and has been recorded breeding here every year since then.  This year, Ric spotted -  2BBC  back at Doon Bay on the 30th March.  The duration since being ringed, is now 7 years, 9 months and 6 days.

Common Gull  -   2BBC   -  Doon Bay, Rathlin Island, Co. Antrim  (30 Mar 2025)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 24th June 2017, at Doon Bay, Rathlin Island)

(Photo Courtesy of Ric Else)

 2CDK , was ringed as a chick, on the 19th June 2022, at the Rue Point colony on Rathlin Island.  As yet, there have been no sightings of this gull away from the island.  The first re-sighting was made by me on the 27th May 2024, when I discovered the gull back at Rue Point.  At this point, I reckon that it had returned to 'prospect' a nest site, as it would not reach full adulthood until 2025.

This year,  2CDK  was spotted back at Rue Point on the 8th March 2025, and was recorded there again on the 6th April.  The duration since being ringed, is now 3 years, 9 months and 18 days.

Common Gull  -   2CDK   -  Rue Point, Rathlin Island, Co. Antrim  (06 Apr 2025)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 19th June 2022, at Rue Point, Rathlin Island)

(Photo Courtesy of Ric Else)

 2CFT , was ringed as a chick, on the 21st June 2022, at the Arkill Bay colony on Rathlin Island.  There were no sightings of this bird until the 5th May 2024, when I recorded it at the Rue Point colony on Rathlin, where Ric Else also spotted it on the 27th May 2024.  Another bird which had not reached full maturity, therefore another 'prospecting' bird.

This year, Ric recorded it's return to Rue Point on the 24th March, along with this latest sighting on the 6th April.  It looks 'nailed on' that -  2CFT  will breed at Rue Point, which is 2kms south from it's natal colony at Arkill Bay.  The duration since being ringed, is now 2 years, 9 months and 16 days.

Common Gull  -   2CFT   -  Rue Point, Rathlin Island, Co. Antrim  (06 Apr 2025)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 21st June 2022, at Arkill Bay, Rathlin Island)

(Photo Courtesy of Ric Else)

 2CHV , was ringed as a chick, on the 21st June 2022, at the Arkill Bay colony on Rathlin Island.  Ric's sighting on the 6th April 2025 of this gull at the Rue Point colony on Rathlin, is the first for this bird since being ringed, the duration being, 2 years, 9 months and 16 days.  Now of breeding age, it will be interesting to see if it stays at Rue, or move 2kms north to it's natal colony at Arkill Bay.

Common Gull  -   2CHV   -  Rue Point, Rathlin Island, Co. Antrim  (06 Apr 2025)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 21st June 2022, at Arkill Bay, Rathlin Island)

(Photo Courtesy of Ric Else)

During the summers of 2023 and 2024, the Common Gulls on Rathlin have had very poor breeding seasons, and during my visits in 2024, I noticed that many nests were failing during the 'incubation' period in May.  This became more obvious, when many of my colour-ringed gulls disappeared off the island without making any attempts to have replacement clutches.

Just 20 chicks were colour-ringed in 2023, and 16 in 2024, compared to an excellent total of 84 in 2022.  Currently, there is an ongoing project to exterminate Ferrets and Rats on the island, and recent news suggests that the Ferrets have been eliminated, with now attention focusing on the Rat problem.

As just mentioned, 2022 was a good year as far as colour-ringing went.  If even 20% of those youngsters have survived to reach maturity, around 17 should be recorded back on Rathlin this summer.  Ric has already recorded a couple of them.  Now that I'm returning to normality after my recent illness, I'm looking forwards to making my first visits to read rings at the colonies.    

*******************************************************