Recent Sightings...

From John Clarke

John Clarke is my former 'Ringing Trainer', and recently he sent me a photo of a colour-ringed Dunlin that he had spotted on the Bann Estuary situated on the north Londonderry coast.  My task then, was to find the owner of the project, which ended with a surprising outcome.

On searching for the Dunlin on a copy of a spreadsheet produced by the International Wader Study Group, I discovered that the Dunlin belonged to a project in Spain.  I replied to John with the good news (nice one - ringed in Spain), as well as copying in the email address for the project.

A few days later, we received a reply from a delighted Paloma Peon Torre.  He said the bird had been ringed on the Villaviciosa Estuary in Asturias, Northern Spain.  However, he went on to say that the bird could not be identified as an individual, as the Dunlins on the Estuary are ringed with the same combination of colour rings.  What we do know, is this bird was one of 275 colour-ringed between the 5th May and 1st December 2022, using this combination of 'Yellow' above a 'Red Flag'.

Under this system, it is more about where these birds go to rather than identifying them as individuals.  The metal ring on the birds right 'Tibia' would need to be read otherwise.

A PDF File was attached to the reply, which detailed the ringing and sightings of these Dunlins.  Looking through it, I noticed that two sightings of this 'Colour Combination', were reported here in Northern Ireland in 2019 - the first on 6th August at Larne, County Antrim, the second on the 17th August at Bangor, County Down.

I worked out the distance from the Villaviciosa Estuary to the Bann Estuary, as being 1,301 kms / 808 miles (N).

Dunlin, Bann Estuary, Castlerock, Co. Londonderry  (22 May 2025)

(Photo Courtesy of John Clarke)

John also contacted me about a colour-ringed Herring Gull which he spotted on rocks between the north coast towns of Portrush and Portstewart - ringed -  143:C .

This on was quickly sorted as it was on my 'Main Ring Reading Spreadsheet'.  The bird belongs to Roisin Kearny's relatively new project based on the Old Lighthouse Island in County Down, which is the home of the Copeland Bird Observatory.  The project involves colour-ringing chicks of Lesser Black-backed Gulls as well as Herring Gulls.

 143:C , was ringed on the 1st July 2023, on Lighthouse Island.  Previous sightings occurred in August 2023 at The Skerries in County Dublin, January 2024 at Portballintrae in County Antrim, and July 2024 on Rathlin Island also in County Antrim.

John's sighting at Port Gallen near Portstewart is 93 kms / 57 miles (NW) from the Copeland Islands.  This is a direct line measurement, though the gull would have travelled a far greater distance flying around the coasts of County Antrim and County Londonderry.  The duration since being ringed, is 1 year, 10 months and 22 days,

My thanks goes to John for the sightings and photos and to Roisin for supplying the history for -  143:C .

Herring Gull  -   143:C   -  Port Gallen, Portstewart, Co. Londonderry  (23 May 2025)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 1st July 2023, on Old Lighthouse Island, The Copeland Islands, Co Down)

(Photo Courtesy of John Clarke)

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

From Rachelle Regan

On the 24th May 2025, I received and email from Rachelle Regan, reporting the return of a colour-ringed Black-headed Gull belonging to Adam McClure's former Northern Ireland Black-headed Gull Study.

Rachelle works as a warden on the RSPB's Hodbarrow Nature Reserve in Cumbria, England.  The Black-headed Gull -  2BJT , was recorded on two occasions, the first on the 25th March and then within a breeding colony on the reserve on the 29th April 2025.

 2BJT , had been ringed as a chick, on the 19th June 2014, at the Castle Espie Wetland Centre in County Down.  The gull then went unrecorded until the 22nd May 2018, when I spotted it as a breeding adult back at Castle Espie.

Despite further visits to Castle Espie during the following breeding seasons up to the outbreak of the 'Covid-19 Virus', there were no further sightings at Castle Espie.

Roughly 6 years had passed, when, on the 8th May 2024, Rachelle reported her first sighting of -  2BJT  at the Hodbarrow Reserve.

Having reported her latest sightings, Rachelle asked if the gull had been seen since last year, which it hadn't.  It's not often that we hear of gulls relocating to other colonies, which makes these sightings very interesting.

RSPB Hodbarrow lies 162 kms / 100 miles (ESE) from Castle Espie, and the duration since being ringed, is now 10 years, 10 months and 10 days (as of the 29th April 2025).

My thanks goes to Rachelle for the sighting reports and the photo.  It would be nice to know where this gull spends it's winter days.

Black-headed Gull  -   2BJT   -  RSPB Hodbarrow Nature Reserve, Cumbria, England  (25 March 2025)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 19th June 2014, at Castle Espie Wetland Centre, Strangford Lough, Co. Down)

(Photo Courtesy of Rachelle Regan)

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

Antrim Marina - Wednesday 7th May 2025...

Antrim Marina - Wednesday 7th May 2025

Today I undertook the first of my random summer visits to Antrim Marina.  The object is to record the resident colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls which breed in the Antrim area, with most nesting on the nearby 'Torpedo Platform' which was formerly used to test torpedo's during World War Two.  The gulls belong to my study at Antrim Marina, where I study a wintering population from the months of August through to March each winter.

Over the summer months, other Black-headed Gulls from my study, head off to their own countries to breed with sightings being reported in Iceland, Sweden, Latvia, Poland, England and in Belfast.  Two other countries - Germany and recently, the Netherlands were added to the list, where two of my gulls were found dead within breeding colonies.  The German gull tested positive for 'Bird Flu', and I'm waiting for test results for the Dutch bird.

Several other gulls from my study are always absent at the Marina over the summer months, though their countries of origin are not known, and I have to wait for any sightings.  Each autumn and winter, these gulls return to the Marina.

Today's visit lasted for four and a half hours, arriving at 12:15 and departing at 16:45.  With 12 known residents, 9 of these were recorded during today's visit.  Last winter, I caught and colour- ringed four new Black-headed Gulls, but none of them were recorded today.  The main aim for these summer visits, is to establish the residential status for the gulls which have been ringed more recently.

The 3 resident gulls that were absent today, are -  2AAB ,  2AAN  and  2FFA .   2AAB  is the oldest surviving Black-headed Gull belonging to Adam McClure's former Northern Ireland Black-headed Gull Study, and was colour-ringed here at the Marina in December 2012.  When last seen here on the 3rd March 2025, the duration since being ringed, was 12 years, 2 months and 20 days.

 2AAN  joined the residential list last summer.  Also ringed at the Marina in December 2012,  2AAN  was absent every summer and where it went to was unknown until June 2022, when it was spotted in Larne on the County Antrim coast.  That sighting suggested that it could be nesting on the RSPB's Blue Circle Island Reserve on Larne Lough.   2AAN  broke it's routine last summer, as it remained at Antrim Marina indicating a change of breeding site.

Of today's 9 sightings, visits of  2BRA  and  2FIL  were so brief, I did not get photos of them. 

Colour Ringed Black-headed Gulls Recorded at Antrim Marina on Wednesday 7th May 2025

2CSK	2CJT	2FJL	2BRA	2FJN	2FIF	2FIJ	2CSR	2FIL

Black-headed Gull  -   2CSK   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (07 May 2025)

(Ringed as an Unsexed Adult, on the 17th December 2017, at Antrim Marina)

Black-headed Gull  -   2CJT   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (07 May 2025)

(Ringed as a Juvenile / 1st Winter Bird, on the 4th December 2016, at Antrim Marina)

Black-headed Gull  -   2FJL   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (07 May 2025)

(Ringed as an Unsexed Adult, on the 3rd December 2023, at Antrim Marina)

Black-headed Gull  -   2FJN   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (07 May 2025)

(Ringed as an Unsexed Adult, on the 3rd December 2023, at Antrim Marina)

Black-headed Gull  -   2FIF   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (07 May 2025)

(Ringed as an Unsexed Adult, on the 29th November 2021, at Antrim Marina)

Black-headed Gull  -   2FIJ   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (07 May 2025)

(Ringed as an Unsexed Adult, on the 10th January 2022, at Antrim Marina)

Black-headed Gull  -   2CSR   -  Antrim Marina, Antrim Town, Co. Antrim  (07 May 2025)

(Ringed as an Unsexed 2nd Winter Bird, on the 24th December 2017, at Antrim Marina)

The number of Black-headed Gulls present during my visit varied widely ranging between 10 to around 50 birds.  At times, perhaps half were 2nd year birds having hatched out last summer and therefore are immatures.  A fair number of people arrived to feed the ducks and swans, with the gulls managing to get more than their fair share.

There is a live camera on the 'Torpedo Platform', but when I checked it today (15th March), it was not available.  With access via YouTube, I found that it was working on the 13th March.  I have added the link here, so keep trying it :-

Torpedo Platform Livestream - Lough Neagh Partnership

Other Birds at Antrim Marina

The resident male Herring Gull made a brief visit, as well as an adult Common Gull.  Lesser Black-backed Gulls were frequent visitors, with a maximum of three at any one time.

Around 30 Mallards were present throughout my visit, but no broods of ducklings appeared to my surprise.  As some Mallards would lay eggs in March, they would have hatched by now.  Talking to a couple of regular visitors to the Marina, they had not seen any ducklings either.

A pair of Mute Swans were quickly joined by 5 others which swam in from Lough Neagh.  A further three swans attempted to join them, but were chased back out towards the Lough.  A couple of people told me that a swan was sitting on a nest just a short distance upriver from the Marina.  Last year, birds in that area apparently hatched chicks, but they soon perished for some reason.  The problem might be due to the reduction of insects/flies due to the problems with algae during the previous two summers.

Suzanne Belshaw reported on the return of Sand Martins on the 31st March 2025.  Last year, they were nesting in the holes high up in the walls of the 'Gateway Centre'.  These holes were created to attract Swifts to nest in.  Although Sand Martins were seen occasionally, they did not appear to be using the nest holes.

The only other birds to appear, were three Rooks.

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

From David Nixon and Suzanne Belshaw...

From David Nixon

David Nixon was in touch regarding two immature Great Black-backed Gulls that he spotted on the high tide roost at Dundrum Inner Bay (South), on the 30th April 2025.  With codes reading - (White) P:13H and -  003:M , these were not the usual 'run of the mill' gulls normally recorded here belonging to the Manx Ringing Group (Isle of Man) or the Irish Midland Ringing Group (Co. Dublin).  

On checking the codes on the cr-birding site birding site, these gulls had been ringed in England and Scotland respectively.

(White) P:13H, was exceptionally interesting due it's long north-westerly movement.  A first re-sighting, the gull was ringed as a chick, on the 27th June 2023, on the breakwater of Portland Harbour in Dorset, England.  I contacted Guy Hayden who is one of the project leads for the Portland Gull Project.  A sizeable colony of Great Black-backed Gulls nest on the breakwater along with Herring Gulls.  Each year, over 50 Great Black-backed Gull chicks are colour-ringed, and David's sighting was only the second to be reported in Ireland, and the most northerly.

The distance from Portland to Dundrum, is 470 kms / 292 miles (NW), and the duration since being ringed, was 1 year, 10 months and 3 days.  Our thanks goes to Guy for supplying the ringing info.

Great Black-backed Gull  -  (White)  P:13H  -  Dundrum Inner Bay South, Dundrum, Co. Down  (30 Apr 2025)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 27th June 2023, at Portland Docks Breakwater, Portland, Dorset, England)

(Photo Courtesy of David Nixon)

The second immature Great Black-backed Gull -  003:M , was also a first re-sighting.  Having contacted Mark Oksien from the Isle of May Bird Observatory, he replied with the ringing details.   003:M , was ringed as a chick, on the 18th July 2024, on the island of Isle of May in Fife, Scotland.  The distance to Dundrum, is 299 kms / 186 miles (SW), and the duration since being ringed, was 9 months and 12 days.

Looking through my 'Main Ring Reading Spreadsheet', this was the fourth Great Black-backed Gull from the Isle of May, which has been recorded in Northern Ireland.  David and I offer our thanks to Mark for his speedy reply, along with the gull's ringing details.

My thanks goes to David for his sightings and photos.

Great Black-backed Gull  -   003:M   -  Dundrum Inner Bay South, Dundrum, Co. Down  (30 Apr 2025)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 18th July 2024, on the Isle of May, Fife, Scotland)

(Photo Courtesy of David Nixon)

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

From Suzanne Belshaw

Suzanne Belshaw has been in touch again with her latest 'Big Gull' sightings.  As a 'Ring Reader' myself, nothing gives me greater pleasure than managing to read 'metal-rings'.  Suzanne has become very good at reading metal rings and very little escapes from her these days.

What's even better, is the confirmation of birds previously recorded, and one such Portuguese Lesser Black-backed Gull, returned to Lisburn in County Antrim to pay Suzanne another visit.   LV19833 , was first recorded by Suzanne on the 3rd July 2022, with a second sighting on the 31st July and a third on the 21st August 2022, with the gull being spotted near Suzanne's home address.

In 2024, the gull returned to the same spot in Lisburn, on the 4th August, and Suzanne's latest sighting occurred on the 20th April 2025, again close to home.

 LV19833 , was ringed as a third calendar bird, on the 22nd January 2020, at Sítio das Hortas, Santarém, Portugal.  The distance to Lisburn, is 1,764 kms / 1,096 miles (N), and the duration since being ringed, is now 5 years, 2 months and 29 days.  Although, Suzanne failed to capture the number '1' when reading the ring this time, there is no doubting that it is the same bird.

Lesser Black-backed Gull  -   LV19833   -  Lisburn, Co. Antrim  (20 Apr 2025)

(Ringed as an Unsexed 3rd Calendar Year Bird, on the 22nd January 2020, at Sítio das Hortas, Santarém, Portugal)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

Suzanne's second two sightings were juvenile Herring Gulls that were ringed as chicks, on the 1st July 2023, on Old Lighthouse Island, The Copeland Islands, Co. Down.  They belong to a relatively new project belonging to Roisin Kearney.

 021:C , was spotted by Suzanne at the Commons in Donaghadee in County Down on the 21st April 2025.  The Commons is just around the corner from Donaghadee Harbour.  The distance from the Old Lighthouse Island, is just 6 kms / 3 miles (S), and the duration since being ringed, was 1 year, 9 months and 20 days.

One previous sighting of -  021:C, was recorded by Graham McElwaine on the 20th January 2025, when he spotted it on the seafront a Millisle, just a couple of kilometres south from Suzanne's sighting.

Herring Gull  -   021:C   -  The Commons, Donaghadee, Co. Down  (21 Apr 2025)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 1st July 2023, on Old Lighthouse Island, The Copeland Islands, Co. Down)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

The sighting of -  146:C , was a first for this Herring Gull.  It was also spotted on the 21st April 2025, but was found at Groomsport Harbour in County Down.  The distance from the Old Lighthouse Island to Groomsport, is 7 kms / 4 miles (WSW), and the duration since being ringed, was 1 year, 9 months and 20 days.

Again, my thanks goes to Suzanne for her sighting reports and photos.  Really good of the Portuguese Lesser Black-backed Gull to pay Suzanne another visit.

Herring Gull  -   146:C   -  Groomsport Harbour, Groomsport, Co. Down  (21 Apr 2025)

(Ringed as a Chick, on the 1st July 2023, on Old Lighthouse Island, The Copeland Islands, Co. Down)

(Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Belshaw)

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

BHG - 2FFH Found Dead...

Black-headed Gull  -   2FFH

On Sunday morning - 27th April 2025, an email arrived from Maaten Hotting who lives in the Netherlands.  Earlier that morning, one of my Black-headed Gulls from Antrim Marina was found dead on the island of Marker Wadden on Lake Markermeer in the north of the country.  The island is one of several man made islands made to increase the Biodiversity on the lake.

 2FFH  was found within a breeding colony of Black-headed Gulls and was taken away to be tested for 'Bird Flu'.   2FFH  was caught and ringed at Antrim Marina, as a juvenile / 1st winter bird on the 7th December 2020.  After being ringed, I recorded it over the next two weeks (14th & 21st), and then it disappeared before turning up again on the 19th April 2021.

The next sighting was reported by David Morrow on the 12th October 2021, when he spotted the gull at Ballyronan Marina in the north-west corner of Lough Neagh some 19 kms / 11 miles (W) from Antrim Marina.  With no further sightings in 2021, 2022 and 2023, I wrote the bird off as dead on my Antrim Marina Spreadsheet.

To my surprise,  2FFH  reappeared at Antrim Marina on the 6th October 2024 (Read), which was the only sighting over the 2024/2025 winter.  At the time, I could not place the bird, but wondered if it was one of two which have relocated to Whiteabbey Beach on Belfast Lough.  Having posted about the gull's unexpected return, I asked the question, was this possibly a foreign breeding bird?

That question has now been answered, and this is the first from Antrim to be associated with the Netherlands.  It now looks likely that this gull was reared at Marker Wadden prior to it's arrival at Antrim Marina as a juvenile.

The distance from Antrim Marina to Lake Markermeer, is 800 kms / 497 miles (ESE), and the duration from ringing to being found dead, is 4 years, 4 months and 20 days.  My thanks goes to Maaten for reporting the bird to me.  I have asked Maaten to send me a copy of test once he obtains the result.

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