Antrim Marina - Tuesday 22nd September 2026...

Antrim Marina - Tuesday 22nd September 2026

This post is way late being published, but after my last visit to Antrim Marina, my heart for my study of the Black-headed Gulls has reached an all time low.  Arriving at the Marina, it was the 'Algae' which immediately caught my eye.  The situation is the worst that I have seen and is obviously having an effect on the wildlife.  By the time that I had completed today's visit, I'm now left wondering whether to walk away from my study for good.

The photo below shows an arc of 'Algae', the existing 'Algae' to the right and the new 'Algae' have been blown in from Lough Neagh by the wind to the left.  One gent said that the 'Algae' ended about 400 yards upriver.

It was midday before I got to Antrim Marina today.  The sky was 50/50 cloud and sun and a fairly strong wind was blowing in from the west.  The temperature gauge in my car read 20ºC.

As well as the 'Algae', the lack of birds was also noticeable.  Around 40 Black-headed Gulls were present and this number was never bettered.  At times, numbers dropped to as little a 3 gulls.  Just 13 colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls have been recorded since I began my weekly visits at the start of August.

11 of these were recorded today leaving me with 2 absentees.  Most noticeable of those two is -  2FHV .  This bird breeds in Iceland, returns to the Marina by the beginning of August.  It always remains for a few weeks and then moves on to wherever it winters.  It arrives back at the Marina in early spring before heading back to Iceland.  Looks like it may well have moved on.

With no new returnees, there was very little to report on concerning the Black-headed Gulls.  At the start of August, things looked promising as around 100 Black-headed Gulls were present along with good numbers of juveniles.  How things have changed since the arrival of the 'Algae'.

It seems like Antrim Marina is dying along with Lough Neagh.

Colour Ringed Black-headed Gulls Recorded at Antrim Marina on Tuesday 22nd September 2026

2AAN	2ABN	2FJA	2FJT	2CSK	2CSR
2FIL	2FIF	2FKA	2CJT	2BRA

Colour Ringed Black-headed Gulls Recorded at Antrim Marina This Autumn/Winter but absent Today

2FFT	2FHV

Other Birds at Antrim Marina

Other than the Black-headed Gulls, around 50 Mallards were resting around the jetties.  They all looked very clean, so, have obviously avoided the 'Algae'.  Around 13:45, the Mallards began flying out towards the Lough, and shortly afterwards, there was none.  A handful had returned before my departure at 3:30.

No Mute Swans or Common Gulls appeared today, and a single Lesser Black-backed Gull made a brief appearance.  At 12:33, the resident male Herring Gull arrived and quickly made his way to the door of my car looking a feed of bread, which was duly obliged by hand feeding.  There was no sign of his partner or his youngster.  At 2:10, a second calendar year Herring Gull arrived.  With close proximity to the resident male, this was likely to be last year's chick.

3 Jackdaws were almost ever present, and a single Hooded Crow made a brief visit.

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