Black-headed Gull - White T35J

Although I haven't actually started ringing yet, it hasn't stopped me scoping out a few possible sites.

While visiting a potential site on the shores of Lough Neagh last weekend I came across this wee guy amongst a large flock of roosting Black-headed Gulls.

As you can see from the photo, this is T35J

I reported my sighting through www.cr-birding.org, as usual, and I heard back that this bird was originally ringed as a chick at Kretuonas in eastern Lithuania in June 2006!

It was recaught in March 2011 at Gdynia on the shores of the Baltic Sea in Poland when was re-ringed and fitted with the colour-ring. My sighting at Lough Neagh in Co. Antrim is the first resighting of the bird since becoming "T35J".

This means that, as the gull flies, it is 2064 km from original ringing site to most current sighting location!

Red - Kretuonas, Lithuania
Yellow - Gdynia, Poland
Blue - Antrim, Northern Ireland

Amazing birds and it is results and sightings like this is why I am so keen on studying them.