First re-sightings of 2014 birds

One of the aspects of colour-ringing young Black-headed Gulls which I find most interesting is seeing where they turn up once they leave the colony. Determining juvenile dispersal is also one of the main objectives of this colour-ringing study.

One of the aspects of colour-ringing young Black-headed Gulls which I find most frustrating however, is seeing colour-ringed birds which are too far away to read the code on the ring!!

After the frustration of seeing colour-ringed first-year birds at Dargan, Belfast Lough and Glynn, Larne Lough on 23 and 24 June which were too far away to identify, I am pleased to have received a number of re-sightings of juvenile birds away from their colonies.

Three birds have been reported so far, one from Castle Espie and two from Copeland Bird Observatory.

2BKC, which was ringed at Castle Espie on 19 June, was found dead at Hillsborough Lake at the end of July. Two birds  from the colony on the Copeland Islands have both made the journey to Kiltonga Nature Reserve at Newtownards, Co. Down.

Blue - Ringing locations
Red - Re-sighting locations

Many thanks to the observers who have taken the time to report their sightings via bhgni@ymail.com