RING-BILLED GULL
THE FIRST BREEDING RECORD FOR NORTHERN IRELAND

The following text is part of a joint announcement made by the Northern Ireland Birdwatchers’ Association and the Observatory.

The story began on the 25th April 2004 when Anthony McGeehan found an adult Ring-billed Gull at the Common Gull colony on Big Isle, Copeland Islands, Co. Down. The bird appeared to be holding territory. It, or another adult, was then seen again by Wilton Farrelly at the same location on the 8th May.

Fast forward events to February 2008 when Derek Charles was photographing a Black Brant near the pool at Millisle, Co. Down (within sight of the Copeland Islands!) when his attention was drawn to a gull flying with a couple of Herring Gulls around the pool. He identified it as an adult Ring-billed Gull and took a few photographs. It drifted off and Derek continued photographing the Black Brant.

Nothing more was thought of it until a few days later when he noticed from the pictures that the bird was ringed. This was a major event in itself and local birders were notified. Despite several more visits Derek didn’t see the gull again and that looked like being the end of the story.

But events took a major turn on the weekend of 22nd-23rd March when Richard Weyl found the gull again and spent hours chasing it around Millisle avoiding the hundreds of dog walkers, joggers and weekend visitors. What a sight that must have been, but amazingly he managed to read enough of the ring for the details to be submitted.

When details of ring number EG55164 came back the location the bird was ringed was not, as expected, Lake Ontario, but the nearby Copeland Islands! This threw everyone into a state of confusion for a moment or two. Luckily Richard had taken photographs of the gull and when matched with Derek’s it appears to be the same bird. Things began to get serious now.
Careful examination of the photographs seems to show a few features at odds with a pure Ring-billed Gull and it was suspected that it was a hybrid Ring-billed x Common hybrid.
The Copeland Bird Observatory was contacted next. Kerry Leonard and John Stewart have been managing the census and ringing studies on Big Copeland Island for the past 10 years. The details were checked again and there was no doubt that the bird had been ringed as a chick on Big Isle, Copeland Islands on 16th June 2004.

Derek Charles re-visited Millisle over the weekend of 12-13th April and took more photographs, which leave little doubt that the bird is a hybrid.

Confirmation that the bird is a Ring-billed Gull x Common Gull hybrid means that a Ring-billed Gull bred on the Copeland Islands in the summer of 2004. This is the first confirmed breeding record for the UK and Ireland (and indeed, the Western Palaearctic, as far as we know). There is likelihood that there may be one or two other hybrids from the same nest in the general area.

Praise must go to Richard, for without his valiant effort on reading the ring, this fantastic breeding record may well have gone undetected. A close eye will be kept on the Common Gull colony this summer to see if this bird returns to breed or if there are any other surprises lurking out there!

This is a fantastic reward for everyone associated with the Copeland Bird Observatory and especially the ringers who have put in so much work over the years.

© Derek Charles

Little Gull, Mediterranean Gull and Dark-bellied Brent Goose on Mew Island

Mew Island is fast regaining some of the breeding populations which must have made it a Mecca for local birders in the 1940s when it supported a huge tern colony.

Arctic Terns are hopefully now firmly re-established and a count of 390 individuals was made on Sunday 18th May.  Black-headed Gulls are also breeding at the south end.

A pair of Mediterranean Gulls are also breeding on Mew.  Interestingly, not among the Black-headed Gulls, but slightly apart on a rocky crest.

On Sunday, Neville McKee had set up his telescope to watch the pair of nesting Mediterranean Gulls, and while the ringing party paused for a break from the Eiders and take look at the Meds, Kerry Leonard and Neville heard the call of a Little Gull.  All those present were treated to great views of a beautiful summer plumage bird.

The other interesting species present this spring has been a Dark-bellied Brent Goose which was first spotted on a weekend visit on the 10th May and was still present on the 18th.  This is the first sighting of this sub-species on any of the Copeland Islands.  Strangely, another was seen close to the Cairn on Big Copeland on the return boat trip on the 11th May.