Lough Neagh Tern/Black-headed Gull Live Stream Project
Lough Neagh Partnership has installed a new tern raft and livestream just beyond Ballyronan Marina. This will provide additional nesting site for two `Amber listed` species -the Black-Headed Gull and Common Tern which returns to breed on the lough every year. It could be a several seasons before the raft becomes established but already both species are showing an interest. The livestream means that everyone can follow what happens on throughout the breeding season.
Look out for other species in and around the raft as well like Heron, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen and Coot.
Common Tern (Sterna Hirundo)
UK Conservation Status: Amber
Common Terns have a black cap, long red-orange bill with a black tip. A summer migrant- the first Common Terns arrive from West Africa in April. They create a thin scrape in sand, gravel or short vegetation into which they lay 2-3 eggs. Common Terns often nest among other species like Black-headed Gulls, because of the aerial protection they provide from predators. They depart our shores for West Africa in late August/early September.
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
UK Conservation Status: Amber
The Black Headed Gull is a resident species and can be seen all year round. Inaccurately named, it has a chocolate brown coloured head during the summer months and a white head with a dark ear mark in winter. Adults have a thin red bill and red legs. Their nests are built on the ground and are comprised of dry grass and other vegetation. An average of 2-3 eggs are laid and the young birds fledge around 34 days old.
Lough Neagh Partnership is grateful for funding under the DAERA EF Challenge Fund and from the Heritage Lottery Fund as part of the Lough Neagh Landscape Partnership which enabled this project to happen. The partnership is also grateful to Pontoons Ireland who supplied and installed the raft and to `Carnyx Wild/Longmore Electrics` who installed the Live Stream.
