Saturday 26 September 2015

Colour Ringed Swans

Colour Ringed Mute Swans.

What a fantastic day ringing.  After years of reading Swan Metals, today we started Colour Ringing Mute Swans in South Dublin and in Kildare.  We ringed at 10 locations and processed 34 mute swans.  Thanks to all those who assisted and to those who gave permission

Mute Swan Coloured Ring.



Re-sightings can be emailed to the following address and all sightings are greatly appreciated. Reply will include life histories.  For some of the birds ringed today the life histories will be short, but we also added colour rings to 7 previously metal ringed birds, so these birds already have a history.

mute.swan.ring@gmail.com





mute.swan.ring@gmail.com



Friday 4 September 2015

September 2015 - Juv GBBGU - 1st of the year

September 25th

It is not unusual for Black Headed Gulls to turn up with an injured foot, there are about a dozen in the park at the moment, but it is sad when it is a Coloured ringed bird.  27H0, a regular at the park for the last 2 years, turned up with an injured leg.  Nothing to do with the ring, these injuries happen frequently, some recover, lets hope 27H0 does too.

September 20th

There was a huge fire on Irelands Eye at the end of June this year.  About 30 Great Black Backed Pullus were coloured ringed the week before.  I had hoped that they were not all lost.  Today at Howth I re-sighted 1 of them.  Blue[3JU], a first sighting for me!

Great Black Backed Gull - 3JU
Also at Howth I spotted a metal ring on an adult Herring Gull GC29139.  I hadn't recorded it since July 2013. It was ringed by Oscar Merne in 2006.

Broadmeadows produced nothing of note.  I have decided after todays visit, that there are no cygnets surviving at this location, but if anyone knows different, please let me know.

September 19th

Tymon Park this afternoon, I spotted a metal ring on a Black Headed Gull.  Camera out quickly and a few shots before they were put up and it did not to reappear.  However photos show the full ring and it is a surprise.  Denmark 6J-4103 was ringed in May 2013 in Holbeak (that is the Island Copenhagen is on).  I have seen it 4 times before in 2013 and 2014, but only in Sean Walsh Park.  It is a first record in Tymon Park and a first sighting for me of this Black Headed Gull in 2015.
Thank you Jesper and Kjeld for ringing it!

Metal ringed Black Headed Gull in Tymon Park, Dublin

Denmark 6J-4103 on Black Headed Gull

September 14th

There are many juvenile large Gulls in the parks at this time of year.  I have wondered if they are all from Urban nests.  Today I spotted a metal ring and thought this will give me some data.



Unfortunately before I could get the full code they were disturbed!  GR98*41.  1 digit missing.  It appears to be a 3 or an 8, I will try again tomorrow!

September 5th

Tymon Park, Tallaght.  150 Black Headed Gulls and not a coloured ring among them again.  I did spot 2 metal rings and although both stayed some distance away, photographs were enough to piece the BTO ring number together - EZ03404.  It turns out it was ringed by my ringing group in January 2015 at the exact same location!  Never got a chance to read the other ring completely but it wasn't BTO.  The 3 digits I read match a Finish Black Headed Gull I have read there a few times before, so I tried again on Sunday and will keep trying.


September 4th

When I arrived in Sean Walsh Park I spotted a yellow Darvic on a Black Headed Gull.I walked casually around the far side of the lake without setting them up and photographed Yellow[217G].
I have sighted this Black Headed Gull in Tallaght before but this is a first for Sean Walsh Park.


The Black Headed Gull Y[217G] is from Lough Mask in the west of Ireland




The Black Headed Gull 27H0 from England which has been absent for 2 weeks also made an appearance.