November 2020

30/11/2020 An update on the Black-headed Gulls in Dublin. I haven't got to grips with the new blog format! It is not yet user friendly! 25/11/2020 Black-headed Gull X2VC Ringed as an adult in North Easter Germany in 2019, Sighted last year and this year at the same location on the Grand Canal in Dublin.

24/11/2020 Black-headed Gull J25X Recorded in Rathcoole Park. Only other Dublin record was I recorded it in Sean Walsh Park in 2018.

September 2020

 September 28th

I had decided to keep this website mainly for Black-Headed Gulls but again due to COVID restrictions I am not going out as much.  But unfortunately, coloured ringed Black-headed Gulls are not being sighted by me locally at the moment.  I was at Bushy Park, which I went to to investigate new a Swan Family (which turned out to be the Family from Terenure College a mile away) and spotted a Polish Black-Headed Gull I haven't seen for years.

Black-headed Gull White [TUUA] was ringed in Poland, as an adult in 2016 and although I haven't seen it since 2017, it was recorded in Dublin in 2018 and 2019.  It wasn't interested in the bread being fed to the ducks, so ring photographed underwater.

August 2020

 26th August.

I haven't been blogging as frequent as I used to.  Studying from home means that I am not at all the places I usually ring read.  Today I had a one of my delayed final exams and afterwards took a walk to the Great South Wall in Dublin Docks.  Two of our Herring Gulls were sighted.

Despite the fact I have 3,000 entries on the database, I and the observers who kindly ring read for the project continually turn up first sightings.  My thanks to Jan, Joe and Brian who are prolific in sending in constant sightings to add to my own observations.  My thanks to the overseas and National ring readers who send in sightings from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, all over Ireland, England, France, Spain Portugal and Morocco.  Our Dublin Gulls certainly disperse.

Today at the South Wall in Dublin Port, I read 2 rings.  This is a well watched area but continually turns up new gulls.

Herring Gull B59:D.  Ringed in 2019 by Tonya.  First sighting since ringed

Urban Herring Gull 215:D.  Ringed 2018 and going Grey.

July 2020

A quick update on whats happening with my Dublin bird projects.  

Adult Mute Swans

So far 165 adults have been re-sighted.  This is well down on normal years when I try and re-sight 200+.  (Last year it was 220).  However, there is still 2 months of this season left and I usually observe some missing ones in late September.  The late start due to lockdown is the main reason for this. 

This RAS project (Re-trapping Adults for survival) is now, after 7 years, feeding into the survival data of Mute Swans.  It is the only Irish projects that is providing this data.  Even though the scientific name for the project contains the word "re-trapping", I don't need to re-trap, the rings are just read.

Mute Swan Nesting Project.

Coming to an end for 2020.  I have started doing the data entry for all the nests.  Still looking for Cygnets numbers from all sites as I close Mute Swan nest records at 12 weeks after hatching - when cygnets can fly.   

Reports with date and locations are really valuable.  Examples from today

22/07/2020 Sean Walsh Park - Big lake - still 3 cygnets

22/07/2020 Naas Ponds CBXT CBPD - still 3 cygnets

22/07/2020 Naas Ponds CABV - Still 4 cygnets

Lesser Black-backed Gulls (LBBGU)

Surprised to see Scottish LBBGU nesting on Dalkey.  Only a 4th year so first year nesting.  Still colour ringing Juveniles and any adults we can.  

176:F From Scotland but breeding on Dalkey island in 2020.  Note plumage is 4th CY

Great Black-backed Gulls

I have a RAS also running on this species and again number of observations of Adults is down on previous years, mainly due to lockdown and Irelands Eye being closed for almost all of the nesting season.  Still hoping to have enough adults re-sighted to allow this season count.  The Juveniles ringed over the past few years have not helped by being mainly observed outside the project boundries, eg Northern Ireland Arklow, Cornwall, Spain etc.

1RJ From Irelands Eye but breeding on Dalkey island in 2020

572:D Walking away with its rings.

Herring Gulls

Projects take many years to set up.  We have been actively ringing Herring Gulls since 2017 and hopefully will have enough adults to start an accurate survival project in 2021.  So far we have been concentrating on juvenile survival stats between Urban nesters and Island nesters with surprising results.

I will update on other projects later.  Projects just don't happen.  A large number of observers report their observations which feed into the projects, so a big thank you to all those who assist with observations. 

28th May 2020 Adult Swans

30th of May 2020  - Adult Swans sighted = 136

Scroll down- next page if you are looking for latest Cygnets news

The RAS season is on it's way.  This is checking all Swans within the project boundries roughly 40 Km from  Dublin and recording each individual which is ringed.  This information over years provides the annual survival totals.  Many thanks to all the regular ring readers and many thanks to the new ones.  I will update analysis periodically to the following over the coming week.  The season doesn't end till the end of the summer so hopefully the list will end up as 250+ Swans.  The more individuals the better the survival statistics in terms of margin of error.  New swans are being sighted most days

The following have been sighted and input so far since April 1st 2020 (22/05/2020).
(Table 1) All first ringed before my project started.  Some have had a colour ring added, 2 of them haven't.  If the metal ring number is in Blue they are confirmed as having attempted nesting this year. 

PLEASE NOTE:  I colour ring a lot of Juveniles which have a low survival rates compared with adults.  This is natural.

Out of the 32 Swans that have been in in the project since it began that fall into this category.
Confirmed dead  = 4
Seen in 2019 = 12
(22/05/2020) Seen so far in 2020 = 9
(So far, year on year, it is at 75% survival)  However the stats are done by a much more complex formula.

(Table 1) Mute Swans ringed before 2015

The following (Table 2) are swans ringed in 2015 which have been re-sighted already this season.  Further sightings are always welcome.  CAFP has the colour of the ring set as Grey.  This is because the colour ring is now missing.  Swan identified by the metal ring.

The number of swans metal ring in 2015 = 91

Confirmed dead  = 10

Seen in 2019 = 25
(22/05/2020) Seen so far in 2020 =18 (72% approx.)

(Table 2) Mute Swans Ringed in 2015

The number of swans metal ring in 2016 = 209

This 209 is a high percentage of cygnets which have a high mortality rate
Confirmed dead  = 20
Seen in 2019 = 64
Seen so far in 2020 = 24 (37% survival since last year)
This is where it it requires field work.  Those ringed in 2016 as Cygnets are now either nesting, looking for nest sites.  Therefore locating them is a challenge.  

The number of swans metal ring in 2017 = 127
Confirmed dead  = 7
Seen in 2019 = 49
Seen so far in 2020 = 22

(Table 4) Mute Swans Ringed in 2017

The number of swans metal ring in 2018 = 28
Confirmed dead  = 0
Seen in 2019 = 21
Seen so far in 2020 = 12

(Table 6) Ringed in 2019 before the RAS season ended

Mute Swans ringed since the end of the 2019 Census.

June 16th 2020 Cygnet Count 2020 = 215

 T           
To date: 38 Nests Hatched: 235 Cygnets:  Average per nest 6 Cygnets.

Ballymount Park CBIB and 7 Cygnets

03/05/2020 Russborough House.  10 Cygnets on first w/e May. (Closed & both adults unringed)
16/11/2020 Turvey hatched with 5 Cygnets

11/06/2020 Kilcoole Golf Club 8 Cygnets. (crossed to lake in Druids Glenn)

08/06/2020 St Stephens Green hatched. 5 Cygnets

08/06/2020 Kilcoole 5 Cygnets and CASK 31/05/2020 Airside 7 Cygnets 29/05/2020 Bushy Park 1 Cygnet

29/05/2020 Broadmeadows 3 Cygnets Metal F

29/05/2020 Tymon Spawell 4 Cygnets

28/05/2020 Ballyteague 6 Cygnets CADH (Kildare)

28/05/2020 Poppintree 6 Cygnets

25/05/2020 Naas Ponds, Fairgreen  & 7 Cygnets CBPD CBXT

27/05/2020 Ballymount Park, 7 Cygnets

25/05/2020 Tolka Fairview, 7 Cygnets

25/05/2020 Cross Guns 4 Cygnets Maeve Moore on Twitter

24/05/2020 Naas, Fair Green Hatched

24/05/2020 Chapelizod 5 Cygnest CAIT Male Unringed Female

23/05/2020 Naas Gym. Cygnets 3 weeks old

22/05/2020 Ardclough, Kildare, 4 Cygnets K S + EC Twitter

21/05/2020 Knock Lake 6 Cygnets

21/05/2020 Skerries 9 Cygnets

20/05/2020 Tymon North 5 Cygnets in the morning

18/05/2020 Waterville Park, Blanchardstown.  6 Cygnets so far.  Back on nest.

18/05/2020 Tymon Limekiln. 8 Cygnets on Facebook. CABD + CABF

11/05/2020 Castletown House. 6 Cygnets on their twitter page.

15/05/2020 Ballycragh Firhouse. 8 Cygnets.  CACI and CACJ

13/05/2020 Tolka Valley Park 7 Cygnets.

13/05/2020 Druids Glen Wicklow - 6 Cygnets.  No Coloured Rings

14/05/2020 Blanchardstown IT 7 Cygnets Photos sent in by Niall de Poar

12/05/2020 Blessington Basin 6 Cygnets. Dublin City Council Tweet.

07/05/2020 UCD 6 Cygnets 17:40.  Elizabeth McC  and Doug M kindly tweeted

10/05/2020 Terenure. Hatching,  6 Cygnets so far. 1 egg left.

04/05/2020 Balcarrick Golf Club have posted video of 7 new cygnets

04/05/2020 Lakeside Newbridge.  5 Cygnets and Pen still on nest.

04/05/2020 Fr Collins Park 8 Cygnets is the count

02/05/2020 Corkagh Park, Wildfowl lakes.  6 Cygnets and 2 eggs abandoned.

01/05/2020 Naas Ponds 6 Cygnets.

01/05/2020 Sean Walsh Park, Large Lake. 3 Cygnets

Sean Walsh Park Large lake.  Final count 3 Cygnets.  Not sure what happened but expected a higher number from this pair.

Cygnet in Sean Walsh park today.

Sean Walsh Park .  Thank you David

Failed nests

National Stud, Kildare.

Grangecastle Business Park.

Broombridge

UCD Engineering Lake

Unknown Outcome

Parkwest, Liffey Filters

30/04/2020 to 31/05/2020 Mute Swan Updates

UPDATED 31/05/2020 14:05

This page has had to go alphabetically!  Too many updates to keep moving newest update to top.    There are 47 locations below but many locations I have no news.  Example: The Peoples Park in the Phoenix Park is locked, the Zoo is shut, I have no observers in Naas and although 1 nest is hatched I don't know if the other 5 sites are even in use.  But a massive thanks to all who have sent in data.  I will be able to use 2020 in my research, but please continue to send in sightings.  I monitor nests until the cygnets are 12 weeks old so all counts are appreciated

____________________________________________________________________________

Airside Swords

31/05/2020 08:30 7 Cygnets

30/05/2020 FN Mantling. MV Should have cygnets tomorrow!

14/05/2020 Nesting still.  CAHL, CAIL NdP
22/04/2020 Advised of a new nest. CAHL + CAIL on 2 eggs. Both Swans hatched in 2015 and I have no breeding attempts noted for either Swan. (The election posters if you are interested are Liada Ni Riada, Irish Presidential Election 2019)
19/04/2020 Female on Nest - Twitter.

Airside Swords.  Swans with election posters

Ardclough, Grand Canal - No info

22/05/2020 4 Cygnets in photo on twitter by @eoghancorry, posted by @kathysheridan

Ashtown, Royal Canal

Royal Canal, pair CBKX and mate present. Thank you Niall de Poar

Aviva, Dodder Pair - No info

Balcarrick Golf Club

05/05/2020 A Facebook posted video by the club of 7 Cygnets with parents crossing Golf Course. Can't see if the parents are colour ringed.

Ballycragh Park, Firhouse

15/05/2020 15:00 8 Cygnets CACI & CACJ apparently hatched 14th PM
12/05/2020 Female on Nest.  Male Patroling.
Pair present - Possibly started nesting. CACI and CACJ. Observed before the restrictions. Thank you Niall de Poar

Ballymount Park. Dublin 24

27/05/2020 7 Cygnets and CBIB (F)

19/05/2020 MV coluldn't see anything.
09/05/2020 Male still trying to drive  away 2019 cygnets.  Nest not visible on Island.
02/04/2020. Female on nest. Male CABK trying to oust the 6 cygnets from last year, CCDL, CCDN, CCDP, CCDS, CCDT and CCDV. Also present was juvenile CCDH from Ballycragh Park in Firhouse
25/03/2020 Female on Nest. Male beside her. Assume they are CABK (M) and CBIB (F) but haven't confirmed. Interestingly last years cygnets are still there, all 6 of them. All 6 are ringed.

Binn Bridge, Royal Canal

Royal Canal, un ringed pair present. Observed before the restrictions. Thank you Niall de Poar

Blanchardstown IT.

23/05/2020 2 Cygnets MI FI

21/05/2020 CAHK m CAZP f 2 cygs NdP
14/05/2020 7 Cygnets Photo NdP
06/05/2020 Received photo this morning of Pen still on nest.
19/03/2020. Female on Nest. CAZP (M) close by.

Blessington Basin, Dublin

14/05/2020 Still 6 Cygnets CBFN
12/05/2020 6 Cygnets on DCC Twitter this morning.
22/04/2020 Female on Nest. Male in Vicinity
13/04/2020 Pen has been on nest for 8 days now. Cygnet from last year still present. Thank you Brian

Broombridge / Reilly Bridge, Royal Canal

09/05/2020 Abandoned – no 2^nd attempt looking likely.  Thanks Darren

30/04/2020 Nesting. Only egg appears to have fallen out of nest. Again this year locals concern that they have chosen a narrow section of the towpath to nest on.
22/04/2020 Nesting - appears to be usual pair CBDV and CAVX
10/04/2020 Advised pair present before lock down. (Thanks Niall)

Bushy Park

14/04/2020 Male CBAH noted. Female not visible. Perhaps on nest in the vegetation?
29/05/2020 1 Cygnet

Castletown House

11/05/2020 6 Cygnets announced by Castletown House on Twitter.  Great as the facility is closed.

Chapelizod Island, Liffey

24/05/2020 5 Cygnets MI

23/05/2020 MI CAIT FN

29/04/2020 Female on Nest. Male in vicinity.
26/04/2020 Female on Nest. Male in vicinity.
23/04/2020 Pen on nest incubating. Male patrolling. Both colour ringed but yet to be read.
16/04/2020 Pen on 7 eggs
10/04/2020 Egg was ejected or just rolled out of the nest. However, nesting attempt still going.
09/04//2020 A new swan nest reported. 6 eggs
Thank you Grainne who will keep me informed from her balcony. Yet to determine which swans the are!

Corkagh Park, Fishing Lakes

Abandoned nesting for 2020

17/05/2020 Spending a lot of time off nest.  Not an encouraging sign
16/04/2020 on nest 12:00
13/04/2020 This new pair is on eggs. Apparently photos on facebook. As a new pair, they don't know that there is a safe place to nest on the Island.
18/03/2020. Pair Present. CBID and metal ring W41079 (Was CBKA)

Corkagh Park, Wildfowl Lakes.

28/05/2020 5 Cygnets still NDP

17/05/2020 Down to 5 Cygnets Suzana R.
02/05/2020 6 Cygnets and 2 eggs unhatched. Thank you Suzana  R

Cross Guns, Royal Canal

28/05/2020 Crossguns 1 Cygnet CCCH

08/05/2020 Still nesting CCCH read again
26/04/2020 5 Eggs. CCCH read again.
22/04/2020 Good to see a nesting Pair although CCCH is very young to be nesting. Only a 3rd Year

Druids Glen: Co Wicklow

20/05/2020 Still 6 Cygnets.  Thank you Angela and Albert
13/05/2020 6 new cygnets.  Neither parent coloured ringed.

Dublin Zoo - No info

Fr Collins Park

16/05/2020 Still 8 Cygnets BN MI
14/05/2020 Still 8 Cygnets NdP MI FI
06/05/2020 08:00 8 Cygnets and 1 unhatched. CAJC + CAJH Excllent Tom.
04/05/2020 12:40 8 Cygnets and 1 unhatched. Excellent Tom. CAJC + CAJH Confirmed as parents
03/05/2020 7 Cygnets Hatched and 2 eggs to go.
03/05/2020 First 2 Hatched 10 am
18/04/2020 Female on 9 Eggs! If counts are accurate, (Sometimes eggs difficult to see) she only finished laying on April 1st. May 13th for cygnets?
30/03/2020 Female on 8 eggs CAJH + CAJC.
10/03/2020. Female on nest - No eggs yet. CAJH. Male CAJC present.

Grange Castle Business Park, Clondalkin

03/05/2020 Nest abandoned. No eggs left in nest.
01/05/2020 Still nesting at new location
10/04/2020 Looks like the pair are nesting again. Dangerous site as there are a lot of dogs not on leads at this location
31/03/2020 Nest was destroyed by humans this evening. 1 egg found on far side of road near Grange Castle restoration site. Apparently the pair had started nesting this week at their usual spot. Didn't have an egg count, but if they had laid only one or two, they may try again. Report and photo by Shay Connolly. Thank you Shay.
25/03/2020 - Pair Present. No nest built yet
18/03/2020 - Pair Present CBIF +

Herbert Park - No swans noted at last visit

Hermitage Golf Course - No Info

Kilboggat Park

14/04/2020 Only one swan noted today. Female with metal ring. Probably the nesting female from last year. The male was killed by dog while defending the cygnets last year.

Knock Lake

21/05/2020 Knock lake 6 Cygnets CBAA

06/05/2020 Female on nest, male patrolling. Male colour ringed for definite but not read.

Malahide Yacht Club

Pair Nesting no eggs in nest although egg seen 10m away! CBFK and W27876 (Oscar Swan and at least 13 years old)

Marley Park - No info

Naas Ponds

Twitter @NaasBall. 6 Cygnets
Naas Ponds Town, Middle and Fair Green - No Info

National Stud - No Info

Newbridge Golf Club - No Info

Newbridge, Lakeside

19/05/2020 CABZ and CADP both present but no cygnets!
04/05/2020 5 Cygnets. Thank you Anna Dooley again for report and pictures
13/04/2020 Nest again this year. Can't assume the parents are the same as the last 5 years. Will wait for confirmation My thanks to Anna Dooley who kindly took this photo on her walk.

Lakeside Newbridge, Photo by Anna Dooley - Really appreciated.

Parkwest, Guinness Filters, Grand Canal

22/04/2020 Nest observed from 50 Motorway. Hopefully I will have ringed this pair over the winter.
Peoples Park - No Info

Poppintree Park.

28/05/2020 Poppintree 6 Cygnets NdP

14/05/2020 6 Cygnets NdP
28/04/2020 Still on nest. Thanks NdP
22/04/2020 Confirmation of nesting at this location
10/03/2020 Pair present CALV & CAJC. CAJC has lost it's coloured ring. Metal ring read

Sean Walsh Park, Large Lake

08/05/2020 Still 3 Cygnest Niall
04/05/2020 12:40 3 Cygnets - Final count.
02/05/2020 16:00 All on nest - No count. However this pair hatch over many days. Goodness knows what their strategy is this year!
01/05/2020 3 Cygnets - There may be more to come!
22/04/2020 All going to plan. Possibly going to be 1st Cygnets this year.
04/05/2020 All going normally. Female on nest Female W43599. Colour ring now missing
15/03/2020 Female on Nest. Male CAAH beside nest.

Sean Walsh Park, Stadium

08/05/2020 Pen on nest - Niall
04/05/2020 Pen on nest - all going to plan.
22/04/2020 Nesting now progressing. Female turning eggs which can mean incubation has started. Thank you David.
05/04/2020. This pair still not sure what they are doing. Still on and off the nest but nothing laid. This really highlights first time partners. CBKS is the female. CAXF is on its 3rd nesting partner in 2 years!
07/03/2020 Female on nest or Male? CBKS present. CBKS is only a 3rd year from Bushy Park. Don't have high hopes for this location this year.

SWP Stadium - Turning eggs

Skerries Mills

20/06/2019 Still 9 Cygnets
10/06/2020 Still 9 Cygnets

20/05/2020 Evening. 9 Cygnets . CBDI Read
05/05/2020 Pen on nest and CBDI patrolling. Looking promising.
05/04/2020 Pen on nest and colour ringed male patrolling. MC on social media. Thank you.

Terenure

10/05/2020 6 Cygnets on video.  Pen off the nest.  A Moloney on Twitter, excellent.
Pen read by Ezster and Anne CACC
06/05/2020 Hatching. 5 Cygnets so far. A Moloney posted lovely video on Twitter.
17/04/2020 Still on 7 eggs. Male identified again as CBTL, all looking good.
14/04/2020 Still on 7 eggs. Male and Female same pair as last year. 5 years old so good chance this year.
07/04/2020 On 7 eggs at present - Updated this evening
07/04/2020 Made aware of this resident pair nesting.
05/04/2020 Female on nest.

Tolka Valley Park

31/05/2020 Griffith Park, Botanic Avenue, Glasnevin 13.30 & Cygnets MI CAJV Still 7 Cygnets

16/05/2020 Still 7 Cygnets
14/05/2020 Still 7 NdP
13/05/2020 7 Cygnets.  Julia, the London correspondent spotted the announcement on Instagram with photos.  Thank you PP.
06/05/2020 CAJV patrolling and female on nest. Thanks J.
30/04/2020 Nesting.
22/04/2020 Confirmation of nesting Female on nest. MV - Male in Vacinity
Pair apparently back and nesting. CAJV + Unringed mate and mate. Observed before the restrictions. Thank you Niall de Poar

Turvey, Rogerstown

20/06/2020 3 Cygnets

16/06/2020 5 Cygnets

20/05/2020 On nest looking good. JR WA
05/05/2020 Nest built. CAFV + CBDT. No eggs yet but But as a 5CY, a good chance of cygnets this year. Fingers crossed.

Tymon Park North

19/05/2020 Hatched 5 Cygnets.  Not paying attention and already lost one this morning to heron
08/05/2020 Nesting still
18/04/2020 Female on nest. Nest difficult to see now. Couldn't see male.
01/04/2020 Occasionally going onto Island to build? Can't see nest site.
29/03/2020. CBKN & CACH out grazing. No sign of nesting yet.
24/03/2020. Pair present CBKN and CACH. Not nesting yet. Same pair as 2019

Tymon Park, Lime Kiln.

18/05/2020 Facebook - 8 Cygnets at 11am on video this morning
18/05/2020  16:00 Female on nest. 3 Cygnets visible. Couldn't get a head count
14/05/2020 Female on eggs – At least 6. Female on the nest, Male beside it. Perhaps tomorrow.

08/05/2020 Female on Nest Covered Eggs and went for a wash  09:00. MV FI MI
25/04/2020 Female on Nest Male in vacinity. last years still present
01/04/2020 Female on Nest. Male working on chasing away last years cygnet

26/03/2020 Female on Nest
20/03/2020 CABD + CABF on big lake. Not yet nesting.

Tymon Park, Spawell Lake.

08/05/2020 Nesting M Identified & F Identified  Niall
01/04/2020 Nest building together.
22/03/2020. New pair present. CCFH + CCFF. No sign of nest yet.

UCD - Engineering lake

08/05/2020 Looks like they have abandoned their effort.  All reports are not on nest
03/04/2020 Pair nesting Tweet from Nessa Childers. Thank you

UCD O'Reilly Lake

07/05/2020 6 Cygnets Twitter 16:40
07/05/2020 Hatching - Elizabeth
28/04/2020 Still on nest. Thank you Niall de Poar
01/04/2020 Female on Nest. Tweet from Nessa Childers. Thank you
Pair nesting - Thank you Niall de Poar. Observed before the restrictions.

War Memorial Park - No Info

Waterstown Park, Palmerstown

17/04/2020 Female noted on nest on the Liffey. Male patrolling.

Waterville Park - Blanchardstown 

27/05/2020 5 Cygnets. Via JB
24/05/2020 6 Cygnets. Neither Parent Ringed. JR
21/05/2020 6 Cygnets NdP
19/05/2020 6 Cygnets this morning Via JB
18/05/2020 Hatching - At least 3 visible.  Update tomorrow hopefully.
09/05/2020 Female on nest.  Usual nest location and not the Island which strongly suggests that it is the same pair as last year.

Those of you who regularly see my Swan reports know that a Swan can stay put for many years and then just disappears.  CBPS was ringed in Bray in 2017 and was recorded there nearly every month till January 2020.  My thanks to Ronnie Martin who sent me this superb photo from Webbs Field ECNR.  Taken on March 18th it shows CBPS has gone south and is with a partner.  4 years old, it might be tempted to try nesting this year.

CBPS By Ronnie Martin.  March 18th Webbs Field.

A big thank you to Alan, Niall, Shay, Sean, David and Grainne for their updates.  If you are taking your daily exercise in a park within 40Km of Dublin city center.  I am looking for updates on Swan nests and if you can read their leg rings, even better.

This years Mute Swan Nesting Project will not be going ahead with the same commitment due to Government advice to stay in or close to home.  So with local walks only, I will collect what nesting data I can.  You can send me your local data and I will add.  The methodology won't be exact, but better than nothing.

Project Boundaries

I would normally locate over 40 nest and monitor them.  Can't do that this year, but this is the latest situation.

Did you see the front page of the Irish Times on April 7th?  The photographer Alan Betson' photo of CBXN and CAFZ, gave these swans their 5 minutes of fame.  He kindly passed on over 100 photos from which 22 additional rings / swans  were added into this years survival project.  I am really grateful as I can't go out and read them!

Alan Betson' photo which appeared in The Irish Times.  

11/04/2020

The 11th seems to be about numbers and milestones.  This blog has just passed 100,000 page views, Swan data base just passed 9,000 entries but this years Swan RAS (Resighting / Retrapping Adults for survival) has reached 50.  My thanks to everyone who has sent in sightings from their local swans.  Hopefully the project will get another 150 individuals before end of September, but it is a great start that shows me that with sightings coming in the project can continue.

SURPRISE!

05/04/2020.  CBJS turned up in a rural garden south of Naas this morning.  Not many people have Mute Swan on their garden bird list, but also  CBJS hasn't been seen since 2017, it's one of my missing swans.  :)
My thanks to Joe Coleman for the photo and video.

CBJS - A garden bird!

As you can see I can't check out the usual spots.  If you pass a swan nest in Dublin, I would appreciate an email to my gmail  "at" mute.swan.ring.

March 2020

19th March

If anyone goes to Howth Harbour at the moment, the most striking thing is there are hardly any Herring Gulls or Great Black-backed Gulls about.  Today the count was 4 Adult GBBGU and 2 sub adult and 6 Herring Gulls and 5 Juveniles.  It is amazing with the chip shops closed, there are no chips to scavenge and suddenly no Gulls.  It really does show that they are there because  so many people either feed them or drop food which they scavenge.

10th March

I had a few hours off this morning, so off to Howth.  Despite having over 1000 Irish Herring Gulls and Great Black-backed Gulls colour ringed, I wasn't expecting to see many.  I recored none

Only about 6 Herring Gulls are known to still be in Dublin and I'm not expecting any more back for at least another 10 days.  This week the following have been reported.  Herring Gull 639:D is still in Scotland, 954:D in Wicklow Town, 544:D is in Dunmore East,Waterford, 016:D in Llanelli in Wales.  There are also 5 using Bray Harbour which is near.  Our Dublin Gulls have dispersed from Belfast to Cork.  The Adults are due back at the end of the month and maybe a few more juveniles?

However, today I read 2 metals on Herring Gulls, GC96306 which was ringed in 2010 and MA18347 which was ringed in 2007.  I await to find where they were ringed but I don't recognizance the series.  Oh, also recorded one from the Isle of Man which is to be expected at this time of year.  Interestingly I have recorded no Scottish Gulls this winter.

Herring Gull T3YS - Ringed 2019 on the Calf of Man, Isle of Man

February 2020 - Godwits + Geese

22nd February

On my birthday I abandoned my family and went for an hour to the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve.  Having failed in previous visits to read a Greenland White-fronted goose neck band, I was lucky this time.  There was a flock only 200m from the road.  There were other things about such as Bewick Swans, Greylag Geese, Brent and Whooper Swans but a Greenland WFRGO is what I was after.  I managed to record 3 and possibly a 4th.  Many thanks to Tony Fox in Denmark who co-ordinates the project for a rapid and interesting reply.  (Apologies for typo in photos.  Wexford Wildfowl Reserve is the correct name.)  They are family orientated geese and offspring can associate with parents for many years.  This makes them interesting to study.

CHH was ringed in Wexford in 2019

CHN is an associate of CHH also ringed 2019 and expected to be seen near each other

X4X is why ring reading fun and educational!  It was not expected to be at the reserve.  It was ringed in Donegal and a first sighting in Wexford.  This sighting is classified as "a record of merit"

 While looking back through my photos as apparently there are birds with Grey telemetry collars, I spotted in a corner of a frame this collar [Y83].  I have reported it as not a 100% confident read and I am sure I will hear soon if Tony agrees and if he does, the history of these magnificant Geese

Greenland White-fronted Goose Y83?

15th February

Storm Dennis was raging today, but I was at the Bull Island with 30 minutes to spare.  So I got soaked and went looking for coloured ringed gulls. I was having no luck when I spotted a CR Black-tailed Godwit.  I risked taking the camera out and sheltering the camera behind a bin, took a few photos.  Couldn't even check the photos as the rain was near horizontal  Thirty meters further on I noticed the same Godwit in among another flock of Gulls.  I didn't risk getting the camera soaked again.  Suddenly I was seeing double with 2 Godwits sporting these tall triple green rings.  Camera out again and with holding it still as possible in the storm tried to record them.  I recorded 3 individuals.

Black-tailed Godwit GGG/m/RL//

Black-tailed Godwit GGG/m/YN//

Black-tailed Godwit GGG/m/RN//

A couple of emails as I couldn't find the project on line and these were all ringed at this location in January!

January 2020 Surprise sighting!

January 12th

I have been sick for the past 2 weeks, but I am on the mend and hope tomorrow will be my last day.  I have missed so much at this fantastic time of year, but my emails haven't slowed down.  On January 12th I got emailed a surprise sighting with photo!  

On January 7th 2018 I caught 3 Black-headed Gulls.  1 was already ringed!  The others became 2ACA and 2ACB.  

2ACB only showed once more in Sean Walsh Park on January 12th 2018.

In June 2018 it was observed nesting at North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory Orkney Scotland, and then nothing

However, David who regularly also check Sean Walsh Park for rings was very surprised to see it and luckily photographed it!  It tells me the Gulls are starting to move!

Photo by David.  2ACB returns

January 2nd

I got out for a walk along the Dodder and what a great walk!  The first Darvic spotted was on a Black-headed Gull.  Although I have not yet got a reply to my sighting, it is a German ring.

Black-headed Gull from Germany

I also recorded one of our Great Black-backed Gulls 312:D.  Now in it's 4th Calendar Year, looking more and more like an adult, although another year probably before it breeds.

Right beside the Great Black-backed Gull was a Herring Gull from Irelands Eye.

Herring Gull 759:D