July 2014 - Meds about

July 29th

Lots and lots of Black Headed Gulls in the park this week but the fine weather means a busy park!  No foreign coloured rings so far and even 27H0 only making a weekly appearance.

July 23rd

With no rings to read it gives me the chance to look at certain individuals in detail.  This "Herring Gull" was interesting.  Very worn feathers with what appeared to be some juvenile which would be moulting into 2nd summer, but the pale eye and coloured bill would suggest older, moulting into 3rd summer.  Conclusion: not a Herring Gull, but a well worn lesser Black Backed!

July 22nd

The parks of Tallaght have been quiet for rings.  I had a week in Kerry where in the fishing ports and at the Fish Factory in Renard Point I got no rings, not even a metal.  In Dublin there are meds around at the coast but none yet seen inland.

Med Gull at Sandycove

July 12th

Although people do send me photos of coloured rings, usually so I can assist in finding the scheme, it is unusual for me to put them on my blog.  However, the following photo by Inta Kaulina is an exception.  This superb photo of a cormorant and young was taken last year on Ireland's Eye.  The reason I posted it is I didn't know the scheme.  It was ringed in June 2013 by TK. Photo taken in August 2013.

Photo by Inta Kaulina.  Cormorant feeding young. CR Ringed Cormorant.

July 9th

Sean Walsh Park today and Black Headed Gull 27H0 appeared again.  Haven't seen it for a couple of weeks.

July 8th

With no coloured rings in Tallaght yet, I started looking out for metals.  Three Black Headed Gulls with metal rings in Sean Walsh Park today.  I managed to read one!

 The ring is a BTO London Museum, so I'll send off the report and see where it came from.  Reply received 17.09.2014.  It was ringed on Goat Island Lough Mask by the Muster Ringing Group.  I didn't ever know there was a Munster Ringing Group!  They do have a good website now I know they exist!

The small amount of brown feathers, define it as sub-adult.  1st Summer Black Headed Gull

July 5th

Although a few Mediterranean Gulls have started appearing inland at the parks of Tallaght and reasonable numbers of Black Headed Gulls have started returning, no coloured rings yet.  I took a quick trip to the coast to the Forty Foot in Sandycove and also stopped at Bulloch Harbour.  The two sites are always good for a few rings when nothing is happening inland!

German Mediterranean Gull at Sandycove

Bulloch Harbour - Great Black Backed Gull from Ireland's Eye