September 2014 - Caspian Gull Back?

September 28th

Spent an hour reading the Mediterranean Gull coloured rings.  No unusual rings read but a nice day.

September 25th

The Black Headed Gulls in Sean Walsh Park, Tallaght, Dublin are still mainly passing through.  Today I got my first from Denmark this Autumn.  It is usual that I get a Few from Denmark each season.

BLHGU from Denmark

1 of 60 photos I took of its ring!

September 24th

Sean Walsh Park - Fairly sure that this is the same Caspian Gull back in the Park.  Mid moult makes it difficult to be absolutely certain, but it ticks the boxes.  The beady eye rules out herring gull.

September 23rd

I have missed a few write ups but today in Sean Walsh Park I got another Black Headed Gull with a Darvic!  For the last few months I have has 27H0 (about 30 sightings) so I was delighted that Y[244M] turned up.  It was also ringed at Lough Mask, Co Mayo 2007 and this is the 2nd time I have recorded it at this location.

September 21st

At Poolbeg, sitting on the railing were a hundred Black Headed Gulls.  The 2nd furthest away had a yellow ring.  It turned out to be yet another from Lough Mask.  But this was only it's second sighting since it was ringed in 2007 and both the first sighting away from its colony and the first since 2009.

September 14th

I went down to Sandycove to see if 2X7J was around to get a good photo.  It didn't oblige!  However 6 colour rings, 4 Irish and two French Mediterranean Gulls.  Most were too far out for anything other than record shots.

September 13th

A day to remember!  I met my ringing trainer and some other ringers from the Midland Ringing Group and an attempt was made to catch Juvenile Med Gulls.  One was caught and ringed by me. The Darvic was added by my trainer, but these birds learn quick and no more were caught!  So I was delighted when 2X7J showed up later at the 40ft showing off his new bling.  There were 3 yellow rings , 2 green and 1 white on show.

Mediterranean Gull with its new Ring

Mediterranean Gull ringed last week!

Mediterranean Gull

September 11th

The number of Black Headed Gulls in the park is still fluctuating wildly.  This week there was 1 one day and 300+ the next.  Thankfully 27H0 is around or I would be reading nothing!

September 7th

There has been little to report regarding rings in Tallaght.  This morning I went to Howth Harbour.  Plenty of Gulls but only 2 coloured Rings.  One Great Black Backed and one Herring Gull.  Both are regulars at this location.

Great Black Backed Gull B[3EU] at Howth Harbour.

I went to Sean Walsh Park in Tallaght again today and 27H0 turned up.  It has been missing from the park for almost 2 weeks so great to see it is fine.

Black Headed Gull 27H0 in Sean Walsh Park

Bray Harbour this evening turned up nothing, but I stopped at Bulloch Harbour and in a flock of 11 Mediterranean Gulls, there were two coloured rings.  The German one is a regular but this is my bird of the day.  A new Med Gull ring, to me!  I think it was only ringed last week in Dublin, but still a new to me.

Mediterranean Gull Y[2X6A] at Bulloch Harbour