November 2017

November 26th

A stop at the Grand Canal at Davitt Road, produced another first sighting of one of our Urban Herring Gull Juveniles.  The reports I am getting, all seem to be further afield.
In fact the majority of the sightings I am getting are from the Urban nesting Lesser Black-backed Gull Juveniles who have made their way to Spain and Portugal!  See my recommended blogs.  Even the Urban Herring Gull sightings are spreading out with Arklow now being the furthest south.

November 25th

I have been having email problems all week.  Firstly emails with attachments not arriving, unable to send etc.  If you have sent me a sighting and haven't received a report within in a reasonable time eg 48 hours, please send again to the address mute.swan.ring@gmail,com  .  All sights of our Gulls and Swans are important and appreciated

November 19th

Doing a Canal count today, I observed yet another Norwegian Black Headed Gull.  J03U was ringed.  Ringed as an adult in 2015, it has not been recorded outside Norway before.  Are Black Headed Gulls still passing through?  It would be great to ring wintering Black Headed Gulls, but while a large proportion are passing through still, the re-sighting percentage would be low.  I am trying to ascertain when the winter population stabilizes for more accurate re-sighting data year on year.

Norway J03U

November 18th

Quick stop at Bullock Harbour.  Loads of Gulls, but only one red ring briefly spotted.  First sighting away from Irelands Eye for R[342:D]

At Dun Laoghaire there were 2 Mediterranean Gulls.  2XK5 is a new individual for me to observe.  Ringed last year in Dublin.

November 15th

I was right! Received ringing data for T96W and it was ringed this year as an adult.  However it was observed in Dublin already this winter so it looks like it will stick around and isn't just passing through.

November 14th

New Black Headed Gull today!  As a species they are so habitual.  You get the same gull in the same park year after year.  It is rare to see them at a different location.  Today at lunch I was in Tymon Park at the Spa Well end.  I was just leaving when I spotted a yellow darvic ring.  

The Polish ring T96W is new to me.  I am awaiting the ringing details, but I expect it to be recently ringed or I would have seen it before!

November 13th

At Sean Walsh Park, one of our Red ringed Herring Gulls turned up.  A 2nd visit to this park by this one from a location near St Vincents Hospital.

November 9th

In Sean Walsh Park today the Swedish Black Headed Gull 6430814 was recorded.  I would have thought it was late, but it is great to have other ring readers and David Hutchinson Edgar recorded it on October 30th.  This Gull was ringed in 2010 in Sweden.  Great to see it back for another winter.

November 3rd

I was on a short holiday in Galway, on the west coast of Ireland and nice to see the Ring Billed Gull, we don't often get them on the East Coast.  This American Gull is a regular visitor to Galway.

I only read one Darvic on my holiday and what an interesting sighting for me.  Rubbish photo but JHP9 is from Norway and winters in Galway.  I however, have recorded it in Dublin on migration in March 2016.