July 2018 - Mediterranean Gulls are back

July 28th

At Sandycove, the first Colour Ring observed was a Juvenile Sandwich Tern with one of it's parents.  YN[KIP] was ringed last Month at the Colony of Lady's Island in Wexford.  It is fascinating to see them all move North before the migrate south to Africa.  (Photo on 60x Zoom and cropped  - so not a great photo!)

Among the 40 Med Gulls was this colour Ring that hadn't been recorded in Dublin before?  The life History has been received, almost instantaneously, and it was ringed in 2017 and observed in Wexford last Winter.  A first sighting for Dublin, though it was ringed as an adult so may have been here before.

Tymon Park this afternoon had one med gull and it was colour ringed.  2X3A was ringed in 2014 and had been seen in Spain France and the UK.  It is probably a French Breeding bird but it is as yet unconfirmed.

27th July 2018

This is a funny time of year.  Whereas some of the sea birds are still with young chicks, the Cygnets are getting close to ringing size and the first foreign juveniles and adult small gulls are already back for "Winter"

Today in Sean Walsh Park, I recorded my first 2 black headed gulls of the "Winter".  I will have to see if this Juvenile is passing through or will stay for the winter,

Red 23L4 is from just north of Birmingham at a new Colony at Belvide Reservoir

However, bird of the day is Black-headed Gull 2ACA.  The appearance of this gull, 150 days after last sighting is the start of the Winter for me.  Hard to grasp when it is 25 degrees.

2ACA returned today.

15th July

A trip to the Great Skellig off Co Kerry was a wonderful mornings birding.  Since they filmed Star Wars there is is harder to get on a boat as they have limited landings per day.  My bird of the day goes to a CR Kittiwake which was ringed in France.

However no trip to the Skelligs is complete with out mentioning the Thousand of Puffins, the are everywhere during teh breeding season and you can get withing about 5 foot (1.5m) of them!

8th July

Another full day on Irelands Eye.  I was mainly checking on the recently ringed Gull Chicks!  These Great Black-backed juveniles were ringed last week and are close to fledging.

Likewise it will not be long till the Herring Gulls all fledge.  There were a few of both species which were already flying

Fantastic close views can be had of many species.  Puffins, Guillemots, Bridled Guillemots, Cormorant, Shag, Gannets to name a few.  This Razorbill landed very close and stayed while I was having a break.

 I almost read my first Shag ring - 143131 - But I think it is missing a number!  Close.  This year they are being colour ringed to make it easier to record their survival.

However, bird of the day was an adult Great Black-backed Gull.  Ringed in July 2013, I recorded it 4 times during that year but this is the first sighting since then!

7th July

A few Med Gulls have been turning up in Tallaght and I managed to read 2 in Ballycragh Park on Thursday.  So today I went to Sandycove a Med Gull hot-spot.  Over 30 present and 5 were colour ringed.

White [3YJJ] was ringed as an adult in Belguim!

Green [RS96] was ringed in France

Yellow [2X9A] was ringed in Dublin

Yellow [2X9J] was ringed in Dublin

Yellow [2XA4] was ringed in Dublin

I look forward to the re-sighting reports to see where they have been since I last observed them. I am not even sure if I have seen 2X9J before!

July 4th

Looking at the continued results from the old project birds, I am happy with the number of sightings I am getting.  Today at Grange Castle Business Park I spotted 041:D.  Ringed last year on Irelands Eye, it is a first sighting for the project.

Herring Gull 041:D at Grange Castle Business Park

July 1st

Spent most of the day on Irelands Eye.  With Puffins, Cormorants, Shags, Razorbills, Guillemots and of course Gulls.  The results were outstanding.  I will start with a reasonable photo of 0LV.  It was ringed in 2016 as an adult and has been recorded 14 times since either on the Island or at Howth.

Next is 0EA. Ringed in 2010 is went unobserved for 5 years before being recorded breeding last year.

Although taken from some distance 0HL was a surprise! Awful photo but I had to include it.  Ringed in 2010, It was last recorded in 2012.  This one has gone unrecorded for 6 years!!!

Herring Gull 0AC went unrecorded between 2009 and 2016.  This is the 3rd year in a row that it has been recorded at the breeding colony

However this poor quality photo was the bird of the day.  Great Black-backed Gull 2CM was ringed in 2009.  This is the first sighting on the database since it was ringed!  

However, as we progressed though the Island we colour ringed some more Gulls to enable ongoing survival and dispersal data to be obtained on the Islands population.  

A great day with 8 Herring Gull Rings and 1 Great Black-backed ring recorded as well as 3 of last years gulls - Red Rings.