July 2019 - First Black-headed gull of the season

31 July 

Usually by the end of July I have recorded some colour ringed black-headed Gulls, but so far this year I had drawn a blank!  However, today I recorded my first on a lunchtime walk around Sean Walsh Park.

22nd July 2019

The end of June and beginning of July are such busy months.  From June 14th, for a single month all the large Gull chicks get big enough to catch and colour ring.  Other Seabirds such as Shag chicks also are ready for ringing.  This along side the Constant Effort Site (CES) which take 6 hours every week end takes up all my time with ringing and inputting.  It also gives me the opportunity for more learning and Razorbill and Guillemot ringing were high on my list.  This on top of all the re-sightings, my Swan RAS, Mute Swan Nesting Census and nest records means I haven't done my blog for a while.... so here goes.

21st July

Birds start returning to Dublin to "Winter" from June onwards.  But we also have a short post breeding assemblage in Dublin.  Sandwich Terns which I don't think nest anywhere in Dublin arrive in large numbers.  Again I am on the look out for coloured rings.  I expect any I read to be mainly from Scotland, but they come from all over Europe so you never know what you might see and learn.

Sandwich Tern Orange [KAF] from Ladys Island, Wexford

You may think that getting an Irish Sandwich Tern in Dublin shouldn't be interesting, but I get a few each year and they always are interesting.  They go 120km North to Dublin Bay to fatten up before they go South to Africa to winter.

The Mediterranean Gull numbers are growing but the number of coloured rings this year is not at the 10% I was getting a few years ago.  However, Green RS96 has been coming to Dublin since it was ringed in France in 2014.  However it seems to also spend every Christmas in France and the early part of the new year in Spain.

Med Gull Green [RS96]

 The other Colour Ringed Med Gull was White [3AN5].  I haven't recorded it before in Dublin.  I am waiting for the report but it is either a newly ringed adult or just had it's colour ring replaced.  It is rare that they change their habits!

July 13th - 20th

I was down on Valentia Island, co Kerry.  A wonderful place to visit.  I recorded no coloured rings, but I could watch Chough all day!  In fact I did little or no birding.  Didn't even go to the Skelligs this year.

6th July

Sandymount Strand / Booterstown Strand.  A short walk to look at roosting gulls.  Unable to count as dogs running through the flocks all the time.  I challenged yet another owner as it is against the law to disturb the roosting birds.  Her excuse was that she was aware of it and she wouldn't let her own dog chase birds but she was just minding that dog for a friend!  She again said she was aware of the law but what difference does one more dog chasing the birds make!  The Garda and council do nothing to enforce the law.  Until they start catching the dogs and fining the owners it will not stop.  The council have 3 tiny signs the length of the whole beach but no one pays any attention to them!  Rant over!

Med Gull 3FJV on Sandymount strand.  There were others but dog ran through the flock repeatedly.  You are trying to read the gulls from 40 - 50 meters so the photos are never good, but they are legible!