2021 Mute Swan nests in my study area.

DUBLIN, KILDARE & NORTH WICKLOW

06/06/2021

It is gradually coming to the end of the Swan hatching season.  Below is yet another update.  

Mute Swan nesting in 2021 seems to be an odd year.  Lots of nests but low production.  

Rathcoole Cygnets hatched as did Goldenbridge / Davitt Road among others.  However, War Memorial Gardens appear to have hatched and lost all 7 in the first 3 days.  Lots of Swans and nests is not always a sign of a healthy Swan population.  The age profile is a key factor.  Presently we have a lot of young inexperienced swan parents.  A more accurate reflection will be the 12 week old Survey.  

Rathcoole Park Cygnets

Chart updated 06/06/2021.  

March 2021

 March 2nd 

So the movement of Black Headed Gulls has started.  I am not allowed to go to the coast to read rings at the roost but I can read them as they stop for a few days rest on their journey.

JHP9 was actually present on 28/02/2021 but the ring is so badly damaged I couldn't read the last digit

From Oslo and Winters in Galway.  This Black-headed Gull is on migration.

The usual suspects were also present.  X2VC who winters at this point on the Grand Canal in Dublin and the other Norwegian Black Headed Gull.  JLR4

February 2021

February 28th 2021 

This lock down means I am restricted to 5Km from my home and as a result I only see the same ringed Gulls. However, the big movement of Black-headed Gulls has started and today I recorded White NUT from Denmark. I first recorded it in January 2013 when I started ring reading. I don't know where it winters, but it stops at Sean Walsh Park, Dublin every year since for a week or so before it departs our shores. Interestingly it hasn't been recorded in Denmark since the 2013 breeding season. What is amazing about this Black-headed Gull is that it was ringed in 2005 as an adult of at least 3 years old. That makes it at least 19 years old! Great to see it still going strong. Surprisingly the Darvic ring is still in reasonable condition.

January 2021

January 27th I have not been posting as through out lock down I just haven't been recording any Black-headed Gulls with |Colour rings. I am checking 1,000 of legs every day on my exercise within my 5KM. However, on the Grand Canal I got my first new ring for quite some time.

From Cuba in Oslo, Norway and a first sighting away from Norway