April 2016 - Coloured Rings.

30th April

It has been very quiet on the Gull Ring front with my time and effort spent on Mute Swans.  However, when reading Swans I always scan the Gulls.  I was rewarded with a Great Black Back Gull with a Darvic at Broadmeadows.  Better still this 2013 GBBGU was a first re-sighting!

Great Black Backed Gull + Blue 3AJ

12th April

Although most of my time is taken up with Swans, I still scan the flocks of Gulls in the parks.  Today there were three of interest.  Firstly an adult Herring Gull with a Metal Ring.BTO ending 323 before it flew off.  I will hopefully get another oppertunity to read the full code.  Then an Iceland Gull appeared.  While I walked around to photograph it a Juvenile with an Orange Darvic appeared.  My bird of the day.

Juvenile Herring Gull with Isle of Man ring

Iceland Gull in Sean Walsh park

4th April

The small Gulls such as the Black Headed Gulls gone to their breeding grounds all over europe.  I was delighted to hear from Maarten van Kleinwee that the Black Headed Gull E5VA is safely breeding again in Holland.  He sent me a photograph and a short video of it on her nest!  Excellent.

Black Headed Gull E5VA Photograph by Maarten van Kleinwee

The large gulls have returned.  The lesser Black Backed gulls have wintered mainly in Portugal and north Africa.  Wonderful to see the adults with their bright yellow legs. The Adult large gulls are probably breeders but there are now good numbers of Juvenile Herring Gulls too. These are a mixture of Irish and ones from further north like Scotland.  So still worth looking for coloured rings (but the return is less).  However, Great Black Backed Gull 1JJ and un-ringed partner have been observed using Sean Walsh Park to preen.  Ringed on Irelands Eye. Could Great Black backed gulls be nesting locally?

3rd April

I was passing the Bull Island today and stopped for 5 minutes.  There was a flock of Brent and a quick scan from the bridge and 2 had coloured rings.

Brebnt Goose 3BRR

Brent Goose UVBY.  Note Metal over Blue

 In the afternoon I visited the Grand Canal to read the project Mute Swans

2nd April 

At Bray Harbour I went looking for our Project Swans.  I was also interested to see if I could see the new Scottish Colour Ringed Herring Gull.

Herring Gull from Scotland in Bray Harbour.  Photo by Kevin Dodd

No luck with that but I did see a metal ringed Juvenile.  It took a while to get the number but success in the end. Most of the metal and Colour Ringed Herring Gulls I see at Bray are from Scotland.  I will have to wait and see where this one is from.

I did manage to record 3 of our Project Swans.  Bringing my total on only the 2nd day of the RAS project to 17 out of 150 re-sighted!

Mute Swan CABN at Bray Harbour

At Bullock Harbour there was just the one coloured ring.  1VV was ringed in 2013 on Ireland Eye, an Island that is just behind Howth Head which is visible on a good day.  Today wasn't a good day - misty and wet!

Great Black Backed Gull 1VV at Bullock Harbour.

The MUTE SWAN projects in 2016

The MUTE SWAN projects in 2016

This year we will be looking at 4 aspects of the Mute Swans within the survey area.

1. · We will be conducting another Mute Swan Nesting Census. Following on from the very successful census in 2015 we will be counting nests and looking at outcome. (I and others have our BTO and NPWS nest recording license and we will also be recording and submitting nest records).
2. · Cygnet survival and dispersal. With about 50 of the 2015 Cygnets coloured ringed, we can obtain survival data annually and continue to look at dispersal
3. · We hope to conduct a census and count the number of Swans in June. This is when the majority of Swans are moulting and movement between sites should be at it’s lowest.
4. · We are commencing a Mute Swan RAS on April 1st

Nesting Swans.  Photo taken from 50m away!

A MUTE SWAN RAS

What is it and why?

When collecting and looking at data it is necessary that it is comparable to something historical or contemporary. We are going to use the RAS criteria for this purpose.

Retrap Adults for Survival (RAS)

The Retrap Adults for Survival (RAS) scheme is a national standardised ringing programme within the BTO Ringing Scheme. Within Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, there are currently only 3 Mute Swan RAS projects and none of them are in Ireland.

In a RAS project, ringers aim to catch or re-sight at least 50 adult birds of a single species in a study area during the breeding season. In our case it will be April 1st to September 30th. (As we have coloured Ringed 100+ adults we will be using re-sightings). The study area is defined and we are aiming to record the vast majority of the adults. All sightings of our coloured rings by licensed ringers, birdwatcher and members of the public are not only most welcome, but necessary for this project to produce accurate data.

The RAS analyses generate two parameters: survival rates and re-encounter rates. The survival rates indicate the proportion of birds that survive and return to the site to breed each year, while the re-encounter rates provide a measure of the probability of a bird’s presence being detected should it have survived and returned; the higher the re-encounter rate, the more precise the survival estimate.





The Survey area

March 2016 - Mute Swan RAS pending

March 26th

Today was the first of the "mopping up" days for the potentially breeding Mute Swans that are not yet colour ringed.  What a successful day!  In Sean Walsh Park, 2 of the oil spill Mute Swans we had ringed  on Valentines day 2015 were recaptured and a colour ringed added.  They are also already paired with swans within the CR project, although no nesting attempt has been made yet.

Two other potentially breeding adults were processed at other sites. It is so rare that a Swan code is actually a word I was surprised when inputting that one of the Swans was now a CALF!

The RAS starts next week on April 1st

March 20th

At Bullock Harbour this afternoon, there were 3 Great Black backed Gulls with the Blue rings from Irelands Eye.  2KE, 2LH and 1VA.

However, what surprised me most was that 3 Light Bellied Brent climbed out onto the low pier and grazed among the Great Black Backed Gulls, followed by a sanderling!

March 19th

While out reading Swan Rings on the Canal at Davitt Road in Dublin, the lack of Black Headed Gulls was noticeable.  From 200+ last week to 16 this week.  However, perched on top of a building was one with a coloured ring!  Very far away, but photographed it with a 500mm lens.  I assumed it was the one I saw last week JHP9 but was surprised that it was yet another new (to me) Norwegian Black Headed Gull.

I was glad I took so many photographs as it was W[J0Y8] and deciding if the digits were O/0/D, Y/V and 8/B etc. wasn't easy  However, once certain I input the code into the Norwegian Website and Bingo another Norwegian Gull that winters in Galway on the West Coast.

Black Headed Gull + Norway + J0Y8

March 18th

It appears that many of the black headed gulls have already left Ireland for the breeding grounds and the numbers in the parks are suddenly down.  The mix also has changed with suddenly the majority of Black Headed Gulls are Juveniles as the Adults have left first.  The larger gulls are in, with lesser black backed gulls and particularity Herring Gulls increasing.  Still worth looking out for the odd ring passing through.

Today in Sean Walsh Park I spotted a Great Black Backed Gull and waited for it to come out of the water.  Eventually it did.  A blue ring, 1JJ.  This individual was ringed on Irelands Eye and I recorded it in the park last May.

March 17th

News on the Swan front.  There has been a large amount of movement in the last 10 days.  So this morning we went catching at Broadmeadows to celebrate St Patricks day!  The Swans that are un-ringed are more cautious than the ones we have ringed already. However, we caught and colour ringed 6 more at this location.
The juveniles have all left Fr Collins Park in the last 2 weeks.  Of the five, three have been recorded at Broadmeadows.  7km North of the park

March 9th

A better day in Sean Walsh Park, the Black Headed Gull with the Lithuania Ring landed nearby.  I was just photographing the metal ring when a Darvic ringed Black Headed Gull landed, so although I got the ring code I don't have a good photo of the bird! I was right yesterday, the full code is HA23.459!

However this Black Headed Gull is Bird of the day!  It is not the first time I have seen VY42.  I recorded it in Bray Harbour in November 2014.  Mine was the only sighting at time.  I did not see it in 2015.  Another Darvic Ring to add to my Local Park list.  However, the most interesting thing about this Danish Black Headed Gull is it's metal ring!

I have heard about the vertically inscribed metal rings but have not seen one before. The code is repeated twice on the ring.  If it was a metal only ring it would be easier to read.

March 8th 

The Black Headed Gull 27H0 surprised me today as its head has got considerably darker than last week.  Breeding season approaches.  

However today was more about those that got away or almost did.. There was an Adult Black Headed Gull with a Lithuania metal ring ending in 59, probably 23.459.  I failed to get the first 2 letters which would probably be HA. I will try again tomorrow.

The second near miss was HA 36.807 also from Lithuania.  I had 36.807 but the letters were blurry. However, I had seen this Juvenile before and am confident with the HA.  A Black Headed Gull with a white Darvic flew passed me at lake 3 and landed.  It wasn't 27H0 but it swam away, possibly 4ET, hopefully I will photograph it tomorrow!

March 7th

It is always worth scanning the flocks of Black Headed-Gulls for Med Gulls.  This one in Sean Walsh Park wasn't ringed (unfortunately)!

March 6th

I was unimpressed with my photo of the Black Headed Gull JHP9, so I went to Davitt Road again today and armed with a loaf of bread attracted the black headed gulls.  It wasn't long before JHP9 made an appearance.  Long enough for a few photos before the next walkers put them all up again!  Success!

I then walked west on the Canal and read some of my Swan rings.  CAFB was ringed at Broadmeadows, Swords some 16km away.  It is one of the more mobile Swans but seems to have settled on this stretch of the canal and is quite taken by CAKA!

March 5th

On the Grand Canal in Dublin, there are always 100's of Black Headed Gulls but I have never seen one in this location with a Coloured ring.  So early this morning while reading Swan rings I was very surprised to see a white Darvic and even more surprised when it was one I had not seen before.

Black Headed Gull from Norway JHP9

W[JHP9] is from Norway and they have a web based reporting system, so after inputting the data it's life history is available.  This Gull winters in Galway on the west coast!  Last seen in Galway in Mid February so it is on it's way back to it's breeding ground.  It may stay in Dublin till the weather is favourable.

On the Mute Swan front, the numbers in Sean Walsh Park has dropped from 13 to 8.  However, as some of them are ringed they are likely to be re-sighted.  Today CAAC was relocated on the Grand Canal at Davitt Road 7km from where it was ringed in the park.  Also today more movements were recorded.  Among them was the Juvenile CACS.  It was ringed in Tymon Park and it stayed there till February.  It spent February in Ballymount Park just 2km away.  This morning it was on the canal 4km from the ringing location.

Mute Swans on the Grand canal

Sightings of the project swans can be sent to mute.swan.ring"at"gmail.com

28th February 2016 - Red Mediterranean rings

28th February

At Sandycove early this morning I saw two Mediterranean Gulls with Red Darvic Rings.  The 1st was H4L3, a frequently observed individual.  The other I assumed would be PRN6 a Polish Med, but it turned out to be HK36.  This is a first observation for me of this bird, (although it has been seen in Dublin over the previous 5 years at least).

Mediterranean Gull Red HK36

In the evening  myself and Sean were both at Sandymount Strand.  The Black Headed Gull, 27H0 more frequently observed at Sean Walsh Park, had arrived in to roost.  We did spot a new Polish Black Headed Gull that new to both of us. Y[T71A].  Too far for my camera so it was read by scope. Nice to see three stages of hood on the three individuals!

24th February

Breaking News on the Swan Front! 

I received a report today from Bray Harbour, CAHS has turned up there!  So the news from last weekend that it had moved from Kildare to Dublin is old news, it is now in Wicklow!

23rd February

In Sean Walsh Park today, the Black Headed Gull from Sweden 6430814 was present, however I was looking for another Gull with a metal which I saw last week.  I had photographed 4 digits and was fairly sure of the rest but today I got the whole code and it is one I last saw over 2 years ago in January 2014.  Ringed in Holland at the island De Kreupal when catching Black Terns in 2013

20th February

Today the Swan CAHS was photographed at Portobello during the I-Webs count of the Grand Canal.  Originally Colour Ringed in Naas, I photographed it yesterday in Sean Walsh Park 8km from todays' location.

Mute Swan CAHS at Portobello today.

19th February

In Sean Walsh Park there was a new Swan today.  

In the Mute Swan Project, one of the aspects that is of interest is the interaction between the Swans of Kildare and Dublin.  The new Swan in Sean Walsh Park was ringed at Naas Ponds as a 5 at the end of last year. (Hatched in 2014).  The distance between the two locations is 21km.

15th February

At Sean Walsh Park, the Black headed Gull 27H0 from Gloucestershire was present - only my 2nd sighting of the year, this is more than likely due to my lack of visits to this park.

14th February

Sean Walsh Park was visited.  It has been devoid of colour rings for quite a while.  I was with my sons and I was getting them to throw bread so I could get a wing shot of the Caspian Gull when I spotted a yellow Darvic on a Juvenile Black Headed Gull.  It was KFL4 again.  So sighted in Jobstown, Sean Walsh Park at Tallaght Stadium, Bray Harbour and now Sean Walsh Park again.  Definitely my bird of the day!

Black Headed Gull + Yellow Ring +  Latvia 

Caspian Gull in Sean Walsh Park.

13th February

To busy with the Swan Ringing project to use a camera!  Another 28 colour ringed and home for dinner

11th February

I went out to read the Swan Rings at Broadmeadows and 15 of the Swans that charged my car were coloured ringed.  However, bird of the Day goes to a Common Gull from Northern Ireland.  I had only seen it once before in September 2013 at the exact same location.  Reply from Shane is that no one had seen it since I last reported it!

However, the real reason I was out today was I was looking for the Brent.  I found a whole family who had recently been ringed!

The male of the family was also wearing a Satellite collar and doing what the males do best - protecting his family and attacking any outsider that got between him and his family

9th February

At Fr Collins Park I was checking up on the Swans on the way home and spotted the Norwegian Black Headed Gull again.  

At Howth this morning I went for an early morning walk.  The numbers of Great Black Backed Gulls is up a little bit on last week, but as it was offal collection day unable to count them!

2KL 2009 ringed.

2KL Ringed 2009

2KE. Ringed 2009

1UK. Ringed in 2012.  Still sub adult.

1UK 2012.  His Bill gives him away as a sub adult!

7th February

Has anyone seen a Coloured Ringed Greenshank in Kilcoole area this year?  I would be very interested to hear from anyone who has.  LB has an apparently incomplete code and would love to find some one who has read the full code.  mute.swan.ring"at"gmail.com

6th February

Today we had a Swan ringing session with the support of Dublin City Council.  An excellent and most enjoyable day.  Although the number ringed today (15) may have been less than other ringing days the 7 known breeding adults that were ringed, were the main target for the day.  Thank you to all the ringers, catchers and helpers.  A special thanks to Dublin City Council and to the Park Department for access.

Photos provided by Taylor Masalanka  

Me ringing a Juvenile at Stardust Memorial Park, Coolock.

The Mute Swan Ringing Team at work

Taylor and Alan, waiting for their Swans to be processed.

Jim and his Swan!

The ringing team and Dublin City Council representatives.

5th February

At Malahide this morning there were a few Brent and one was ringed.  After seeing so many on long grass, at least I could read its rings as it was on mud.

4th February

I don't normally post a picture of a bird with no ring but this huge Larus Argentatus was at Bray Harbour.  Although a Herring Gull it is a lot bigger than the type we normally get.

Mediterranean Gull 

2nd February

World Wetland Day.

For World Wetland Day, I went to Howth Harbour to see the Offal Lorry collect from the Fish Factories.  This is an event I love -watching as thousands of Gulls try for easy pickings.  The numbers of Coloured Rings were less than I expected, but the weather has been un-seasonal.  Storm Henry only moved north this morning.  All coloured rings seen today are from Ireland's Eye, an Island you can see from Howth. 11 Coloured rings read and one metal.  

Bird of the day goes to this Herring Gull BW [0MA].  It was ringed on July 7th 2013 by me!  I had seen it 6 times in Sean Walsh Park in Tallaght, but this is my first sighting since 10.04.2014.  

Hatched 2012, 1TN is still a sub adult!

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I am concerned at the crack in the coloured ring of 2EJ.

On the way home I spotted some Brent Geese, two were Colour Ringed so I read them quickly!

1st February

I went out to observe the ringing of Brent Geese.  Lovely to see them close up.  This photo take when they were all being released together.