Red
Kite hunting near Achonry. This wing-tagged bird originates in a
re-introduction scheme - most probably the Northern Ireland one. More
details will be posted on this website when the bird's origins are
confirmed.
8th August 2009:
Black-tailed Godwits signal the change of season
Four Black tails Godwits were at Gibraltar today. The left photo shows a winter-plumaged juvenile.The right photo shows an apparent family group of three in summer plumage
(including a summer plumaged juvenile on the right of the group of
three).
This adult Common Gull at Quay St car park, ring number ET 47509, was
ringed as a nestling in a breeding colony at Loch Tarff in the Scottish
Highlands by Hugh Insley on the 26th May 1997. The winter of
2009/2010 will be its sixth consecutive winter in Sligo, where it seems
to arrive punctually in the first week in August each year, presumably
having bred each summer in the area where it was hatched in Scotland.
A second adult Common Gull (Ring EG 55246), which was ringed on
Copeland Island in Northern Ireland and has been seen here each winter
since was also seen at Quay St today.
8th August 2009: A crèche of eight juveniles and two adult Shelduck. Most
Shelduck migrate to one of two sites to moult (the German Waddensee and
Bridgwater Bay in Somerset). Young birds are left in the care of a
small number of adults which moult in the breeding area. These crèches can grow very large, so this is a relatively small one.
Red Kite hunting near Achonry - the hill in the background of the upper
photos is Knocknashee. This bird is an adult (no white
markings on the primary coverts) and is moulting its tail and
primaries. It was 'mobbed' at times by rooks and smaller birds.
Red Kites feed primarily on carrion, frogs, rodents and small
birds. They are no threat to pets or livestock, but because they
will feed on dead carcasses they are especially susceptible to
poisoning.
See the sad saga of the last red Kite reported from the north-west - a re-introduced bird from the Wicklow scheme - details here.
