Sunday 7 April 2013

An old Icelandic friend at Crossness today

I headed out locally to Crossness. An adult Kittiwake was on view distantly as I arrived, thanks to John A who'd managed to get himself up there a few minutes earlier than I had. That snooze button on the alarm was well used this morning...

Anyway, a singing Chiffchaff was all that the Spring sunshine could muster up, but 37 Icelandic Black-tailed Godwits were migrating birds, and included an old friend that I saw at Crossness last April too: -
Originally ringed as an adult in southwest Iceland on spring passage in April 2000, this bird (red over lime on the left leg, green over lime on the right leg) has done the rounds - initially wintering in Ireland and then switching to Chichester harbour latterly and nesting. Vigfús Eyjólfsson gave me this helpful reply of its history last spring, so who knows to date where it summered/wintered between then and now: -
26.04.00  Grafarvogur, Reykjavík, SW Iceland
27.04.00  Pollengi, Árnessýsla, S Iceland

07-25.08.00  Swords Estuary, Co. Dublin, Ireland
02-08.12.00  Wexford Slobs, Co. Wexford, Ireland

23.04.01  Solvellir, Rangárhreppur, S Iceland
24.04.01  Pollengi, Árnessýsla, S Iceland

13.12.01  Baie de l,Aiguillon, France
01.08.03  Rogerstown estuary, Co. Dublin, Ireland

28.07-15.09.04  Swords Estuary, Co. Dublin, Ireland
20.11.06  Wexford Slobs, Co. Wexford, Ireland
01.05.08  Álftafjörður, E Iceland

25.05.10  Austurey, Iceland (nesting) 
09.09.-01.11.10  Chichester Harbour,  W Sussex,  England

14.03.11  Canvey Island, Thames Estuary, Essex, England

09-27.08.11  Bartlett Creek, Motney Hill, Kent, SE England
21-23.10.11  Bosham Channel , Chichester Harbour, Sussex, England
21.04.12  Crossness, River Thames, London, England

There was also another ringed Black-tailed Godwit, from one of the UK ringing schemes, that I'm awaiting details on...

3 comments:

  1. Hi, Jim Wilson here in Cobh, Ireland. Excellent Blog and photos and great shot of the colour ringed godwit. I am involved in the project, with a particular interest in using the data gathered in the area of education of school kids and 'the public'. Thought you might be interesting in checking out our school website http://www.scoiliosaefnaofa.com/Godwit.htm All the best, Jim

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  2. Hi Jim - thanks for the comments and timely indeed. Was out today and had a good look at one of the two birds currently here so made added a link to your school's website in this post http://rothandb.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/btgs-and-gwt-at-crossness-today.html. Nice to see the kids getting involved and many thanks for those American Herring Gulls that I think you found a decade or so ago!

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  3. No bother, small world, yes I was the one who got the American herring Gull ball rolling this side of the big pond, glad you liked them.

    All the best,

    Jim

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