Monday, February 9, 2009

8th February,2009.

A day not dis-similar to yesterday , although we actually did have a few snow flurries late afternoon. Nothing exciting on the bird front, although I didn't go very far up the Rinns.
On Thursday, whilst we were goose counting, we had a Greenland White-fronted Goose at Cladville wearing a collar (J3H), which was there again today. Second time around it did register as the bird I'd first seen on the 8th October,2008 and which had been caught and ringed in Western Greenland on 16th July, 2008. I looked out my original notes and, yes, it was the bird whose details Tony Fox had kindly confirmed etc. Without turning back the Blog this was the bird that was part of a group of White-fronts found resting at Claddach Loch on the 8th October, presumably newly arrived. Despite searches over the ensuing days I didn't find it again and presumed it had perhaps moved through to Ireland. Good to see it's still prospering and wintering locally. Given that wintering geese are generally faithful to a selection of feeding areas it will be interesting to keep an eye out for it in future winters too, although I don't envy its journeys to and from Greenland!!!

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