Islay - The Results...

Barnacle Geese on the Isle of Islay, Scotland

On Monday the 18th March 2019, I joined a trip to the Island of Islay, which had been organised by Jim Wells.  Those going on the trip had two options:- (1) Remain at the Loch Gruinart Nature Reserve, run by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, or (2) travel around the island to read rings on Barnacle Geese.

Ten people, including myself, booked onto the trip, with Jim Wells, David Nixon, Maurice Cassidy and myself, electing to 'Read Rings'.  Two folk, by the morning of the trip, were unable to participate, though the graciously submitted their fee, which made the total cost of the trip, slightly less for the rest of us.

Jim, a friend of my since the early 80's, was interested to see me in action with my camera.  He knew, the results I was obtaining with my old Nikon P900, but the new Nikon P1000, really excelled on Islay.  Jim, and the other 'Ring Readers', were impressed at just how good the camera was, at catching the ring codes from distance.

On arriving at the RSPB's Loch Gruinart Reserve, a small flock of Barnacle Geese, were present in the field below the car park at the Reserve.  Just one of these birds was ringed, bearing a 'metal'.  Despite, good light being on the wrong side of the 'metal', plus the goose was on the move, feeding, I managed to capture a number of photos, showing a 'dodgy' ring number.

By the time, we were due to leave the island, I had also recorded 19 'colour-ringed' geese.  All sightings were sorted, and copies of the photos were sent to Steve Percival, the ringing coordinator for the Barnacle Geese.  Steve suggested that my 'metal-rung' goose, may be of Icelandic origin, as British rings had seven digits, whereas, my 'dodgy' ring number appeared to read -   120866 .

I reported the bird to Iceland anyway, not 100% sure whether they would accept the sighting.  When the reply, came back, they confirmed that the number -   120866 , was indeed used on a juvenile, ringed on the 18th July 2018.  Understandably, I was well pleased with the result.  I'm sure, very few 'Ring Readers', ever read 'metals' on Barnacle Geese, here on Islay.  

Barnacle Goose  -    120866   -  Loch Gruinart, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland  (18 Mar 2019)

(Ringed as a Juvenile, on the 18th July 2018, at Breiðamerkursandur, SE. Iceland)
(PDF File)

As can be imagined, my use of the camera, to document my ring sightings, went down a treat, for all concerned.  Photos, eliminate the margin for mistakes in reading codes, offering full proof of my sightings.  Graham McElwaine, from the Irish Brent Goose Research Group, has commented on my sightings in the past, as I always submit photos for each Brent Goose sighting, here in Northern Ireland.

Below, are the email comments, from Steve Percival (coordinator) and David Nixon (fellow 'ring reader').

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Gareth

Many thanks for your kind offer to use your photos, much appreciated. Its awesome to be able to verify sightings like this. The clarity of the rings is fantastic, your set-up seems perfect.

Cheers

Steve

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Hi Steve,

Great to see the feedback from Gareth's records from Monday. Quite a few of those records are the same as mine for the day so I'm only reporting a few extras picked up when not with Gareth. I'm afraid I can't provide photographic evidence of my sightings, those great photos take this type of recording to a whole new level !!

 

Regards

David

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Below, are the 19 'Colour-Ringed' Barnacle Geese, that I recorded.  Some of these birds, were spotted at distance, therefore, their photos were taken, well into 'digital mode', with my camera.  With the codes captured, many of these geese, were ringed quite recently, and have quite an extensive local re-sighting history.  I've added a 'Link', to the PDF File, for each goose encountered, other than trying to list all of the re-sightings on this post.

All in all, this was a good first visit to the Isle of Islay, as I had never recorded a 'Ringed' Barnacle Goose, before today.

Barnacle Goose  -  (White)  6TF  -  Bridgend, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland  (18 Mar 2019)

(Ringed as a 2nd Calendar Year Female, on the 14th February 2018, at Rubha Ban, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland)
(Re-Sighting History)

Barnacle Goose  -  (White)  6TP  -  Bridgend, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland  (18 Mar 2019)

(Ringed as an Adult Male, on the 14th February 2018, at Rubha Ban, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland)
(Re-Sighting History)

Barnacle Goose  -  (White)  6UN  -  Bridgend, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland  (18 Mar 2019)

(Ringed as an Adult Female, on the 16th February 2018, at Rubha Ban, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland)
(Re-Sighting History)

&

Barnacle Goose  -  (White 6UL)  -  Bridgend, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland  (18 Mar 2019)

(Ringed as an Adult Male, on the 16th February 2018, at Rubha Ban, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland)
(Re-Sighting History)

Barnacle Goose  -  (White)  6UY  -  Bridgend, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland  (18 Mar 2019)

(Ringed as an Adult Female, on the 16th February 2018, at Rubha Ban, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland)
(Re-Sighting History)

Barnacle Goose  -  (White)  6XC  -  Bridgend, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland  (18 Mar 2019)

(Ringed as an Adult Male, on the 16th February 2018, at Rubha Ban, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland)
(Re-Sighting History)

Barnacle Goose  -  (White)  EBJ  -  Gruinart, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland  (18 Mar 2019)

(Ring as an Un-Sexed Adult, on the 26th October 2018, at Loch Gruinart, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland)
(Re-Sighting History)

Barnacle Goose  -  (White)  EBT  -  Grainel, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland  (18 Mar 2018)

(Ringed as an Adult Female, on the 26th October 2018, at Loch Gruinart, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland)
(Re-Sighting History)

Barnacle Goose  -  (White)   SDS  -  Bridgend, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland  (18 Mar 2019)

(Ringed as an Adult Female, on the 3rd March 2018, on the Orkney Islands, Scotland)
(R-Sighting History)

Barnacle Goose  -  (White)  SNU  -  Loch Gruinart, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland  (18 Mar 2019)

(Ringed as an Un-Sexed Adult, on the 2nd March 2017, on the Isle of Tiree, Inner Hebrides, Scotland)
(Re-Sighting History)

Barnacle Goose  -  (White)  SNV  -  Loch Gruinart, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland  (18 Mar 2019)

(Ringed as a Juvenile, on the 2nd March 2017, on the Isle of Tiree, Inner Hebrides, Scotland)
(Re-Sighting History)

Barnacle Goose  -  (White)  VYY  -  Loch Gruinart, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland  (18 Mar 2019)

(Ringed as an Un-Sexed Adult, on the 9th November 2004, at Loch Gruinart, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland)
(Re-Sighting History)

Barnacle Goose  -  (White)  XFX  -  Bridgend, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland  (18 Mar 2019)

(Ringed as an Adult, on the 13th November 2004, at Loch Gruinart, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland)
(Re-Sighting History)

Barnacle Goose  -  (White)  XHC  -  Bridgend, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland  (18 Mar 2019)

(Ringed as an Un-Sexed Adult, on the 13th November 2004, at Loch Gruinart, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland)
(Re-Sighting History)

Barnacle Goose  -  (White)  XVJ  -  Loch Gruinart, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland  (18 Mar 2019)

(Ringed as an Adult Female, on the 30th October 2008, at Loch Gruinart, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland)
(Re-Sighting History)

Barnacle Goose  -  (White)  ZTZ  -  Bridgend, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland  (18 Mar 2019)

(Ringed as an Adult Female, on the 27th October 2014, at Loch Gruinart, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland)

(Re-Sighting History)

Barnacle Goose  -  (White)  ZZH  -  Loch Gruinart, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland  (18 Mar 2019)

(Ringed as an Adult Female, on the 25th October 2018, at Loch Gruinart, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland)

(Re-Sighting History)

Barnacle Goose  -  (White)  ZZL  -  Loch Gruinart, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland  (18 Mar 2019)

(Ringed as a Juvenile Male, on the 26th October 2018, at Loch Gruinart, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland)

(Re-Sighting History)

Barnacle Goose  -  (White)  ZZV  -  Loch Gruinart, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland  (18 Mar 2019)

(Ringed as an Adult Female, on the 26th October 2018, at Loch Gruinart, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, Scotland)

(Re-Sighting History)