tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14867088007625950182024-03-05T09:54:10.119+00:00irishbrentgooseKChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17314768895773144284noreply@blogger.comBlogger233125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486708800762595018.post-1365821219529881912019-09-20T10:16:00.001+01:002019-09-20T10:16:11.033+01:00Latest from Brent land - lots of juveniles and forthcoming population census<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">With this fine weather the Brent mustn't know what is going on. The youngsters, seeing Ireland for the first time, better not get used to prolonged sunny and warm autumn high pressure periods like this. It isn't often over 20 degrees in late September here that's for sure!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We've had a few reports from Iceland and it's been apparent there too that its been a bumper breeding year in the 2019 Arctic breeding range - and that many of those chicks have made it out of Canada and Greenland. In the very best years of the last few decades we have estimated that in excess of 1/4 of the total count are comprised of juveniles which will give the population a massive injection of new blood. There are in excess of 10,000 Brent in Strangford at the moment and no doubt numbers are building across the island day by day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We will be conducting censuses of the population in western Iceland, western Britain, northern France and throughout Ireland in mid-October as usual so we'd encourage you to keep an eye out for arriving birds and please in mid-month count the flock(s), determine the proportion of adults and young on as large a sample as possible and, if possible, identify how many young are in each brood (normally 2 adults + between 1 and 6 young). Informaion please to me: kcolhounATbtinternet.com</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17314768895773144284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486708800762595018.post-21973658062851938452019-09-13T11:17:00.000+01:002019-09-13T11:17:49.202+01:00We are still here and the geese are back - ** data entry update **<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">First thing to say is that we <b>continue to be enormously appreciative of everyone bearing with us and patiently waiting for the new system to come online</b>. We were actually very close to a launch of the website earlier in 2019, and due to a number of factors technical and otherwise, when we could have launched the system in spring, it was so close to the end of the season we thought let’s just not rush for the sake of getting a flawed system launched.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I should also say that the issues are many and varied and that these relate to people’s availability, software and other technical issues. Throughout, Graham has been very patient at trying to encourage progress, keeping you informed as best he can (but not necessarily knowing the day-to-day technical issues) and <b>in no way should the slow progress be ascribed to Graham</b>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Not to be too self-critical, this has been a big undertaking, designed chiefly to ease the administrative burden at Graham’s end, to increase efficiency in data handling, processing and output – so very much short-term pain for long-term gain. Hard to get right, complicated and not core paid jobs for any of us. We have all invested a great deal of time, money and effort to move this along – not least Stuart and Rich who, in particular, basically have made it all happen. And we are confident it will be worth it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So there is some background. What next?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Well we have finally seemed to make some progress with our designers after months of inactivity on all fronts.</span></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Our first job is to ensure that all the outstanding data (for 2018/19) gets uploaded onto the system - thousands of records are involved there of course. That is in various formats and Graham has already been in touch with many of you about that</span></li>
<li style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Once we've that all uploaded and checked we will start to generate summary outputs from the year (2018/19) as soon as possible</span></li>
<li style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">At the same time we will be working on the database to run checks on the data entry (so you can enter 2019/20 data directly), and on the data output formats and web interface</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">We </span><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">expect</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> to be contracting the database/software designers to make further changes, improvements and so forth over the coming 6 months so that we can have an evolving fit-for-purpose online system</span></span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">Thank you for bearing with us. We are going to have to ask for your continued patience over the coming season.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">We will be in touch later this month with guidance on what to do next - links for the database, data entry codes etc. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">There are geese in - thousands of them - so please record data onto notebooks or spreadsheet (ask Graham or I for a template for the spreadsheet if you need it - grahammcelwaineATbtinternet.com or kcolhounATbtinternet.com).</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">Very best wishes, Kendrew (on behalf of the group)</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17314768895773144284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486708800762595018.post-22638828274261552382018-09-13T21:34:00.001+01:002018-09-13T21:34:23.308+01:00Things Now Really on the Move...<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Latest reports on the geese are as follows:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">At the North end of Strangford Lough this evening on receding HW, <strong>Alex Portig</strong> (the counter!!) and myself recorded about 6,000 birds now present. Despite good conditions for reading towards dusk, we only managed to identify seven ringed birds, as they continue to be WAY out on the mudflats following the tide. No families recorded, despite large samples being examined.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">However, the first family this winter (3 juveniles) has now been recorded, and came from the Isle of Rum from <strong>Sean Morris</strong>, the family including a marked bird which had lost a ring.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">From the nearby Isle of Skye, a small group of 13 adult brent held 3 marked birds, reported by regular observers <strong>Martin Benson</strong> and <strong>Bob McMillan</strong>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Christine Cassidy</strong> and <strong>Lindsay Hodges</strong> also recorded the first ringed birds from Lough Foyle, in a flock of about 120 geese at Ballykelly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The new season is clearly under way................</span>Graham McElwainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09680217629539272141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486708800762595018.post-32456963817314549912018-09-11T20:14:00.001+01:002018-09-11T20:14:30.232+01:00Today's Report...<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><strong>Alex Portig</strong> was out at the north end of Strangford Lough again today, and reports a significant influx:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";">South of Sewage Works: 1,000</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Storm Outfall at Patton's: 500</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Floodgates: 230</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Castle Espie: 150</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So, numbers now up to about 2,000 birds, but currently no easier to ring-read!!</span>Graham McElwainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09680217629539272141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486708800762595018.post-32503813526944575122018-09-07T20:56:00.000+01:002018-09-07T20:56:06.769+01:00Not Much Happening on Strangford Lough...<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Recent monitoring at the north end of Strangford Lough indicates that migration proper has yet to start. <strong>Alex Portig</strong> and myself have been taking a look every few days, but numbers appear to be hovering around the same (300 - 400) since my last post.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQ6bystOXKEqxEhTuA6jvaNZocqSHucMvdS5j-0Gcc9c4-krf6LQfju5HeF2yGuULrTCqf2DX3rT-QwOSm4cRlEBMcUkM2FiWC-omCzmbj_39AXHfElOojDRau-pa69nt8tuRF_rYR_I/s1600/P1030313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQ6bystOXKEqxEhTuA6jvaNZocqSHucMvdS5j-0Gcc9c4-krf6LQfju5HeF2yGuULrTCqf2DX3rT-QwOSm4cRlEBMcUkM2FiWC-omCzmbj_39AXHfElOojDRau-pa69nt8tuRF_rYR_I/s640/P1030313.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This is the usual scene at this state of the season - <strong>Alex</strong> on his bike, able to easily negotiate the 3 km+ long bank, and myself plus my dog, Bonzo on foot definitely less able!! The photograph, taken a couple of days ago, illustrates the extreme distances we are trying to read across - the birds here can (only just, as mini-dots!) be seen way out on the mudflats near the water's edge. Heat-haze is constantly an additional problem at this time of year. Just four ringed birds picked up today - often we wonder why do we do this!!!!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The answer to that is that often these "early" birds can move on, never to be seen again elsewhere, so therefore very much of interest for overall bird survival analysis. Whilst obviously an imperfect example, the very first bird read this winter, <strong>H-B-</strong> (<strong>H</strong> blue right leg, left leg-ring lost) was only picked up once last winter, possibly/presumably the same bird?, in the autumn last winter at the north end of Strangford Lough.</span>Graham McElwainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09680217629539272141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486708800762595018.post-50063641167668408242018-08-31T21:07:00.000+01:002018-08-31T21:07:45.949+01:00Today at North Strangford Lough...<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Following on from Kendrew's comments, I was up in Newtownards today and took the chance to scan out for these newly arrived birds at the north end of Strangford Lough.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Not ideal conditions - very windy, with choppy seas, but counted 243 (that sounds like a very accurate count - which it's not!!). Normal sort of numbers for the last day in August.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">These birds will prove difficult to identify individually for about ten days or a fortnight, as they tend to remain on the water on the in-coming tide, and follow the edge (unfortunately mainly in the water) on the way out. From then on they are forced to forage more on the inter-tidal mudflats, and that is when our main ring-reading effort there must concentrate over the following month/six weeks.</span>Graham McElwainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09680217629539272141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486708800762595018.post-75281827758365673622018-08-31T09:40:00.001+01:002018-08-31T09:40:26.785+01:00The Brent are back in town !<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Breaking news - reports just received (30th August) from Lough Foyle and NW Strangford are the first we have heard of Brent being back for the winter. Right on cue as we know typically birds start to leave the breeding grounds at the very end of August. These ones may well have by-passed Iceland entirely. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As is usual, numbers will build over coming weeks in western Iceland and slowly build in Ireland too. But the majority of birds through September will be along the western Icelandic coast, feeding up on Zostera there and avoiding the odd White-tailed Eagle and Gyrfalcon.</span><br />
<br />KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17314768895773144284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486708800762595018.post-15416233825743915922018-05-08T16:24:00.000+01:002018-05-08T16:24:06.709+01:00And, Incredibly, There it Was!!....<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I managed to get to Killough Harbour just before mid-day, and there, right on cue, was <strong>IJRR</strong>!! Or at least, it was a <strong>RR</strong> bird with <strong>I</strong> on the right leg - it flew away out of the harbour as I was trying to read the other ring! 😒 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It was the only brent goose seen there, and with the back history and other possible combinations, it really can't have been anything else.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Here's wishing it good speed to catch up with all the rest in Iceland, to give it time to recuperate before the onward journey.</span>Graham McElwainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09680217629539272141noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486708800762595018.post-15399204403923307482018-05-08T11:25:00.002+01:002018-05-08T11:25:55.477+01:00On the Slow Boat to Iceland...<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This is the story of <strong>IJRR</strong>, a bird which was ringed in Dublin in February 2014. Until this year, its history has been regular as clockwork, each winter passing through Strangford Lough, Co. Down on its way down to overwinter in Normandy, France, and each spring staging at Killough Harbour in Co. Down, on its way back to Iceland.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This winter it has been recorded as limping by most who have seen it, at Strangford Lough, briefly at Baldoyle, near Dublin, and then at Regneville in Normandy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Last recorded at Regneville by <strong>Philippe Lemarinel</strong> on 03 April, the bird was next spotted at St. Aubin's Bay in Jersey, on 09 - 10 April by <strong>Caroline Orpin</strong>, in a flock of 61 geese.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Next record, from <strong>Jean Brown </strong>and <strong>Judy Down</strong>, came from another Channel Island - the tiny island of Herm, just to the east of Guernsey, a first ever record from there:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9EculV0a0YXV65pIs3IZBVtI7sN9oX5AAcs7dpK10F1NekrqcQ47evTlaIZLTJtcEGLcD4qfjMKFuDeyXJBtnw2OASOmRDANiYyuWebA96JTbg8Aj_tNQA28bh98esKv3-wGm5W6HPso/s1600/IJRR+DGR.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvxl5BesGCTRJj-xQkLKKSULOaXeQvP0WoPF1pmjhcAYthQb8O8-YSGaxoJJ7976TICQVfG9_JkpFNMdraQJ5anqh4IGB_yYzdgWc3krZIJC-xAjrCbfYFVfgu_2CvdQJL3ckollV1Ocs/s1600/IJRR+JBN.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvxl5BesGCTRJj-xQkLKKSULOaXeQvP0WoPF1pmjhcAYthQb8O8-YSGaxoJJ7976TICQVfG9_JkpFNMdraQJ5anqh4IGB_yYzdgWc3krZIJC-xAjrCbfYFVfgu_2CvdQJL3ckollV1Ocs/s640/IJRR+JBN.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">By this time the bird was solitary, as all the records have been since then.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It next surfaced at the Devon Wildlife Trust reserve at Dawlish Warren, which is at the mouth of the River Exe estuary, recorded from the hide there on 05 May by <strong>Lee Collins</strong>:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqpd6OwWiWVMFnDM585X6B9YMxFHZMFeRE9qmO5Vr5E6AuP0bIoEM4ZB06xC9MrVJzou1Pc3aDet8rtjLNImkFhqokK-dbWxS4g9ald7adv6rqkSaVNNI0su00KjCa4Zf-D5F_RiJZdM/s1600/IJRR+LC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqpd6OwWiWVMFnDM585X6B9YMxFHZMFeRE9qmO5Vr5E6AuP0bIoEM4ZB06xC9MrVJzou1Pc3aDet8rtjLNImkFhqokK-dbWxS4g9ald7adv6rqkSaVNNI0su00KjCa4Zf-D5F_RiJZdM/s640/IJRR+LC.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">A day later, 06 May, it had shifted up the estuary to the River Clyst mud-bar, where it was recorded from the RSPB Bowling Green Marsh Nature Reserve viewing platform by <strong>David Boult</strong>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Clearly realising that it needed to get on the move, yesterday, 07 May, it was seen on the Pembrokeshire coast in Wales, at the Gann, by <strong>Derek Grimwood</strong>:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmPEiTYs9Zq2lMe3NXCa-uUoAZ1ceLTf0zjzd2p803SpNTM_Jg5Bjlm4HwBT96M1O8iwwUoYLFfJ9IIt6oSOy-ss7Qm7h_t_rkg17yCTVKzJ0gPgduNKtiNLn45-HVBamcqQCwWUjDggA/s1600/IJRR+DGR.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1069" data-original-width="1600" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmPEiTYs9Zq2lMe3NXCa-uUoAZ1ceLTf0zjzd2p803SpNTM_Jg5Bjlm4HwBT96M1O8iwwUoYLFfJ9IIt6oSOy-ss7Qm7h_t_rkg17yCTVKzJ0gPgduNKtiNLn45-HVBamcqQCwWUjDggA/s640/IJRR+DGR.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Derek</strong> has been out at the Gann again this morning, and <strong>IJRR</strong> has gone. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The Irish Sea has been afflicted by fog over the past number of days, but today seems clearer. <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I must get out and check Killough Harbour.........................</span></span>Graham McElwainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09680217629539272141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486708800762595018.post-27602741467517202262018-05-04T22:39:00.000+01:002018-05-04T22:39:27.447+01:00Another of Our Birds Ends up on the Faroe Islands...<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Following on from our first ever record (last spring) of one of our marked birds turning up on the Faroe Islands, another one has now been reported from there two days ago by <strong>Karl Thomsen</strong>, who took this photo.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSDFrMe1xTSSYKjR6eGLfoqsv2EheS9mJeOZ6Wy2CkLreQK1jMmSe6JJMXSgVLOVkI9cPh67KtwLm_lpWWHa35IpcD_FpfY0gtHqjSt2KuXdgYeHDFyDLUPB0O5IE3vRxkzY4BtsSfsqU/s1600/AANW+KTH.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="800" height="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSDFrMe1xTSSYKjR6eGLfoqsv2EheS9mJeOZ6Wy2CkLreQK1jMmSe6JJMXSgVLOVkI9cPh67KtwLm_lpWWHa35IpcD_FpfY0gtHqjSt2KuXdgYeHDFyDLUPB0O5IE3vRxkzY4BtsSfsqU/s640/AANW+KTH.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This bird, <strong>AANW</strong> in our speak, where <strong>N</strong> stands for noir (black) was the first bird ringed at the series of catches at Dundrum, County Down, Northern Ireland in early February this year. These catches involved nearly 100 geese, and it is perhaps of interest that, whilst the vast majority of those have since been regularly re-sighted, generally around Dundrum, or at nearby Killough Harbour, this is the first ever record for this bird!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So, what is likely to become of this bird, which was in a flock of sixteen? It is comforting that the bird recorded from the Faroe Islands last spring, on 14 April 2017, <strong>H6WR</strong>, was subsequently recorded from Iceland a fortnight later, and this winter has been back in the Dublin area, which is its usual wintering site. So, hopefully <strong>AANW</strong> will be able to make a similar adjustment, in time to enable it to make the onward journey to the breeding grounds in High Arctic Canada. <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Our regular team who are poised to visit Iceland in a week's time will certainly be looking out for it!!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">News at Dundrum today from <strong>David Nixon</strong> is that there are still around 50 geese present, including several birds marked at the same catch as <strong>AANW</strong>. Dundrum is regularly one of the latest sites in Ireland to hold brent geese in the spring, but even these are likely to have moved on to Iceland within the next week.</span>Graham McElwainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09680217629539272141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486708800762595018.post-18496675505658451582018-04-10T22:40:00.000+01:002018-04-10T22:40:15.685+01:00Birds Moving North Again...<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I struck it lucky today at Lurgangreen, Dundalk Bay. After a winter of not being able to locate ANY of the big flocks there, came upon a really big flock out on the mudflats. Unfortunately most were resting, lying down, presumably in preparation for their long journey north, but the rings read, before they flew back out on to the saltmarsh, show that these were mostly birds moving up from the Greater Dublin area.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This also reflects recent records from elsewhere, such as sightings from Belfast Lough and Killough, Co. Down, Myroe, Lough Foyle, and Carlingford Lough, Co. Louth. Other major sites like Strangford Lough and Dundrum Harbour, Co. Down, on the other hand, seem to get by-passed in the rush towards Iceland and beyond, given that they require an inward diversion from the direct route up the nearest headlands of the east coast.</span>Graham McElwainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09680217629539272141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486708800762595018.post-70908742965445029272018-03-29T23:28:00.000+01:002018-03-29T23:35:34.813+01:00A momentary distraction - Barnacle Geese<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Irish wintering Barnacle Geese breed in north eastern Greenland - many on the cliffs and some fairly dramatic footage many of you will have seen of the chicks making their first glide and a proportion of them getting nabbed by hungry Arctic Foxes availing of the temporary bounty. This population winters almost entirely on the islands and adjacent coastline of the north and west coasts of Scotland and Ireland.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The population has been increasing and - as a slight deviation from our normal work - some of us were tempted to extend the studies on-going on Islay, the Inishkeas and elsewhere and both add to information on local movements in Ireland (where birds are only ringed on the Inishkeas) and contribute to the wider scale picture on this population in the Scottish/Irish range. Bring out the cannon-nets, set up our base at goose HQ in Inishowen and try catching and marking some birds there.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In Inishowen the Barnacles roost primarily on Glashedy Island and the Garvan Island for Inishtrahull.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdMuGSAfrikE1ek31kTDGdt3JrQgpC6xaDNkYNk5qhZ16-OWvCvdvFYyTOTGxhwbCLa9HzG30lkS3SP70FC3CTqC4FjGMZSr2k0LW-PFs8Br_cG_MGTMKwKkQ-lZaZzD41MAgyAabBdxc/s1600/Gleneady+Is..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdMuGSAfrikE1ek31kTDGdt3JrQgpC6xaDNkYNk5qhZ16-OWvCvdvFYyTOTGxhwbCLa9HzG30lkS3SP70FC3CTqC4FjGMZSr2k0LW-PFs8Br_cG_MGTMKwKkQ-lZaZzD41MAgyAabBdxc/s320/Gleneady+Is..jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWliBScURGTDO89VSti8hN5NGY-kvpjNkvUISzS5a5jFm0H3XybJ5KlPO_5lKAD1ALlVrbHdbTKaK4bdhqWVX-g_ErO-PQX1RWhjpcUa2Dt_ur11XqMR791DFn7AgZSNpvWb8oLz-9WQI/s1600/Under+Malin+Head.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWliBScURGTDO89VSti8hN5NGY-kvpjNkvUISzS5a5jFm0H3XybJ5KlPO_5lKAD1ALlVrbHdbTKaK4bdhqWVX-g_ErO-PQX1RWhjpcUa2Dt_ur11XqMR791DFn7AgZSNpvWb8oLz-9WQI/s320/Under+Malin+Head.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJnAs6MymXhXYCpDT5VzhrEnAu1By6WK0o1q9G8nTbxeyXQG0DwMgdIRJKpzCyHQJCUIwRNIGM25OgjnUpsD3hYuczz2KPNYoT4GHWlhAf52VyER12juD2MHQop6aPZiGb7uuzVoQm3uQ/s1600/to+Inishtrahull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJnAs6MymXhXYCpDT5VzhrEnAu1By6WK0o1q9G8nTbxeyXQG0DwMgdIRJKpzCyHQJCUIwRNIGM25OgjnUpsD3hYuczz2KPNYoT4GHWlhAf52VyER12juD2MHQop6aPZiGb7uuzVoQm3uQ/s320/to+Inishtrahull.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We have had two successful trips out of three there since January and the total number of birds ringed there now is in excess of 200 birds. This will supplement the 10-15 ringed birds that were present prior to ringing (obv birds ringed elsewhere) and give us something to work on at the individual level for many years to come.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Our most recent catch (155 processed birds) was completed on 06:50 on Saturday 24th March at Trawbrega Bay some pictures of which are attached. A great team effort (involving in excess of 20 people) led and executed by myself, Daniel, Stuart, Kerry, Alan with considerable support from Martin, Graham, Gerry, Colin, Helen, Sinead, Aimee and Sarah and an army of volunteers - thanks all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Lots of ringed Barnacles around Malin/Trawbrega now, this autumn and many winters to come - please look out for rings and report them to us if you are in the vicinity.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0h4fcGPGgFAauf1_rhPcZnVMqWUgmwOWhbqml6jF9Sy1aXRHEGfS858hRssTHz5w9yGKqZHouDF4g-6O6TMc5Xt8qNfX6yQ-FmqXjWfPhTtmt97tWqxZc2PITcAVqcIGoB-PA3F7Tc2E/s1600/IMG_4468.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0h4fcGPGgFAauf1_rhPcZnVMqWUgmwOWhbqml6jF9Sy1aXRHEGfS858hRssTHz5w9yGKqZHouDF4g-6O6TMc5Xt8qNfX6yQ-FmqXjWfPhTtmt97tWqxZc2PITcAVqcIGoB-PA3F7Tc2E/s320/IMG_4468.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_NtLY7DjLNk4Ur4qRacea6PdescwKlEL5NGfY8D5q-ivGWwc0FEMgCV-f637LC_lfWy_qhGaBVYXEF2oFsqXz9qG3nK4RlDfyILWQcfI3IMbjqT1kxvChuqkN8NwyiDXnW6sQ3OHtdNw/s1600/image4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="1600" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_NtLY7DjLNk4Ur4qRacea6PdescwKlEL5NGfY8D5q-ivGWwc0FEMgCV-f637LC_lfWy_qhGaBVYXEF2oFsqXz9qG3nK4RlDfyILWQcfI3IMbjqT1kxvChuqkN8NwyiDXnW6sQ3OHtdNw/s320/image4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17314768895773144284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486708800762595018.post-56141320662405191112018-03-23T12:14:00.001+00:002018-03-23T12:14:58.676+00:00Our IBGRG website is functioning again!<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For lots of frustrating reasons (much of which has to do with faceless unresponsive companies who manage the internet) it has been unfortunate that the IBGRG website (<a href="http://www.irishbrentgoose.com/">www.irishbrentgoose.com</a>) has not been accessible for some time. The previous website (ending *.org) was sabotaged - seems you can do that?! - which did not help matters, and the content of the new domain is pretty much the same as previous (with a few improvements). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We have a plan over the next few months to add more content to make the website a more valuable reference point for the project - what we do, what we have learned etc with 'newsy' items still being posted on this blog (linked to the website on the front page of <a href="http://www.irishbrentgoose.com/">www.irishbrentgoose.com</a>).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17314768895773144284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486708800762595018.post-2585553036263178692018-03-21T17:18:00.002+00:002018-03-23T12:04:12.221+00:00Publication of a major review of the status, distribution and trends of goose populations in the northern hemisphere<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This report - <a href="https://caff.is/monitoring-series/all-monitoring-documents/456-a-global-audit-of-the-status-and-trends-of-arctic-and-northern-hemisphere-goose">https://caff.is/monitoring-series/all-monitoring-documents/456-a-global-audit-of-the-status-and-trends-of-arctic-and-northern-hemisphere-goose</a> - just published was led by Tony Fox and Jim Leafloor and collates information from lots of people (we contributed for ECHA Brent) about goose population across the northern hemisphere. Lots of evening reading for you all there. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This is what it says on the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) website:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"This report attempts to review the abundance, status and distribution of wild goose populations in the northern hemisphere. The report comprises three parts that 10 summarise key findings from the study and the methodology and analysis applied; 2) contain the individual species accounts for each of the 68 populations included in the report; and 3) provide the datasets compiled fo this study which will be accessible on the Arctic biodiversity Data Service." [Note that at the time of this posting the report has temporarily been removed from the CAFF website while a few edits are made]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17314768895773144284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486708800762595018.post-21961555202846895362018-03-14T19:41:00.000+00:002018-03-14T19:41:24.175+00:00Oh, No, They Haven't!!...<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Following on from my last post, news from <strong>Alain Livory</strong>, <strong>Roselyne Coulomb</strong> and <strong>Philippe Lemarinel</strong> is that <strong>IZBY</strong> & <strong>U2BY</strong> have appeared again today back at Regneville in Normandy, France, so the trip north to Devon was only a brief sojourn!! Given that this represents a flight of about 250 km in each direction, amazing!! Wouldn't you like to know what was going on in their minds!!</span>Graham McElwainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09680217629539272141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486708800762595018.post-17155031349883304782018-03-11T20:00:00.000+00:002018-03-11T20:00:58.944+00:00Early Movers...<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It looks like some of the geese have already decided to start filtering North. Over the past fortnight I have been getting Dublin birds further up the east coast, at Carlingford Lough and at Killough, County Down, both of which sites have, in previous winters, been popular with staging birds from there.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Then, tonight, news from <strong>Dave Smallshire</strong> that he located <strong>IZBY</strong> & <strong>U2BY</strong> today during a WeBS count at the Exe Estuary in Devon. This pair have been regulars at Regneville in Normandy, France every winter since being ringed in Iceland in 2015. They have been recorded passing through Strangford Lough each autumn, but this is the first spring staging record for them.</span>Graham McElwainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09680217629539272141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486708800762595018.post-38334462673544541432018-03-09T20:50:00.000+00:002018-03-09T20:50:29.105+00:00Another Red-Letter Day....<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Following close on after news of the 5,000th individual goose being ringed under our project, tonight sees yet another milestone - I've just been entering data which means that our database has now passed the 200,000th record mark!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This means that our database is one of the largest on any species, and is very much a flagship for a "Citizen Science" grounded project. Currently the number of contributors to our project stands at 1,239 observers, so a REALLY BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Just in case any of you might wonder what 200,000 records might look like in terms of emails since ringing began in 2001, this is it, in terms of files taking up the bottom shelf of my office bookcase!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMmRyn0nI8BPeXgztlV5_1isLOfhCBrltWZk1o1WSe93v5ZHC1BWlO_6Ou8YVKJ5gEBxgq_Nasb8gw7vRTQjBOBbdzhOjkgxwIOb3-UKONTZHJ2hsehL6h7oEwa8TtwKL2nK8wqqCyLM/s1600/P1010663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMmRyn0nI8BPeXgztlV5_1isLOfhCBrltWZk1o1WSe93v5ZHC1BWlO_6Ou8YVKJ5gEBxgq_Nasb8gw7vRTQjBOBbdzhOjkgxwIOb3-UKONTZHJ2hsehL6h7oEwa8TtwKL2nK8wqqCyLM/s640/P1010663.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span>Graham McElwainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09680217629539272141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486708800762595018.post-74638302895924843992018-02-14T20:02:00.001+00:002018-02-15T16:06:16.189+00:00Farewell our dear friend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-ParW7EYnrJ5YnNf5xXVks2CycwDHwgxvcqylOU2Tn1WnmImX0pTY6R0Y0e1jaM14U6wc3QwzOq0RRXRbxnoRu755GJBgzyYW0yT-3cB53qL_nNCI9lPTaOSQtOcXJIuLSAddO3k4Yo/s1600/CPRY3+GG+Retrap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1350" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-ParW7EYnrJ5YnNf5xXVks2CycwDHwgxvcqylOU2Tn1WnmImX0pTY6R0Y0e1jaM14U6wc3QwzOq0RRXRbxnoRu755GJBgzyYW0yT-3cB53qL_nNCI9lPTaOSQtOcXJIuLSAddO3k4Yo/s640/CPRY3+GG+Retrap.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
<o:PixelsPerInch>96</o:PixelsPerInch>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="false"
DefSemiHidden="false" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="382">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footer"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of figures"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope return"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="line number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="page number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="macro"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Mention"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Smart Hyperlink"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: black; color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.5pt;">It is with great sorrow that we report the passing of our dear
friend Jón Gunnar Jóhannsson, the trap maker (centre in the photograph
above). </span><span style="background: black; color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.5pt;">Jon was a key member of the Icelandic wing of the Brent goose
research group and w</span><span style="background: black; color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.5pt;">e all spent many hours with him talking
about geese and hatching plans to catch them. When we visited Iceland </span><span style="background: black; color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.5pt;">he always greeted
our arrival with warmth, hospitality, generosity and his big smiles, doing just about anything he
could to make the team (of which he was an integral part) successful. In his
day job, he ran an engineering company and his problem-solving was
legendary, we still use many of the tools that he designed and built to aid
catching and processing the birds. He also took great delight in trying to feed
us hákarl (fermented shark) and Brennivin (Icelandic schnapps), which some of us
managed to consume. No challenge was insurmountable for Gunni (demonstrating his very great skill as an engineer), our annual visits to
Iceland</span><span style="background: black; color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.5pt;"> will not be the same without him and he will be sadly missed by all of
us.</span><span style="background: black; color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Stu Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696154331311130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486708800762595018.post-35081865193553186952018-02-12T20:43:00.000+00:002018-02-12T20:43:34.875+00:00And This Illustrates The Last Point of Getting Old Rings Replaced...<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">As said at the end of the last post, we were particularly delighted to catch three of the birds which had been ringed way back in 2006/2007.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">One of these, <strong>ZHWW</strong>, had a mate, <strong>PFBY</strong>, ringed at Dundrum a couple of years ago, and they had an unringed juvenile this season. Both adults were caught, and the rings on both marked birds were replaced.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>David Nixon</strong>, one of our ringing group who was involved with processing the catches both days, took this photo today of these birds with their new "bling", out on the mudflats within yards of where they were caught:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-Q1ImvHV6dCEfzdxzoTpC_76g4IUCARep5BTNDlzQidPNw-dTMrQD34z6w7bU9sNlcf0yU7Rk4RDdNd2icys8B48ifaayxpJYo07kIASUfI0VF73x7IG0uTEX8smLhavEnJ1Hi6G-nQ/s1600/CVNW+%2526+HJNW+%252B+ADNW+DN.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="946" data-original-width="1591" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-Q1ImvHV6dCEfzdxzoTpC_76g4IUCARep5BTNDlzQidPNw-dTMrQD34z6w7bU9sNlcf0yU7Rk4RDdNd2icys8B48ifaayxpJYo07kIASUfI0VF73x7IG0uTEX8smLhavEnJ1Hi6G-nQ/s640/CVNW+%2526+HJNW+%252B+ADNW+DN.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So <strong>ZHWW</strong> (now <strong>CVNW</strong>) and <strong>PFBY</strong> (now <strong>HJNW</strong>) now proudly present their <u><strong>daughter</strong></u>, <strong>ADNW</strong>!! May former <strong>ZHWW</strong>, which was originally ringed as an adult, so of unknown age, survive to provide data for the project for many years to come!!</span>Graham McElwainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09680217629539272141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486708800762595018.post-56559394917026972412018-02-12T14:34:00.000+00:002018-02-12T14:34:01.194+00:00Big News!! Individual Bird 5,000 Caught Last Weekend!!<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">First of all, apologies for blog silence over such a long period. All of us have just had too much on, I'm afraid!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">On the ringing front, however, there is much to report. At the end of January, Steve Dodd and his team of ringers were successful in catching the first ever winter catch for our project outside of Ireland, when they caught 15 birds at the Menai Straits near Foryd Bay in Wales. These were fitted with the first of the latest ringing combination of Black (Noir) on the right leg, White on the left leg.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So, the Group were out catching again the weekend just past, this time at Dundrum, County Down. Two licensed canon-netters, Stuart Bearhop from University of Exeter, and Kerry Mackie were involved on Friday, just Stuart on Saturday.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I thought it might be of interest to illustrate some of the background work which goes into the catches. First there is the preparation of all the kit, ensuring that the canons are primed, and that all the nets and equipment are present and in order:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzlLBoywq14LbfHN4ZTiHFYZE22ft4TQEm5VcpjlUCNN_HEPy6iMKB49sTQT95bNggsK_9hP_YVOoU_h37ELXZEJqvPwQlnB0HxelLZH8xZHfIgslEugEnRmLqk9FoucxN-WueJSJdB9Q/s1600/P1010604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzlLBoywq14LbfHN4ZTiHFYZE22ft4TQEm5VcpjlUCNN_HEPy6iMKB49sTQT95bNggsK_9hP_YVOoU_h37ELXZEJqvPwQlnB0HxelLZH8xZHfIgslEugEnRmLqk9FoucxN-WueJSJdB9Q/s640/P1010604.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Net-setting is usually an early, pre-dawn procedure, never easy to struggle out of bed for!! On this occasion, however, we were carrying out the work against the amazing back-drop of the snow-capped Mourne Mountains:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2aEctvMPLOD5bvwHP4iZu0jIqvcU0MYyGh8ZYUwnpEonjMzfKb27f4nqmj5uMn3VjEoiEw6oQKNi46HtiJv4rFEMPk8w7YqS3hatZ-DgowPRroQnyllcW-ci1m-obEjXuPQC5h0mX-lU/s1600/IMG_0226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2aEctvMPLOD5bvwHP4iZu0jIqvcU0MYyGh8ZYUwnpEonjMzfKb27f4nqmj5uMn3VjEoiEw6oQKNi46HtiJv4rFEMPk8w7YqS3hatZ-DgowPRroQnyllcW-ci1m-obEjXuPQC5h0mX-lU/s640/IMG_0226.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">What has</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> been a real game-changer since they were received before catching in Iceland last spring have been the very realistic decoys, made up for us by Canadian, Chris Nicolai. These have revolutionised the chances of catching at places like Dundrum, which has been so difficult and time-consuming in the past:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdwNnZJqVuQGrj1BqCnc49mTFQ3hJB-SbuyoyUu6a_jtwE6mo91Yx6pu3A0FzTHC9NobsKuJHsEjYSRL67AOzgHVfzi4Wwtl-sqFZBqrhlJmyNGWtIiYpy-k8aDEMrcH-tpcpkg9nyEts/s1600/IMG_0227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdwNnZJqVuQGrj1BqCnc49mTFQ3hJB-SbuyoyUu6a_jtwE6mo91Yx6pu3A0FzTHC9NobsKuJHsEjYSRL67AOzgHVfzi4Wwtl-sqFZBqrhlJmyNGWtIiYpy-k8aDEMrcH-tpcpkg9nyEts/s640/IMG_0227.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Friday saw two nets set side by side, and a catch of 44 birds was achieved first in one of these. The other net was left in place whilst processing these, and a second, small catch of 4 birds followed. Many thanks to the good numbers of folk who turned out to help:</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifX7x4VXIrqiCCRX1HMrabrUBIc4SMg-1_iUH9rclpTawoJiPF6pN5zahbeJQ5SpfbNp3P9l_R0uvIAylGh11bd0evA3dF4Gn4mPeUU27hqVwdZibbhg3N0aOZ__UoV1KeWkYB7QXlG-8/s1600/P1010611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifX7x4VXIrqiCCRX1HMrabrUBIc4SMg-1_iUH9rclpTawoJiPF6pN5zahbeJQ5SpfbNp3P9l_R0uvIAylGh11bd0evA3dF4Gn4mPeUU27hqVwdZibbhg3N0aOZ__UoV1KeWkYB7QXlG-8/s640/P1010611.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The decoys again worked their magic on Saturday, when another good catch of 48 birds was achieved late afternoon. The significance of this catch is that it means that the Group have now caught and processed <strong>OVER 5,000 INDIVIDUAL</strong> brent geese since the project started back in 2001, an amazing credit to the canon-netters and all who have helped out with the catches over the years!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">And here is the award-winning goose, <strong>JTNW</strong>, our speak:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibDn00vuq_nTyZetDRfNr2cOet_k2naGTGajvqF_t5V-0ZPkY8LWHdRb3acZ9yTY52xPtTa2ONoBWgVifoCDmFm9CV6brxuIkPD71dgEOIvHbVjlDGpM7ZIlNLdOjL_C13aY3dES_f5LQ/s1600/IMG_4323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibDn00vuq_nTyZetDRfNr2cOet_k2naGTGajvqF_t5V-0ZPkY8LWHdRb3acZ9yTY52xPtTa2ONoBWgVifoCDmFm9CV6brxuIkPD71dgEOIvHbVjlDGpM7ZIlNLdOjL_C13aY3dES_f5LQ/s640/IMG_4323.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">And the bird in question with Stuart Bearhop and the much smaller support team, who had to process in the dark, and eventually all got soaked in the heavy rain, trying to extract the support car out of the field!! Particular thanks to those folk as well:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJNWqZQBxpkAIFwFrJKWe-3nwHDb2vKRRI7hVIgGs4L0wJkBWGVVEAseY9yNjQsV0EyR8mbcpgl4k75jAeruHRHzaq883w69L1bNgmog9Gr8KyB-VqiXzCzHUI0rGre3i2oXqCjRLZsKE/s1600/IMG_0230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJNWqZQBxpkAIFwFrJKWe-3nwHDb2vKRRI7hVIgGs4L0wJkBWGVVEAseY9yNjQsV0EyR8mbcpgl4k75jAeruHRHzaq883w69L1bNgmog9Gr8KyB-VqiXzCzHUI0rGre3i2oXqCjRLZsKE/s640/IMG_0230.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Finally it is worth mentioning three other very special birds which were amongst those caught. These were birds from the old White/White (WW) series, which had been caught at Dundrum way back in 2006/2007!! As the rings are made of a type of plastic, they deteriorate and become brittle under sunlight, and most don't manage to retain both rings in place for this length of time. So, we need to retrap birds which have previously been caught to replace the rings . This then enables an extension of the study of the lifespan of the individual goose to be made, and helps provide data on survival rates.</span>Graham McElwainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09680217629539272141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486708800762595018.post-28067276376282198232017-09-28T23:37:00.002+01:002017-09-28T23:37:24.178+01:00Is the stagnation about to end?<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Whilst we have not had any GPS tag downloads as yet at Strangford it really is just a matter of time. We haven't done any recent counts but the numbers seem to be approximately what they were (12,000 ish) and there hasn't as yet been a significant increase in usage of the bays down the lough nor indeed from farther afield as yet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">With undoubtedly thousands still in Iceland, there were observations today of high-flying birds coming in around Scrabo; looking ahead at the weather charts (my favourites are </span><a href="http://magicseaweed.com/North-Atlantic-Surf-Chart/2/?type=wind&start=2017-09-27"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">http://magicseaweed.com/North-Atlantic-Surf-Chart/2/?type=wind&start=2017-09-27</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> and </span><a href="http://en.vedur.is/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">http://en.vedur.is/</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">) there are signs of assisting northerlies on Saturday and Sunday which may push more birds our direction.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Family units remain very scarce on the ground and a few groups (including a brood of 5 young) were around Horse Island this afternoon.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If you haven't yet witnessed the flocks at the NW end of Strangford you really should and the time is in the next few weeks - it never ceases to impress; the mudflats are covered with geese as far as the eye can see below the airfield at Newtownards towards Comber.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In two weekends time (around 13-15 October) we'll be conducting our major Iceland-France (and all in between) annual assessment of abundance and productivity. If you're following this blog please put this in your diary.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglK-cY8gDBBrmvcuslucoPDnpQiSEgr6lyZj13AIhXQWqebtbChCcybeBtf77BVujrvcNqplhY69PI81pp38WdoGb7OAXVL9aJNnmB8R0Tx1UfOdyaTHpdyMGedi0L0t-ZiQSQPwiJ5p4/s1600/DeadBrent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglK-cY8gDBBrmvcuslucoPDnpQiSEgr6lyZj13AIhXQWqebtbChCcybeBtf77BVujrvcNqplhY69PI81pp38WdoGb7OAXVL9aJNnmB8R0Tx1UfOdyaTHpdyMGedi0L0t-ZiQSQPwiJ5p4/s320/DeadBrent.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">As ever, reports of flocks are welcome (message us here perhaps) as are particularly observations of ringed birds. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">And finally - not all Brent survive the journey. This one succumbed to something or other and was found headless along the NW shore of Strangford. Perhaps Mr Fox had a nibble.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><br />
KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17314768895773144284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486708800762595018.post-68440658331570309442017-09-24T21:43:00.002+01:002017-09-24T21:43:31.432+01:00Now Is The Time To Get Out Ring-reading at Strangford Lough....<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">When birds first arrive on Strangford Lough at the end of August/early September, ring-reading is very difficult, because the arriving birds are nervous, and prefer to follow the out-going tide edge looking for the eel-grass. On the massive Northern mudflats here, this can make them nigh on impossible to see, let alone read rings!! Temperature is also a major factor, and you will hear us "regulars" muttering "heat-haze" under our breath as a problem.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Once this phase is over, however, the birds are forced ever further up the foreshore, even at low tide, to seek food. Combined with the fact that they become acclimatised to the low-flying aircraft practicing their take-off and landings out of Newtownards Airport, there comes a period of about a month or six weeks when they become much more accessible to the telescope. As in the title, now is the time to get out and read rings!! 75%+ of the population will be staging through Strangford Lough, possibly heading on to other small sites where there is no chance of their being picked up and read, so now is the important time for those of you who can make it here to see this great spectacle (30,000+ birds in early October!!), to get out and help!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Current observations support the notion that this is going to be another VERY poor (<1%) breeding season.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Elsewhere, <strong>Cian Merne</strong> reports that he did a sweep of North Dublin Bay and Baldoyle Bay this morning, and couldn't find a single brent goose!!</span>Graham McElwainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09680217629539272141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486708800762595018.post-66840460671249463682017-09-19T20:50:00.000+01:002017-09-19T20:50:11.605+01:00First Geese Reported From Wales...<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Derek Grimwood</strong> - 5 brent at The Gann, Pembrokeshire on 18/09/17, but they didn't stay long...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">At Strangford Lough today, <strong>Alex Portig</strong> scanned nearly 2,000 geese at the North End without finding a single juvenile. I scanned about 1,600 geese from the Montgomery Hide and only found two families, one with 4 young, the other with 2. At Horse Island, amongst relatively small numbers, there were again two families, one with 6 juveniles, the other with 1. As is usual at this time of year, the families tend to be located at the edge of, or away from, the main flocks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So, there are continuing signs that it may have been a poor breeding season...</span>Graham McElwainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09680217629539272141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486708800762595018.post-74595091908350914072017-09-17T22:02:00.000+01:002017-09-17T22:02:20.085+01:00Update on Numbers at Strangford Lough...<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Alex Portig</strong> has been out estimating numbers at Strangford Lough again today - hats off to you, <strong>Alex</strong>, and a big thanks!! He reports the following:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>North End</strong>: <u>Very</u> rough count of about 7,000</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Castle Espie</strong>: 1,700</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>South of Castle Espie Pier</strong>: about 100</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Greyabbey</strong>: 700</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Hence a very approximate figure for the total of <span style="font-size: large;"><strong>9,500</strong></span></span>Graham McElwainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09680217629539272141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486708800762595018.post-61238961423129355102017-09-16T20:47:00.000+01:002017-09-16T20:47:16.521+01:00Dublin Off The Mark (x2)...<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I have been away from Strangford Lough for a couple of days doing other things, but understand that <strong>Alex Portig</strong> read a dozen rings at Floodgates yesterday...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This afternoon, however, 16/09/2017, <strong>Tom Carroll</strong> read the first ring from Dublin, at Sutton Creek, off Santa Sabina, amongst 13 geese there, and also <strong>RECORDED THE FIRST JUVENILE HERE IN IRELAND OF THE WINTER</strong>!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">My daughter, <strong>Suzy</strong>, who sometimes walks her dogs along the length of the sea defences at Newtownards (N. Strangford Lough) reports vastly increased numbers there yesterday (I have it drilled into her to report such things!!), compared with the last time she was there.</span>Graham McElwainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09680217629539272141noreply@blogger.com0