Colour-ringed Sanderling

Keep an eye out for colour rings on these Daz-whites as they dash along the tideline. 

On the 10th of September, three colour ringed Sanderling were spotted among a flock of 208 on Sandymount Strand, doing the usual Sanderling thing – zipping along right in front of the waves, like clock-work toys in fast-forward. All three birds were ringed in Iceland in 2011, and have wintered in Ireland every year since!

Overview of Sanderling re-sighting locations in Dublin and Iceland. 

G1RWGR was ringed on the 18^th May 2011 in Sandgerði, and was last seen in Iceland on the 25^th May 2011. He was picked up again in Poolbeg in Dublin Bay on the 31^st July 2011, where he spent the winter, having his rings read numerous times between then and the 24^th April 2012. The next sighting of G1RWGR was on the 30^th July 2012, back in Poolbeg once again.

G1RWGR John Fox

Sanderlings don’t breed until they are two years old, so this guy wouldn’t have made the trip all the way the breeding grounds in Greenland or Canada in 2012. It’s likely that he did breed this year however, having last being seen in Dublin Bay on the 25^th February and not being picked up again until the 10^th September. 

Here's a quick summary of the re-sightings for the other two birds.

G2WWYG 

G2WWYG John Fox

22^nd May 2011 - ringed in Sandgerði in Iceland

13^th August 2011 – first spotted in Poolbeg, north Sandymount Strand

2011/12 winter – numerous sightings on Sandymount Strand

20^th February 2012 – last seen in Booterstown Strand, Dublin

15^th May 2012 – in Sandgerði harbour, Iceland

20^th August 2012 – back in Poolbeg, north Sandymount Strand again

2012/13 winter - numerous sightings on Sandymount Strand

25^th February 2013 – last Dublin sighting

10^th September – picked up on Sandymount Strand once again

G2WGGW John fox

G2WGGW 

30^th May 2011 - ringed in Sandgerði in Iceland

15^th September 2011 – first spotted in Booterstown, south Dublin Bay

2011/12 winter – numerous sightings on Sandymount Strand

15^th May 2012 – last seen in Poolbeg, Ireland

19^th May 2012 – in Sandgerði harbour, Iceland (1,500 km in 4 days!!)

26^th July 2012 – back in Poolbeg, north Sandymount Strand

2012/13 winter – numerous sightings on Sandymount Strand

12^th February 2013 – last Dublin sighting in Booterstown

10^th September – picked up on Sandymount Strand once again