The Goosander (Mergus merganser) traped in Mrzezyno

Recently Lukasz spent a weekend in Mrzezyno with his family. By the way he colour-ringed some Herring gulls (Larus argentatus) and Black-headed gulls (Larus ridibundus), but the most interesting bird was the Goosander. The moulted male rested at the harbor, where Lukasz caught him using fishing line.
We have more than 300 ringers in Poland but last year no one caught any Goosanders (see the polish annual ringing raports).

fot. Lukasz Borek
fot. Lukasz Borek - Goosander and Lukasz's douther

The Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis) with Swedish metal ring

It was one of the worst day in my ring reading activity. Today i observed a family of Sandwich Terns (Thalasseus sandvicensis) [2 ad. and 2 juv.] on the Baltic coast between Miedzywodzie and Dzwinow. Unlucky i have got just digi camera, no spotting scope and no binoculars :( . Have been just 5-6 meters from the bird, have made 5 pictures before the tern flew out...it was not enough to read whole number. I know that the ring had "Stockholm" on it and the first two sign 71..... (not sure for 100%).

fot. Marcin Sowa

fot. Marcin Sowa

fot. Marcin Sowa

Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) chick's found in the White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) nest

Next unusual bird ringed on July in the West Pomerania. For Lukasz is the first Common Cuckoo chick in the ringing career. The nest was built in the wreck of digger, located near a moor - very easy to found out. Foster parents - White wagtails have been at nest every 5-10 min to feed this "big child".

fot. Marcin Sowa
fot. Marcin Sowa

The Dutch Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus in Swinoujscie

Recently the Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) was observed at Swinoujscie seawall. It's the most femouse seawall among polish birdwatchers at coast. There were observed birds like: Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea), Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima), Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) and lot's of rare birds (for Poland of course :) ) [see the Clanga webiste for details].

fot. Zbyszek Kajzer - Dutch Eurasian Oystercatcher

The Hoopoe (Upupa epops) has ringed in West Pomerania

Rare view in a mistnet. Especially in West Pomerania where we have just few breeding pairs of the Hoopoe. We will see if the bird come back to the same place next year.

fot. Marcin Sowa


fot. Marcin Sowa


fot. Marcin Sowa

The young Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans) has already flown north

Last friday i took my pontoon and voyaged around Miedwie lake. Mainly i've tried to detect a roosting place of starlings and swallows (observed few days earlier thousands of birds flew to a reed). I was suprissed when i saw a young Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans). You can say nothing special in Poland, but ok it's breeding in the south of our country...so at least must flew about 200-300 km. Anyway i'll find out it soon, becouse the bird had yellow, plastic ring with code PUHP (for 99% ringed by Jacek Betleja)

fot. Marcin Sowa
fot. Marcin Sowa
fot. Marcin Sowa

Gull & Tern colony under water

Lots of time till i wrote sth on the blog. I will try to be better.

As you may hear on the TV or read on the Internet, we had the flood on the May 2010 in Poland. The two bigest rivers Odra and Wisla flooded. Unlucky not even homes, buldings and fields have been waterlogged. The bigest gull and tern colony on Odra river - "Bielinek" flooded with nets, eggs and small chicks.

fot. Zbyszek Kajzer - Bielinek bird colony
fot. Zbyszek Kajzer

This year brood there:
- 3 nests of Mediterranean Gull (Larus melanocephalus)
- about 2000 pairs of Blackheaded Gull (Larus ridibundus)
- about 200 pairs of Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
- pair of Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) (just several breeding pairs in whole Poland)

fot. Zbyszek Kajzer - Mediterranean Gull's nest

BTW Zbyszek Kajzer with Lukasz Lawicki colourringed there 3 ad. Mediterranean Gull (Larus melanocephalus) on the 23th May 2010. One of the bird had already the metal ring IA 108355 Hiddensee.

fot. Zbyszek Kajzer
fot. Zbyszek Kajzer

Common Pochard (Aythya ferina) with nasal saddles in Police

On the the 20th of April 2010 Zbyszek Kajzer observed a Common Pochard (Aythya ferina) with nasal saddles C OX. The bird was obserwed with other ducks on settlers in Police Chemical Factory. There is lots of pollution like industrial sewage, biological sewage and many others... so don't know at all why birds like this place.

I"ve tried to find out some information about marked Common Pochard on the Cr-Birding... but it could be a french bird and german as well, any ideas?

fot. Zbyszek Kajzer

Coots fly back home

Polish project of CR Coots (Fulica atra) satisfyied our expectations. Personally i have marked just 21 birds since autumn 2009 and quick got a few long distance recoveries.

Now Coots (Fulica atra) which were banded in the autumn and winter flying back to breeding areas. The best example is the bird C66. It was ringed in the late winter near seasite in Swinoujscie. Today got the information from Christer Herremo that this bird was observed in Karsklona (Sweden).

Swinoujscie [Poland], February 2010

fot. Marcin Sowa

fot. Marcin Sowa

fot. Marcin Sowa

Karsklona [Sweden], April 2010





Thanks Christer Herremo to info.

Warsaw's rubbish

"Lubna" is the bigest rubbish dump in Poland and one of the most interesting, becouse of the location. You can watch there Herring gull, Caspian gull and Yellow-legged gull as well. Every year Lubna is wintering area of 1-2 Glaucous gull (Larus hyperboreus).

After draw to Euro 2012 in Warsaw we know the groups. I wonder if any football fan and bird watcher in one who will come to Warsaw to the Euro cup, visit also the Lubna :)

Last Michal's sights from the dump:

fot. Michal Rycak

fot. Michal Rycak - Herring gull (Larus argentatus) Swedish Museum of Natural History Bird Ringing Centre

fot. Michal Rycak - Herring gull (Larus argentatus) Belarus Bird Ringing Centre. att. Tatiana Pavlushchick

fot. Michal Rycak - Herring gull (Larus argentatus) Ringing Centre, Finnish Museum of Natural History, Zoological Museum

fot. Michal Rycak Herring gull (Larus argentatus) Ringing Centre, Finnish Museum of Natural History, Zoological Museum