Grey-bellied Brant and freind part 2

Grey-bellied Brant part 2.

Kilbogget park, Co.Dublin

On the 27th of December the family of putative grey-bellied brant showed up on the playing pitches of Kilbogget park in south county Dublin. Found by Niall and Noel Keogh, who also found an adult black brant while searching through the pale-bellied flock. This just proves the theory of the brent flocks moving between north Wicklow and south Dublin. Mainly from Kilcoole, Wicklow to Sandymount, Blackrock college and Kilbogget park, Dublin. With a black brant being part of the flock it gives a great idea of the differences in the male grey-bellied type and the black brant. This is a really great opportunity to study the brent/brant complex in the field in Ireland. I hope that this family flock will give some more birders, not only in Ireland but in the UK also to give more thought to the grey-bellied brant as a vagrant during the winter while searching through brent flocks. Though the UK gets prodomitally dark-bellied during the winter. It is still likely the occasion grey-bellied turns up. As can be seen with a presumed returning individual with a pink-footed goose flock in Norfolk. Given that the Irish pale-bellied population is coming from high arctic Canada, and the same for grey-bellied Ireland is the prime country for these geese to spend the winter. 

All of the below images are taken by Stephen King and Niall Keogh on the 27th of December at Kilbogget park, Dublin. These are the best images to be captured of the grey-bellied family to date.

The family unit of grey-bellied types in Kilbogget park, Dublin (Stephen King)

Adult male grey-bellied candidate (Stephen King)

Again a very instructive image. Broad white collar can be seen well from the side, grey stretching from the chest right down to the lower belly, bold grey markings around the flanks. 

Adult male and first-winter grey-bellied types (Stephen King)

Two first-winter and adult female grey-bellied types (Stephen King) 

This is one of the best, and informative images I have seen to date of the female. The grey can be seen very well and clearly here alongside her two young.

Two first-winter, female and male grey-bellied types with pale-bellied brent (Stephen King)

Two first-winter and male grey-bellied types (Stephen King)

An image taken in strong sunlight, which makes the birds appear quite brown on the under and upperparts. Especially the two first-winters. The male still shows the grey/brown wash to the chest, belly and blotchy flank markings.

First-winter and male grey-bellied types (Stephen King)

These images are the same. Just the top picture is edited slightly whereas the bottom is the original. This is a perfect example of how lighting and camera effects can lie and create confusion while trying to get the true colours of a bird. 

Adult black brant with three adult pale-bellied brent (Stephen King) The black brant is a rare subspecies from NW Canada, Alaska and East Siberia, that was once a regular site for Irish birders. But is now quite a rare sight.

This adult black brant is quite an eye-catching bird. Safe to say you wouldn’t need your scope to see this bird while it was feeding on the football pitches of Kilbogget park, Dublin. 

Adult black brant with pale-bellied (Stephen King)

Strong afternoon sunshine on this bird still shows just were this subspecies gets its name from! There is much less contrast between the black neck and chest as it runs down to the vent. White flanks contrasting with the dark brown/black underparts.

Comparison between the black brant (top image) and male grey-bellied brant type (below). The black brant is presumed to be a female due to it lacking a broad white collar. It should, if it were a male show a broad white collar like the grey-bellied type. The upperparts can be seen to be darker on the black brant, as is the breast, belly and vent, with a striking white flank area. The grey-bellied is a duller bird, hence were it gets the name grey-bellied. 

I think the fact that these comparison image and views have been obtained is a huge help to learning more about the grey-bellied brant in Ireland and abroad. I will continue to search for this flock and make some trips to see these birds whenever I can. I would like to thank Niall Keogh and Stephen King for their information and photographs. 

#Wildfowl #Dublin #Wicklow #Winterbirding #Iirshbirding #Vikingoptical #BirdGuides