So long, and thanks for all the fish

Mr Squawky has now been released back into the wild, having spent a very happy couple of weeks eating (alternating between dog food, sardines, mackerel & prawns), sleeping, splashing, sqwawking, pooing and growing his flight feathers.
Lots of "samples" have been collected, to keep Renata busy in the lab, when she arrives back in Cardiff next week.
Alex released squawky on the banks of the river Taff in Cardiff, where he quickly acquainted himself with the local seagulls!

Here is a photo of the new-look ready-to-fledge Squawky, a few days before his release.

Rob's new job

In other news, Rob has at last got his act together and obtained a permanent lecturer's job at Cardiff University, thereby guaranteeing his continuing involvement in the Earthwatch Storm Petrels project (until his anticipated retirement in 2037).

International news

Excellent news -one of "our" Portuguese-ringed stormies has just been re-caught in Ireland! Stormie no. N03279 was the final bird caught on the night of 14/15th of June -at 00:52, just as The Disastrous Rainstorm began (see earlier Blog entry).

He/she was then re-caught at 00:20 on the night of July 7/8th, on Sheepland, Ardglass. Co. Down -on the East coast of Northern Ireland, just south of the entrance into Strangford Lough.
Between first capture in Portugal and re-capture in Ireland, the bird had lost weight slightly, from 27.4g to 26.0g.

The bird was caught in Ireland by Declan Clarke and friends, who have already been collecting storm petrel vomit samples on our behalf, as part of the diet analysis project. Thanks Declan!

Some of the intrepid -but slightly soggy- storm petrellers who caught N03279 in Portugal.

Photo by Tanith.

World cup shootout

Apparently there has been some kind of football tournament going on...


Ouch -now that has got to hurt!

Portugal 0, England 0.
Portugal go through on penalties.
It takes me back to 2004.... oh and 1990, 1996 & 1998.

Well done Portugal -good luck for the semi final!*

*A helpline for emotionally distressed England fans has been set up -please consult your Emergencies Briefing Document for details.