I've had a response from Tony Fox, the CD7 (should have read CDZ) and the XJ7 (X7J), blame the wobbly tripod and wobbly eyesight. Please keep an eye out for any collared birds and pass the information onto Tony Fox.
CDZ was a first autumn male caught in Hvanneyri, west Iceland in September 2017 and wintered last year at Wexford Slobs SE Ireland last year (although not reported from Hvanneyri last spring nor this autumn), so it makes sense it could be on its way to Wexford now. X7J was an adult male ringed at Wexford back in March 2013 and has been a little irregular there, being seen in winters 2013/14, 2015/16 and 2016/17 (but not last winter note), as well as in south Iceland in May 2013 and in west Iceland April 2017. The reason I am excited to know if this was indeed the bird you saw (and it seems now a little more likely) is that it was seen in a place called Upernavik, which is one of the more northerly (but not northernmost) towns in west Greenland, on the village football pitch (can you imagine!) on 5 June 2018 with 3 unringed geese! Amazing. We have quite a few observations of Greenland White-fronted Geese feeding on the hallowed turf of football grounds on the winter quarters, but none quite as far north as that (72 degrees 47 minutes north)! Indeed, one Skye flock used a football pitch for most of the winter, although it has now shifted to a more remote area.
Enormous thanks again and do keep me posted, even if they go, I will check if they have turned up at Wexford where I will be on Thursday all being well!
Tony Fox
Department of Bioscience
Aarhus University
Kalø
Grenåvej 14
DK-8410 Rønde
Denmark
