COOLNASMEAR: Brambling (MC sr).

DUNGARVAN TOWN: Merlin (MC).

KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR: 2 Whooper / Mute Swan hybrids (").

SEAFIELD (nr Bunmahon): Green Sandpiper & 2 Kingfishers (DW).

COOLFIN: 405 Greylag Geese & 39 Whooper Swans (PMW).

BALLYSHUNNOCK RESERVOIR: Great Crested Grebe & Treecreeper (").

Nr KILMACTHOMAS: 2 Yellowhammers at Graigueshoneen (").

WHITING BAY: 2nd-winter Yellow-legged Gull & 1st-w Mediterranean Gull at Ardmore end (CF).

DUNGARVAN: 2 Slavonian Grebes & 2 BLACK-NECKED GREBES off Ballynacourty, male Shoveler off pitch & putt (MC); Green Sandpiper at Ballyneety (MC, MC sr); Brambling at Strandside (DC).

STRANCALLY: Woodcock at side of road (JAP, BS).

KNOCKMEALDOWN MOUNTAINS: 2 Red Grouse (").

BALLYSCANLAN LOUGH: 3 female/immature Goosanders, 11:20 (MC, CF).

DUNGARVAN: Adult Little Gull off Ballynacourty Pier (MC, CF);
Kingfisher at Brickey canal (DC).

FINISK RIVER: Green Sandpiper (DC).

CAPPOQUIN: Kingfisher (DC).

DUNGARVAN: Brambling at Strandside, Abbeyside (DC).

DUNGARVAN: 2 BLACK-NECKED GREBES & 2 Slavonian Grebes off Ballynacourty Pier (Joe Adamson & Davey Farrar per www.irishbirding.com).

SEAFIELD (nr Bunmahon): Green Sandpiper (DW).

DUNGARVAN: Brambling at Strandside (DC).

FINISK RIVER: Green Sandpiper (").

DUNGARVAN: Male Brambling & 2 Blackcaps at Strandside (DC).

Winter Atlas species gaps

With just 2 weekends left to the end of the 4-year winter atlas survey (2007/08-2010/11), there are still some obvious gaps in the Waterford maps for a range of species - Raven on Helvick Head (X38) - just added! (thanks to CF), Dunnock and Robin at the tip of Ardmore Head (X27), and owls just about everywhere, to mention just a few. Full details here.

So far, square X29 (most of Dungarvan) has the highest winter species total for Co Waterford, at 131 full species - one of the highest in Ireland, beaten only by 3 squares: X07 (144 species Ballymacoda area, Co Cork), W86 (135 Great Island/Cork Harbour), T02 (134 species Wexford Wildfowl Reserve). Other Irish squares with 120 winter species so far are W02 (121 Sherkin Island Co Cork), T10 (121 Lady's Island / Carnsore Co Wexford), O23 (122 Dublin Bay / North Bull), C32 (122 Inch Co Donegal), O25 (125 Rogerstown Co Dublin), M22 (126 Nimmo's Pier Co Galway), T00 (129 Tacumshin/Lady's Island Lake Co Wexford), O30 (130 Blackditch reserve Co Wicklow), and W33 (130 Galley Head Co Cork). All figures provisional, derived from the Bird Atlas 2007-2011 website supplemented by some records not yet shown there (updates in progress for sites on the south coast).

Provisional species-totals by 10-km square (see list/key and map):

GridRef	Species
X29 (Dungarvan area)	131
S60 (Tramore/Dunmore East)	111
X17 (Ardmore/Whiting Bay)	108
X39 (Clonea/Ballyvoyle)	100
S50 (Tramore/Ballyscanlan)	98
X28 (Drum Hills/Mine Head)	98
X08 (Rincrew/Clashmore)	96
X18 (Clashmore)	86
X09 (Lismore/Camphire)	85
S40 (Ballyshunnock/Knockaderry)	82
X49 (Bunmahon)	80
X69 (Brownstown Head/Ballymacaw)	79
X38 (Helvick Head)	76
S41 (Coolfin/Portlaw)	72
X59 (Great Newtown Head/Kilfarrasy)	72
X19 (Cappagh/Drum Hills)	63
S30 (Lemybrien/Mahon Falls)	56
S20 (Monavullagh Mountains)	54
S00 (Knockmealdown Mountains)	52
X27 (Ardmore/Ram Head tip)	48
R90 (Araglin area)	43
S21 (Comeragh Mountains)	43
S10 (Knockmealdowns/Mt Melleray)	40
S31 (Rathgormuck/Coumshingaun)	39

DUNGARVAN: Male Brambling at Strandside, Abbeyside (DC).

FINISK BRIDGE: Green Sandpiper (").

CAPPOQUIN: Kingfisher & Otter (").

DROMANA BRIDGE: Pair of Ravens & a Stoat (").

DUNGARVAN (I-WeBS count): Totals included 835 Brent Geese, 57 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Great Northern Divers, a Jack Snipe (at the Cunnigar), 5 female/immature Pintail & an imm male Shoveler off the pitch & putt course (BD, PS, PMW).

CLONEA STRAND: 3 Purple Sandpipers at Ballinclamper, Black Guillemot off Ballinard, 18 Great Northern Divers & 32 Red-throated Divers Ballinard to Ballyvoyle (MC sr, PMW).

ARDMORE BAY: 4 Great Northern Divers & 8 Red-throated Divers (PMW).

BALLYVOONEY: Pair of Ravens collecting nest material (DC).

BALLYSCANLAN LOUGH: 3 female/immature Goosanders again present (JAP, BS, MC, DW).

TRAMORE BEACH: Black Redstart at western end (JAP, BS).

ANNESTOWN: Kingfisher (").

Nr BUNMAHON: 50+ Stock Doves ("); Green Sandpiper at Seafield (DW).

STRADBALLY: Dipper (JAP, BS, DC).

CLONEA STRAND: Whimbrel & 3+ Purple Sandpipers (").

DUNGARVAN: 2 BLACK-NECKED GREBES at Ballynacourty ("); 2 Barnacle Geese & probable Barnacle hybrid at Ballyneety @ 15:15 (MC).

KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR: 14 Mute Swans, hybrid Whooper / Mute Swan, 98 Tufted Duck, Merlin & 4 Coot (MC).

BALLYSHUNNOCK RESERVOIR: 30 Whooper Swans & 2 Coot (").

BLACKWATER CALLOWS: 166 Whooper Swans at Ballynerroon, west of Ballyduff (PMW).

ARAGLIN HILLS: 1 Crossbill just across Cork border near Cronohill @ grid R911024 (").

ARDMORE BAY: 6 Great Northern Divers, a Great Crested Grebe & gull roost totals of 1 Mediterranean Gull (1st-winter), 620 Common, 500 Black-headed, 4 Herring, 1 Lesser, l Great Black-backed Gull & 180 Kittiwakes, 16:55-17:30 (").

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: Spotted Redshank near Riverstown industrial estate at west side of backstrand @ 08:25 (JAP, BS).

BALLYSCANLAN LOUGH: 3 female/immature Goosanders & 280 Black-headed Gulls, 11:20 (MC, CF).

DUNGARVAN: Adult & 1st-winter Little Gull off Ballynacourty Pier, Kingfisher & adult Mediterranean Gull at Barnawee (MC, CF); Kingfisher at Brickey canal (DC).

FINISK RIVER: Green Sandpiper (DC).

CAPPOQUIN: Kingfisher (DC).

DUNMORE EAST: 6 Purple Sandpipers outside seawall, Great Northern Diver (PMW).

TRAMORE: Gadwall, Pochard, 4 Tufted Duck, 2 Coot & 5 White-fronted Geese at Lisselan, Tramore Backstrand, Black Redstart at western corner of beach below O'Shea's Hotel, 2 Choughs past boating lake (MC, CF); 32+ Gadwall & 18 Pied Wagtails at boating lake, 155 Lesser Black-backed Gulls & 80 Hooded Crows at Saleen (PMW).

BUNMAHON: 1st-winter Mediterranean Gull (MC, CF).

HELVICK HEAD: Black Guillemot (MC, CF).

Monday, January 07, 2011

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: Spotted Redshank again at Pickardstown Creek near
Somerville estate (CF).

HELVICK HEAD: 2+ adult light-phase Pomarine Skuas (1 E, 2W - one on sea for several minutes), 48 Red-throated Divers W, 60 Fulmars W & 490 large auks W (seawatch 13:40-15:10, wind 6-7 SW); also 12 Red-throated Divers, 6 Great Northern Divers & 2 Black Guillemots on sea (MAD, PMW).

DUNGARVAN: 2 Green Sandpipers & 2 Kingfishers at Brickey canal (DC); Barnacle Goose at pitch & putt club, male Shoveler off Quann's (MC).

SEAFIELD (nr Bunmahon): 4 Woodcock (DW).

HELVICK HEAD: Adult Pomarine Skua (seawatch 09:00-11:00, CF).

DUNGARVAN: 2 Blackcaps & 4 Tree Sparrows at Strandside, Abbeyside (DC).

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: Spotted Redshank at Pickardstown creek by Somerville estate (Nick McCarthy).

Nr DRUM HILLS: Male Hen Harrier flew west (CF).

DUNGARVAN: Green Sandpiper at the Brickey canal (JAP).

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: 3 Long-tailed Ducks (2 males & a female) (Dave Daly per www.irishbirding.com).

KILMANAHAN: 25 Whooper Swans (DC).