TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: Common Sandpiper at Pickardstown, Lapwing & 5 Greenshank at Lisselan (AJ).

HELVICK HEAD:  2 light-phase Arctic Skuas harassing Kittiwakes, 1 dark-phase Pomarine Skua, 18 Common Scoter (3+15), Black Guillemot carrying food, & large rafts of Manx Shearwaters feeding offshore (JAP).

DUNGARVAN:  Common Sandpiper & 2 Whimbrel at Killongford, Yellow-legged Gull on foreshore opposite pitch & putt course (").

DUNGARVAN:  OSPREY flew over near old glass factory on approach to town (ADM).

HELVICK HEAD: 60-80 Common Scoter W 92 big lines 30-40 each) & 18 E (6+12), a Minke Whale & lots of Manx Shearwaters (").

TRAMORE:  Reed Warbler singing at reedbed at north end of Tramore boating lake (AJ) - a new breeding season site for the species.

RAM HEAD:  GREAT SHEARWATER (quite close in), several thousand Manx Shearwaters (off Cape Island Co Cork), 12 Common Scoter W & 4 E, 2 Puffins & 20+ Fin Whales (ADM).


Monday, July 04, 2016

DUNGARVAN:  Male HOBBY flew over town at 21:25, heading west but chased by Black-headed Gulls then flew south (FO'C).

DUNGARVAN:  3 Common Sandpipers, Ballyneety; 1 Wigeon, Western Bay (BS, FO'C, RAW, JAP).

CLONEA BAY: 2 Common Sandpipers & a juvenile Dipper at Ballyvoyle; another Common Sandpiper at Ballinclamper; juvenile Wheatear at Clonea (").

ARDMORE: 2 2nd-calendar-year Mediterranean Gulls, Curragh strand (").

Nr WHITING BAY: 7 Tree Sparrows at Moord (").

BLACKWATER VALLEY: 3 Stock Doves & a juvenile Dipper at Clashmore; 2 Yellowhammers be Clashmore; eed Warbler at Raheen Quay, Clashmore Broads (").

GRAIGUEARUSH: Grasshopper Warbler reeling & 2 Redpoll (").

VARIOUS:  85 species for the day (").

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: Stock Dove & 13 Shelducklings (10 + 3) at Lisselan, 157 Curlew on saltmarsh (AJ).

HELVICK HEAD: 2 Great Skuas past, Black Guillemot, juv Mediterranean Gull & 2 Puffins; adult Puffins present here for at least a month (JAP).

BALLYVOYLE: Spotted Flycatcher & juvenile Dipper (").

CLONEA: Great Northern Diver (").

ARDMORE: Stock Dove (").

DUNGARVAN: 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls at Duckspool; 7 Lapwing & 3 Whimbrel at Killongford (").

VARIOUS: Curlew & Redshank widespread (").

ARDMORE: 4 Mediterranean Gulls (adult & 3 1st-summers) at Curragh strand (ADM).

DUNGARVAN: Adult Mediterranean Gull on the Cunnigar (").

Sunday, June 26, 2016

BALLYRAFTER WOODS (nr Lismore):  Flock of 25-30 Crossbills (ADM).

KNOCKMEALDOWN MOUNTAINS: Male Hen Harrier (ADM).

CARRIGAVANTRY:  3 Snipe (AJ).


Tuesday, June 21, 2016

ARDMORE:  5 1st-summer Mediterranean Gulls at Curragh beach (ADM).

RAM HEAD: 15 Fin Whales today (ADM).

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: 6-7 Whimbrel with Curlew flock, similar nos of Painted Lady along Lissekan seawall (MC).

Sunday, June 19, 2016

KILSHEELAN:  Female Mandarin duck again with 5 chicks on Co Waterford bank of River Suir (MC).

RAM HEAD: 20 Common Scoter, single Great, Pomarine & Arctic Skuas, good passage of Manx Shearwaters, 3 Porpoises & a Minke Whale (seawatch 10:00-12:00; ADM, AT).

ARDMORE: Immature Mediterranean Gull at Curragh (").

BUNMAHON: 7 Crossbills (1 male, 6 female-type) in pines at Bunmahon bridge (DW, NL).

TRAMORE: Cuckoo flew N over Monvoy valley at 05:45 (DS).

CLONEA BAY:  Pod of Bottlenose Dolphins off Ballyvoyle heading west towards Clonea then Dungarvan Bay, at 17:15 hrs (MC).

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  Cuckoo on the seawall at Lisselan (").

CARRIGNAGOUR (nr Lismore): Spotted Flycatchers built nest on top of Blue Tit nestbox (ADM).

KNOCKMEALDOWN MOUNTAINS:  Male Hen Harrier this morning (AT); pair food-passing at different location last week (ADM).


Thursday, June 16, 2016

KILSHEELAN:  Female Mandarin duck with 5 chicks on Co Waterford side of River Suir (EAMacL).

Nr DUNGARVAN:  Cuckoo over the N25 at the Pike just outside Dungarvan (MC).


Sunday, June 12, 2016

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  Fulmar over main lake at Lisselan (AJ).


Saturday, June 11, 2016

COMERAGH MOUNTAINS:  Male Hen Harrier (@muddybootsguide).

Wednesday, May 08, 2016

ANNESTOWN:  Reed Warbler singing, late evening (MC).

CARRIGANORE:  Jay (").

BALLYSCANLAN:  Jay (AJ).

BALLYVOYLE:  Adult-summer Great Northern Diver (FO'C).

HELVICK HEAD:  5 Puffins 200 yds offshore, also lots of Manx Shearwaters flying W (FO'C).


Tuesday, May 07, 2016

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  Reed Warbler & Painted Lady butterfly at Lisselan (DS).

CASTLETOWN FEN:  Cuckoo calling (").

RAM HEAD:  2 Puffins seen while kayaking by the crane wreck (NR).


Monday, May 06, 2016

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  Reed Warbler, Water Rail & a Mother Shipton moth at Lisselan (AJ).

RAM HEAD:  180+ migrant Diamond-back Moths along clifftop (MAD, PMW).

KNOCKMEALDOWN MOUNTAINS: 2 Red Grouse (1m 1f - male called in flight), 2 Cuckoos at different locations, 8+ Mistle Thrushes, 6 Wheatears, 2 Ravens, a Kestrel, & many Measow Pipits & Skylarks, also a Small Heath butterfly, 07:00-10:00 (JAP, BS).

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: Reed Warbler & a Cuckoo calling at Lisselan, 06:45 (JF).

RAM HEAD:  Great Skua W, 7 Basking Sharks & 8 Fin Whales this evening (ADM).

CASTLETOWN FEN:  Cuckoo (MC).

COMERAGH MOUNTAINS:  Many Wheatears, & a Badger (EAMacL).

CARRIGAVANTRY: 3 Crossbills at 07:00(JF).

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: Dipper at Pickardstown, m+f Tufted Duck, Cuckoo & Water Rail (AJ).


Monday, May 30, 2016

ARDMORE:  20+ Basking Sharks (ADM).


Sunday, May 29, 2016

ARDMORE:  Tree Sparrow at 08:30 near the coastgrard station, 4 Swifts screaming in the village (MJB).

DUNGARVAN:  Reed Warbler singing at Ballyneety, in first reedbed behind main shed at old dump, also 2 Dippers along Colligan River (PV).

CARRIGNAGOUR (nr Lismore): Spotted Flycatcher (ADM).