DUNGARVAN: Curlew Sandpiper just in front of the Park Hotel @ 14:40 (JAP); 2 Blackcaps & 4 Siskins at Strandside (DC).

KILMANAHAN: 7 Whooper Swans & 2 Ravens (DC).

STRADBALLY: 2 Dippers (DS).

TRAMORE: 3 Waxwings still at Ard na Groi estate; 40 Gadwall & 9 Shoveler on boating lake (JiP); 4 Common Scoter, 17 Red-throated Divers, 4 Great Northern Divers, 5 Great Crested Grebes & 56 Razorbills in Tramore Bay; 5 White-fronted Geese, 10 Little Grebes & 5 Tufted Duck at Lisselan; 3 Shoveler east of spits (PMW).

DERRIGAL / PORTNASCULLY: 320 Greylag Geeese (166 on Waterford side at Derrigal, 154 on Kilkenny side at Portnascully), 31 Whooper Swans at Portnascully (PMW)..

COOLFIN: 3 Whooper Swans (").

TIBBERAGHNY (Co Kilkenny): 61 Whooper Swans (").

SEAFIELD (nr Bunmahon): 2 Water Rails & 2 Kingfishers (DW).

ARDMORE BAY: Red-throated Diver & 6 Razorbills (PMW).

DUNGARVAN: Curlew Sandpiper just over wall at Fraher field, 7 Shoveler off pitch & putt (MC, CF); adult dark-bellied Brent Goose nr Cunnigar tip, 38 Great Crested Grebes & a Great Northern Diver off Ballynacourty pier (PMW).

CAPPOQUIN: 20 Yellowhammers opposite Cappoquin Chickens factory (MC, CF).

BALLYSHUNNOCK RESERVOIR: 2 Shoveler, 2 Pochard, 4 Coot, Tufted Duck (").

COOLFIN: 29 Greylag Geese (").

FIDDOWN: Jay (").

Nr LISMORE: Barn Owl perched on wires last night (AM).

ANNESTOWN: Kingfisher & Merlin (DC).

BUNMAHON: Another Kingfisher (DC).

TRAMORE: Blackcaps still present daily in garden (AP).

CLONEA STRAND: Adult argentatus-subspecies Herring Gull at Ballyvoyle (an individual with extensive white on wing-tips) - photos here - also Great Skua off Ballinclamper, 30 Rock Pipits at Ballinard / Ballinclamper (PMW).

DUNGARVAN (I-WeBS count): Slavonian Grebe & 2 BLACK-NECKED GREBES off Ballynacourty pier, Barnacle Goose at Ballyneety & another 2 (tame birds) at the Cunnigar with an apparent Barnacle / Bar-headed Goose hybrid (now confirmed as an apparently pure Bar-headed Goose, presumably from w wildfowl collection), 9 Pintail (2 males) & 5 Shoveler off pitch & putt; totals of 1040+ Brent Geese & 40 Great Crested Grebes (Brian Duffy, Pat Smiddy, PMW).

TRAMORE TOWN: 3 Waxwings still present at Ard na Groi estate (DC).

SEAFIELD (nr Dungarvan): Merlin & Kingfisher (DW).

BALLYSHUNNOCK RESERVOIR: 4 Pink-footed Geese (MC sr).

DUNGARVAN: Slavonian Grebe, 2 Black-necked Grebes, 55 Great Crested Grebes & a Red-throated Diver at Ballynacourty (MC, PMW); Brambling at Strandside (DC).

BALLINARD: Adult Mediterranean Gull (").

Nr BALLYDWAN: Jack Snipe (DW).

TRAMORE TOWN: 3 Waxwings again at Ard na Groi estate beside racecourse (JiP, Paul Moore).

DUNGARVAN: 2-3 Jack Snipe at the Cunnigar, in rushes beside pools N of the carpark (JAP, BS).

LOWER BLACKWATER: Ringtail Hen Harrier flew across river (CF).

COLLIGAN WOOD: Dipper (PMW).

CAPPOQUIN: 3 Green Sandpipers (DC).

DUNGARVAN: 2 BLACK-NECKED GREBES at Ballynacourty, Barnacle Goose at Quann's & Kingfisher at Barnawee, Green Sandpiper at Brickey River, adult Mediterranean Gull at Ballyneety (MC, CF).

HELVICK HEAD: Black Guillemot (").

TRAMORE BOATING LAKE: Adult Ring-billed Gull, 59 Gadwall & 8 Shoveler (").

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: 3 Long-tailed Duck & 4 Shoveler out on backstrand, 4 Gadwall, male Pochard, 4 Tufted Duck, 2 Coot & 5 White-fronted Geese at Lisselan (MC, CF).

TRAMORE TOWN: 3 Waxwings at Ard na Groi estate behind racecourse (MC, CF).

DUNGARVAN: Woodcock near Kilmurray at dusk (JAP).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD to DUNMORE EAST (from boat): 3 Great Skuas, 11 Red-throated Divers, 5 Fin Whales & a Humpback Whale (AM).

TRAMORE: 4 Blackcaps (3 male & 1 female) at bird table in garden today, & daily since the snow in December; also 4 Long-tailed Tits & a Goldfinch as well as more usual species today (AP).


Thursday, January 20, 2011

TRAMORE TOWN: 3 Waxwings in housing estate behind Tramore recasourae (Sara Connor).

CLONEA STRAND: Little Gull (Davy Farrar).

DUNGARVAN: 3 Blackcaps (2 males & a female) at Strandside, Abbeyside (DC).

RAM HEAD: Pomarine Skua, Arctic Skua, Red-throated Diver & 2 Porpoises off Ram Head (AM).

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND (I-WeBS count 1230-1430): Totals included 814 Brent Geese, 5 Shoveler, 10 Gadwall (additional to 52 at boating lake earlier), 2 male Long-tailed Ducks (just east of spits),a Jack Snipe, 398 Oystercatcher, 130 Grey Plover & 322 Black-tailed Godwit (DMcG, PMW, Michael Hackett).

Nr ANNESTOWN: 80 Skylarks (PMW).

DUNGARVAN: Barnacle Goose at Ballyneety (MC); male Velvet Scoter off Ballynacourty lighthouse, Slavonian Grebe , 2 BLACK-NECKED GREBES (CF) & 2 Great Northern Divers (DC) off Ballynacourty pier; adult Mediterranean Gull opposite Fraher field (MC, DC, CF); Blackcap & 20 Siskins at Springmount (DC).

TRAMORE BOATING LAKE: 52 Gadwall (JiP).

HELVICK HEAD: 500+ Fulmars, a Red-throated Diver, 6 Purple Sandpipers & 3 Black Guillemots (seawatch 12:30-13:30, wind 6-7 SW) (CF).

SEAFIELD (nr Bunmahon): Coordinated attack by 2 Peregrines on 2 Little Egrets (DW).

Thursday, January 12, 2010

KILMACTHOMAS: Robin singing under floodlights at 8 pm (DW).

DUNGARVAN: 3 Blackcaps (2 male 1 female) & 4 Siskins at Strandside, Abbeyside (DC).

DUNGARVAN: 2 Blackcaps (male & female) & 2 Siskins at Strandside, Abbeyside (DC).

Off WATERFORD HARBOUR: A "new" Humpback Whale west of Dunmore East (an individual not previously seen in irish waters) - full details at http://iwdg.ie/article.asp?id=2432 - also 3 Great Skuas, an Arctic Skua & 2 Red-throated Divers (plus another 10 Red-throats on Co Wexford side).

DUNGARVAN: 2 BLACK-NECKED GREBES & 1 Slavonian Grebe off Ballynacourty pier, male Velvet Scoter off Ballynacourty lighthouse (JAP).

CARRICKBEG (Waterford/Tipperary border): 4 female/immature Goosanders on River suir (BW).

Nr BALLYDWAN: Jack Snipe (DW).

Nr BUNMAHON: 4 Woodcock along one drain (").

DUNGARVAN: 2 Jack Snipe at the Cunnigar, male Velvet Scoter under Ballynacourty lighthouse & 2 Black Guillemots in the bay (MC).

CLONEA STRAND: 1 Purple Sandpiper at Ballinclamper (").

DUNGARVAN: Slavonian Grebe & 2 BLACK-NECKED GREBES at Ballynacourty (MC).

SEAFIELD (nr Bunmahon): Blackcap singing! (DW).

DUNGARVAN: Adult Mediterranean Gull at Ballyneety (CF); 2 female Blackcaps at Ballinroad (MC); Slavonian Grebe & 2 BLACK-NECKED GREBES at Ballynacourty, Barnacle Goose at pitch & putt course (MC, CF).

TRAMORE BOATING LAKE: Adult Mediterranean Gull, adult Ring-billed Gull & 4 Shoveler (").

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: 23 Tufted Duck, 2 Shoveler, 15 Gadwall, 5 White-fronted Geese & 3 Otters at Lisselan (").

BALLYSHUNNOCK RESERVOIR: 11 Gadwall, 11 Shoveler, 9 Tufted Duck, Pochard, 3 Coot & hybrid Whooper/Mute Swan (").

DERRIGAL: c270 Greylag Geese (").

Nr DUNGARVAN: Merlin at Kilmurray (JAP).

BLACKWATER RIVER: Green Sandpiper & Otter at the Kitchen Hole between Cappoquin and Lismore (DC).

DUNGARVAN: Blackcap & male Brambling, Strandside (DC); another male Brambling elsewhere in Abbeyside (MC sr).

SEAFIELD (nr Bunmahon): Brambling with a mixed flock of Chaffinches, Linnets & Yellowhammers (DW).

RAM HEAD: 2 Fin Whales, 6 Red-throated Divers & a skua species (Pomarine or Arctic) (AM).

DUNGARVAN: Barnacle Goose at CBS pitches with c150 Brent Geese, 15 Moorhens behind Nissan garage at Springmount (Patrick Veale).

SEAFIELD (nr Bunmahon): 2 Woodcock, Kingfisher & Chiffchaff (DW).

DUNGARVAN: Slavonian Grebe, 2 BLACK-NECKED GREBES & male Velvet Scoter at Ballynacourty; Water Rail at Killongford; Merlin at Ballyneety; 4 Shoveler off pitch & putt (MC, CF).

Nr WHITING BAY: Up to 10 Tree Sparrows at Ballysallagh (").

TRAMORE TOWN: 3 Waxwings, 2 Bramblings & a Blackcap in garden (Tony Bryant); a few Waxwings also seen along the cliff road a few days earlier (per TB).

DUNGARVAN: Slavonian Grebe, 2 BLACK-NECKED GREBES, 34 Great Crested Grebes & a Great Northern Diver off Ballynacourty pier (JAP, BS, MAD, PMW).

CARRIGLEA (nr Dungarvan): Treecreeper (JAP).

CLONEA STRAND: 6 Great Northern Divers & 3 Red-throated Divers (MAD, PMW).

CURROW / CASTLEQUARTER (nr Lemybrien): Treecreeper & 2 Choughs (3 km inland) (").

DUNMORE EAST: 4 Purple Sandpipers outside seawall (TO'C).

TRAMORE BEACH: Black Redstart in western corner of beach under O'Shea's Hotel (MC, MC sr, CF, DW)

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: 21 Tufted Duck, 29 Gadwall, 4 Coot, 9 Shoveler, 5 White-fronted Geese & 3 Greylag-type geese (probably feral) at Lisselan (").

DUNGARVAN: Male Velvet Scoter, Slavonian Grebe & 2 BLACK-NECKED GREBES at Ballynacourty (MC, CF, DW).

BALLINROAD-DURROW: 5 Woodcock along the road (").

BALLYSHUNNOCK RESERVOIR: 35 Whooper, hybrid MuteXWhooper, 2 drake Pintail, 8 Tufted Ducks, 8 Shoveler, 8 Gadwall, 4 Pochard (").

COOLFIN / DERRIGAL: 3 Greylag & 35 Whooper (").

ANNESTOWN: Kingfisher.

STRADBALLY COVE: Dipper.

BALLINCLAMPER: Whimbrel & Purple Sandpiper.