HELVICK HEAD: MARSH HARRIER in fields overlooking Helvick this morning, also an Arctic Skua in close to the rocks (SN).

CLONEA STRAND:  Balearic Shearwater & juvenile SABINE'S GULL (MC), 3 Roseate Terns (adult & 2 juvs) & 3 Arctic Skuas (adult & 2 juvs) (CF) off Ballinclamper, also 3 Mediterranean Gulls (2 adults & a 2nd-winter) there (MC).

ARDMORE:  4 1st-winter Mediterranean Gulls at Curragh beach (CF).

WHITING BAY:  Adult Mediterranean Gull & 10+ White Wagtails (").

DUNGARVAN:  2 juvenile Ruffs & 3 juvenile Curlew Sandpipers at Ballyneety (").

CLONEA: 1st Winter Mediterranean Gull @ Ballinclamper. (MC)

BROWNSTOWN HEAD:  Arctic Skua & 12 Wheatears (Tom Moore per www.irishbirding.com)

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  Corncrake calling at Lisselan this afternoon (Paddy Dwan) - one apparently seen at same place a few weeks ago.

HELVICK HEAD:
Seawatch 12:00-17:00 (CF, MC, PMW)
Weather: wind 4-5 SW, vis moderate to good
Balearic Shearwater: 5 W incl very pale bird @ 13:15
Sooty Shearwater: 5 W
Great Shearwater: 1
Manx Shearwater: <30
'Blue' Fulmar: 1
Storm Petrel: 4 W
Common Scoter: 1 male W
Grey Phalarope: 2 W
Arctic Skua: 10 (5+ W)
Great Skua: 20 (9+ W)
SABINE'S GULL: 1 juv W @ 16:42
Roseate Tern: 20+
Little Tern: 1
Arctic, Common, Sandwich Terns: large nos
Black Tern: 5 juvs (2 into Dungarvan Bay, 3 W singly)
Puffin: 3
Porpoise: 1-2
Also a Merlin (CF).

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  Kingfisher at Pickardstown (GP).

DUNGARVAN: Juvenile Curlew Sandpiper, juvenile Ruff, adult Mediterranean Gull & Green Sandpiper @ Ballyneety. (MC, CF, MC Sr.)

CLONEA: White Wagtail, 5 Roseate Terns, Arctic Skua and summer plumage Great Northern Diver. (")

HELVICK: Up to 10 Blackcaps. (MC, CF)

CLONEA STRAND:  off Ballinclamper tonight - 6 Arctic Skuas, 2 Storm Petrels, 2 Grey Phalaropes & 2 Roseate Terns (ad & juv), also lots of terns + auks (MC).

RAM HEAD:

Seawatch 08:30-10:10 (AM)

Balearic Shearwater: 1

Manx Shearwater: 20-30

Storm Petrel: 1 E

Common Scoter: 7 E

Great Skua: 1 W

Fin Whale: 1

Common Dolphin: 100

Also 13+ Wheatears, lots of Meadow Pipits, Swallows & House Martins.

DUNGARVAN:  First Redwing of the autumn at the Pike (FO'C).

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: Juv Little Stint, 20 Sanderling, 380 Dunlin & 65 Ringed Plover off Lisselan seawall, 3 White Wagtails along seawall, male Pochard & juv Ruff on racecourse lake (PMW).

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: Spotted Redshank & 11 Greenshank in channel at west side of spits @ 16:40, low tide; 18 Brent Geese east of spits (PMW).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD:
Seawatch 07:55-09:55, 10:00-11:00 (JB, PMW)
Weather: wind 4-5 NW, vis excellent to moderate, occasional drizzle
Balearic Shearwater: 3 W (08:26, 08:29, 10:33 - last 2 very pale below)
Manx Shearwater: 1 E, 2 W
Gannet: 220 E, 405 W
Common Scoter: 4 E, 8 W
Wigeon: 6 W
Dunlin: 27 E
Great Skua: 1 W
Arctic Skua: 2 W
Kittiwake: 5 E, 85 W
Sandwich Tern: 38 E, 183 W
Arctic Tern: 3 W
Common/Arctic Tern: 2 E, 22 W
Razorbill: 14 W
Guillemot: 4 W
Large auk sp: 2 E, 98 W

SEAFIELD: flyover Yellow Wagtail, seemed to land in fields behind Bunmahon village (DW).

CLONEA STRAND: Arctic Skua W, 10+ Arctic Terns (PMW).

BALLYQUIN (nr Ardmore): 3rd-winter Yellow-legged Gull on beach @ 16:30 (").

WATERFORD CITY: 2 Swifts flying W with Swallows & House Martins (large nos of both moving W all day) (FO'C).

ARDMORE: 160 Sandwich Terns in bay & on beach (PMW).

DUNGARVAN: 1 PECTORAL SANDPIPER, sub-adult SPOONBILL & 1 Curlew Sandpiper at the Cunnigar (CF).

WHITING BAY: 15 Tree Sparrows at Ballysallagh, 3 White Wagtails, 170 Ringed Plover & 45 Sanderling on beach (PMW).

HELVICK: Seawatch 13:15-17:30pm .2 juvenile Sabine's Gulls, 4 Sooty Shearwaters, 10+ Arctic Skuas, 3 Great Skuas, 1 Grey Phalarope, 4 Petrels sp. (Probable Storm Petrels, too distant to id conclusively) and 4 Porpoise. (MC, CF)

HELVICK HEAD:

Seawatch 09:00-12:30 (CF)

Balearic Shearwater: 3 W

Sooty Shearwater: 6 W
Storm Petrel: 2 W

LONG-TAILED SKUA: 2 W (adult & juvenile)

Pomarine Skua: 2 W

Arctic Skua: 20 W

Great Skua: 5 W
Black Tern: 3 juveniles W
Manx Shearwater, Sterna terns: lots

 

DUNGARVAN: 2 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS, 2 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 1 sub-adult SPOONBILL & a Grasshopper Warbler @ the Cunnigar. 2 juvenile Curlew Sandpipers & an adult Mediterranean Gull @ Ballyneety. (MC, CF)

HELVICK: Male and female Common Scoter at the mouth of the bay, Painted Lady and 1 Spotted Flycatcher. Also, small numbers of Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps & Whitethroats. (")

CLONEA: Juvenile Mediterranean Gull and 1-2 small Skua sp. offshore. (")

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: Adult Spotted Redshank at Pickardstown; Spotted Flycatchers & a Small Copper at Saleen (DW, JAP)

BROWNSTOWN HEAD:  7 Tree Sparrows, a Spotted Flycatcher & a Painted Lady (").

DUNGARVAN: Kingfisher @ the Barnawee and 2 Mediterranean Gulls (adult 3H97 & 1 juvenile) @ Ballyneety. (MC)

ANNESTOWN: Kingfisher. (")

CLOGHERNAGH: Kingfisher. (MC, DW)

PICKARDSTOWN: Spotted Redshank & 2 juvenile Curlew Sandpipers. (")

DUNGARVAN: Juvenile Mediterranean Gull & 2 juvenile Curlew Sandpipers. (MC)

ARDMORE: Adult Mediterranean Gull on the Ardmore beach & juvenile Mediterranean Gull @ Whiting Bay. (")

Also, White Wagtails evident @ Ballinclamper, Ballyquin, Ardmore & Whiting Bay. (")

DUNGARVAN; 2 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS & a PECTORAL SANDPIPER at the Cunnigar (MC snr).

BALLYSHUNNOCK: Hybrid Whooper X Mute Swan & hybrid Swan Goose. (MC)

CLONEA: 4 White Wagtails @ Ballinclamper. (MC)

KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR: 2 Common Sandpipers & White Wagtail (MC).

KILMEADEN POOLS: No sign of any waders, just a GBB Gull (").

WHITING BAY: 2 White Wagtails (PMW).

HELVICK HEAD:
Seawatch 09:55-11:55 (PA, MC, MC snr, PMW)
Weather: wind 7-8 SW to W, vis moderate, sunny.
Storm Petrel: 5 (4+ W)
Great Skua: 2 W
Arctic Skua: 4 (2 E, 2 W)
Little Tern: 1 W
Arctic Tern: 25+ W or feeding
Manx Shearwater: very few - 1 E, 4 w
Porpoise: 1

DUNGARVAN: 2 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS at the Cunnigar now (16:50), including the bird resent since 4th Sept, also 2 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, SPOONBILL, 3 Curlew Sandpipers, juvenile Mediterranean Gull & a Spotted Flycatcher there (").

HELVICK HEAD:
Seawatch 13:48-14:48 (MC):
SABINE'S GULL: 3 adults
Balearic Shearwater: 1
Sooty Shearwater: 1
Storm Petrel: 1
Grey Phalarope: 1
Arctic Tern: slow but steady passage
Porpoise: 2

HELVICK HEAD: Adult SABINE'S GULL flew in towards harbour, 14:00 (MC).

CLONEA STRAND: 4 Roseate Terns (3 ad, 1 juv), 2 Arctic Terns & 4 White Wagtails at Ballinclamper (MC).

HELVICK HEAD:
Seawatch 12:00-18:00 (CF, FO'C, DW, JAP, BS)
Final totals:
CORY'S SHEARWATER: 1
Great Shearwater: 1
Sooty Shearwater: 30+
Balearic Shearwater: 3
Manx Shearwater: 1000+/hour
Storm Petrel: 6+
Grey Phalarope: 25+
Pomarine Skua: 1
Arctic Skua: 20+
Great Skua: 12
SABINE'S GULL: 6 (3 ad, 3 juv)
Little Gull: 1 juv
Little Tern: 2
Leatherback Turtle: 1

DUNGARVAN: BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, 3 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS (2 on the patches, 1 in off sea) & a Curlew Sandpiper all at the Cunnigar (CF).

WHITING BAY: 3 Great Skuas offshore (CF).

ARDMORE: Adult & 1st-winter Mediterranean Gull, Arctic Tern, Common Tern & Common Sandpiper at Curragh beach (").

KILMEADEN POOLS: 2 juvenile PECTORAL SANDPIPERS still present, also 3 White Wagtails (PV).

DUNGARVAN: 60+ Sandwich Terns at Cunnigar carpark (").

CLONEA STRAND: 12 Arctic Terns (8 ads & 4 juvs) at Ballanclamper @ 18:50 (MC).

RAM HEAD:
Seawatch 17:10-18:40 (PMW)
Weather: wind 4-5 SW, vis moderate to poor, drizzle
Balearic Shearwater: 1 W
Sooty Shearwater: 1 W
Great Skua: 1 W
Manx Shearwater: 75 W
Fulmar: 3 E, 24 W
Gannet: 1 E, 17 W
Kittiwake: 4 W
Sandwich Tern: 4 W
Guillemot: 3 W
Large auk sp: 74 W
Puffin: 1 W

CLONEA: 4 Arctic Terns (2 adults & 2 juveniles) @ Ballinclamper. (MC, MC Sr. & CF)

CLONEA STRAND: Adult Roseate Tern at Ballinclamper @ 18:50, 2 Sooty Shearwaters off Ballinard later (CF).

KILMEADEN POOLS: Now 2 juvenile PECTORAL SANDPIPERS @ 18:05 (MC).

KILMEADEN POOLS: Juvenile PECTORAL SANDPIPER @ 12:00, also a Chough (PA).

DUNGARVAN: 2nd-summer Mediterranean Gull at Barnawee (MC).

CLONEA STRAND: Juv Ruff, juv Mediterranean Gull, 2 ad & 2 juv Arctic Terns at Ballinclamper (").

DUNGARVAN: 3 Curlew Sandpipers & an adult Mediterranean Gull at Ballyneety (MC snr).

DUNGARVAN: 3 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 5 Curlew Sandpipers, juv Little Stint & a Pomarine Skua at the Cunnigar (FO'C).

SEAFIELD: 3 White Wagtails (DW).

WHITING BAY: 4 Little Stints, later 6+, also a Merlin (DC).

WHITING BAY: 3 Little Stints, ad & juv Mediterranean Gull & 7+ White Wagtails, high tide (CF).

DUNGARVAN: Juvenile BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER also present again on the Cunnigar, plus the 2 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS (CF).

DUNGARVAN: 2 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS again on the Cunnigar (Sean Cronin).

WHITING BAY: 2 juv Little Stints, 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls & 2 White Wagtails (MC, FO'C).

SEAFIELD: Lesser Whitethroat briefly again @ 19:25 (DW).

WHITING BAY: Little Stint (DC)

HELVICK HEAD:
Seawatch 17:20-18:20 (MC, MAD, FO'C, PMW)
Wind 6 SW, vis moderate
Sooty Shearwater: 1W
Manx Shearwater: 32 E, 305 W
Fulmar: 1E, 16 W
Arctic Tern: 2 W (juv & ad)
Puffin: 1 W
Whimbrel: 1 W

SEAFIELD: Lesser Whitethroat (DW).

DUNGARVAN: BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER on the Cunnigar (MC).

DUNGARVAN: Little Tern at Ballynacourty at 10:00 (FO'C).

Off BALLYVOYLE (from boat): Pomarine Skua, 5 Sooty Shearwaters, few hundred Manx Shearwaters, lots of Fulmars, Gannets & auks (").

DUNGARVAN: 2 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS still present on the Cunnigar, at pools beyond sand dune @ 11:05 (MC).

DUNGARVAN; Near-adult Yellow-legged Gull at Ballyneety @ 19:10 (MC).

CLONEA STRAND: 10 White Wagtails & 89 Ringed Plover at Ballinclamper (MC, MC snr, PMW).

DUNGARVAN: Subadult SPOONBILL, 12 juv Curlew Sandpipers & juv Little Stint at the Cunnigar (new bird near tip) (MC, CF, DW); now 2 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS at Cunnigar, also juv Little Gull & 2+ White Wagtails (RMcL, c1530); 3 Green Sandpipers at Ballyneety (MC, CF).

DUNGARVAN: PECTORAL SANDPIPER at Cunnigar, inside sand-dune @ 10:35 (MC, CF, DW).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD:
Seawatch 07:40-10:40 (JB, PMW)
Weather: 4-5 SW later 2-3 W, vis moderate to good, occasional drizzle
Balearic Shearwater: 1 W @ 08:47
Arctic Skua: 2 E @ 08:33 & 09:52
Great Skua: 1 W @ 10:39
Manx Shearwater: 60 E, 384W, 1 on sea
Fulmar: 7 E, 39 W
Gannet: 143 E, 94 W
Bar-tailed Godwit: 2 W
Kittiwake: 7 E
Sandwich Tern: 101 E, 37 W
Razorbill: 3 E, 28 W
Large auk sp: 4 E, 39 W

DUNGARVAN: 8 White Wagtails & a juv Curlew Sandpiper at the Cunnigar @ 19:25 (MC).

HELVICK HEAD: 3 male Blackcaps (").

BALLYMACARBRY: Kingfisher (").

DUNGARVAN: 10 Curlew Sandpipers at the Cunnigar (FO'C).

WATERFORD CITY: Spotted Flycatcher near the Whitfield Clinic (DS).

DUNGARVAN: Whinchat, 3 Curlew Sandpipers & adult Arctic Tern at the Cunnigar this evening (MC, CF).

DUNGARVAN: Juvenile Little Stint at the Cunnigar (FO'C) - photos.