DUNGARVAN: 1st winter Mediterranean Gull & 2 Curlew Sandpipers @ Ballyneety. (MC)

HELVICK HEAD:
Seawatch 09:10-11:00 & 12:20-13:05 (CF)
'Blue' Fulmar: 3
Manx Shearwater: 4
Storm Petrel: 1
petrel species: 1 'large'
Red-throated Diver: 5
LONG-TAILED SKUA: 1 juv
Pomarine Skua: 14
Arctic Skua: 27
Great Skua: 30
Little Gull: 4 1st-winter
Sandwich Tern: 2
Fulmar, Gannet, Kittiwake, large auks: strong passage W up to c10:30 (when rain started & wind dropped)
Skua counts underestimates (many distant birds not assigned to species).
On land, 5 Chiffchaffs with good numbers of Blackbirds & Song Thrushes.

DUNGARVAN: 1 adult & 1 1st winter Mediterranean Gull @ the Barnawee. (MC)

CLONEA: Purple Sandpiper @ Ballinard. (")

WATERFORD HARBOUR:  Short-eared Owl at saltmarsh near Cheekpoint (Andrew Harrington).

TRAMORE: Great Skua over Backstrand, 2 1st-winter Mediterranean Gulls at boating lake (DS).

BALLYVOYLE: Merlin & Black Redstart (JAP).

DUNGARVAN; Great Northern Diver off Ballynagaul (PMW).

DUNMORE EAST: Purple Sandpiper outside seawall (").

BROWNSTOWN HEAD:
Seawatch 08:00-10:00 (PMW)
Weather: wind 4 SW, vis moderate to good, dry
Great Northern Diver: 2 W
Red-throated Diver: 1 W
Brent Goose: 34 W (9, 6, 9, 10)
Pomarine Skua: 1 imm W
Arctic Skua: 1 ad pale E
Fulmar: 2 E, 10 W
Gannet: 10 E, 73 W
Kittiwake: 152 E, 355 W
Sandwich Tern: 1 W
Common/Arctic Tern: 1 W
Large auk sp: 286 E, 169 W
Porpoise: 1
Grey Seal: 1
Also a Tree Sparrow, Wheatear & a further 9 Brent NW over the head towards Tramore backstrand.

HELVICK HEAD:
Seawatch 16:40-17:40 (MAD, PMW)
Weather: wind 4-5 SW, vis moderate
Balearic Shearwater: 1 W (medium-pale bird)
Great Skua: 12 (8 W, 4 off-passage)
Arctic Skua: 2 (adult pale W, juv off-passage)
Pomarine Skua: 3 adult or subadult pale W
Little Gull: 1 juvenile W
Fulmar: 1 W
Gannet, Kittiwake, large auks: not counted

CLONEA STRAND: 8+ Bonxies, 4+ Arctic Skuas, 2 Pomarine Skuas & juvenile Little Gull off Ballinclamper (MC).

BUNMAHON: Bonxie & Merlin earlier (").

ARDMORE HEAD: Ring Ouzel still present @ 15:00, also 3 Blackcaps (male & 2 female) & 3 Chiffchaffs; 200 Kittiwakes in Ardmore Bay & a Great Northern Diver circling high (MAD, PMW).

ARDMORE: 1st-winter Ring Ouzel at St Declan's Well, Snow Bunting & 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls at Curragh beach (CF, DW).

HELVICK HEAD: 3 male Blackcaps & 4+ Tree Sparrows (").

BLACKWATER VALLEY:  16 Whooper Swans at Camphire (MF).

ARDMORE:  Snow Bunting at still at Curragh beach but very wary & flighty, seems to prefer end near big house; also 3 adult Mediterranean Gulls there (CF).

WHITING BAY:  1 adult Mediterranean Gull (").

CARRIGNAGOUR (nr Lismore): 10+ Crossbills & large flock of Siskins in garden (AM).

SEAFIELD:  Redwings flying overhead tonight (DW).

TRAMORE: 1 Snow Bunting on track down to sandhills, just after the small sand-dune, also a Wheatear, 4 Swallows at backstrand, and 3 White-fronted Geese flew overhead from Saleen direction towards Lisselan (DS).

ARDMORE: Another Snow Bunting here, at Curragh beach, also 3 Mediterranean Gulls, a Wheatear & a partially leucistic Hooded Crow (AM).

RAM HEAD:
Seawatch 11:05-13:05 (AM)
Arctic Skua: 3 attacking Kittiwakes
Pomarine Skua: 1 also picking on a Kittiwake!
Great Northern Diver: 1 E
Arctic/Common Tern: 1
Fin Whale: 1
Risso's Dolphin: 3
Common Dolphin: 100+
Also Merlin & Clouded Yellow.

CARRIGNAGOUR (nr Lismore): Crossbills still visiting garden (").

TRAMORE:  2 Snow Buntings, at end of main walking track just before the sandhills @ 14:25, also a female Merlin later at the embankments (DS).

DUNGARVAN:  Dark-bellied Brent Goose with 500+ pale-bellied Brent (CF) & 5+ Wheatears (AM) at the Cunnigar.

HELVICK HEAD: Garden Warbler, 2 late Willow Warblers, 5+ Chiffchaffs, 4+ Tree Sparrows & 20+ Bullfinches with many other finches & sparrows (CF).

WATERFORD CITY:  Wheatear on rooftops at WIT (DMcG).

DUNGARVAN:  Snow Bunting at the Cunnigar, maybe 3/4 way down; also 2 a Short-eared Owl mobbed by Hoodies & flew towards Helvick, & 2 Whooper Swans in off sea (DS, Arlo Jacques); Green Sandpiper, 2 Kingfishers, Treecreeper, 20 Long-tailed Tits & 9 Goldcrests at Brickey canal (DC).

TRAMORE:  Mediterranean Gull at boating lake (DS).

HELVICK HEAD:
Seawatch 15:10-16:10 (PMW)
Weather: wind 6-7 SE, vis poor, drizzle/rain.
Fulmar: 195 W
Great Crested Grebe: 1 on sea
Great Skua: 1 W
Arctic Skua: 2 W
Arctic Tern: 1 W
Gannet, Kittiwake, large auks: not counted

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Tree Sparrow & 6 Long-tailed Tits (PMW).

TRAMORE BOATING LAKE: 1st-winter Mediterranean Gull, 4 Snipe & 60 Mallard (").

HELVICK HEAD:
Black Redstart along road to high car-park (JAP, BS). 
Seawatch 08:30-11:30 (CF, JAP, BS):
Manx Shearwater: 3
Red-throated Diver: 1
Great Crested Grebe: 2
Common Scoter: 1 male W
Great Skua: 5
Pomarine Skua: 3 (1 adult & 2 1st-winters)
Arctic Skua: 10 (5 adults, 1 2nd-cal & 4 1st-winters)
Little Gull: 4 1st-winters
Common Tern: 2 adults
Gannet, Kittiwake, auks: large passage W

DUNGARVAN: party of 6 Great Northern Divers at Ballynagaul (JAP, BS).

Friday, October 21, 2011

BALLINARD:
Seawatch 16:15-17:00 (CF):
Great Skua: 4
Pomarine Skua: 5  
Arctic Skua: 6  
Little Gull:  2 1st-winters
Sandwich Tern: 3
Great Northern Diver: 1 on sea
Red-throated Diver: 2 on sea
Kittiwake: very large passage
Gannet: good numbers

HELVICK HEAD: Quiet - 1 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warblers & 4 Chiffchaffs; also good numbers of Goldfinch, Redpoll, Chaffinch and Siskin (")

ARDMORE:  3 Mediterranean Gulls, Sandwich Tern, Wheatear, = lots of Swallows and Sand Martins at the Curragh (AM).

RAM HEAD:  Whooper Swan flew past, 7+ Fin Whales, 100+ Common Dolphins, Clouded Yellow, Red Admiral & 3 Peacock butterflies (").

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  Female Merlin, 6 Swallows & a Common Tern (DS).

CLONEA STRAND: 2 Black Redstarts, 4 Sandwich Terns & 3 Commic Terns at Ballinclamper (DC).

CAPPOQUIN: 12 Swallows at Cappoquin on Blackwater (").

CLONEA STRAND:  2nd-winter Mediterranean Gull at Ballinclamper (PMW).

Nr BUNMAHON:  Black Redstart, Whinchat & wheatear at small cove west of Bunmahon (DW).

BUNMAHON:  2 Green Sandpipers, Kingfisher & a Clouded Yellow (").

BROWNSTOWN HEAD:  50+ Skylarks flew SW, male Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaffs, 4 Tree Sparrows, 3 Lesser Redpolls (2 ringed), a Siskin, 2 Migrant Hawkers, 17 Red Admirals & a Clouded Yellow (MAD, PMW).


CARRIGNAGOUR (nr Lismore):  Redwings today - later than usual for here (AM).

TRAMORE: Adult Mediterranean Gull at boating lake, 2400 Golden Plover at Pickardstown (MAD, PMW).

RATHMOYLAN COVE: Black Redstart, Wheatear & 7+ Rock Pipits on beach (").

BROWNSTOWN HEAD:
Seawatch 08:55-12:00 (JB, PMW)
Weather: 5-6 SW, vis moderate, some drizzle.
Great Skua: 2 E
Arctic Skua: 1 E,  1 W
Fulmar: 2 W
Gannet: 20 E, 29 W
Red-throated Diver: 1 W (& on sea)
Diver species: 1 W
Wigeon: 13 W
Shelduck: 3 W
Kittiwake: 17 E, 159 W
Sandwich Tern: 1 W
Large auk species: 27 E, 34 W

CLONEA STRAND: Great Northern Diver, 3 juvenile Little Gulls, 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls, 20 Sandwich, 2 Arctic, 2 Common Terns & a stint species (PA).

BALLYMACART LOWER:  Black Redstart (RAW).

WATERFORD BY-PASS:  Good total of 6 Kestrels between Kilmeaden and the toll-booth, also a Ferret (escaped or feral?) road-kill at the old Kilmeaden roundabout (DC).

RAM HEAD:
Seawatch 15:15-16:55 (AM)
Arctic Skua: 2 W
Great Skua: 1 E
Sandwich Tern: 11
Arctic Tern: 9
shearwaters: 200+ W (probably mostly Manx)
House Martin: 65+ S

WHITING BAY:  Juvenile Long-tailed Duck this pm (SH).

BUNMAHON:  Green Sandpiper & Blackcap (DW).

SEAFIELD:  Ringtail Hen Harrier (per DW).

CARRIGNAGOUR (nr Lismore):  5 Crossbills in garden @ 12:05 (AM)

CLONEA STRAND:  Black-throated Diver & Arctic Skua (JAP).

DUNGARVAN:  Clouded Yellow (JAP).

HELVICK HEAD:  Another Clouded Yellow (").

COMERAGH MOUNTAINS: Ringtail Hen Harrier (MC snr).

CLONEA STRAND: Juvenile Little Gull & subadult light-phase Arctic Skua off Ballinclamper (MAD, PMW).

HELVICK: Flyover Great Northern Diver, Merlin and 20+ Redpoll. (MC, CF, FO'C, DW)

ARDMORE: Juvenile AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER & 60+ Siskins @ Whiting Bay. 7 Mediterranean Gulls (5 adults, 1 1st Winter & 1 2nd Winter) @ Curragh Beach. 20+ Tree Sparrows & 1 Willow Warbler @ Goat Island. (")

CLONEA: Adult Mediterranean Gull @ Ballinclamper. (")

TRAMORE: 370 Brent Geese off north saltmarsh, 2nd-winter Mediterranean Gull off Saleen, 3 Med Gulls (1st-winter & 2 adults) & 2 Sandwich Terns at boating lake (PMW).

WHITING BAY: Juvenile AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER behind farm NE of east carpark (MC, CF, FO'C, DW).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 'GREENLAND/ ICELAND' REDPOLL (rostrata/islandica) mistnetted & ringed this morning along with 38 Lesser Redpolls (MAD, PMW); wing 78 mm compared with 66-75 mm for 317 Lesser Redpolls here Sep-Oct 2006-2011. Also 2+ Siskins overhead.

CLONEA STRAND: WRYNECK at Ballinclamper.

DUNGARVAN: 60+ Brent Geese at the Cunnigar (FO'C).

BUNMAHON: Clouded Yellow (JAP).

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: 162 Brent Geese off north saltmarsh at high tide, visible from Saleen (PMW).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Black Redstart around buildings at top of main lane, Spotted Flycatcher, Wheatear, 4 female Blackcaps, 8 Chiffchaffs, 15+ Lesser Redpolls, 50+ Siskins (flew W), 70+ Goldfinches, 2 Tree Sparrows, 35+ Swallows, 3 Red Admirals & a Migrant Hawker dragonfly (MAD, PMW).

CLONEA: Pomarine Skua @ Ballinclamper. (MC)

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Whinchat, Spotted Flycatcher, Wheatear & Chiffchaff (MAD, PMW).

SEAFIELD: QUAIL in late afternoon (DW).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD:
Seawatch 09:40-11:40 (MAD, PMW)
Weather: wind 5-6 SW-W, vis moderate
Sooty Shearwater: 1 W
Manx Shearwater: 36 W
Fulmar: 3 W
Gannet: 7 E, 158 W
Common Scoter: 2 E
Red-throated Diver: 1 on sea
Great Skua: 8 W
Arctic Skua: 2 W
Kittiwake: 3 E, 3 W
Sandwich Tern: 2 W
Razorbill: 3 W
Guillemot: 3 W
Large auk sp: 7 E, 18 E
Golden Plover: 3 W
Porpoise: 1
On land: Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Wheatears, 1 Chiffchaff.

KNOCKMEALDOWN MOUNTAINS:  3 Red Grouse (AM).

DUNGARVAN:  6 Curlew Sandpipers & 2 Ruff at Ballyneety (FO'C).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD:  Whinchat, 3 Blackcaps (male & 2 female), 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Tree Sparrows, 2+ Siskins, 29 Lesser Redpolls (ringed) & 50+ Meadow Pipits (MAD, PMW).  Migrant moths trapped last night included Antigastra catalaunalis, 4 Vestal, a Convolvulus Hawk-moth & a Scarce Bordered Straw.

RATHMOYLAN COVE:  8+ White Wagtails & male Blackcap (").

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: BARRED WARBLER still present along lower part of main lane (PA), also 2 Spotted Flycatchers, a Willow Warbler, small nos of Chiffchaffs, female Blackcap, 5 Wheatears & 2 Tree Sparrows (PA, MAD, PMW).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: BARRED WARBLER seen up to c15:00 at end of main lane (gap on left just before wall/ruin); also a Whinchat, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 6 Blackcaps (5 female & 1 male), Whitethroat, Wheatear, Willow Warbler, 5+ Chiffchaffs & 2 Tree Sparrows (PA, MC, MAD, CF, FO'C, DO'S, JAP, BS, DW).
Seawatch 08:30-11:30 (JB, PMW)
Weather: wind 1-2 S, bid moderate to poor, some drizzle.
Red-throated Diver: 1 W (ad summer)
Great Skua: 2 W
Pomarine Skua: 1 imm W
Arctic Skua: 6 W (also chasing terns)
Gannet: 29 E, 104 W
Kittiwake: 19 E, 115 W
Sandwich Tern: 2 E, 23 W
Arctic Tern: 3 W
Common/Arctic Tern: 2 W
Razorbill: 1 E, 11 W
Guillemot: 10 W
Large auk sp: 47 E

HELVICK HEAD: YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER @ 09:55 (MC).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: juv BARRED WARBLER along lower half of main lane @ 08:15; migrant moths trapped last night included 7+ Vestal, 1 Palpita vitrealis & Convolvulus Hawk-moth (PMW).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Whinchat (end of stream), 2 Wheatears, 4 Blackcaps (2 male & 2 female), 13 Chiffchaffs & a Spotted Flycatcher, also 2 Vestal moths seen by day (MAD, PMW).

ARDMORE:  Adult Mediterranean Gull in bay, female Blackcap & Chiffchaff beyond Cliff House Hotel (PMW).