Welcome to the Waterford Birds blog, supplementing the Recent reports page of the main Waterford Birds website www.waterfordbirds.com. If it's not there yet it may be here (real-time postings when possible), along with extra details. Please post any updates, new reports or corrections by texting 0861701599 (alternatively - but this may delay dissemination of news - click Comments). The main website will be updated (including photos) at next opportunity.



Tuesday, November 29, 2011

BLACKWATER CALLOWS:  60 Whooper Swans, 250 Wigeon, 50 Teal, 500 Black-tailed Godwits & 100 Curlew between Lismore & Ballyduff (DC).

HACKETSTOWN (nr Portlaw): Merlin (GW).

Monday, November 28, 2011

Nr BALLYDUFF: SPOTTED SANDPIPER again on Blacklwater at shingle spit about mile upstream of Blackwater bridge, c12:00, also 3 Green Sandpipers & 2 Otters (CF, PA, MC sr).

Sunday, November 27, 2011

DUNGARVAN:  Green Sandpiper, 2 Kingfishers, 2 Chiffchaffs & 8 Long-tailed Tits at brickey canal; leucistic Hooded Crow & a Common Seal at Barnawee bridge (DC).
BUNMAHON:  3 Fin Whales (").

Nr BALLYDUFF: SPOTTED SANDPIPER (3rd county record), 2 Green Sandpipers & a Kingfisher on River Blackwater at Ballynerroon, 2.5 km west of Ballyduff (MC).

CLONEA STRAND: BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT in front of Clonea Strand Hotel , also a Black Redstart (Fergal O'Cuinneagain per www.irishbirding.com), 6 Great Northern Divers & 2 Common Seals off beach (PMW).
DRUM HILLS: 11 Crossbills between North Toor and Ballynaparka, just W of Barranastook  cX161911 (n 52.07248 w 7.76528) (JAP).

Saturday, November 26, 2011

FERRYPOINT: Whimbrel. (MC)

ARDMORE: Adult Mediterranean Gull @ Curragh Beach. (")

CLONEA: 5 Purple Sandpipers @ Ballinclamper .(")
Nr LISMORE:   First Fieldfares Carrignagour this autumn (AM).

BOATSTRAND:  very late Swallow (DW).

Friday, November 25, 2011

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  3rd-winter Yellow-legged Gull, 1st-winter Mediterranean Gull & 155 Lesser Black-backed Gulls off Saleen (PMW).

DUNGARVAN:  Adult BLACK BRANT again at pitch & putt course (FO'C).

CLONEA STRAND:  No sign of Bluethroat or Buff-bellied Pipit at Ballincamper (HH, BL).
BROWNSTOWN HEAD: No sign of Desert Wheatear in original location (PA, PMW) or along other cliffs, up to 15:00; 2 Fin Whales offshore 12:30-12:45, Red-throated Diver on sea (PMW).

Thursday, November 24, 2011

DUNGARVAN:  BLACK BRANT at pitch & putt course (FO'C).
CLONEA STRAND:  BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT still present this morning but no sign of Bluethroat (per www.birdguides.com)

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

CLONEA STRAND:  BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT & BLUETHROAT showing well at Ballinclamper (MC sr).

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Late news of a female DESERT WHEATEAR (1st county record) photographed today (22/11)- see photographs on Ireland's Wildlife Facebook page & here (Maurice Flynn, photo-id by Niall Keogh).

CLONEA STRAND: Curlew Sandpiper & 2 Purple Sandpipers at Ballinclamper, 12:00-13:00 & 15:45-16:30 (CF).
CLONEA STRAND:  BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT (3rd county record) on Ballinclamper beach with BLUETHROAT (PA, JN Murphy, SN) - pipit is 200th species recorded in Co Waterford this year (previous record 194 in 2010). Also a Purple Sandpiper (MC sr).
RAM HEAD:  Short-eared Owl, Merlin & Black Redstart (AM).
CLONEA STRAND:  BLUETHROAT still present 09:25 (DW, Chris ten Bohmer).

Monday, November 21, 2011

CLONEA STRAND:  BLUETHROAT still present c08:40 (Philip Clancy), and showing well c14:10 (FO'C); flock of 35+ Choughs at 08:15 (EB).

DUNGARVAN:  Great Northern Diver heard calling off Ballynacourty pier at 10:00 (EB, MC snr).

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Nr CLASHMORE:  Second-hand report of CRANES feeding in maize fields, probably today (per DC).

ARDMORE:  Tree Sparrow, Black Redstart & female Brambling, Ram Head; 27 Tree Sparrows, Goat Island (MC).

WHITING BAY:  4 Tree Sparrows, Ballysallagh ("), 2 Merlins (DC).
CLONEA STRAND:  BLUETHROAT at Ballinclamper c11:00 (MC) - 3rd county record.  Photos & video

DUNGARVAN:  Black Redstart at Ballynacourty pier (MC).

ARDMORE:  3 CRANES flew east over bay c11:00 (first confirmed county record post-1800), also a Lesser Whitethroat on cul-de-sac lane above Cliff House Hotel, Brambling, Hen Harrier & several Chiffchaffs including a pale bird (MO'K).

Saturday, November 19, 2011

ANNESTOWN:  Fin Whale (DC).

Nr ANNESTOWN: Merlin (").

SEAFIELD:  Chiffchaff & 2 Green Sandpipers (DW).

DUNMORE EAST:  3 Purple Sandpipers (").

DUNGARVAN: Black-necked Grebe & 1 Grey Phalarope @ Ballinacourty. (MC, MC Sr.).

KILMACLEAGUE: 2 Yellowhammers. (MC)

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: male Blackcap & 1 Stock Dove. (")

SALEEN: Male Blackcap. (")

BALLYDOWANE: Black Redstart. (")

EAST WATERFORD: 2 Buzzards. (")

Nr KILMEADEN:  4 Woodcock & a Jack Snipe (Bob Barrett per www.waterfordwildlife.com)


Wednesday, November 16, 2011

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: PALLAS'S WARBLER in main willow garden (PA) - 3rd county record. Photos.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

MUGGORT'S BAY: 2 Fin Whales & 3 Common Dolphins c1 km offshorer, 15:30-16:30 (JJC).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Male Black Redstart (Conor Foley).

Monday, November 14, 2011

SEAFIELD:  Woodcock (DW).

Sunday, November 13, 2011

HELVICK HEAD: 9+ Great Skuas, a Manx Shearwater & a Red-throated Diver W (seawatch 15:00-16:30), also a Black Redstart at cove (CF, PMW).

CALISO BAY:  5 Common Scoter E (PMW).

TRAMORE:  4 Gadwall at boating lake (JmP).
CLONEA: 7 Common Scoter flew west @ Ballinard. (MC)
ARDMORE: Adult Mediterranean Gull @ Whiting Bay. Another adult Mediterranean Gull @ Curragh Beach. (")

Saturday, November 12, 2011

MINE HEAD:  4 Fin Whales including 3 <1 km offshore (AM).

CLONEA STRAND:  Fin Whale, 4 Great Skuas, 5 Great Northern Divers, 4 Red-throated Divers, adult Mediterranean Gull & 28 Common Scoters (3 N/E plus flock of 25 females/immatures N & onto sea) off Ballinclamper (MC snr, MAD, PMW).

Nr ANNESTOWN:  2 Tree Sparrows at Woodstown (DW).
WATERFORD COUNTY: Buzzard (MC, CF)
CHEEKPOINT: Otter (")
DUNMORE EAST: 5 Purple Sandpipers (")
LISSELAN: 10 Gadwall & 1 Pochard (")
ANNESTOWN: Kingfisher (")
TRAMORE: RED-NECKED GREBE at Lisselan (MC, CF).
Nr CHEEKPOINT: CATTLE EGRET viewable on opposite side of river from Cheekpoint - bird is actually in Co. Kilkenny. Townland is Drumdowney Upper. MC, CF

Friday, November 11, 2011

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  Short-eared Owl on Pickardstown side of dump, behind caravan park c 15:30 (Joe Farrell).

DUNGARVAN:  Merlin onshore at pitch & putt club (JAP).

Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Nr TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  Long-eared Owl found dead on road at Lisselan at 06:30 this morning - length 31 cm, wingspan 87 cm, weight 240 g (Jim O'Meara per Paddy Dwan).

Monday, November 07, 2011

DUNGARVAN:  HOBBY at Cunnigar, near the sandhill (FO'C).

Sunday, November 06, 2011

HELVICK HEAD:  A late Spotted Flycatcher in the pines (DMcG).

CLONEA STRAND: 5-6 Killer Whales (apparently including small calf) off Ballinclamper c16:55-17:20, also 6+ Bottlenose Dolphins, 11 Great Northern Divers, 4 Red-throated Divers, a Sandwich Tern & a Purple Sandpiper (CF, PMW).

DUNGARVAN:  2 1st-winter Spotted Redshanks at Killongford (MC).

COOLFIN/DERRIGAL:  13 Greylag Geese & 5 Whooper Swans east of Derrigal Cross Roads (PMW).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD:
Seawatch 08:10-10:10 (PMW)
Weather: wind 1 NE, vis excellent, 0/8, sunny.
Red-throated Diver: 2 E, 5 W
Great Northern Diver: 1 on sea
Arctic Skua: 1 juv E
Brent Goose: 7 W
Wigeon: 5 E, 3 W
Gannet: 1 E, 1 W
Kittiwake: 206 E, 171 W
Large auks: 52 E, 5 W
Lesser Redpoll: 15+ W along cliffs
Porpoise: 2
Also an adult male Black Redstart (on houses at top of boreen) & a Wheatear (JmP, PMW).

Saturday, November 05, 2011

CLONEA STRAND:  Short-eared Owl at Ballinclamper, 17 Great Northern Divers, a Red-throated Diver and a diver species (probably Black-throated Diver) off Ballinclamper (MC, PMW).

ARDMORE: Sandwich Tern feeding off beach, 360 Kittiwakes in outer bay (PMW).

WHITING BAY:  Whimbrel (MC).
DUNGARVAN: Snow Bunting at the Cunnigar, Curlew Sandpiper at Ballyneety, juvenile Common Tern off pitch & putt (MC, CF).

CLONEA STRAND: 3 Swallows at Ballinclamper (").

HELVICK HEAD: 5 Blackcaps (").

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Quiet - 2 Tree Sparrows, a Chiffchaff & a Red Admiral (AA).

Friday, November 04, 2011

WATERFORD CITY:  8 Redwing near the Whitfield Clinic (DS).

Tuesday, November 01, 2011

HELVICK HEAD:  Merlin (MC).
ARDMORE:  Ring Ouzel still at St Declan's well, very approachable (MC).
ARDMORE: 19+ Mediterranean Gulls at Curragh beach (mostly adults & 1st-winters, 1 2nd-winter) - a  record count for Co Waterford (MC).

BALLYDWAN:  Merlin (DS).

BUNMAHON:  Kingfisher along River Mahon behind beach, 9 Swallows flying south (").