CLONEA STRAND:  BLUETHROAT (MC, CF, DW), 5 Black Redstarts (James Hayes per irishbirding.com).

DUNGARVAN BAY:  SPOONBILL in western bay, 2 Long-tailed Ducks & female Pintail off pitch & putt ("), adult Mediterranean Gull at Barnawee (MC sr), Slavonian Grebe at Ballynacourty (MC, CF).

ARDMORE:  Adult Mediterranean Gull in bay, ringtail Hen Harrier (MC, CF, DW).

RAM HEAD:  2 Tree Sparrows & 5-10 Yellowhammers (").

LISMORE TO CAPPOQUIN:  Grey Squirrel with 4 Red Squirrels (AM).

TANKARDSTOWN:  Porpoise (DS).

DUNGARVAN:  BLACK-NECKED GREBE & Slavonian Grebe off Ballynacourty pier (MC, CF), also Common Seal there (DS), 2 Common Scoter off Ballynagaul, 7+ Chiffchaffs at Knockanpower Lower (CF).

CLONEA STRAND:  BLUETHROAT showing well up to 4 pm (back in corner south of carpark where originally found), 3 Black Redstarts & Purple Sandpiper (MC, Stephen Lawlor, Rick Mundy, DS et al).

TRAMORE:  Black Redstart at west end of beach (DS).

WATERFORD CITY:  2 male Blackcaps in garden every day (").

DUNGARVAN: BLACK BRANT at the pitch & putt club. (MC)

DUNGARVAN:  Merlin at Ballynagaul (JAP, BS).

Nr Ballyduff: Green Sandpiper @ Ballynerroon. (MC)

CLONEA STRAND:  BLUETHROAT at Clonea Strand, 09:30 (Mark Stewart & Shane Farrell per irishbirding.com).

BUNMAHON:  3 Little Grebes on River Mahon (EB).

DUNMORE EAST: 1st-winter Glaucous Gull & Iceland Gull (DW, MC, CF, JAP, BS); Black Redstart at Councillor's Strand (JB).

TRAMORE:  32 Gadwall & m + f Shoveler at boating lake, male Pintail at Lisselan (DW, MC, CF), Black Redstart at west end of beach (BH).

CLONEA STRAND:  BLUETHROAT & Black Redstart at Ballinclamper (Seamus Enright & Geoff Hunt per irishbirding.com).

DUNGARVAN:  Velvet Scoter at Ballynacourty (Michael Nolan per irishbirding.com), 4 female Goldeneye at Quann's (EB).

DUNGARVAN:  Green Sandpiper at Killongford, 3 Chiffchaffs at Poulapucha, Ring (JAP, BS); SPOONBILL & Merlin (chasing Dunlin) at Youghal road (AM).

BALLYMACART:  Male Hen Harrier hunting, also a seal pup on beach (JAP, BS).

CLONEA STRAND:  BLUETHROAT (MC, CF, PK, AK), adult Yellow-legged Gull & 1st-winter Iceland Gull (PK, AK) at Ballinclamper.

DUNGARVAN:  BLACK-NECKED GREBE & Slavonian Grebe off Ballynacourty pier, 2 Velvet Scoter in bay, adult Mediterranean Gull at Barnawee (MC, CF).

ARDMORE: 3 adult Mediterranean Gulls (").

WHITING BAY:  Adult & 1st-winter Mediterranean Gull (").

DUNGARVAN: Male Brambling, Abbeyside (MC sr); 2 Velvet Scoters (MC sr) & 2 Long-tailed Ducks (SH) off Ballynacourty pier.

SEAFIELD:  Green Sandpiper (DW).

CLONEA STRAND:  BLUETHROAT still present (Jack Burtchaell), Black Redstart at Ballinclamper  @ 16:00 (EB).

DUNGARVAN:  2 Long-tailed Duck flew into Quanns @12:30, dark-bellied Brent Goose at pitch & putt course (EB), 4 Common Scoter at Ballynagaul (JAP), 5 Chiffchaffs at Knockanpower Lower, Ring (MC).

HELVICK HEAD:  'BLUE' FULMAR west @ 15:20 (MC).

ABBEYSIDE: Male Blackcap at Crúachán Estate. MC

WATERFORD CITY:  Male Blackcap in garden at Collins Avenue (TO'C).

CLONEA STRAND:  BLUETHROAT still present on Christmas Day! (MC)

DUNGARVAN:  BLACK-NECKED GREBE, Slavonian Grebe & 2 Velvet Scoter off the Gold Coast, 2 Long-tailed Duck off Abbeyside, BLACK BRANT at Quann's (CF); SPOONBILL at Quann's / Cunnigar (CF, AM); adult dark-bellied Brent (bernicla) & probable dark- x pale-bellied hybrid (bernicla x hrota) on pitch & putt course, 5-6 Chiffchaffs at Knockanpower Lower, Ring (MC).

CLONEA STRAND:  BLUETHROAT & 2 Black Redstarts at Ballinclamper (M. Carmody per irishbirding.com).

CARRIGNAGOUR (nr Lismore):  Flock of Crossbills in garden (AM).

DUNGARVAN:  Adult dark-bellied Brent Goose at pitch & putt course (DC).

ARDMORE:  >50 Snipe at the Curragh (AM).

DUNMORE EAST:  Iceland Gull, 1st-winter Glaucous Gull & 3 Purple Sandpipers  (DC).

SEAFIELD:  Chiffchaff & 5 Siskins (DW).

DUNGARVAN (I-WeBS count): 1500+ Brent Geese, 4 Great Northern Divers, 43 Great Crested Grebes, SPOONBILL near Cunnigar tip, 3 Common Scoter (flew E) off Ballynagaul pier, Long-tailed Duck inside Cunnigar, Slavonian Grebe & 2 Velvet Scoters off Ballynacourty pier, Merlin at Youghal road, 20+ Siskins & 20+ Lesser Redpolls behind Nissan garrage on Youghal road (MC sr, BD, Damaris Lysaght, Megan Morris, PS, PMW).

CLONEA STRAND: BLUETHROAT just north of Ballinclamper car-park (Jim Bowman, Sean Cronin, DL, MM, PMW), BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT on seaweed at south end of beach (JB per irishbirding.com).



Monday, December 19, 2011

CLONEA STRAND: BLUETHROAT & BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT (Sharon Hogan per irishbirding.com).

HELVICK HEAD:  2 Black Redstarts, 3 Great Northern Divers & a Fin Whale (2 km offshore) (DC).

CLONEA STRAND:  BLUETHROAT, Black Redstart & Purple Sandpiper at Ballinclamper (MC, SB, TN, MO'S).

DUNGARVAN:  2 Velvet Scoters off Ballynacourty pier, BLACK BRANT & 2 adult dark-bellied Brent at Christian Brothers school grounds ("); Kingfisher & Common Seal at Barnawee (EB).

RAM HEAD:  Short-eared Owl hunting, 7 Red-throated Divers & 3 Fin Whales (AM).

DUNGARVAN:  2 female-type Velvet Scoters, BLACK-NECKED GREBE & Black Guillemot off Ballynacourty pier (DW, MC), 3 Pochard (2 males & a female) off Gold Coast (Tom McCabe), SPOONBILL in western bay (John Murphy).

CLONEA STRAND:  BLUETHROAT still present (MC, DW, JNM, FM'CG), also BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT showed briefly, Merlin, 3 Purple Sandpipers & 3 Black Redstarts (MC, DW).

CLONEA STRAND: BLUETHROAT & 5 Black Redstarts again present (Jeff Copner & Paul Copner per irishbirding.com).

TRAMORE TOWN:  Blackcap in garden (TB).

CLONEA STRAND: 1st-winter male BLUETHROAT still present, also 5 Black Redstarts (AM).

Nr BALLYLANEEN:  Barn Owl (per DW).

BUNMAHON:  3 Fin Whales including one only 1.5 km offshore (DC).

BALLYNACOURTY POINT:  Black Redstart on beach midway between lighthouse & Gold Coast (MC sr).

DUNGARVAN:  Female Blackcap & Goldcrest in garden at Southways, Abbeyside (EB).

DUNGARVAN:  BLACK-NECKED GREBE, Long-tailed Duck & Black Guillemot off Ballynacourty pier, Blackcap at Ballynacourty (DW), BLACK BRANT at pitch & putt course & 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls at Barnawee (MC), 2 Otters at Quann's/Sports Centre (EB).

CLONEA STRAND:  BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT still present (Derek Charles per irishbirding.com), 4 Black Redstarts at Ballinclamper (MC).

TRAMORE:  Black Redstart at west end of beach (DS), 1st-winter Mediterranean Gull & 27 Gadwall at boating lake, male Long-tailed Duck, 1020 Brent Geese & 645 Black-tailed Godwits at backstrand (PMW) - all the godwits & 1005 Brent at Lisselan racecourse.

WATERFORD CITY:  Male Blackcap in garden today & yesterday (DS).

DUNGARVAN:  BLACK-NECKED GREBE, 2 Long-tailed Ducks & Black Guillemot off Ballynacourty pier/golf course (MC, JAP, BS, Brian Porter, Dick Coombes).

RAM HEAD: 21 Common Scoter past, 8 Fin Whales & 60 Common Dolphins (AM).

ARDMORE: Female Common Scoter at Curragh beach (").

CLONEA STRAND:  6 Black Redstarts (incl 3 1st-winter males) between Ballinard & east end corner of Clonea beach, 5 Purple Sandpipers at Ballinclamper, but no sign of Bluethroat or Buff-bellied Pipit (MC); 2 Whimbrel at Ballinclamper, Great Northern Diver at Ballyvoyle (PV).

Nr CLASHMORE:  Black Redstart at Ballyheeny, c5 km inland (JAP, BS).

CLONEA STRAND:  BLUETHROAT still present @ 12:50, also 3 Black Redstarts (Steve Millar per irishbirding.com).

TRAMORE:  2 Snow Buntings bathing in pools at the car-park before the sandhills; female/imm Merlin, 4 Snipe & a Grey Seal later at the embankments in Backstrand, 75 Shelduck at Pickardstown & 24 Gadwall at the boating lake (DS).

BALLYNACOURTY POINT:  Black Redstart on beach midway between lighthouse and Gold Coast (MC sr).

CLONEA STRAND:  BLUETHROAT & BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT still present this pm, also 3 Black Redstarts (SH).

Wednesday, December 07, 2011

CLONEA STRAND:  BLUETHROAT still present (Dick Coombes per irishbirding.com).

Nr BUNMAHON:  Barn Owl @ 18:40 (DW).

WATERFORD CITY:  Kingfisher on St John's River at Bolton Street car-park (Aidan Hegarty).

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  7 Whooper Swans (JF).

CLONEA STRAND:  BLUETHROAT still present, also Black Redstart , Purple Sandpipers (AM) & BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT (Mike Sheehy & Eamonn O'Donnell per irishbirding.com).

TRAMORE:  Merlin on cliff at west side of beach (DS).

DUNGARVAN:  BLACK-NECKED GREBE off Ballynacourty Pier (MC, MC sr, NK, NTK, SK), 2 Long-tailed Ducks (female & 1st-winter male) off pitch & putt (NK, NTK, SK).

TRAMORE:  3 1st-w/f Black Redstarts western corner of beach, Merlin & 26 Gadwall at boating lake,
& adult Ring-billed Gull roosting at Lisselan (then flew towards Tramore town, later seen at boating lake) (MC).

CLONEA STRAND: BLUETHROAT, BUFF- BELLIED PIPIT & 2 Black Redstarts again present, also Great Northern Diver & (Ballinclamper) 25 Choughs &  Purple Sandpipers (MC, Niall Keogh et al).

CLONEA STRAND: Male BLUETHROAT & BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT still present along edge - Bluethroat just left (north) of Ballinclamper carpark @ 15:10, pipit just right (south) of Clonea Strand Hotel c16:00; also 2 Black Redstarts near pipit, 5 Great Northern Divers & a Common Seal off beach (MC, CF, PMW).

DUNGARVAN: BLACK BRANT behind pitch & putt, Ruff with Lapwing at Ballyneety (MC, CF), 3 Great Northern Divers, 12 Great crested Grebes & 2 Common Seals off Gold Coast (PMW).

BOATSTRAND:  Great Skua (DC).

DUNGARVAN: Female/imm Long-tailed Duck inside Cunnigar tip @ 13:00, also 38 Red-breasted Mergansers & 8 Great Crested Grebes inside Cunnigar, 2 Great Northern Divers outside (PMW).

Nr CLASHMORE:  5 Yellowhammers at Ballycurrane North (MC, CF).

Nr BALLYDUFF: 3 Green Sandpipers but no sign of Spotted Sandpiper on Blackwater at Ballynerroon, water level very high (MC, CF).

SEAFIELD: Male Blackcap in garden (DW).

RAM HEAD:  5+ Fin Whales & 50 Common Dolphins (AM).

BALLYNACOURTY POINT:  2 Black Redstart on beach just west of lighthouse (MC sr).

BUNMAHON:  Kingfisher & Fin Whale (DC).

ANNESTOWN:  2 Kingfishers (").