BALLYVOYLE: 6 Swifts, 20 House Martins & a Blackcap (DC).

DUNGARVAN:  Swift near hospital (SO'C per FO'C).

 CROHAUN: Long-eared Owl this evening (DC).

AIRPORT ROAD:  Yellowhammer nr turn into industrial estate NMcC).

SEAFIELD / BUNMAHON:  20+ Wheatears & 8 Blackcaps (DW).

HELVICK: Female Blackcap & 1 Wheatear. (MC)

BALLINLOUGH: Common Sandpiper*, Stock Dove, Sedge Warbler & Grasshopper Warbler. (MC, CF)

ANNESTOWN: 2 Grasshopper Warblers, Whitethroat*, Wheatear & 1 Common Sandpiper*. (")

DUNHILL: 6 Wheatears & 1 House Martin. (")

KNOCKADERRY: 3 House Martins, 1 Swift & 2 Common Sandpipers*. (")

BALLYVOILE: 2 Common Sandpipers* & 1 Wheatear. (")

BALLYVOONEY: 17 Common Scoter. (")

*1st Whitethroat & Common Sandpipers of year

ARAGLIN HILLS: Crossbill at Knockadoonlea, R960044, pair of Treecreepers & a Red Squirrel nr Kingston Bridge (PMW).

GOLD COURSE GOLF COURSE (Dungarvan): 100+ Whimbrel & 9 Wheatears (MC snr).

ARAGLIN HILLS: Grasshopper Warbler singing at Knocknaglogh, 20+ Willow Warblers singing Knocknaglogh / Knockadullaun (PMW).

BALLINLOUGH:  Cuckoo & 2nd-calendar-yr Iceland Gull (DW).

SEAFIELD:  Swift (").

DUNGARVAN to CLONEA road:  Swift (1st of year) @ 2 pm (TH).

BALLYHEENY BRIDGE (River Licky):  6 male Blackcaps seen & c10 singing & calling along Licky river banks either side of the bridge, Water Rail calling nr bridge (JJC).

MONATRAY WEST (Mangan's Bay):  17 Whimbrel on beach, 20+ Sandwich Terns feeding offshore (").

WHITING BAY:  3 House Martins at E end (").

KNOCKNAGLOGH UPPER:  50+ Golden Plover in summer plumage low over field )").

HELVICK: Male Blackcap. (MC)

CUNNIGAR: 11 White Wagtails. (")

CLONEA STRAND:  Great Skua & 25+ Manx Shearwaters W, 4 Great Northern Divers (2 adult summer), 104 Whimbrel (incl 20 arrived from SE), 2 Black Guillemots & 5 White Wagtails at Ballinclamper, 17:35-17:50  (PMW).

KILFARRASY:  95 Whimbrel W (in 5 flocks) also 15+ Manx Shearwaters W or feeding, 13:40-14:00 (").

Nr FENOR:  16 Chough at hill E of Fenor Bog, Grasshopper Warbler singing & House Martin north of Islandtarnsey (").

DUAGH (nr Tramore Rd):  Dipper (").

ARDMORE:  23 Whimbrel & 2nd-winter Iceland Gull at Curragh strand (ADM).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 6+ Whimbrel in from sea, 2 Tree Sparrows (PMW).

MONAMITRA BOG:  Water Rail calling @ 21:45 (PMW).

CASTLETOWN / BALLYKINSELLA (tetrad S60C): Cuckoo & pair of Yellowhammers (DMcG).

CLONEA STRAND:  Common Scoter, 23 Whimbrel & 3 White Wagtails at Ballinclamper (DC).

DUNGARVAN:  5 Siskins & 4 Redpolls at Strandside (").

BALLYMACART LOWER: Sedge Warbler & Wall Brown butterfly (JAP, BS).

Nr WHITING BAY: 4 Tree Sparrows, Ballysallagh (").

Nr TALLOW: 7 Crossbills (pr & pr with 3 juvs) & 2 Jays, Coolbeggan forest, SE of Tallow, also 8+ Siskins, 15+ Lesser Redpolls, 16+ singing Willow Warblers & 3 Blackcaps, Coolbeggan & Knockaun North forests (PMW).

CARRIGNAGOUR / MONEYGORM:  Grasshopper Warblers more widespread this morning (ADM).

BUNMAHON:  PURPLE HERON still present (DW).

CARRIGNAGOUR / MONEYGORM: 4+ Grasshopper Warblers (1st of year) singing this morning (ADM).

SEAFIELD / BUNMAHON:  PURPLE HERON again (HH, SC, FG, SR).

ARDMORE:  9 Whimbrel, 15 Sandwich Terns & plenty of Sand Martins at Curragh (ADM).

MONEYGORM (nr Lismore):  Woodcock & Jay (CI).

SEAFIELD / BUNMAHON:  PURPLE HERON (DW) - same bird as last seen 1st April?

RAM HEAD:  6 Basking Sharks (ADM).

DUNGARVAN:  Adult Ring-billed Gull at Ballyneety (MC).

SEAFIELD: Sedge Warbler singing (1st of year) & House Martin (DW).

DRUM HILLS: 2 Crossbills (adult male & female) feeding & calling in spruce at Coolroe, 200 m into forest, just off N25 (JAP, BS).

COMERAGH MOUNTAINS: Crossbill calling from spruce nr Knockatedaun, Nier valley (tetrad S21M) & male singing from spruce, Barravakeen, nr Clonmel (tetrad S21P) (PMW).

BOATSTRAND:  2nd-winter Glaucous Gull (MC, CF, DW).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD:  2 Wheatears, 2 Tree Sparrows & 2 female Blackcaps (").

MONAVULLAGH MOUNTAINS:  ringtail Hen Harrier (MC, DW).

CLONEA STRAND: 7 Whimbrel & 8 White Wagtails at Ballinclamper @17:00 (PMW).

COMERAGH MOUNTAINS: Male Hen Harrier (").

NIER VALLEY:  Drumming Snipe nr Castlereagh, 16 Willow Warblers & 5 Blackcaps singing (").

NEWPORT EAST:  Sandwich Tern dip-feeding in  Blackwater, 2 Holly Blue butterflies (JAP, BS).

ARDMORE: Whimbrel on beach (").

BALLYQUIN: 6 Sand Martins (").

WHITING BAY: 2 1st-yr Iceland Gulls (").

WIDESPREAD: Singing Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers & Blackcaps (").

Friday, April 13, 2012

Nr Fews:  Female Long-eared Owl calling @ 10.42 pm (MH).

WATERFORD CITY:  Group of 11 Swallows nr Cleaboy area : 19:45 (DS).

HALFWAY AREA:  Yellowhammers singly in tetrads S60 U & Z (DMcG).

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  Long-tailed Duck (DMcG).

ARDMORE:  2nd-winter Iceland Gull on Curragh strand (ADM).

Nr VILLIERSTOWN: Cuckoo (1st of year) (ADM).

CARRIGNAGOUR (nr Lismore):  Another big flock of Fieldfare, in trees this morning, also first Swallow year here (ADM).

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

CARRIGNAGOUR (nr Lismore):  Flock of Fieldfare flew south again (ADM).

BALLYNEETY: Greylag Goose with Brent flock. (MC)

HELVICK:  Jay - first one for the site?(JAP, BS, FO'C).

CARRIGNAGOUR (N of Lismore):  2 flocks of >30 Fieldfare flew south in last few days (ADM).

WEST WATERFORD:  Buzzard (FO'C).

BOATSTRAND:  Glaucous Gull & Swallow (JF).

BELLE LAKE:  Water Rail calling & Stock Dove (PMW).

TRAMORE:  Yellowhammer at Lisselan (MAD, PMW).

KNOCKADERRY: Female RING-NECKED DUCK & male Shoveler. (MC, DW)

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 'SIBERIAN' CHIFFCHAFF still present in main garden, also 16 Willow Warblers (5 ringed) & a Tree Sparrow on the head (MAD, PMW, AMcW).

Nr TALLOW: 6 Crossbills feeding in larch in Knockaun Forest, SE of Tallow, also 10+ Siskins & a Fallow Deer (MAD, PMW).

WHITING BAY: 1st-yr Iceland Gull & White Wagtail (SH).

BALLYQUIN: Swallow (").

WHITING BAY: 1st-winter Iceland Gull (SH).

ARDMORE:  Female Hen Harrier (").

BOATSTRAND: 2nd winter Glaucous Gull & 2 Swallows. (MC, DW)

KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR: Female RING-NECKED DUCK , 3 newly hatched Little Grebe chicks & 3 Swallows. (")

BALLYVOONEY: Black Guillemot. (")

EAST WATERFORD:  3 Buzzards (FO'C).

TRAMORE:  Swallow at Riverstown GAA (JF).

CLONEA STRAND:  195 Brent Geese, 5 Great Northern Divers, 2 Whimbrel & 5 Black Guillemots at Ballinclamper / Ballinard (PMW).

AGLISH:  Swallow (").

DRUM HILLS: 7 Crossbills in forest near Barranastook (JAP, BS), also 8+ Siskins, 8+ Lesser Redpolls, 11+ Willow Warblers singing & 12+ Chiffchaffs singing between there & Aglish (PMW).

CLASHMORE BROADS: Blackcap singing (JAP, BS).

ARDMORE: 1st winter Iceland Gull & 6 Sand Martins @ Curragh Beach. Swallow & female Wheatear @ Ballyquin. (MC)

FERRYPOINT: Stock Dove. (")

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  10+ Gadwall (JF).

BALLYMACARBRY:  Blackcaps singing (MC).

EAST WATERFORD:  Buzzards at two locations (FO'C).

CLONEA STRAND:  Minimum count of 26 Black Guillemots off Ballinard this evening, flat calm (only 2 in winter-like plumage) (MC).

RAM HEAD:  5 Manx Shearwaters (1st of year), 4 Great Northern Divers, 2nd-winter Iceland Gull & 6 Basking Sharks (ADM).

CAPPOQUIN:  4 Sand Martins (DC).

WOODSTOWN:  Swallow, 3 Sandwich Terns & c60 Brent Geesee (AA).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF still in main garden (calling occasionally, netted & ringed), 3 Willow Warblers ringed, female Ring Ouzel, Black Redstart & Merlin (SF, CF, DF, MS, AMcW, PMW et al).

BUNMAHON / SEAFIELD:  PURPLE HERON still present (DW et al.).