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.



Friday, January 31, 2014

FERRY POINT:  Great Northern Diver (ADM).

ARDMORE BAY:  Great Northern Diver (").

WEST WATERFORD:  2 Buzzards (").
DUNGARVAN: Ist-winter Glaucous Gull off Cunnigar car park (MC snr).

Thursday, January 30, 2014

WATERFORD CITY: Chiffchaff feeding in garden, Francis Street (DS).
TRAMORE:  36 Gadwall, 11 Shoveler & 2 Coot at boating lake, male Goldeneye at Lisselan (JF).

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

SEAFIELD/BUNMAHON: CATTLE EGRET still present (DW).

DUNGARVAN: SPOONBILL now roosting below bridge at Killongford, 4 Goldeneye (1 male 3 female) at Ballyneety (JAP, FO'C).

CLONEA STRAND: Whimbrel (").

Monday, January 27, 2014

TRAMORE: Glaucous Gull immature & 6 Shoveler on boating lake (JB), also adult Ring-billed Gull (video) (DW)..

WATERFORD HARBOUR: c30 Sanderling on Woodstown beach (").

Sunday, January 26, 2014

ARDMORE: Female Common Scoter offshore (MC), Great Northern Diver & 2 Great Crested Grebes in Bay (NJB).

WHITING BAY: Tree Sparrow at Springfield Lower (MC),

Saturday, January 25, 2014

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Great Skua & 20 Fulmars W, 2 Porpoises (seawatch 14:35-15:20, wind f.8 WSW, PMW).

TRAMORE:  1st-winter Glaucous Gull at boating lake (Daithi de Brun).

DUNGARVAN:  SPOONBILL & 5 Goldeneye in Western Bay, Great Northern Diver at quay (EB).
ARDMORE: Female Brambling at Curragh Beach, 2nd-winter Mediterranean Gull (CF).

DUNGARVAN: Merlin at Youghal Road (").

YOUGHAL HARBOUR / KINSALEBEG: 2nd-winter Iceland Gull at Ticknock (").

WHITING BAY: 10+ Tree Sparrows at Springhill Lower, 7 Stock Dove (").
HELVICK HEAD: 2 LITTLE AUKS west singly @ 1320 & 1324 (CF)



Friday, January 24, 2014

AT SEA:  3 Manx Shearwaters, 10 Great Skuas & 2 'Blue' Fulmars at sea between Mine Head & Dunmore East today (all well within sight of land) from R.V. Celtic Explorer (NTK).

Thursday, January 23, 2014

BLACKWATER CALLOWS:  Kingfisher at Lismore, 38 Whooper Swans at Ballyduff Upper (DC).

WEST WATERFORD:  Buzzards at 2 locations (").

BALLYSHUNNOCK RESERVOIR:  Kingfisher (").

COOLFIN:  30 Whooper Swans (").

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR:  Male RING-NECKED DUCK still present (MC).

TRAMORE:  Chiffchaff at west end of beach; 1st-winter Glaucous Gull, 10 Shoveler, 18 Gadwall & a Tufted Duck at boating lake (JF).

FERRY POINT (Youghal Harbour):  Glaucous Gull, 3+ Iceland Gulls & an adult Yellow-legged Gull (ADM).

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR:  Male RING-NECKED DUCK still present (MC).

Monday, January 20, 2014

HELVICK:  Now 2 KUMLIEN'S GULLS (adult and, since yesterday, 1st-winter), also a 1st-winter Iceland Gull of nominate subspecies (RZ).

DUNGARVAN:  Green Sandpiper, 3 Chiffchaffs & an Otter at brickey canal (FO'C).

Sunday, January 19, 2014

HELVICK:  2 1st-winter Iceland Gulls including a presumed KUMLIEN'S GULL (photos) (MC snr, MC, RZ).

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  Male Goldeneye at Lisselan (JF).

BOATSTRAND:  Adult Mediterranean Gull & Red-throated Diver (PMW).

BUNMAHON:  1+ Great Northern Diver (").
KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR:  Male RING-NECKED DUCK, 24 Tufted Duck & 24 Little Grebes (PMW).

BALLYSHUNNOCK RESERVOIR: 2 imm male Shoveler , 10 Tufted Duck & 64 Teal (").

DERRIGAL / COOLFIN:  32 Whooper Swans nr Derrigal cross (").

TIBBERAGHNY (Co Kilkenny):  32 Whooper Swans (").

Saturday, January 18, 2014

KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR: Male RING-NECKED DUCK in SE corner of main lake with 12 Tufted Duck, best viewed from new pontoon (Cf).

CLONEA BAY:  Black-throated Diver, Whimbrel & Purple Sandpiper at Ballinclamper (JAP, FO'C, BS).

BLACKWATER CALLOWS:  c60 Whooper Swans above Ballyduff (").

KNOCKMEALDOWN MOUNTAINS:  4+ Red Grouse (").

SEAFIELD / BUNMAHON: CATTLE EGRET (CFo, SM).

DUNGARVAN: SPOONBILL & 4 Long-tailed Ducks (").
BUNMAHON: CATTLE EGRET still present (S. Millar).

Nr WHITING BAY: 10 Tree Sparrows at feeders, Springfield area at west end of bay (SMH, MC snr).

Thursday, January 16, 2014

TRAMORE:  Adult Ring-billed Gull & possible 'Eastern' Jackdaw at boating lake - see video (RZ).

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

WHITING BAY:  9-10 Yellowhammer & 30+ Skylarks in stubble near middle carpark, 2 Tree Sparrows at west end of bay (JAP).

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  Merlin at Lisselan (JF).

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

BUNMAHON:  CATTLE EGRET & adult Mediterranean Gull (MC snr).

MID WATERFORD:  Buzzard (").

BALLYSHUNNOCK RESERVOIR:  Male RING-NECKED DUCK on small lake (").

Monday, January 13, 2014

PORTLAW: Green Sandpiper below bridge, Portlaw village (MC snr).
BALLYSHUNNOCK RESERVOIR:  Male RING-NECKED DUCK (RZ).

Sunday, January 12, 2014

CLONEA:  Whimbrel & Purple Sandpiper at Ballinclamper (MC snr).
SEAFIELD / BUNMAHON:  1 CATTLE EGRET still present (DW).

ARDMORE:  2 Common Scoter at Curragh beach (MC).
HELVICK HEAD:  Balearic Shearwater heading east c 15:00 (MC).

Saturday, January 11, 2014

TRAMORE (I-WeBS count):  1st-winter Glaucous Gull, 43 Gadwall & 18 Shoveler at boating lake (JAP, BS, PMW); 3 Shoveler, Great Northern Diver, & totals including 658 Brent Geese, 317 Wigeon, 140 Grey Plover, 517 Black-tailed Godwit &17 Greenshank at Backstrand (AJ, DMcG, PMW); Red-throated Diver, 2 Great Crested Grebes & 2 Common Scoter in Tramore Bay (AJ, PMW).

WEST WATERFORD:  Buzzard (ADM).
TRAMORE TOWN:  Chiffchaff (TB).

CUNNIGAR: Chiffchaff. (MC)

Friday, January 10, 2014

BUNMAHON: CATTLE EGRET still present this afternoon (RZ).
BALLYSHUNNOCK RESERVOIR:  2 Gadwall (MC).

KILMEADEN:  Jay (").

Thursday, January 09, 2014

CLONEA: 8 Great Northern Divers in bay, Whimbrel & 21 Sanderling at Ballinclamper (PMW).
DUNGARVAN: SPOONBILL & 3 Long-tailed Ducks inside Cunnigar (PS), 3 Chiffchaffs (1+ pale eastern-type) feeding at reedbed / stream behind Topaz garage near Youghal Rd roundabout, 16 Great Northern Divers around bay (PMW).

TRAMORE: 2 male Shoveler, 2 Tufted Duck (m + f), Greylag Goose & a Common Scoter at Lisselan (JF).

Wednesday, January 08, 2014

SEAFIELD / BUNMAHON: 1 CATTLE EGRET still present (DW).

Tuesday, January 07, 2014



Monday, January 06, 2014

Nr WHITING BAY:  2 Tree Sparrows at feeder, Springfield area at west end of bay (MC snr).

DUNMORE EAST:  Puffin in DE harbour & a Purple Sandpiper outside the harbour wall (").

Sunday, January 05, 2014

TRAMORE:  1st-winter Glaucous Gull still at boating lake, Merlin at backstrand (AJ).

Saturday, January 04, 2014

DUNGARVAN:  Common Sandpiper at Killongford (AA, AJ, PV), adult Yellow-legged Gull off pitch & putt course (EMacL, FO'C, JAP, BS).

DRUM HILLS:  Woodcock (").

BALLYSHUNNOCK RESERVOIR:  Pochard (").
SEAFIELD: 2 CATTLE EGRETS separately (DW).
TRAMORE: Ring-billed Gull, Glaucous Gull & 1st-winter male Pintail at boating lake, Greylag Goose at Lisselan (MC, CF).

Friday, January 03, 2014

SEAFIELD, BUNMAHON: CATTLE EGRET again present, 14:55 (DW).

CLONEA:  Great Skua (onto sea), Whimbrel & 3 Purple Sandpipers at Ballinclamper (MC).

ARDMORE:  Adult Mediterranean Gull on beach (").

HELVICK HEAD: LITTLE AUK flew W just before 14:15 (MC).

DUNGARVAN: SPOONBILL off pitch and putt (MC), 4 Long-tailed Ducks off Quann's (MC snr).

ARDMORE: Female Brambling at Curragh beach stream but flew off (JAP BS).

LISMORE:  Jay (MC).

WEST WATERFORD: Buzzard at two locations (").

Thursday, January 02, 2014

DUNGARVAN:  SPOONBILL at the Cunnigar (MC).
TRAMORE:  3 Common Scoter & 2 Red-throated Divers in Tramore Bay, from Doneraile walk (AJ).
CLONEA:  2 adult Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Purple Sandpipers & a Whimbrel at Ballinclamper (MC).

DUNGARVAN:  2 Long-tailed Ducks (").

HELVICK:  2nd-winter Glaucous Gull (").

TRAMORE:  1st-winter Glaucous Gull, adult Mediterranean Gull, 1st-winter male Pintail, 2 Tufted Duck and usual numbers of Gadwall & Shoveler at boating lake (").

EAST WATERFORD:  2 Buzzards (").

TRAMORE:  1st-winter Glaucous Gull still present, also a possible 'Eastern' Jackdaw at Splashworld side of lake (DS).

Wednesday, January 01, 2014

HELVICK HEAD: Balearic Shearwater close in off cove at 16:07 (CF).

DUNGARVAN: SPOONBILL at the Cunnigar & 4 Long-tailed Duck off Quann's (CF); Dark-bellied Brent Goose at Duckspool (MC).

CLONEA: Whimbrel & Purple Sandpiper at Ballinard/Ballinclamper (MC, CF).

BALLYDWAN to BALLYVOONEY: Merlin (CF).

BALLYSHUNNOCK RESERVOIR: 2 Stock Doves (MC).

DERRIGAL: 14 Whooper Swans (").

TRAMORE: 1st-winter Glaucous Gull at boating lake (").

EAST WATERFORD: 2 Buzzards feeding on earthworms (").

BLACKWATER CALLOWS:  119 Whooper Swans (TM).
HELVICK: Glaucous Gull (JAP).

DUNGARVAN: Merlin and adult Yellow-legged Gull at Ballyneety (").
SEAFIELD / BUNMAHON: CATTLE EGRET again (MC).