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.



Wednesday, August 31, 2016

CASTLETOWN FEN: Green Sandpiper & Lapwing this evening (MC).

LISMORE: 2 Stock Doves, Glencairn (TM).
CLONEA BAY:  63 Sandwich & 34 Common Terns at Ballinclamper, 15:00-15:30 (MC snr).
Off BALLYVOYE;  7 Common Scoter flew E, adult Black Tern W towards Clonea with 3 Common terns (FO'C).

Tuesday, August 30, 2016



CLONEA BAY: c40 Common & c40 Sandwich Terns at Ballinclamper (MC snr).

RAM HEAD:  1 Great Skua W, Manx Shearwater passage 500W/hr at 16:00 rising to 1500W/hr by 18:00, Gannets 500W/hr (seawatch 16:00-18:00, TM).

LEMYBRIEN / DUNGARVAN:  OSPREY over Lemybrien, flying towards Dungarvan; soon after, flew over Dungarvan town centre and went west (FO'C).

Sunday, August 28, 2016

DUNGARVAN: 3 juvenile Curlew Sandpipers at Killongford (MC); 2 Curlew Sands & a surprise Purple Sandpiper on the Cunnigar, also 43 Common Terns there (EAMacL); 1st-summer Mediterranean Gull (MC snr).
RAM HEAD: 1 Sooty Shearwater & Manx W In thousands (seawatch 07:40-08:50, NJB).


Saturday, August 27, 2016

ARDMORE: 7 Mediterranean Gulls (4 adult, 2 2nd-winter & 1 juvenile) & 60 Common Terns at Curragh or elsewhere in bay (MAD, PMW).

DUNGARVAN: Curlew Sandpiper (adult winter) & 12+ Whimbrel at the Cunnigar, 
Yellow-legged Gull subadult at Boreenatra (JAP BS RAW).

DRUM HILLS / CLASHMORE: Yellowhammer minimum 2m 2 f between Toor North & Clashmore (").

WHITING BAY: A Convolvulus Hawk- flew in off strand & landed on grass (").

Friday, August 26, 2016

RAM HEAD: 1 Sooty Shearwater & thousands of Manx Shearwaters flying W close in, 18:00-20:00, also huge rafts feeding just off shore (up to 2000 birds) (TM).
CLONEA BAY:  Hundreds of terns again on Clonea beach, the vast majority Common with small numbers of Sandwich and Roseate (JAP); c480 Common terns at Ballinclamper at 16:00, most of which started to head W (MC snr).

Thursday, August 25, 2016



RAM HEAD: c2000 Manx Shearwaters feeding or in raftsthis morning, also 80 Common Dolphins & 7 Porpoises (ADM).

CLONEA BAY: Very high count of c480 Common Terns at Ballinclamper, 15:10-15:20 (MC snr).

DUNGARVAN: Little Stint, 6+ Whimbrel, 260 Sandwich Terns, 36 Common Terns & 1 Arctic Tern at the Cunnigar, 13:25-15:00 (PMW).

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

DUNGARVAN: Green Sandpiper over County Council car-park, Dungarvan town @ 15:50 (CF).
Off HELVICK HEAD:  Balearic Shearwater & Sooty Shearwater 3 miles east of Helvick Head, also hundreds of Manx Shearwaters flying W (FO'C).
CLONEA BAY:  Very high count of c350 Common Terns at Ballinclamper at 14:10 (MC snr).

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

DUNGARVAN: 6 Curlew Sandpipers in Western Bay (FO'C).

CLONEA BAY: I9-I5 to I9-40. 192 Common Terns (167 adults + 25 juvs) & just 8 Sandwich Terns at Ballinclamper, also a pod of 7 or 8 Common Dolphins (1 or 2 juvs included) (MC snr).
DUNGARVAN: Female DOTTEREL & 3 juvenile Ruffs on the Cunnigar this morning, albino/leucistic Swallow being chased by another Swallow in town (FO'C).

CLONEA BAY: c160 Common Terns (c12 juvenile) but only c6 Sandwich Terns at Ballinclamper, 12:15-12:45 (MC snr).

Friday, August 19, 2016


HELVICK HEAD: 8 Sooty Shearwaters, Balearic Shearwater, 3 Great Skuas and and single Pomarine Skua, Arctic Skua & Puffin (JAP, NJB, JP, GN).

Thursday, August 18, 2016




COLLIGAN: Long-rated Owl last night (JAP, FO'C).

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Sunday, August 14, 2016


CLONEA BAY: Adult Mediterranean Gull & 80 Sandwich Terns at Ballinclamper, 12:00-12:45 (MC snr).

DUNGARVAN: 4 Common Sandpipers at Killongford (PMW).

BELLE LAKE: Juvenile Reed Warbler & 6 Sedge Warblers ringed, Water Rail heard (AA, PMW).




Juvenile Sedge Warbler, Belle Lake, 14/8/2016 (c) PM Walsh



Saturday, August 13, 2016

DUNGARVAN: 12 Swifts over town centre (FO'C).


Saturday, August 13, 2016



Friday, August 12, 2016

ARDMORE: 12 Mediterranean Gulls (2 juveniles & 10 1cy/2cy/adult  - 1 juv with yellow ring (ADM).


Thursday, August 11, 2016

DUNGARVAN: 10+ Whimbrel, large mixed flock of Dunlin & Ringed Plover, & Wheatears widespread along Cunnigar this morning, & 60+ Little Egrets visible from Cunnigar towards Killongford (JAP).

KNOCKMEALDOWN MOUNTAINS: Male Hen Harrier (AT).

RAM HEAD: c200 Manx Shearwaters W & smaller nos E (TM, PMW), also 2 Common Dolphins.

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

DUNGARVAN TOWN: 40 Swifts over town centre this evening (FO'C).
ARDMORE:  11 Mediterranean Gulls at Ballinclamper (ADM).
DUNGARVAN: 12 Whimbrel, a Bar-tailed Godwit & 4 Choughs on the Cunnigar (TM).

Tuesday, August 09, 2016

DUNGARVAN: Adult Yellow-legged Gull & 3 Common Sandpipers at Ballyneety (FO'C).

CLONEA BAY:  184 Sandwich terns & 16 Common Terns at Ballinclamper (MC snr).

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  Knot at Pickardstown the best for today (AJ).


Monday, August 08, 2016

DUNGARVAN TOWN:  Adult Little Gull flew over civic office with Black-headed Gulls towards the Cunnigar, 50 Swifts over town centre, 2100 (FO'C).

CLONEA BAY:  141 Sandwich Terns (10 juvs) & 12 Common Terns (8 juvs) at Ballinclamper (MC snr).

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  Summer-plumaged Knot at Riverstown (DS).


Sunday, August 07, 2016

CLONEA BAY:  1st-summer Mediterranean Gull, 81 Sandwich Terns (63 ad & 8 juv) & 7 Common Terns at Ballinclamper (MC snr).

ARDMORE:  Hummingbird Hawk-moth in garden (NJB).

                                                                        (c) NJ Bourke

Sunday, August 07, 2016

CLONEA BAY: 71 Sandwich Terns (63 adult and 8 juv), 7 Common Terns & a 1st-summer Mediterranean Gull at Ballinclamper this evening (MC snr).

Saturday, August 06, 2016

CLONEA BAY: High count of 40+ Common Terns & a 1st-summer Mediterranean Gull at Ballinclamper (MC snr).

HELVICK HEAD: Storm Petrel W & Little Gull still present, 16:30-17:30 (PMW).
DUNGARVAN: 10 juv Wheatears & lots of Willow/Chiffs on Cunnigar, lots of Swallows, House & Sand Martin going south (FO'C).


Friday, August 05, 2016

CLONEA BAY: Roseate Tern & 31 Common Terns at Ballinclamper (MC snr).

DUNGARVAN:  3 adult & 2 1st-summer Mediterranean Gulls at Barnawee (").
TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  2 Green Sandpipers flew over at Lisselan, circled lake calling & flew N (DS).

Thursday, August 04, 2016

CASTLETOWN FEN:  Green Sandpiper, Snipe & great views of a Water Rail (JF).

DUNGARVAN: 100 Swifts over the town this evening, compared with only 35 yesterday (FO'C).

Wednesday, August 03, 2016

HELVICK HEAD: Few Manx Shearwaters but lots of Storm Petrels, several Arctic Skuas & an adult Roseate Tern this evening (CF).


RAM HEAD: Only 2 further CORY'S SHEARWATERS W 15:50-17:20 (since 39 13:50-15:50), also 2 Storm Petrels W (PMW)









Monday, August 01, 2016