BALLYSHUNNOCK RESERVOIR: Whooper x Mute Swan hybrid & Swan Goose hybrid (MC).

CLONEA STRAND: 2 adult Pomarine Skuas, 2 dark-phase Arctic Skuas & 2 Storm Petrels west past Ballinclamper (").

DUNGARVAN: 1st-summer Mediterranean Gull at Killongford (").

MONEYGORM (north of Lismore): Greater White-toothed Shrew found dead (AM) - apparently first Co Waterford record of this recently discovered, presumed introduced species, first recorded in Co Tipperary.

Nr BUNMAHON: Barn Owl @ c10:20 pm (DW).

KNOCKMEALDOWN MOUNTAINS: Female Hen Harrier (AT).

CLONEA STRAND: Adult-summer Great Northern Diver, 4 Arctic Terns, 1 Common & 15 Sandwich Terns, 4 Whimbrel, 3 Knot, 57 Bar-tailed Godwit & an adult-summer Golden Plover (PMW).

WEST WATERFORD: Buzzard at two locations (MC, CF).

BALLYNATRAY: Jay (").

DUNGARVAN: SPOONBILL roosting at Killongford @ 12:50 (").

HELVICK HEAD: 3 Black Guillemots incl 2 perched on main black & yellow buoy (").

BALLYNACOURTY POINT: Arctic Tern, Common Tern & dark-phase Arctic Skua off lighthouse (MC).

CLONEA STRAND: Ring-billed Gull on Ballinclamper beach @ 08:30 (").

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 4 Tree Sparrows around farm buildings nr main gardens, flock of 13 Choughs at Coolum cove & Benlea (PMW).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Adult-summer Red-throated Diver, immature Great Northern Diver & 235 Manx Shearwaters west (seawatch 19:00-20:00), also flock of 15 Choughs (PMW).

KNOCKLOFTY (nr Clonmel): Kingfisher on Co Tipperary bank of Suir, Treecreeper & Grey Squirrel on Co Waterford side (PMW).

CLONEA STRAND: 4 Arctic Terns off Ballinclamper (MC).

HELVICK HEAD: 57 Storm Petrels, adult light-phase Arctic Skua, 3 Puffins, Tufted Duck & 2 small diver species west (seawatch 18:50-20:00, MC).

HELVICK HEAD: 2 Arctic Skuas, 4 Pomarine Skuas, 5 Great Skuas, 20 Storm Petrels, 1 Little Tern, 10 Common Terns, 2 Arctic Terns & 3 Puffins (seawatch 14:30-16:30, JAP, FO'C, MC snr).

LISMORE: Barnacle Goose at Lismore canal (AM) - escapee?

KNOCKMEALDOWN MOUNTAINS: Female-type Hen Harrier (AM).

Nr MONEYGORM NORTH (north of Lismore): 2 Cuckoos calling (AM).



Monday, May 24, 2011

KNOCKMEALDOWN MOUNTAINS: Male Hen Harrier (AT).

DRUM HILLS: Male Hen Harrier (MAD, PMW).

Nr MONEYGORM NORTH (north of Lismore): Cuckoo (CI).

HELVICK HEAD: Another 43 Puffins W (1 E, 4+ on sea), 1715 Manx Shearwaters W (33 E), 1 Storm Petrel W, 2 Black Guillemots W (1 E) & an unidentified small skua W (MAD, PMW).

DUNGARVAN: 2 1st summer Mediterranean Gulls @ Ballyvoile. MC, CF

HELVICK HEAD: 24 Puffin (few loitering and displaying around head), Arctic Tern west, Great Northern Diver east. Strong passage Manxies west (seawatch 8.40-9.40. MC, CF).

SEAFIELD: Pair of Spotted Flycatchers - male displaying, singing & attempting mating (DW).

CLONEA STRAND: 2 1st-summer Mediterranean Gulls & a male Wheatear at Ballinclamper, Black Guilemot & Puffin west offshore (MC).

GLENSHELANE RIVER WALK (nr Cappoquin): 2 Jays, 3 adult Dippers (including pair with food), Treecreeper, 8+ Long-tailed Tits & 14+ singing Blackcaps (PMW).

CLONEA STRAND: 1st-summer Mediterranean Gull & male Wheatear at Balinclamper (MC, MC Sr).

SEAFIELD: Spotted Flycatcher at Seafield (DW).

DUNGARVAN: 3 late Brent Geese (FO'C).

RAM HEAD: 2 Red-throated Divers W & a Minke Whale, also a dark shearwater, probably Balearic (AM).

Nr WATERFORD CITY: Spotted Flycatcher nr Whitfield Clinic (DS).

CLONEA/BALLINARD: 3rd/4th-summer type Yellow-legged Gull at Ballinard (later west at Ballinclamper), 2 1st-summerMediterranean Gulls & 2 flypast Brent Geese at Ballinclamper (MC), then a subadult Ring-billed Gull at Ballinard (MC, CF).

DRUM HILLS: Hobby (Joe Adamson).

RIVER SUIR: Reed Warbler singing opposite Granny (DMcG).

BALLINLOUGH: Reed Warbler singing again, also 2 Wheatears (DW).

CLONEA STRAND: 2 Great Northern Divers (adult summer & part-summer), 43 Whimbrel, 57 Bar-tailed Godwits, 2 Knot & 12 Sandwich Terns (PV,PMW).

TRAMORE: A late female Wigeon at boating lake, 5 Whimbrel at Ballinattin & 1 at Clohernagh (JmP, PMW).

Nr MILLSTREET: Spotted Flycatcher & Treecreeper (PMW).

WOODSTOWN BOG: Reed Warbler singing @ 20:25 (PMW).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Spotted Flycatcher (").

BALLYMACART: Cuckoo (MC, CF).

BLACKWATER CALLOWS: Kingfisher at Ballynerroon, Ballyduff (").

East of KILSHEELAN: Kingfisher along River Suir, Jay at Kildroughtaun (PMW).

Friday, May 13, 2011

Nr KILROSSANTY: Woodcock roding over spruce forest @ 21:40 & 21:45 (PMW).

RIVER SUIR: 2 or 3 Reed Warblers singing along Killoteran to Knockhouse section (DMcG).

DUNGARVAN: SPOONBILL at Killongford (MC).


Wednesday, May 11, 2011

ARDMORE: nSummer-plumaged Great Northern Diver & 6 Whimbrel at the Currragh strand (AM).

CLONEA STRAND: Purple Sandpiper at Ballinclamper (MC).

HELVICK HEAD: 2 Red-throated Divers W, 113 Manx Shearwaters W, 8 Puffins W (1 x4, 2 x2) & c550 large auks W (seawatch 18:20-19:20, wind 6+ SE, PMW).

ANNESTOWN BOG: 3 Sedge Warblers & a Whitethroat (DS).

Nr WHITING BAY: 4 Tree Sparrows along Goat Island road @ 12:20 (HH, BL et al).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 4 adult light-phase Pomarine Skuas W (2 ad lp later), 2 (ad light + ad dark) Arctic Skuas E (1 ad lp W earlier), adult Great Northern Diver W, adult Red-throated Diver W, 9 Whimbrel W & 540 Manx Shearwaters W (235 E) (seawatch 07:40-09:10, wind 6 SE). Also 2 Tree Sparrows & 3 Whitethroats (PMW).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Great Skua, adult dark-phase Arctic Skua, 2 Common Scoter & a Puffin E, 263 Manx Shearwaters E (53 W) (seawatch 18:45-19:45, wind 4-5 SE, MAD/PMW).

BALLINLOUGH: Reed Warbler, Water Rail, Cuckoo & Treecreeper (DW).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 3 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Sedge Warblers, 8 Whitethroats, 3 Blackcaps, 1+ Chiffchaff & 1+ Willow Warbler, also a Hairy Dragonfly & 4 Small Copper butterflies (AA, MAD, PMW).

HELVICK HEAD: Female or immature GOLDEN ORIOLE @07:25 (CF).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Adult light-phase Pomarine Skua, a Great Skua & a Puffin W, 460 Manx Shearwaters W (125 E) & 15 'Commic' Terns E (seawatch 08:20-09:20, wind 3 SE, PMW). On land, 5 Whitethroats, a Sedge Warbler, 2 Blackcaps, Chiffchaff, Spotted Flycatcher & 2 Tree Sparrows (AA, MAD, PMW).

ARDMORE; 5 Whimbrel & a Great Northern Diver at Curragh beach (AM).

LISMORE: Swifts finally arrived back (").

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 4 Pomarine Skuas E (2 adult light phase, a 2nd-summer light-phase & an adult dark-phase) & 210 Manx Shearwaters W (90 E & 190+ feeding) (seawatch 18:25-19 :25, wind 5 S. On land, a Swift, Sedge Warbler, 2 Whitethroats, female Blackcap, 2 Whitethroats, Chiffchaff, Spotted Flycatcher & 2 Tree Sparrows (MAD, PMW).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 2 adult-summer Black-throated Divers W, 2 Great Northern Divers E (1 W), 1 diver sp E+W, 4 adult light-phase Pomarine Skuas W (then 1 E), 1 small skua sp E, 21 Whimbrel W & 407 Manx Shearwaters E (77 W) (seawatch 08:45-10:45, wind 4 SE, PMW).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Adult light-phase Arctic Skua E, Great Skua E (then W), 2 Puffins E, 237 Manx Shearwaters E (55 W), 18 Fulmars E (3 W),85 Gannets W (65 E), 95 Kittiwakes E (2 W), 3 Whimbrel W (1 E), 18 Sandwich Terns E (seawatch 19:15-20:15, wind 5 SE, PMW).

BELLE LAKE: 30+ House Martins feeding over lake & surrounding fields / reeds, plus smaller numbers of Sand Martins & Swallows, & 3 Swifts (PMW).

CLONEA STRAND: Purple Sandpiper at Ballinclamper (MC).

KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR: Swan Goose or similar escape/hybrid (").

BALLINLOUGH (nr Kill): Male GARGANEY @ 13:40, also a Water Rail & 2 Treecreepers (DW); Common Sandpiper later (MAD,PM).

Nr KILMACTHOMAS: 5 Yellowhammers (2 pairs & singing male) at
Whitestown / Georgestown in tetrad S40H (PMW).

CLONEA STRAND: 2 Wheatears (possibly Greenland race leucorhoa) at Ballinclamper (MC).

DUNGARVAN: Sub-adult SPOONBILL, adult BLACK BRANT (with 2 pale-bellied Brent), 180 Black-tailed Godwit & 7 Whimbrel at Killongford (rising tide 17:00-17:15, MAD, PMW).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Adult light-phase Pomarine Skua, 3 adult or sub-adult dark-phase Arctic Skuas, 2 Roseate Terns, 10 Arctic Terns, 4 Puffins & 2 Dunlin E, 167 Manx Shearwaters E (1 W), 485 Gannets E (30 W), 38 Fulmars E (1 W), 108 Kittiwakes E (3 W), 7 Sandwich Terns W & 86 large auks E (85 E) (seawatch 08:15-10:15, wind 5 E); on land, Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Whitethroats, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, 3 House Martins & 2 Tree Sparrows (PMW).

ARDMORE: 2nd-calendar-yr Iceland Gull flew over (MC).

BALLYVOYLE HEAD: 2 Swifts (DC).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 2 adult Pomarine Skuas & 2 Puffins E, 70+ Arctic Terns & 3 Roseate Terns feeding (seawatch 15:30-16:00, PMW). 226 Manx Shearwaters, 17 Arctic Terns, 5 Roseate Terns & 28 Sandwich Terns E, also a Porpoise & Basking Shark (seawatch 18:45-19:45, MAD, PMW). On land, Whinchat, 7 Wheatears, 7+ Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff, 3+ Spotted Flycatchers, 4+ Whitethroats, 2 Sedge Warblers, 2 House Martins & a Swift (MAD, SF, CF, PMW).

SEAFIELD (nr Bunmahon): NIGHT HERON still present opposite Seafield school @ 12:55 (DW), also a Corncrake heard calling briefly (Shane Farrell/Conor Foley).

ARDMORE AREA: Basking Shark off Goat Island & 2 off Ram Head (MC).

HELVICK HEAD: Single adult Pomarine & Arctic Skuas west @ 10:58, also 300+ Manx Shearwaters, c500 Gannets & good numbers of auks, Kittiwakes & Fulmars, mostly west (seawatch 10:00-11:15, CF).

BROWNTOWN HEAD: Whinchat near the towers, 6 Wheatears near stream, 3 Whitethroats & a Willow Warbler along boreen; 19 Whimbrel (incl 9 in from sea), 2 Swallows in from sea; single Roseate Tern & Common Tern E then feeding with auks, Kittiwakes & Manx, 25+ Arctic Terns feeding (& sitting on sea), 4 Common Scoter & 2 Black Guillemots E, Red-throated Diver W, 252 Gannets E (26 W), 25 Manx Shearwaters feeding (& 5E, 14W), 65+ Razorbills feeding (seawatch 09:40-11:40, wind 5 E) (PMW). 2 Spotted Flycatchers around main gardens (Conor Foley/Shane Farrell).

DUNGARVAN: 5 Sedge Warblers at the Cunnigar (DC).

Nr DRUM HILLS: Female Hen Harrier (DC).

SEAFIELD: Common Sandpiper; NIGHT HERON seen up to dusk (DW).

BUNMAHON to STRADBALLY: Snipe singing on top of a telephone pole on the road between Strafbally and Bunmahon (JAP, BS).

BLACKWATER VALLEY: MARSH HARRIER at Newport (John Lyden per HH/MC), almost certainly yesterday's bird from Clashmore Broads.

DUNGARVAN: 2 1st-summer Mediterranean Gulls at Killongford (MC).

SEAFIELD (nr Bunmahon): NIGHT HERON still present 10:05 c.300m from school on the river(DW, MC, Mick O' Sullivan, Sean Burke) & 2 Swifts(DW, MC).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: HOBBY over west cliffs & fields @ 10:50; Blackcap in main garden, 2 Sedge Warblers, 4 Whitethroats, Willow Warbler, Swift, Wheatear & Tree Sparrow; Common Tern (1st of year?) feeding offshore, also 428 Gannets E (77 W) in 1.5 hrs (seawatch 08:55-10:25), 10+ Swallows & 8 Whimbrels arrived in from sea (MAD, PMW).

CLONEA STRAND: SCANDINAVIAN ROCK PIPIT at Ballinclamper yesterday (MC).