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.



Saturday, July 30, 2011

DUNGARVAN: 3 Common Sandpipers on Brickey at Killongford Bridge (AA).
BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Great Skua. (MC, CF)
CLOGHERNAGH: 4 Common Sandpipers. (MC, CF)

PICKARDSTOWN: 7 Common Sandpipers. (")

KNOCKADERRY LAKE: Common Sandpiper. (")

BALLYSHUNNOCK LAKE: Hybrid Mute X Whooper Swan & Swan Goose hybrid. (")

DUNGARVAN: Adult & 1st summer Mediterranean Gull @ Barnawee Bridge. (")
KILMEADEN POOLS: Wood Sandpiper & Green Sandpiper @ 08:30 (MC, CF) - see video of Wood Sandpiper on youtube.



Friday, July 29, 2011

COMERAGH MOUNTAINS: Male Hen Harrier (PD).

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

RAM HEAD: 2 large shearwaters (probably Cory's) E up to 10:25, also 200+ Manx Shearwaters & 3 Porpoises (AM).
BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Garden Warbler eating plums in main willow-garden (PA).

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

BUNMAHON: Kingfisher (James Hearne).

Nr KILMEADEN: Adult Long-eared Owl found dead (road casualty) on N25 - see photos (PA).

SEAFIELD: Green Sandpiper (DW).

RAM HEAD: Complete breeding failure at the Kittiwake colony here - no chicks in nests (first would normally be fledging about now), still 65-70 occupied but empty nests or ledges & 100+ adults this evening, of the 108 occupied nests counted at visible study plots in June (PMW).

Sunday, July 24, 2011

DUNGARVAN: Common Sandpiper @ Ballyneety. (MC)
CROHAUN: 3 Long-eared Owls, 3 Kestrels & 3 Ravens (DC).

HELVICK HEAD: 2 Puffins W (seawatch 17:35-18:35, MAD, PMW).
BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Storm Petrel & Porpoise W, flock of 18 Common Scoter
E, immature Great Northern Diver on sea close inshore, 140+ Manx Shearwaters feeding (seawatch 09:25-10:55, wind 1-2 W-SW, MAD, PMW); Tree Sparrow & 6+ Willow Warblers on land.

Saturday, July 23, 2011

HELVICK HEAD: 4 Common Scoter W @ 10:20 (MC).

DUNGARVAN: SPOONBILL at Killongford (").

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 2 CORY'S SHEARWATERS, juvenile Mediterranean Gull, 2nd-summer Pomarine Skua W, 3 diver species, 3 Common Scoter, Great Skua, Arctic Skua & 2 adult Roseate Terns E, 720 Manx Shearwaters E (60 W, 60+ feeding/rafting) (seawatch 06:45-10:45, wind 1-2 NW-W, PMW). On land, 2 Tree Sparrows, 6+ Willow Warblers, a Common Lizard & a Hummingbird Hawk-moth (MAD, PMW).

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Nr VILLIERSTOWN: Barn Owl heard at 11:30 pm (MC snr).

SEAFIELD: Green Sandpiper again (DW).

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

SEAFIELD: Green Sandpiper (DW).

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

CARRIGNAGOUR (nr Lismore): Long-eared Owl chick calling @ 22:55 (AM).
SEAFIELD: Green Sandpiper (DW).

Monday, July 18, 2011

LISMORE: Crossbills in woods behind Ballyrafter (AM).

DROMANA: Crossbills here also (").
DUNGARVAN: Adult & 1st summer Mediterranean Gull at The Barnawee. (MC)

Sunday, July 17, 2011

DUNGARVAN: 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls (including 3H97) and a 1st summer Mediterranean Gull @ The Barnawee. 6 Common Sandpipers @ Ballyneety and 3 Common Sandpipers @ Killongford. (MC)


TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: c140 Sandwich Terns roosting at Ballinattin (JmP).

Saturday, July 16, 2011

HELVICK HEAD: 1 Storm Petrel (MC, CF).

DUNGARVAN: 9 Common Sandpipers at Ballyneety & 1 at Killongford (").

CLONEA STRAND: Adult Mediterranean Gull at Ballinclamper (").

BALLINLOUGH: Water Rail calling (").

KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR: Water Rail calling (").

ARDMORE: Adult Mediterranean Gull at harbour this morning (SH).

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

DUNGARVAN: SPOONBILL at Killongford (CF), 8 Common Sandpipers & a Treecreeper, Barnawee area (MC snr).

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

HELVICK HEAD: 2 CORY'S SHEARWATERS late today (MC snr).

DUNGARVAN: 16 Common Sandpipers @ Ballyneety. (MC)

Monday, July 11, 2011

MONAVULLAGH MOUNTAINS: Snipe drumming at Ballintlea (tetrads S20Q & S20V) tonight (MC).

RAM HEAD: 2 Sooty Shearwaters, 300 Manxies, 1 Black Guillemot, 7 Porpoises & a Bank Vole this p.m. (AM).
KNOCKMEALDOWN MOUNTAINS: Male Hen Harrier (mobbed by 2 Mistle Thrushes) & Grasshopper Warblers (AM).

Sunday, July 10, 2011

DUNGARVAN: SPOONBILL at Killongford (MC).

HELVICK HEAD: Sooty Shearwater on sea with 100+ Manx Shearwaters, also a Puffin west, & one of the regular Black Guillemots carrying food (seawatch 16:40-17:15, MAD, PMW).

Nr CAPPOQUIN: 4 Yellowhammers (3 singing males) at Springfield (").
DUNGARVAN: 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls @ The Barnawee. (MC)
KNOCKMEALDOWN MOUNTAINS: Grasshopper Warbler heard nr Bael Loch, Crossbills in wood behind Ballysaggart, & a male Hen Harrier (having a fight with 2 Pheasants!) elsewhere (AM).

Nr NEW ROSS (Co Wexford): Greater White-toothed Shrew found dead at Ballagh, Adamstown (AT) - probably another new county for the species.
DUNGARVAN: 6 Common Sandpipers @ Killongford. (MC)

Saturday, July 09, 2011

Off HELVICK HEAD: From boat less than a half-mile out - 8 Common Scoter, 6 Pomarine Skuas, 1 Great Skua & 1 Storm Petrel, also 500+ Manx Shearwaters & Gannets diving around the boat plus a Minke Whale (FO'C).

DUNGARVAN: SPOONBILL at Killongford (MC).
ARAGLIN HILLS: Pair of Crossbills, 3 Jays, a Siskin & a Fallow Deer in Cahergal forest, a Dipper just south of Araglin village (PMW).

Friday, July 08, 2011

DUNGARVAN: 11 Common Sandpipers at Ballyneety, adult Mediterranean Gull opposite Park Hotel (MC).
DUNGARVAN: Common Sandpiper at Killongford, 4 Whimbrel opposite sports complex (JAP).

Nr BALLYMACARBRY: Pair of Siskins, and Spotted Flycatcher south of there (DMcG).

Thursday, July 07, 2011

CLONEA STRAND: 10 Mediterranean Gulls (2 adult, 2 2nd-summer, 1 1st-summer & 5 juveniles) at Ballinclamper - including darvic-ringed adult 3H97, ringed in Denmark June 2005, seen here every summer since 2007 (MC).

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

HELVICK HEAD: 2 Storm Petrels, 3 Puffins & 2 Black Guillemots (seawatch 19:15-20:00) (").

Wednesday, July 06, 2011

HELVICK HEAD: Balearic Shearwater, 4 Storm Petrels, Great Skua, 3 pale-phase Arctic Skuas, Puffin & 2 Black Guillemots west (seawatch 20:45-21:30, MC).

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

CLONEA STRAND: 4 Mediterranean Gulls (3 juveniles & a metal-ringed 2nd-summer) at Ballinclamper (MC snr).
BALLYQUIN STRAND (nr Ardmore): Adult Mediterranean Gull (AM).

Tuesday, July 05, 2011

CLONEA STRAND: Total of 16 Mediterranean Gulls at Ballinclamper - a record Co Waterford count - 6 adults, 3 1st-summers & 7 juveniles, @ 20:00, also darvic-ringed juvenile Black-headed Gull (26DO, left leg, white) (MC, MC snr).

DUNGARVAN: 3 adult
Mediterranean Gulls at Barnawee @ 18:40 (MC).


Monday, July 04, 2011


Nr MOUNT CONGREVE (River Suir): Water Rail calling, & a seal species (probably Common Seal) (DMcG).

Sunday, July 03, 2011

CLONEA STRAND: Adult Mediterranean Gull among c100 Black-headed Gulls.

KNOCKMEALDOWN MOUNTAINS (Co. Tipperary side): c12 Crossbills at various locations in woods just over the border, also a dead Greater White-toothed Shrew on Tipperary side of Knockmealdowns.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Tree Sparrow (PMW).

Saturday, July 02, 2011

DUNGARVAN: Greenshank, 100+ Redshank, c50n Curlew 7 6 Black-tailed Godwit at Barnawee (PV).

CLONEA STRAND: 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls at Ballinclamper (MC snr), Common Sandpiper at Ballinard (PV).

KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR: Common Sandpiper (MC).

KILMEADEN POOLS: Adult Black-tailed Godwit (").

ANNESTOWN BOG: Mute Swan pair with 6 cygnets opposite Dunhill Castle (").

Friday, July 01, 2011

CLONEA STRAND; Adult Mediterranean Gull at Ballinclamper (MC snr).