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, May 30, 2012

KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR: 3 GARGANEY still present (DW).

BALLINLOUGH: Reed Warbler (").

Monday, May 28, 2012

BALLINLOUGH: Reed Warbler (DW).

KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR: Male & female GARGANEY on small lake @ 15:40 (MAD, PMW).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD:  Tree Sparrow & Swift (").

Sunday, May 27, 2012

DRUM HILLS:  Woodcock & Grasshopper Warbler nr Carronadavderg (tetrad X18T) (DMcG).

KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR: 2 GARGANEY (male + female) (MD).

GREAT NEWTOWN HEAD:  Cuckoo (per TB)

NIRE VALLEY:  4 Cuckoos (per TB).


Saturday, May 26, 2012

KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR: 3 GARGANEY still present (DS et al.).
KNOCKMEALDOWN MOUNTAINS: 2 male & 1 female Cuckoo, & 20+ Crossbills flew over (ADM).

Friday, May 25, 2012

KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR: 3 GARGANEY (male + 2 females) on small lake
(MC).

Thursday, May 24, 2012

MONAVULLAGH MOUNTAINS:  8 Green Hairstreak, 2 Painted Lady, Cuckoo, Spotted Flycatcher & 5 Ravens at Coumaraglinmountain, 2 Green Hairstreak mating & 2 Grey Wagtails carrying food at Ballintlea (JAP, FO'C).
WEST WATERFORD: Buzzard (JJC).


Tuesday, May 22, 2012

DRUM HILLS:  Woodcock, Long-eared Owl & Grasshopper Warbler, Reamanagh area (tetrad X28D), Woodcock ,Garrynagree/Coolroe area (tetrad X28D) (DMcG).

Monday, May 21, 2012

DRUM HILLS:  Woodcock, Scordaun area (tetrad X28N) & Grasshopper Warbler, Coolroe/Garrynagree area (tetrad X29I) (DMcG).

RAM HEAD / ARDMORE: BEE-EATER at coastguard station - same location as June 2011 - 2nd county record (ADM).

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: At least 6 Cuckoos at Lisselan this morning, in the fields adjacent to Hayes Lane. Also a singing Sedge Warbler (DS, AJ).



Sunday, May 20, 2012

BUNMAHON: 1st-summer Little Gull (DW).

KNOCKMEALDOWN MOUNTAINS: 6 Cuckoos - female & 5 males (ADM).

Saturday, May 19, 2012

RAM HEAD: Puffin, Short-eared Owl & 2 Tree Sparrows (DW, MC snr).

HELVICK HEAD: 3 Puffins (JAP, FO'C, BS).

CLONEA STRAND: Common Sandpiper at Ballinard (").

DRUM HILLS: Several Treecreepers calling at X161911 & singing Grasshopper Warbler nearby (").

WEST WATERFORD: Spotted Flycatchers at x170886 and x132766 (").
CALISO BAY: Turtle Dove along road down to bay (JAP, FO'C, BS).

Friday, May 18, 2012

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  High count of 6 Cuckoos at Lisselan (AJ), presumably just-arrived migrants.


Thursday, May 17, 2012

CARRIGNAGOUR:  4 Crossbills flew over (ADM).



Tuesday, May 15, 2012

ARDMORE:  Iceland Gull & 23 Whimbrel at Curragh (ADM).

Monday, May 14, 2012

CARRIGNAGOUR (nr Lismore):  7 Crossbills (2 male, 2 female & 3 juvenile) in garden (ADM).

Sunday, May 13, 2012

EAST WATERFORD:  Pair of Buzzards (NMcC).

MONAVULLAGH MOUNTAINS:  3 Green Hairstreak butterflies at Coumaraglin (JAP, BS).

Saturday, May 12, 2012

BALLYEELINAN  (nr Ballyquin):  Spotted Flycatcher (JAP, FO'C, BS).

WEST WATERFORD:  Pair of Buzzards (").

BALLYVOYLE: Pair of Dippers under bridge, one carrying food (PV).

DUNGARVAN: Single Brent Goose, Whitethroats numerous & Sedge Warbler at the Cunnigar (").

CLONEA STRAND:  At Ballinclamper, Dunlin 100, Sanderling 20, Ringed Plover 30, Bar-tailed Godwit 30,
Whimbrel 20 & Curlew 5 along with 20 Sandwich Terns (").

COLLIGAN WOOD: flock of 35 Crossbills flew NW @13:10, X202973 (Colliganmountain / Glenavaddra), later 1 at Carrowgarriff More forest, X197981 (PMW).
COLLIGAN WOOD: pair of Crossbills @ X204971 (PMW).

Friday, May 11, 2012

DRUM HILLS:  Male Hen Harrier (MC).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD:  110 Whimbrel, White Wagtail, 7 Wheatears & a Tree Sparrow (PV, PMW).

EAST WATERFORD:  Buzzard (PMW).

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  55+ Tramore Backstrand (PV).

Thursday, May 10, 2012

BROWNSTOWN HEAD:
1st/2nd-winter Glaucous Gull W this morning, 58 Whimbrel (PMW).
Seawatch 17:00-19:00:
Pomarine Skua: 13 adults E (10+ light, 2+ dark, flocks 2, 4, 7) then 18 adults W (16 light, 2 dark, flocks 7, 11).
Great Skua: 1 E.
Manx Shearwater: 272 E, 174 W.
Black Guillemot: 1 E.
Sandwich Tern: 8 E.
Swift: 5 W over sea.
WOODSTOWN: Hybrid Carrion/Hooded Crow at N end of beach nr Newtown Head, apparently paired with Hooded Crow; Reed Warbler singing & Water Rail calling in Woodstown Big just S of T-junction (PMW).

Wednesday, May 09, 2012

BALLYVOYLE BRIDGE:  Dipper (GM).

NEWTOWN COVE WOOD: Spotted Flycatcher, also pair of Long-tailed Tits carrying food (PMW).

BELLE LAKE: 400+ hirundines (200+ Swallows, 100+ Sand Martins & 30+ House Martins) feeding low over lake during rain @ 18:30 (").
BROWNSTOWN HEAD:
70 Whimbrel, pair of Tree Sparrows (AA, PMW).
Seawatch 09:35-10:35 (wind 2 E, mainly dry, vis good, PMW):
Common Scoter: 198 E (flocks 32, 40, 21, 40, 17, 38) & 40 W (20, 24)
Great Northern Diver: 4 W then 2 E
Manx Shearwater: 88 W & 3 E
Sandwich Tern: 1W

Tuesday, May 08, 2012

KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR: Male Shoveler at backwater, Mute Swan, Coot & Little Grebe on nests (PMW).

BALLYSCANLAN LOUGH: Water Rail calling, Treecreeper carrying food (").
TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: 105 Whimbrel (Clohernagh to Ballinattin), 2 late Wigeon & a Wheatear at Lisselan (PMW).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 65 Whimbrel, a Swift & 2 Whitethroats (").
RAM HEAD: 2 Great Skuas E, 27 Common Scoter & 120 Manx Shearwaters W (ADM).
COMERAGH MOUNTAINS: Dipper at stream below Crotty's (DMcG).

CLONEA STRAND: 6 Common Terns (1st of year), 8 Common Scoter flew SW, 4 adult-summer Great Northern Divers, a Great Crested Grebe, 10 Whimbrel & 5 Common Seals off Ballinclamper (PMW).

MONEYGORM (N of Lismore): Spotted Flycatcher yesterday (ADM).

Monday, May 07, 2012

HELVICK: 6+ Blackcaps, 6+ Whitethroats, 7 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Wheatears & 5+ Sedge Warblers. (MC, CF, DW)

ARDMORE: 3+ Blackcaps & a Wall Brown butterfly @ Ram Head. (")
HELVICK HEAD:  Garden Warbler, 3 Spotted Flycatchers & 2 Blackcaps (male & female), late afternoon (MAD, PMW).
BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 3 Wheatears, 2 Whitethroats, 2 Blackcaps (m&f), 1 Sedge Warbler and 1 White Wagtail (DS).

DUNHILL: Grasshopper Warbler heard & seen (JAP, BS).

Nr WHITING BAY: 4 Tree Sparrows & 2 singing Whitethroats at Ballysallagh, tetrad X19P (MAD, PMW).
Nr BALLYMACAW: 2 Tree Sparrows (JAP, BS).

HELVICK HEAD: Garden Warbler & female Redstart (MC, CF, DW).

Sunday, May 06, 2012

MONAVULLAGH MOUNTAINS:  Cuckoo & pair of Woodock in tetrad S20V, Glendalligan / Ballintlea (DMcG).

CLONEA STRAND:  Several skeins of Brent Geese flying east high (MC), 25 + Whimbrel (MC, MAD, PMW).
CLASHMORE:  Reed Warbler singing at Raheen quay (JAP, BS).

KILBARRY BOG: Reed Warbler singing (1st of year), 14 Sedge Warblers (12 singing) & a Water Rail calling along Tramore road - Reed W just east if walkway at S600090 (MAD, PMW).
BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 65 Whimbrel, Wheatear, Grasshopper Warbler, Sedge Warbler, 4 Blackcaps (2 males & 2 females), 4+ Whitethroats, 2 Chiffchaffs & 3+ Willow Warblers, 06:50-10:00 (PMW).

Saturday, May 05, 2012

DUNMORE EAST to PORTALLY: 3 Wheatears along cliff-walk (TO'C).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 2 Swifts (MAD, PMW).

CLONEA STRAND: 10 Whimbrel & 2 adult summer Great Northern Divers (").
KILMURRIN: 1st summer Iceland Gull. (MC, DW)

ANNESTOWN: Adult Iceland Gull. (")

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Spotted Flycatcher. Also, good numbers of Wheatears, Whitethroats & Blackcaps. (")

KNOCKADERRY: 2 Common Sandpipers. (")
KNOCKMEALDOWN MOUNTAINS: Cuckoo (ADM).

BUNMAHON: 20+ Whimbrel & 1 Tree Sparrow  (JF).

BOATSTRAND: 1 Swift (").

CARRIGAVRANTRY RESERVOIR: 70+ House Martins (").

Friday, May 04, 2012

SEAFIELD:  HOBBY (DW).
SEAFIELD:  Iceland Gull (1st- or 2nd-winter type) flew over c18:10 (DW)
WATERFORD CITY:  2 Swifts & 4 Blackcaps at IDA park on Cork road, another Swift over Ballybricken (DS).

HELVICK HEAD:  2 Minke Whales close inshore (MC).
LISMORE:  Several Swifts today (ADM)
Nr COMERAGH MOUNTAINS:  Male Hen Harrier (MC).



Thursday, May 03, 2012

WATERFORD CITY:  'SIBERIAN' CHIFFCHAFF singing at IDA Park on Cork road this evening, just east of Holy Cross pub (DS).

CARRIGNAGOUR / MONEYGORM (nr Lismore):  Sedge Warbler & Whitethroat (ADM).

HELVICK HEAD:  2 Spotted Flycatchers (1st of year) (JAP).

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

COMERAGH MOUNTAINS:  Dipper on River Mahon & Red Squirrel in Crough forest, nr Mahon Falls.
ARDMORE:  27 Whimbrel, 1 Common Sandpiper & 7 Wheatears at Curragh strand (ADM).

RAM HEAD: Whitethroat (").

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  150+ Whimbrel at Clohernagh (DS).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD:  19 Wheatears, redstart species, 1 Whitethroat, 2 singing Blackcaps & 1 Manx Shearwater (").

Tuesday, May 01, 2012

 BROWNSTOWN HEAD:  Whitethroat & c10 Willow Warblers (PA).

HELVICK HEAD:  Sedge Warbler & 2 female Blackcaps this rvening (MC).

BALLYVOYLE:  Great Northern Diver, Common Sandpiper, 2 Swifts. 3 Wheatears & 2 Blackcaps this evening (DC).

BALLYVOYLE:  1 Swift (MC snr).