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.



Monday, March 30, 2015

DUNGARVAN:  Kingfisher flew up Colligan under N25 bridge & landed by Park Hotel (EB).
DUNGARVAN:  4 Long-tailed Ducks opposite pitch & putt course (JAP).

Sunday, March 29, 2015

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: 1st-winter BONAPARTE'S GULL again at main pond at Lisselan, also a Stock Dove there (AJ).

Saturday, March 28, 2015

DUNGARVAN: SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF still behind Nissan garage at Springfield, 4 Pintail in Western Bay (BS, JAP).

CLONEA BAY: Sandwich Tern at Clonea beach, 2 Red-throated Divers at Ballyvoyle (").

ARDMORE: 1st-winter Iceland Gull at Curragh beach (").

WHITING BAY: 1st-winter Glaucous Gull & male Wheatear (").
TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: 1st-winter BONAPARTE'S GULL & 2 1st-winter Little Gulls at Lisselan (MC, DS); GLOSSY IBIS at Clohernagh, 1st-winter Glaucous Gull at Saleen, Sandwich Tern by spits (MC).

BALLYSCANLON LAKE: Sand Martin [not Sandwich Tern!] (MC).

DUNGARVAN: Adult Ring-billed Gull on fence by duck-pond nr Lidl, Dungarvan town (ADM).

Nr LISMORE: Lots of Chiffchaffs (").
HELVICK HEAD:  Great Skua, 5 Manx Shearwaters & good passage of large auks on a quick seawatch this morning, also an adult Glaucous Gull lingering off the cove before heading W (CF).

Friday, March 27, 2015

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  1st-winter BONAPARTE'S GULL again at Lisselan, also 2 1st-winter Little Gulls & a 1st-winter Mediterranean Gull there (DS).

Thursday, March 26, 2015

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  Short-eared Owl (SMH, FO'C).
TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  1st-winter BONAPARTE'S GULL & 2 Little Gulls at Lisselan (SMH, FO'C).

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: 1st-winter BONAPARTE'S GULL at end of seawall pond, Lisselan, 11:48 (AJ).

Monday, March 23, 2015

TRAMORE:  1st-winter BONAPARTE'S GULL again at boating lake, Little Gull at Lisselan & GLOSSY IBIS at Clohernagh (CFo, DFo).

DUNGARVAN:  SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF behind Nissan garage at Springfield (").

BROWNSTOWN HEAD:  7 Red-throated Divers (AJ).

RATHMOYLAN:  White Wagtail, male Wheatear & 3 Red-throated Divers (AJ).

Sunday, March 22, 2015

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  1st-winter BONAPARTE'S GULL again at Lisselan - flew toward field on hill behind phd with mixed flock of c1500 gulls (GM); GLOSSY IBIS at Clohernagh (JDP).

Saturday, March 21, 2015

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  BONAPARTE'S GULL & Little Gull at Lisselan (EAMacL et al.); Jack Snipe at Kilmacleague saltmarsh (AJ).

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

DERRIGAL (nr Portlaw):  2+ Pink-footed Geese (").

BROWNSTOWN HEAD:  2 female Wheatears (MC) & a Chiffchaff (MAD, PMW).

CALISO BAY:  Female Wheatear (MC).

BLACKWATER ESTUARY:  1st-winter Iceland Gull at Youghal Slob, 2nd-winter Iceland Gull at Kinsalebeg, both visible from Ferry Point (").

Friday, March 20, 2015

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  1st-winter BONAPARTE'S GULL at main pond at Lisselan, also 1st-winter little Gull, male Shoveler & 3 Gadwall there; GLOSSY IBIS at Clohernagh; 2 Short-eared Owls at backstrand (AJ, JF).

KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR:  Male RING-NECKED DUCK (MS).

Thursday, March 19, 2015

KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR:  Drake RING-NECEKD DUCK & 2 drake Shoveler this evening (MC).

TRAMORE: 1st-winter BONAPARTE'S GULL & adult Ring-billed Gull on boating lake, 2 1st-winter Little Gulls at Lisselan (MStewart).
TRAMORE:  1st-winter BONAPARTE'S GULL again at boating lake, 11:35, showing very well (CO'S per irishbirding.com).

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

TRAMORE:  1st-winter BONAPARTE'S GULL still showing at close range on boating lake this morning (PA).

DUNGARVAN:  Peacock butterfly at Brickey canal (FO'C).

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

TRAMORE:  1st-winter BONAPARTE'S GULL again at boating lake, early a.m., before flying N high (CF, DS), back again by 12:20 (AJ), still present 14:45 (PA), then flew again at 17:15 (DDB); also adult Ring-billed Gull at boating lake (DDB), & 1st-winter Little Gull on channel just inside seawall at Lisselan (CF).

BUNMAHON:  Iceland Gull (AJ).

Monday, March 16, 2015

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  Also 2 male Wheatears & 3 Short-eared Owls (BS, FO'C, JAP).

DUNGARVAN:  SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF & 2 Common Chiffchaffs behind Nissan garage at Springfield (KA, BS, FO'C, JAP); 3 Shoveler & 4 Pintail in Western Bay; 3 Goldeneye off pitch & putt (BS, FO'C, JAP).

CLONEA BAY:  7 Whimbrel & 1st-winter Glaucous Gull at Ballinard (').

BALLYVOYLE:  11 Common Scoter flying W towards Helvick (").

KILMEADEN:  Jay (").

VARIOUS:  97 species in total (").
TRAMORE:  1st-winter BONAPARTE'S GULL again at boating lake, showing well at Splashworld side before flying high inland, also adult Ring-billed gull, 2 Mediterranean Gulls & 40 Brent Geese there (MC); 1st-winter Little Gull on main lake at Lisselan (DS, CF); SPOONBILL near spits & Spotted Redshank feeding in pool at end of sandhills carpark (DS).

Sunday, March 15, 2015

TRAMORE:  1st-winter BONAPARTE'S GULL at boating lake, showing well at Splashworld side at 18:00 (AJ), still present at 18:50 (JF).

DUNGARVAN:  Kingfisher flew in under new pontoon at Davitt's Quay (EB).

RAM HEAD:  Male Wheatear & 2 Chiffchaffs (NJB).



Saturday, March 14, 2015

KNOCKMEALDOWN MOUNTAINS:  3 Woodcock (JAP, BS).

BLACKWATER  VALLEY:  3 Jays at Knockanore; 2 Otters at Clashmore Broads (").

ARDMORE:  1st-winter Iceland Gull at Ardmore, female Merlin at Goat Island (").

HELVICK HEAD:  Male Wheatear along road to high car-park, adult Mediterranean Gull & 4 Black Guillemots (").

DUNGARVAN:  3 Whimbrel at Ballynagaul; SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF behind Nissan garage, Springfield; 4 Pintail (male & 3 female) in Western Bay; 2nd-winter Yellow-legged Gull at Lookout (").

Nr WHITING BAY:  2 Tree Sparrows at crossroad between Whiting Bay & Caliso Bay, Caliso Cottage (NJB).

Friday, March 13, 2015

KILMURRAY (nr Dungarvan):  Red Admiral butterfly (JAP).

CLONEA BAY: 2 Sandwich Terns off Ballinard (FO'C) - first of year for Co Waterford.

RAM HEAD: 4 Common Scoter, 10 Red-throated Divers & 4 Common Dolphins (ADM).

IDA PARK (nr Waterford city): Chiffchaff (DS).
TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  Spotted Redshank at first pond in sandhills carpark (AJ).

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: SPOONBILL around the spits today (AJ).

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

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

BLACKWATER CALLOWS:  126 Whooper Swans (TM).

TRAMORE:  Adult Ring-billed Gull & 1st-winter Glaucous Gull at boating lake (FO'C, SMH).
WATERFORD CITY:  Chiffchaff in garden, Francis Street (DS).

Monday, March 09, 2015

Nr DUNGARVAN: Long-eared Owl flew over N25, c22:50 (MC snr).
DUNGARVAN: Wheatear on beach at Abbeyside Church (FO'C) - first of spring for Co Waterford.

BUNMAHON: 1st-winter Iceland Gull on beach (DW).

TRAMORE: Adult summer Mediterranean Gull & adult Ring-billed Gull at boating lake (AJ).
HELVICK: Adult Iceland Gull still at pier (MC snr).
BROWNSWOOD (opposite Tibberaghny): Jay & 2 Crossbills (PMW).

TIBBERAGHNY (Co Kilkenny): 71 Whooper Swans, 35 Mute Swans & 9 Little Egrets (").

DERRIGAL (nr Portlaw): 48+ Greylag Geese & 17+ Whooper Swans (").

Sunday, March 08, 2015

FERRY POINT:  Iceland Gull (JAP), 2nd-winter Glaucous Gull (NJB).

Nr WHITING BAY: Jay at Moord (JAP), 2 Tree Sparrows nr west end, 58 Brent Geese in field behind the bay (NJB).

CLONEA BAY:  4 Whimbrel at Ballinard (PV).

DUNGARVAN:  SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF on brambles, flycatching at back of Nissan garage, Springfield; Black Redstart on seawall at Abbeyside (").

Saturday, March 07, 2015

BALLYQUIN: Merlin along beach (NJB).

TRAMORE:  Shoveler & adult Ring-billed Gull at boating lake, 1st-winter Glaucous Gull at Pickardstown (BS, FO'C, JAP).

BELLE LAKE:  Water Rail (").

BUNMAHON:  Chiffchaff singing (").

STRADBALLY:  3 Treecreepers (").

DUNGARVAN:  2 SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFFS, 5 Common Chiffchaffs & a Water Rail behind Nissan garage, Springfield; 2nd-winter Yellow-legged Gull, 3 Long-tailed Ducks (maybe not the usual pair), 8 Goldeneye, male Pintail & 7 Shoveler off pitch & putt course; adult Mediterranean Gull at Gold Coast; Kingfisher at Brickey canal (").

HELVICK:  Adult Iceland Gull & 3 summer-plumaged Black Guillemots (").

VARIOUS: Total 93 species including 11 gull species for the day (").
TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  Sand Martin (1st Co Waterford report of the year) opposite McCarthy Fuels at Pickardstown (BS, FO'C, JAP), also a Ruff there (MC, CF).

Friday, March 06, 2015

DUNGARVAN:  SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF, Common Chiffchaff, male Blackcap & nest-building Long-tailed Tit behind Nissan garage at Springfield, Dungarvan town (EAMacL).

TRAMORE:  Adult Ring-billed Gull at Tramore boating lake (MC).


Thursday, March 05, 2015

DUNGARVAN:  2 SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFFS behind Nissan garage at Springfield, Dungarvan town (FO'C), JAP).

HELVICK:  Adult Iceland Gull (").

CLONEA:  1st-winter Glaucous Gull off Ballinard (").

BUNMAHON:  2 1st-winter Iceland Gulls (MC snr).

TRAMORE:  Adult Ring-billed Gull at boating lake (MC).

Wednesday, March 04, 2015

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  SPOONBILL at Pickardstown (AJ, LR), 3 (possibly 4) Short-eared Owls (AJ).

Tuesday, March 03, 2015

TRAMORE:  GLOSSY IBIS & SPOONBILL at Pickardstown (KA, AJ), Ring-billed Gull at boating lake (AJ).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD:  6 Red-throated Divers (AJ).

Sunday, March 01, 2015

DUNGARVAN: Adult Glaucous Gull at the Cunnigar (JAP).

CLONEA: 20+ Great Northern Divers (").