February 2006
February:
BUTLERSTOWN, nr Waterford city: Female Brambling for 3-4 weeks, also 4+ Siskins recently
and a pair of Blackcaps over last few months.
WEST WATERFORD: Barn Owl seen recently in the Blackwater area.
Sun 26 Feb:
DUNGARVAN town: 6 Bramblings.
Sat 25 Feb:
DUNGARVAN: 7-10 Crossbills at Gold Coast golf course, 4 Bramblings
in town.
Nr LISMORE: Yellowhammer.
Thurs 23 Feb:
DUNGARVAN (I-WeBS count): Totals included 41 Great Crested Grebes, a Red-necked Grebe,
2 Red-throated divers, 824 light-bellied Brent Geese, adult dark-bellied Brent, adult Black
Brant, & a 1st-winter Little Gull.
DUNGARVAN town: Brambling.
CLONEA STRAND/BALLYNACOURTY POINT: 5 Red-throated Divers, Great Northern Diver, 100 light-bellied Brent, adult
dark-bellied Brent, also 2 Common Seals off Ballinard.
BALLYVOONY COVE: 6 Red-throated Divers, 6+ Bottle-nosed Dolphins.
BALLYDWAN: 4 Red-throated & 6 Great Northern Divers.
Sun 19 Feb:
BALLYSHUNNOCK RESERVOIR: 2 Whooper Swans, 7 Crossbills.
TRAMORE BAY: 9 Common Scoters, single Red-throated & Great Northern Divers.
Early to mid Feb:
LISMORE/BLACKWATER area: Crossbills still widespread, including sightings at Ballyrafter
Woods (Lismore), Ballyduff town and near Tallow, also the Vee along Waterford/Tipperary border. Also in Lismore area, a male
Hen Harrier in in mid Feb, and Jays regular.
Thurs 16 Feb:
DUNGARVAN town: Male & female Brambling.
Weds 15 Feb:
COOLFIN/DERRIGAL: 273 Greylag Geese & a Pink-footed Goose at Derrigal cross-roads.
KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR: 4 Whooper Swans, 23 Tufted Duck.
Tues 14 Feb:
WATERFORD CITY: Crossbill at Lower Grace Dieu.
Sun 12 Feb
CLONEA STRAND: Chiffchaff & 1st-winter Mediterranean Gull, Ballinclamper.
BALLINARD: (Ballynacourty Pt): Black Redstart.
DUNGARVAN/HELVICK: Red-necked Grebe in outer bay, Green Sandpiper
& Chiffchaff at Brickey river.
BALLYQUIN (nr Ardmore): Red-throated Diver, 116 Oystercatcher & 39 Sanderling.
ARDMORE BAY: 5 Red-throated Divers, Great Crested Grebe, 1300 Common Gulls & a 2nd-winter Mediterranean
Gull.
WHITING BAY: 2 Little Egrets, 6 Brent Geese, 157 Oystercatcher, 40 Sanderling, 200+ Woodpigeons & 15 Choughs.
CALISO BAY: 3 Red-throated Divers.
Thurs 9 Feb:
DUNGARVAN: 4 Goosanders (male, female & 2 immatures) at Ballyneety bridge.
Sun 5 Feb:
DUNGARVAN: Red-necked Grebe between Ballynagaul & Helvick, female
Goosander at Ballyneety, Chiffchaff at Knockanpower (Ring), 3 Brambling & 30 Siskin
in town.
WATERFORD CITY: 5 or 6 Reed Buntings feeding in a garden in St Herblain Park.
Sat 4 Feb:
KILMEADEN POOLS: Water Pipit & Water Rail.
BALLYSHUNNOCK RESERVOIR: Female or imm Hen Harrier, Whooper Swan & Chiffchaff.
BUNMAHON: 4 Common Scoter.
CLONEA STRAND: 2 Purple Sandpipers at Ballinclamper.
DUNGARVAN/CLONEA: 4 Brambling along railway track between Barnawee and Clonea road.
WATERFORD CITY: Several recent reports of a Barn Owl.
Thurs 2 Feb:
CLONEA: 4+ Brambling, among good numbers of other finches, along the old railway track,
also 2 Stock Doves.
January 2006
Last updated updated 8 March 2006.
Tues 31 Jan:
DUNGARVAN: 3+ Bramblings along railway track near Barnawee.
Sun 29 Jan:
KNOCKMEALDOWN MOUNTAINS: Fresh droppings of
Red Grouse found (near Waterford/Tipperary
border).
DUNGARVAN town: Female Brambling.
FIDDOWN/TIBBERAGHNY: 59 Whooper Swans (on Kilkenny side), 4 Little Egrets, 179+ Teal, 40 Redshank & 2 Greenshank.
COOLFIN/DERRIGAL: 70 Greylag Geese & a Little Egret near Derrigal cross, 2 Green Sandpipers & a Kingfisher at Clodiagh bridge.
BALLYSHUNNOCK RESERVOIR: Great Crested Grebe, 4 Whooper Swans & a male Crossbill.
KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR: 246 Mallard, 4
Shoveler & 36 Tufted Duck.
BALLINLOUGH: Little Egret.
KILMEADEN POOLS: 2 Shoveler & a Green Sandpiper.
LITTLE ISLAND: 2 Common Sandpipers near the ferry crossing.
Sat 28 Jan:
BLACKWATER CALLOWS: Ruff at Lismore, Green Sandpiper at Ballyduff.
BALLYLEMON, CAPPAGH: Male & female Blackcap.
DUNGARVAN: Male Goosander opposite the Mart at Ballyneety.
Fri 27 Jan:
TRAMORE BOATING LAKE: 120 Brent Geese.
Weds 25 Jan:
DUNGARVAN (I-WeBS count): Totals included 5 Red-throated Divers, 47 Great Crested Grebes, 1009 pale-bellied Brent
Geese, plus an adult dark-belled Brent and adult Black Brant (latter
two at pitch & putt course).
CLONEA STRAND: 3 Great Northern Divers, 1 Red-throated Diver, 19 Sanderling, 70 pale-bellied Brent Geese &
an adult dark-belled Brent.
Sun 22 Jan:
TRAMORE BOATING LAKE: Adult Ring-billed Gull & 70 Brent Geese.
Sat 21 Jan:
DUNGARVAN: Black Brant, male Green-winged Teal & female
Pintail off the Sports Centre; Chiffchaff at Knockanpower Lower, Ring.
COOLFIN/DERRIGAL: Pink-footed Goose & 289 Greylag Geese at Derrigal cross-roads.
PICKARDSTOWN: Water Rail & c.50 Siskins.
WATERFORD CITY: Jay at De La Salle College, Newtown.
WATERFORD HARBOUR (CHEEKPOINT TO CREADAN HEAD) (I-WeBS count): Totals included 36 Great Crested Grebes, 146 Cormorants,
10 Little Egrets , 49 Brent Geese, 50 Shelduck, 93 Wigeon, 2173 Lapwing, 1296 Oystercatcher, 391 Black-tailed Godwit &
34 Sanderling (
full details); also 2
Otters swimming off Passage East.
Tues 17 Jan:
TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: 733 Brent Geese.
Sat 14 Jan:
KILMEADEN POOLS: 2 Water Pipits still present, also 3 Shoveler, 2 Water Rail, Green Sandpiper & 2 Choughs.
KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR: Red-necked Grebe, 3 Whooper Swans, 37 Tufted Duck & 38 Pochard.
PICKARDSTOWN (Tramore road): Wing-tagged Red Kite still present.
TRAMORE BOATING LAKE: Adult Ring-billed Gull & adult Mediterranean
Gull (latter a ringed bird).
PASSAGE EAST: Adult Glaucous Gull & 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls.
WOODSTOWN: Adult Iceland Gull & 6+ adult Mediterranean Gulls.
Thurs 12 Jan:
PICKARDSTOWN (Tramore road): Wing-tagged Red Kite still present - apparently a
bird fledged from the reintroduced population in N Scotland in 2005 (details to be confirmed).
BUNMAHON: 2 male Common Scoters.
BALLYVOONEY COVE: 4 female Common Scoters.
Near WATERFORD CITY: Carrion Crow at Brockton Drive, Blackthorn Hill [Co Kilkenny?],
near the golf course.
Weds 11 Jan:
Near DUNGARVAN: Barn Owl.
Mon 9 Jan:
BLACKWATER & BRIDE RIVERS: Total count of 493 Whooper Swans (mainly Co Waterford).
Sun 8 Jan:
PICKARDSTOWN (Tramore road): Red Kite just north of the conifer plantation here - present
since Christmas day; bird has two wing-tags (no further details yet).
TRAMORE BACKSTRAND (I-WeBS count): Totals included 11 Little Egrets, 883 Brent Geese, 48 Shelduck, 108 Wigeon,
520 Oystercatchers, c.4000 Golden Plover, 245 Grey Plover, 210 Knot, 48 Sanderling, 697 Dunlin, 105 Snipe, 343 Black-tailed
Godwit, 247 Bar-tailed Godwit, 351 Redshank (
full details), also an adult
Ring-billed Gull at the Boating Lake.
TRAMORE BAY (outer): 10 Red-throated Divers, 1 Great Northern Diver & 22 Common Scoter.
VEE GAP [Co Tipperary]: Male Hen Harrier & c.30 Crossbills.
Sat 7 Jan:
WATERFORD CITY: Female Blackcap, Earlscourt, and male Blackcap at Collin's Avenue - also up to 15 Collared Doves
in garden there, recently.
Nr TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: 6+ Yellowhammers.
ANNESTOWN: Kingfisher.
BALLINARD: Black Redstart.
HELVICK HEAD: 5 Red-throated Divers.
DUNGARVAN: Black-throated Diver in the bay; 2 dark-bellied Brent
Geese, Black Brant, Pintail & female Goosander by the
sports centre; 2 Goosanders & a Kingfisher at Ballyneety; another
Kingfisher at the Brickey river; Whimbrel & Chiffchaff at Knockanpower Lower (Ring); also Chiffchaff
at Killongford.
Fri 6 Jan:
GILES'S QUAY, nr Waterford city: Little Egret, 2 Greenshank, 2 Turnstone & a Common Sandpiper.
Mon 2 Jan:
HELVICK HEAD: A Great Skua flew west.
DUNGARVAN: 84 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Red-throated & 2 Great Northern Divers;
3 Chiffchaffs at Knockanpower Lower (Ring).
Sun 1 Jan:
DUNGARVAN: 2 Goosanders (male & female) at Ballyneety, 4 or 5 Bramblings
at the dump, a female Shoveler off the sports centre & a Green Sandpiper along the Brickey
River at Two Mile bridge.
CLONEA STRAND: Whimbrel at Ballinclamper.
