Bird reports March-April 2007

Waterford bird records March-April 2007 (details subject to verification or correction)

See migrant Lepidoptera page also

April 2007

Mon 30 Apr:

CLONEA STRAND: 25 Whimbrel, c.90 Bar-tailed Godwit, Purple Sandpiper, 8 Knot & 10 Sanderling among other waders, also 18 Sandwich Terns.

Sun 29 Apr:

HELVICK HEAD: LITTLE AUK (summer plumage) & adult Pomarine Skua west.

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: 20 Whimbrel.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Great Skua, 2 adult Pomarine Skuas, 4 Common Scoters, 3 Tufted Ducks & 1110 Manx Shearwaters east in 2 hrs (1125-1325 hrs); also male Blackcap & Willow Warbler.

Sat 28 Apr:

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Whitethroat, Willow Warbler & 3 Wheatears; also a Clouded Yellow & Red Admiral.

FENOR BOG: 4 Sedge Warblers singing.

CURRAGHATAGGART LAKE (nr Clonea Power): Grasshopper Warbler singing.

CLONEA STRAND: Purple Sandpiper, 32 Whimbrel & 13 Sandwich Terns at Ballinclamper.

Fri 27 Apr:

HELVICK HEAD: 2 Whitethroats.

CASTLETOWN FEN: Cuckoo.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Silver Y & Diamond-back Moth (first migrant moths of the year here).

Thurs 26 Apr:

KILMEADEN POOLS: 3 Swifts.

LISMORE/CAPPOQUIN area: 4 Swifts over Lismore town, 8 singing Blackcaps at various locations.

Tues 24 Apr:

CLONEA STRAND: WRYNECK (5th county record) at Ballinclamper.

Sun 22 Apr:

CLONEA STRAND: 70 Whimbrel, 11 Knot & 16 Sanderling.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Wheatear & 2 Willow Warblers.

Sat 21 Apr:

LISMORE/TALLOW: 5 Yellowhammers, Bridane Upper.

Fri 20 Apr:

WATERFORD CITY: The first Swifts of the year were seen over the city.

Thurs 19 Apr:

RAM HEAD: Porpoise & Basking Shark.

Weds 18 Apr:

DUNGARVAN: Green Sandpiper & 3 Common Sandpipers at Ballyneety.

Sun 15 Apr:

Nr CLONEA POWER: 4 Stock Doves.

KNOCKMEALDOWN MOUNTAINS: First Cuckoo of the year, at Knockadav.

Sat 14 Apr:

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 3 Blackcaps (male & 2 females), Willow Warbler & 2 Chiffchaffs.

Fri 13 Apr:

WHITING BAY: 17 + Tree Sparrows at the 'regular' farm, and another one nr a farm about 1 km NE. Also 3 Whimbrel, presumed recently arrived (first of spring), 7 Stock Doves & a Merlin.

Thurs 12 Apr:

DUNGARVAN: 2 Green Sandpipers & a Common Sandpiper, Ballyneety.

Weds 11 Apr:

KILLURE: House Martin visiting nest at Nursing Home.

DRUM HILLS: 2 Jays, and totals of 2 Blackcaps, 22 Chiffchaffs & 17 Willow Warblers singing, in Toor Cross Roads area.

Tues 10 Apr:

COMERAGH MOUNTAINS: Pair of Red Grouse on the Comeragh plateau.

ARDMORE/RAM HEAD: House Martin.

Mon 9 Apr:

WOODSTOWN: 8 Sand Martins.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Tree Sparrow, male Blackcap & Willow Warbler.

KILBRIDE: 14 Yellowhammers.

Nr RATHGORMUCK: 3 Willow Warblers & 2 Blackcaps singing, 1 Wheatear.

Sun 8 Apr:

Nr WHITING BAY: 16+ Tree Sparrows at a farm.

Nr CAPPAGH: Willow Warbler.

BALLYLANEEN area: Dipper (at Aughshemus bridge) & Willow Warbler.

KNOCKEEN: 4 Swallows; also scattered birds around county over Easter weekend.

Sat 7 Apr:

CORRANESKEHA WOOD, nr Tallow: 4 Jays, 5 Yellowhammers & 5 singing Willow Warblers.

TALLOW area: Female Hen Harrier.

Fri 6 Apr:

RAM HEAD: Male RED-BACKED SHRIKE (fourth county record) & Great Northern Diver.

Nr LISMORE: 3 singing Blackcaps, Glenribbeen Wood; 2, Fadduaga Wood.

GLENDINE WOOD: 2 singing Blackcaps.

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: 110-120 Brent Geese still present off Saleen.

Thurs 5 Apr:

RAM HEAD: Wheatear, 7 Porpoises & 20-30 Common Dolphins.

ARDMORE BAY: 8 Sandwich Terns.

NEWPORT: 2 Jays, also 2 Blackcaps & 8 Chiffchaffs singing.

CARNGLASS WOOD (nr Knockanore): Jay, & 9 Chiffchaffs & a single Willow Warbler singing.

Weds 4 Apr:

CLASHMORE: Buzzard.

Nr PORTLAW: Buzzard here again, too.

Sun 1 Apr:

Nr LISMORE: Male Hen Harrier, also a Red Admiral (first report of the year).

Nr CLASHMORE: 2 Sand Martins.

DALLIGAN BRIDGE: Crossbills just below the bridge.

BALLYQUIN STRAND: Sand Martins.

KNOCKBRACK QUARRY nr Clashmore: Newts still present here, but recent mass-dumping of nappies in the main pond!

Nr PORTLAW: Buzzard.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Willow Warbler (first of year) and Chiffchaff.

March 2007

Last updated 16 April 2007.

Sat 31 March:

ANNESTOWN: SCANDINAVIAN ROCK PIPIT (subspecies littoralis) & 2 Sand Martins.

CLONEA: 3 Sand Martins.

BALLINARD: Iceland Gull.

DUNGARVAN: Wheatear at Ballynacourty.

HELVICK: 3 Iceland Gulls.

CROHAUN: Male Merlin & 2 Wheatears.

GLENSHELANE, nr Cappoquin: 9 Chiffchaffs & 2 Blackcaps singing, 2 Dippers & a Jay.

Weds 28 March:

DUNGARVAN: Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, 5 Sand Martins & 20 Fieldfares, all at Ballyneety.

Mon 26 March:

MINE HEAD: 23 Choughs at the lighthouse.

GLENCORRIN, nr Ardmore: An early-flying Small Tortoiseshell butterfly.

Sun 25 March:

Nr AGLISH: 2 Chiffchaffs singing.

HELVICK: 5 Iceland Gulls & 2 Common Scoter.

DUNGARVAN: Male Green-winged Teal at Killongford.

BALLYDWAN: Red-throated Diver.

BUNMAHON: 15 Manx Shearwaters feeding offshore & 4 Red-throated Divers.

ANNESTOWN: 4 Red-throated Divers, Great Northern Diver, Great Crested Grebe & 79 Brent Geese.

Sat 24 March:

DUNGARVAN: Male Green-winged Teal at Killongford estuary & Green Sandpiper at the Brickey River.

HELVICK: Iceland Gull & 4-5 Manx Shearwaters, also a dead Bank Vole.

KILFARASSY: 14 Red-throated Divers.

GARRARUS: 8 Red-throated Divers.

TRAMORE BAY: 7 Red-throated & 2 Great Northern Divers; also 50 Sanderling on beach.

BALLYSCANLAN: 2 Chiffchaffs singing.

KILBRIDE: Chiffchaff.

Thurs 22 March:

Nr DUNGARVAN: Long-eared Owl.

Sun 18 March:

Nr WHITING BAY: 25+ Tree Sparrows at same farm as on 10 March.

DUNGARVAN: Buzzard, 2 Mediterranean Gulls (1st- & 2nd-winter) & high count of 37 Stock Doves, all at Ballyneety.

BALLYVOYLE BRIDGE: Pair of Dippers nest-building.

ANNESTOWN COVE: Another pair of Dippers nest-building at bridge here.

BUNMAHON: 3 Sand Martins - first reported of year.

ANNESTOWN: Swallow.

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: 24 Little Egrets.

Sat 17 March:

GOAT ISLAND, nr Whiting Bay: [Tree Sparrows reported here recently, c4 km east of the 'regular' Whiting Bay flock, but no sign of them today or on 26 March.]

BALLINARD: Glaucous Gull.

CLONEA STRAND: Wheatear - first reported so far.

ANNESTOWN: Swallow - first reported so far.

BALLYSHUNNOCK RESERVOIR: 23 Whooper Swans.

KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR: 2 Shoveler & 2 Gadwall, also a hybrid Whooper/Mute Swan (same bird as seen here in July 2006).

WOODSTOWN: 8 Little Egrets & 5 Brent Geese.

Fri 16 March:

DROMANA: Male Long-eared Owl calling.

Sat 10 March:

HELVICK: 4 Iceland Gulls.

Nr WHITING BAY: 50+ Tree Sparrows at farm, grid reference X143782 [not Helvick Head as posted originally] - probably a record count for Co Waterford. Presumed same flock as at a nearby farm up to 3 March (see below).

Nr LISMORE: Male Hen Harrier.

EAST WATERFORD: 2 Buzzards south of Waterford city.

Fri 9 March:

EAST WATERFORD: Buzzard south of Waterford city.

Tues 6 March:

DUNGARVAN: Male Blackcap daily in a garden here, also a less regular female.

Mon 5 March:

HELVICK: 3 Iceland Gulls.

DUNGARVAN: Also 3 Iceland Gulls at the Cunnigar.

WATERFORD CITY: Snow Bunting in garden at St John's Park.

Sat 3 March:

RINCREW (nr Youghal): 1st-winter CASPIAN GULL present again, also 2 2nd-winter Yellow-legged Gulls, 4 Iceland Gulls & a Ring-billed Gull.

Nr WHITING BAY: 14+ Tree Sparrows still present at farm at Springfield Lower (grid reference X139782); also a male Hen Harrier.

ARDMORE: 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls.

HELVICK: 1st-winter Mediterranean Gull & 2 Iceland Gulls.

Thurs 1 March:

KILBRIDE, nr Tramore: Very high count of 29 Yellowhammers, also 11 Reed Buntings, at young forestry plantation.

BALLINDUD: 3 Little Egrets.

.click below for larger images

Note: Sightings listed here are reports, not necessarily authenticated records. * = species for which the Irish Rare Birds Committee currently requires substantiating descriptions or photographs. Records are regularly updated, and older records added or amended where necessary . Many thanks to observers who provided records above - any further records (current or older) would be appreciated.

Please email any sightings, or text details of scarcer species to 0861701599; to report sightings of rarities to the national Birds of Ireland News Service (BINS), phone 01-8307364.

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