Bird reports Co Waterford September-October 2008

Waterford bird records September-October 2008 (details subject to verification or correction)

older records - archive

See migrant Lepidoptera page also (highlights below)

October 2008

Thurs 30 Oct:

DUNGARVAN: House Martin & 2 Swallows at Abbeyside.

Tues 28 Oct:

DUNGARVAN: RUDDY SHELDUCK x SHELDUCK hybrid again with Shelduck at the Cunnigar.

Mon 27 Oct:

HELVICK HEAD: Swallow.

DUNGARVAN: Lots of Redwing flying over at night.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 2 Tree Sparrows, 2 Chiffchaffs, 13 Lesser Redpolls & a Siskin.

Sun 26 Oct:

ARDMORE: Adult Mediterranean Gull.

MINE HEAD: Merlin & 3 Fin Whales.

DUNGARVAN: 6 Crossbills flew west over the quay, Merlin at Killongford, 2 Common Sandpipers at Barnawee, 640 Knot & 2 Shoveler off the Youghal road, also 650+ Brent Geese & 34+ Little Egrets around the bay.

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: Pink-footed Goose with Brent Geese & a 1st-winter Mediterranean Gull, both off Saleen.

Sat 25 Oct:

HELVICK HEAD: 3 Great Skuas flew west.

CAMPHIRE (R. Bride/Blackwater): 88 Whooper Swans.

CAPPOQUIN area: 2 Buzzards.

Thurs 23 Oct:

GLENDOG (nr Ballylemon / Colligan): Crossbills present recently.

Weds 22 Oct:

DUNGARVAN: RUDDY SHELDUCK x SHELDUCK hybrid (with Shelduck) at the Cunnigar; also there, an OSPREY (flew west) & a BLACK BRANT , and a Greylag Goose (flew west).

Mon 20 Oct:

AGLISH: White Wagtail.

Sat 18 Oct:

CAMPHIRE (Bride/Blackwater): 65 Whooper Swans (also 5 present here almost two weeks ago).

Nr AGLISH: 10 Redwing (first of the winter).

OLD PARISH: 4 Chiffchaffs at Ballyhack.

DUNGARVAN: 27+ Little Egrets at Killongford.

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: 2 adult Dark-bellied Brent Geese.

TRAMORE BAY: 4 late Sandwich Terns.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Single Great Northern Diver, Merlin & Redwing.

Fri 17 Oct:

RAM HEAD: 2 Humpback Whales & 6+ Fin Whales., which later headed east.

Thurs 16 Oct:

DUNGARVAN: c100 Swallows near Glaxo Smith Kline.

RAM HEAD: c20 Common Dolphins & 4-9 Fin Whales.

Mon 13 Oct:

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Yellow-browed Warbler (ringed bird) still present, also an indeterminate Richard's or Tawny Pipit.

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: 525 Brent Geese, 59 Little Egrets & an adult Mediterranean Gull.

ARDMORE: Adult Mediterranean Gull.

WHITING BAY: 25 Choughs.

Nr CLONMEL: Buzzard.

Sun 12 Oct:

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Yellow-browed Warbler trapped & ringed (6.8 g weight), a male Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaffs, 4 Goldcrests & a Wheatear.

WOODSTOWN STRAND: 66 Brent Geese.

DROMANA: Kingfisher on River Finisk.

CLASHMORE BROADS: Otter.

Sat 11 Oct:

BLACKWATER VALLEY: WHITE-TAILED EAGLE, presumably from introduced Killarney population.

CALISO BAY: Merlin.

WHITING BAY: 15 Choughs.

RAM HEAD: Great Skua & a small skua species (probably Long-tailed); also a Risso's Dolphin, 5 Common & 5 Bottlenose Dolphins.

ARDMORE: Tree Sparrow.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Tree Sparrow, 3 Chiffchaffs, 6 Goldcrests, Siskin & 3 Lesser Redpolls.

Fri 10 Oct:

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Merlin, Chiffchaff, 4 Goldcrests, also a Common Newt.

Weds 8 Oct:

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 22 Lesser Redpolls ringed, 48 Magpies roosting in Coolum valley, also 8 Goldcrests & 2 Siskins.

RAM HEAD: Possible Red-footed Falcon (juvenile).

Tues 7 Oct:

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Merlin, Reed Warbler & Tree Sparrow, also 3 Chiffchaffs, 10 Goldcrests & a Siskin; and 5 Brent Geese flew west.

Mon 6 Oct:

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Female or immature COMMON ROSEFINCH (2nd county record), also 2 Chiffchaffs & good numbers of Coal Tits (several groups of 10-15 birds).

Sun 5 Oct:

ANNESTOWN: 2 female/immature Hen Harrier over stubble fields.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Garden Warbler, 2 male Blackcaps, 5 Chiffchaff, 9 Goldcrests & 8 Coal Tits.

RATHMOYLAN COVE: Female/immature Hen Harrier over stubble fields.

Sat 4 Oct:

ARDMORE: Adult Mediterranean Gull.

HELVICK HEAD: Merlin.

DUNGARVAN: BLACK BRANT & Curlew Sandpiper at the Cunnigar.

CLONEA STRAND: 3 Curlew Sandpipers.

Fri 3 Oct:

RAM HEAD: Fin Whale & 150+ Common Dolphins.

Weds 1 Oct:

CLONEA STRAND: 2 Mediterranean Gulls (adult & 1st-winter) at Ballinclamper.

September 2008

Sun 28 Sept:

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Yellow-browed Warbler ringed (5.9 g weight), male Blackcap, 22+ Goldcrests, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Wheatears, 3+ Siskin & 5+ Lesser Redpoll.

CLONEA STRAND: Adult Ring-billed Gull & 4 Curlew Sandpipers.

Sat 27 Sept:

KNOCKMEALDOWN MOUNTAINS: Red Grouse at base of Sugarloaf, Merlin nr Sugarloaf, & frequent Wheatears including 3-4 at Knocknagnauv; also Mistle Thrush at Knockmealdown summit & 3 Red Admirals a Knocknagnauv.

HELVICK HEAD: Yellow-browed Warbler, female Blackcap, 2 Spotted Flycatchers & good numbers of Chiffchaffs.

CLONEA STRAND: 7 Curlew Sandpipers at Ballinclamper.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 11+ Chiffchaffs, 23+ Goldcrests & 5+ Lesser Redpoll.

Sun 21 Sept:

DUNGARVAN: 32 Brent Geese off the Cunnigar.

CLONEA STRAND: Juvenile Little Stint (different one than yesterday) & 3 adult Mediterranean Gulls at Ballinclamper.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler, 6 Chiffchaffs, 4 Goldcrests, Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Wheatears, 3 Tree Sparrows, 7 Lesser Redpolls & a Siskin.

Sat 20 Sept:

ARDMORE: Juvenile Little Stint on Curragh beach, & 7-8 Mediterranean Gulls.

CLONEA STRAND: Juvenile Little Stint & 8-9 juv Curlew Sandpipers, Ballinclamper.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Whinchat, Pied Flycatcher, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 6 Willow Warblers, 5 Chiffchaffs, 8 Goldcrests, a Tree Sparrow & 3 Siskins; also a Convolvulus Hawk-moth caught overnight.

Fri 19 Sept:

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Merlin, Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher & 4 Wheatears; migrant moths included a White-speck.

TRAMORE TOWN: Another White-speck.

Thurs 18 Sept:

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 1 MELODIOUS WARBLER still present, also a Pied Flycatcher & 4 Spotted Flycatchers).~

TRAMORE TOWN: White-speck moth.

RAM HEAD: 2 Minke Whales.

Weds 17 Sept:

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 2 Pied Flycatchers & 19 Silver Y moths.

DUNMORE ROAD (nr Waterford City): Adult Mediterranean Gull and juvenile male Ruff in flooded field behind Beckett's, for past week or more.

CLONEA STRAND: 2 Curlew Sandpipers at Ballinclamper.

Tues 16 Sept:

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 2 MELODIOUS WARBLERS & 2 Pied Flycatchers - along roadside in front of last few houses.

DUNGARVAN: A late Swift.~

ARDMORE: Adult BONAPARTE'S GULL - 3rd county record.

Mon 15 Sept:

HELVICK HEAD: Male Hen Harrier.

GREAT NEWTOWN HEAD: Delicate moth & 32 Silver Ys.

Sun 14 Sept:

ARDMORE: Lesser Whitethroat.

HELVICK HEAD: Green Sandpiper.

BUNMAHON: 2 Black Terns.~

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Spotted Flycatcher, Chiffchaff & 3 Goldcrests.

Sat 13 Sept:

BLACKWATER VALLEY: OSPREY still present, Dromana; female Hen Harrier at Newport.

WHITING BAY: 2nd-winter Mediterranean Gull.

ARDMORE: 4 adult Mediterranean Gulls.

BALLYQUINN (nr Ardmore): 1st-winter Mediterranean Gull & a Whinchat.

DUNGARVAN: Curlew Sandpiper at Barnawee, Kingfisher & 2 Mediterranean Gulls (adult & 2nd-winter) at Ballyneety.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Wheatear, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, 5 Chiffchaffs & 4+ Siskins. Migrant moths included a DARK MOTTLED WILLOW (Spodoptera cilium) - new to Ireland.

RATHMOYLAN COVE: 2 White Wagtails.

Fri 12 Sept:

BLACKWATER VALLEY: OSPREY still present, also a Merlin and 4 Green Sandpipers.

TRAMORE TOWN: Migrant moths included the pyralid Uresiphita gilvata.

Thurs 11 Sept:

DUNMORE ROAD (nr Waterford City): Juvenile male Ruff in flooded field behind Beckett's.

Weds 10 Sept:

BLACKWATER VALLEY: OSPREY.

HELVICK HEAD: Red-throated Diver, 9 Sooty Shearwaters, 20+ Storm Petrels & 2 Grey Phalaropes (seawatch 1845-2000 hrs).

Mon 8 & Sun 7 Sept:

BLACKWATER VALLEY: WHITE-TAILED EAGLE, presumed one of the birds released in Killarney National Park (Co Kerry) but no wing-tag details seen - also recorded in this area earlier in the year (8 April).

Sun 7 Sept:

RAM HEAD: 2 Storm Petrels & a Great Northern Diver.

CLONEA STRAND: Juvenile Black Tern (feeding offshore), 2 1st-winter Mediterranean Gulls & good numbers of White Wagtails, Ballinclamper.

BELLE LAKE: Juvenile Reed Warbler ringed, & 2 Water Rails calling.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Chiffchaff & 3 Willow Warblers.

Weds 3 Sept:

HELVICK HEAD: Great Skua, 7 Storm Petrels, 2 Common Scoter and a Puffin, also lots of Fulmars but few Manx Shearwaters (1-hr seawatch 1100-1200).

TRAMORE TOWN: White-speck moth.

~ = per www.irishbirding.com

.click below for larger images

Guillemots were also recorded close inshore at Dunmore East on 13 Sept (3-4) and at various Cork estuaries recently - food shortage, or just following sprats inshore?

littlestint_ballinclamper_21092008_09211micheal0045.jpg

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.

waterfordbirds.com