Waterford Birds www.waterfordbirds.com

Home | Waterford bird species list | Recent reports | 2024 photos | 2023 reports | 2023 photos | 2022 photos | 2021 photos | 2020 photos | What to report? | Species status summaries | Where to watch | Record & rarity archives | Photo archive | Video archive | Waterford Bird Atlas | Bird ringing | Other surveys/projects | Miscellaneous | Links

Bird reports for April 2012

 
Waterford bird records April 2012 (details subject to verification or correction)
older records - archive

waterfordbirds_manx.jpg

submit your sightings - email or text 0861701599
submit records to BirdTrack or Bird Atlas
older records - archive
national records - www.irishbirding.com

April 2012
 
Check here for updates or further details
 
Sun 29 Apr
DUNGARVAN:  Swift near hospital.
 
Sat 28 Apr
ANNESTOWN:  Common Sandpiper (1st of year), Whitethroat (1st of year) & 2 Grasshopper Warblers.
DUNHILL:  House Martin & 6 Wheatears.
KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR:  2 Common Sandpipers, a Swift & 3 House Martins.
BALLINLOUGH:  Common Sandpiper, Sedge Warbler & Grasshopper Warbler.
SEAFIELD/BUNMAHON:  20+ Wheatears & 8 Blackcaps.
BALLYVOONEY:  17 Common Scoter.
BALLYVOYLE:  2 Common Sandpipers.
BALLYNACOURTY POINT:  100+ Whimbrel & 9 Wheatears at Gold Coast golf-course.
HELVICK HEAD:  Blackcap & Wheatear.
CROHAUN:  Long-eared Owl.
ARAGLIN HILLS:  Crossbill at Knockadoonlea, Grasshopper Warbler at Knocknaglogh, Red Squirrel nr Kingston Bridge.
 
Fri 27 Apr:
BALLINLOUGH:  Cuckoo & 2nd-calendar-yr Iceland Gull.
SEAFIELD:  Swift.
 
Thurs 26 Apr:
DUNGARVAN:  Swift (1st of year) over Clonea road.
LICKY RIVER:  Water Rail & c10 Blackcaps nr Ballyheeny bridge.
WHITING BAY:  3 House Martins.
MONATRAY WEST:  17 Whimbrel.
 
Weds 25 Apr:
DUNGARVAN:  11 White Wagtails at the Cunnigar.
HELVICK HEAD:  Blackcap.
 
Sun 22 Apr:
ARDMORE:  23 Whimbrel & 2nd-winter Iceland Gull at Curragh strand.
CLONEA STRAND:  Great Skua W, 4 Great Northern Divers, 104 Whimbrel & 5 White Wagtails at Ballinclamper.
KILFARRASY:  95 Whimbrel W.
Nr FENOR:  16 Chough E of Fenor Bog, Grasshopper Warbler north of Islandtarnsey.
DUAGH (nr Tramore Rd):  Dipper.
BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 6+ Whimbrel W & 2 Tree Sparrows.
 
Sat 21 Apr:
Nr TALLOW:  7 Crossbills (including pair with 3 juvs) & 2 Jays, Coolbeggan forest.
BLACKWATER/TALLOW FORESTS:  Male Hen Harrier.
WEST WATERFORD:  Buzzard at two locations.
Nr WHITING BAY:  4 Tree Sparrows at Ballysallagh.
BALLYMACART LOWER:  Sedge Warbler .
CLONEA STRAND:  Common Scoter, 23 Whimbrel & 3 White Wagtails at Ballinclamper.
CASTLETOWN / BALLYKINSELLA:  Cuckoo.
MONAMITRA BOG:  Water Rail.
 
Fri 20 Apr:
CARRIGNAGOUR / MONEYGORM:  Grasshopper Warblers more widespread today.
 
Thurs 19 Apr:
BUNMAHON:  PURPLE HERON still present.
CARRIGNAGOUR / MONEYGORM (N of Lismore):  4+ Grasshopper Warblers singing (1st confirmed of year).
 
Weds 18 Apr:
SEAFIELD / BUNMAHON:  PURPLE HERON
.
ARDMORE:  9 Whimbrel at Curragh.
 
Tues 17 Apr:
SEAFIELD / BUNMAHON:  PURPLE HERON again present (last seen 1st April, if same bird).
MONEYGORM (nr Lismore):  Woodcock & Jay.
 
Sun 15 Apr:
SEAFIELD:  Sedge Warbler singing (1st of year) & House Martin.
DUNGARVAN:  Adult Ring-billed Gull at Ballyneety.
DRUM HILLS:  2 Crossbills (adult male & female) at Coolroe.
COMERAGH MOUNTAINS:  Crossbills singly nr Knockatedaun and (singing male) nr Barravakeen. 
RAM HEAD:  6 Basking Sharks.
 
Sat 14 Apr:
NIER VALLEY:  Drumming Snipe nr Castlereagh.
BLACKWATER VALLEY:  Sandwich Tern (slightly upriver) at Newport East, also 2 Holly Blue butterflies.
Nr CLASHMORE:  Dipper at Licky Bridge.
WHITING BAY:  2 1st-yr Iceland Gulls (").
ARDMORE:  Whimbrel.
COMERAGH MOUNTAINS:  Male Hen Harrier.
MONAVULLAGH MOUNTAINS:  Female/imm Hen Harrier.
CLONEA STRAND:  7 Whimbrel & 8 White Wagtails at Ballinclamper.
BOATSTRAND:  2nd-winter Glaucous Gull.
BROWNSTOWN HEAD:  2 Blackcaps, 2 Wheatears & 2 Tree Sparrows.
EAST WATERFORD:  Buzzard.
 
Fri 13 Apr:
Nr FEWS:  Long-eared Owl.
 
Weds 11 Apr:
Nr VILLIERSTOWN:  Cuckoo (1st of year).
ARDMORE:  2nd-winter Iceland Gull at Curragh strand.
TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  Long-tailed Duck.
 
Tues 10 Apr:
DUNGARVAN:  Greylag Goose at Ballyneety.
 
Mon 9 Apr:
HELVICK:  Jay.
 
Sun 8 Apr:
KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR:  Female RING-NECKED DUCK.
WEST WATERFORD:  Buzzard.
BOATSTRAND:  Glaucous Gull.
BROWNSTOWN HEAD:  'SIBERIAN' CHIFFCHAFF still present, Tree Sparrow & 16 Willow Warblers.
BELLE LAKE:  Water Rail.
 
Sat 7 Apr:
Nr TALLOW:  6 Crossbills.
WHITING BAY:  1st-year Iceland Gull & White Wagtail.
 
Fri 6 Apr:
VARIOUS SITES:  Swallows fairly widespread today, including Aglish (1), Boatstrand (2) Knockaderry Reservoir (3) and Riverstown, Tramore (1). Sandwich Terns, Wheatears, Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs and probably Blackcaps & Sand Martins also fairly widespread (as migrants or on territory) by now; House Martins still scarce.
DRUM HILLS:  7 Crossbills & 11+ singing Willow Warblers, near Barranastook (east of Aglish).
BLACKWATER VALLEY:  Blackcap singing at Clashmore broads.
WHITING BAY:  1st-winter Iceland Gull.
ARDMORE:  Female Hen Harrier.
CLONEA STRAND:  5 Great Northern Divers & 2 Whimbrel.
BOATSTRAND:  2nd-winter Glaucous Gull.
KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR:  Female RING-NECKED DUCK, also 3 newly-hatched Little Grebe chicks (very early).
EAST WATERFORD:  3 Buzzards.
 
Thurs 5 Apr:
ARDMORE:  1st-winter Iceland Gull & 6 Sand Martins at Curragh beach, Swallow & Wheatear at Ballyquin.
EAST WATERFORD:  Buzzard.
TRAMORE BACKSTRAND:  10+ Gadwall at Pickardstown.
 
Tues 3 Apr:
EAST WATERFORD:  Buzzard at two locations.
BALLYMACARBRY:  Blackcaps singing.
 
Mon 2 Apr:
CLONEA STRAND:  High count of 26+ Black Guillemots off Ballinard.
DUNGARVAN:  Kingfisher at the Colligan.
RAM HEAD:  2nd-winter Iceland Gull, 4 Manx Shearwaters (1st of year), 4 Great Northern Divers & 6 Basking Sharks.
CAPPOQUIN:  Otter & 4 Sand Martins.
 
Sun 1 Apr:
BROWNSTOWN HEAD:  'SIBERIAN' CHIFFCHAFF still present (1st-summer, ringed today) (video), 3 Willow Warblers, female Ring Ouzel (video & here), Black Redstart & Merlin.
BUNMAHON / SEAFIELD:  PURPLE HERON still present.
WATERFORD HARBOUR:  Swallow at Woodstown.
RIVER BLACKWATER:  3 young Otters at Lismore.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

.click below for larger images,
or see larger-format photo-gallery (Apr)

sanderling_ballinclamper_28040212_dc_img_4563_medium.jpg
Sanderling, summer plumage, Ballinclamper, Clonea Strand, 28 Apr 2012 © D Clarke

sanderling_ballinclamper_28040212_dc_img_4565_medium.jpg

hh_monavullaghs_27042012_img_4198_medium.jpg
Hen Harrier, male, Monavullagh Mountains, 27 Apr 2012 © D Clarke

hh_monavullaghs_27042012_img_4197_medium.jpg

blacktg_ballyneety_26042012_dc_img_3329_medium.jpg
Black-tailed Godwit, Ballyneety, Dungarvan, 26 Apr 2012 © D Clarke

gnd_ballinard_24042012_dc_img_3790_medium.jpg
Great Northern Diver, Ballinard, Clonea Strand, 24 Apr 2012 © D Clarke

gnd_ballinard_24042012_dc_img_3774_medium.jpg

siskin_male_strandside_21042012_dc_img_3700_medium.jpg
Siskin, male, Strandside, Dungarvan, 21 Apr 2012 © D Clarke

taillessww2_adm_20042012.jpg
tailless Willow Warbler, Carrignagour, 20 Apr 2012 © AD Malcolm - lost during territorial dispute?

taillessww1_adm_20042012.jpg

whimbrel_curragh_adm_18042012.jpg
Whimbrel, Curragh strand, Ardmore, 18 Apr 2012 © AD Malcolm

sandwich_curragh_adm_18042012_tidesl.jpg
Sandwich Terns, Curragh strand, Ardmore, 18 Apr 2012 © AD Malcolm

purhe_bunmahon_17042012_mc_snv39010.jpg
Purple Heron, Seafield / Bunmahon, 17 Apr 2012 © M Cowming

woodcock_moneygorm_17042012_ci_img_6943.jpg
Woodcock, Moneygorm, 17 Apr 2012 © C Ind

jay_moneygorm_17042012_ci_img_6943.jpg
Jay, Moneygorm, 17 Apr 2012 © C Ind

starling_tallow_07042012_pmw_dsc_3534.jpg
leucistic Starling, Tallowbridge, 7 Apr 2012 © PM Walsh

kingfisher_colligan_02042012_dc_img_2630_medium.jpg
Kingfisher, Colligan, Dungarvan, 2 Apr 2012 © D Clarke

kingfisher_colligan_02042012_dc_img_2617_medium.jpg

otter_cappoquin_02042012_dc_img_2489_medium.jpg
Otter, Cappoquin, 2 Apr 2012 © D Clarke

otter_cappoquin_02042012_dc_img_2472_medium.jpg

greyheron_cappoquin_02042012_dc_img_2508_medium.jpg
Grey Heron, Cappoquin, 2 Apr 2012 © D Clarke

otter400_lismore_adm_01042012.jpg
Otters, river Blackwater at Lismore, 1 Apr 2012 © AD Malcolm

otter394_lismore_adm_01042012.jpg

rouzel_brownstown_01042012_mc_snv38981.jpg
Ring Ouzel, Brownstown Head, 1 Apr 2012 © M Cowming

rouzel_brownstown_01042012_mc_snv38975.jpg

rouzel_brownstown_01042012_dw_029.jpg
Ring Ouzel, Brownstown Head, 1 Apr 2012 © D Weldon

rouzel_brownstown_01042012_dw_027.jpg

sibechiff_brownstown_01042012_pmw_dscn1533.jpg
Siberian Chiffchaff, 1st-summer, Brownstown Head, 1 Apr 2012 © PM Walsh

sibechiff_brownstown_01042012_pmw_dscn1528.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.

Fatbirder's Top
                  500 Birding Websites

waterfordbirds.com