Waterford bird reports November 2011

November 2011

Check here for updates or further details, also Seawatch summaries.

Weds 30 Nov:

EAST WATERFORD: 3 Buzzards feeding on earthworms in same tillage field as yesterday.

Tues 29 Nov:

HACKETSTOWN (nr Portlaw): Merlin.

EAST WATERFORD: 2 Buzzards.

BLACKWATER CALLOWS: 60 Whooper Swans & 500 Black-tailed Godwits between Lismore & Ballyduff.

Mon 28 Nov:

Nr BALLYDUFF: SPOTTED SANDPIPER again on Blackwater, c1 mile upriver of Ballydiff bridge, also 3 Green Sandpipers & 2 Otters.

Sun 27 Nov:

Nr BALLYDUFF: SPOTTED SANDPIPER (3rd county record), 2 Green Sandpipers & Kingfisher on River Blackwater at Ballynerroon.

DRUM HILLS: 11 Crossbills near Barranastook.

DUNGARVAN: Green Sandpiper, 2 Kingfishers & 2 Chiffchaffs (1 eastern-type) at Brickey canal; Common Seal at Barnawee.

CLONEA STRAND: BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT (in front of Clone Strand Hotel), Black Redstart, 6 Great Northern Divers & 2 Common Seals.

BUNMAHON: 3 Fin Whales.

Sat 26 Nov:

BOATSTRAND: Late Swallow.

CLONEA STRAND: 5 Purple Sandpipers at Ballinclamper.

ARDMORE: Adult Mediterranean Gull at Curragh Beach.

FERRY POINT: Whimbrel.

Fri 25 Nov:

DUNGARVAN: Adult BLACK BRANT again at pitch & putt course.

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: 3rd-winter Yellow-legged Gull & 1st-winter Mediterranean Gull off Saleen.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 2 Fin Whales.

Thurs 24 Nov:

DUNGARVAN: Adult BLACK BRANT at pitch & putt course.

Weds 23 Nov:

CLONEA STRAND: BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT (video) & BLUETHROAT still present at Ballinclamper.

Tues 22 Nov:

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Female DESERT WHEATEAR (1st county, 8th Irish record).

CLONEA STRAND: BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT (3rd county record) now present with BLUETHROAT at Ballinclamper, also Curlew Sandpiper & 2 Purple Sandpipers there.

RAM HEAD: Short-eared Owl, Merlin & Black Redstart.

ANNESTOWN: 4-5 Fin Whales.

Mon 21 Nov:

CLONEA STRAND: BLUETHROAT (video) & 35+ Choughs at Ballinclamper

Sun 20 Nov:

CLONEA STRAND: 1st-year male BLUETHROAT at Ballinclamper (3rd county record) - video - also Purple Sandpiper & 3 Great Northern Divers.

DUNGARVAN: Black Redstart & 2 Great Northern Divers at Ballinacourty pier.

ARDMORE: 3 CRANES flew east (first confirmed county record), also Lesser Whitethroat, Brambling, Black Redstart, Tree Sparrow & Hen Harrier; 27 Tree Sparrows at Goat Island.

WHITING BAY: 4 Tree Sparrows at Ballysallagh, 2 Merlins.

Nr CLASHMORE: CRANES feeding in maize fields.

Sat 19 Nov:

DUNGARVAN: BLACK-NECKED GREBE & Grey Phalarope at Ballinacourty.

BALLYDWAN: Black Redstart.

SEAFIELD: Chiffchaff & 2 Green Sandpipers.

ANNESTOWN: Merlin & Fin Whale.

KILMACLEAGUE: 2 Yellowhammers.

SALEEN: Blackcap.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Blackcap.

EAST WATERFORD: 2 Buzzards.

DUNMORE EAST: 3 Purple Sandpipers.

Fri 18 Nov:

Nr KILMEADEN: Jack Snipe & 4 Woodcock.

Weds 16 Nov:

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: PALLAS'S WARBLER (3rd county record) in main willow garden.

Tues 15 Nov:

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Male Black Redstart.

MUGGORT'S BAY: 2 Fin Whales & 3 Common Dolphins.

Mon 14 Nov:

SEAFIELD: Woodcock.

Sun 13 Nov:

TRAMORE: 4 Gadwall at boating lake.

CLONEA STRAND: 7 Common Scoter W at Ballinard.
HELVICK HEAD: 9+ Great Skuas, a Manx Shearwater & a Red-throated Diver W (seawatch 15:00-16:30), also a Black Redstart.

ARDMORE: Adult Mediterranean Gull at Curragh Beach.
WHITING BAY: Adult Mediterranean Gull.
CALISO BAY: 5 Common Scoter E.

Sat 12 Nov:

Opposite CHEEKPOINT: CATTLE EGRET at Drumdowney Upper, Co Kilkenny (video). Also Otter at Cheekpoint.

DUNMORE EAST: 5 Purple Sandpipers.
TRAMORE: RED-NECKED GREBE & 10 Gadwall at Lisselan.
ANNESTOWN: Kingfisher.
Nr ANNESTOWN: 2 Tree Sparrows at Woodstown.
CLONEA STRAND: Fin Whale, 4 Great Skuas, 5 Great Northern Divers, 4 Red-throated Divers, adult Mediterranean Gull & 28 Common Scoters off Ballinclamper.

MINE HEAD: 4 Fin Whales.

Fri 11 Nov:

DUNGARVAN: Merlin at pitch & putt club.

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: Short-eared Owl near Pickardstown.

Tues 8 Nov:

TRAMORE: Long-eared Owl found dead on road at Lisselan.

Mon 7 Nov:

DUNGARVAN: HOBBY at the Cunnigar.

Off MINE HEAD: 6-7 Fin Whales (see IWDG website article & Autumnwatch, BBC2 Fri 11 Nov 8:30 pm).

Sun 6 Nov:

WEST WATERFORD (from boat): 6 Great Skuas, a Little Gull, hundreds of thrushes flying in off sea, Fin Whale & c250 Common Dolphins.

HELVICK HEAD: A late Spotted Flycatcher.

DUNGARVAN: 2 1st-winter Spotted Redshanks at Killongford.
CLONEA STRAND: 5-6 Killer Whales, 6+ Bottlenose Dolphins, 11 Great Northern Divers, 4 Red-throated Divers & a Sandwich Tern off Ballinclamper, also a Purple Sandpiper.

COOLFIN/DERRIGAL: 13 Greylag Geese & 5 Whooper Swans east at Derrigal.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Arctic Skua E, 5 Red-throated divers W (2 E) & 2 Porpoises (seawatch 08:10-10:10); also adult male Black Redstart, Wheatear & 15+ Lesser Redpolls.

Sat 5 Nov:

WHITING BAY: Whimbrel.

RAM HEAD: 3 Fin Whales.

ARDMORE: Sandwich Tern

HELVICK HEAD: 5 Blackcaps & a Fin Whale.

DUNGARVAN: Snow Bunting at the Cunnigar, Curlew Sandpiper at Ballyneety, juvenile Common Tern off pitch &putt course.

CLONEA STRAND: Short-eared Owl (video) & 3 Swallows at Ballinclamper, 17 Great Northern Divers & a Red-throated Diver offshore.

BALLYVOYLE: 2 Fin Whales.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 2 Tree Sparrows.

Fri 4 Nov:

RAM HEAD: Great Northern Diver & Red-throated Diver E, Pomarine Skua, 6 Arctic Skuas, 4 Great Skuas, Fin Whale, Porpoise & 200+ Common Dolphins (seawatch 13:45-15:30).

WATERFORD CITY: 8 Redwing near Whitfield Clinic.

Tues 1 Nov:

ARDMORE: 19+ Mediterranean Gulls at Curragh beach (mostly adult & 1st-winter, 1 2nd-winter) - highest ever Co Waterford count; 1st-winter Ring Ouzel still at St Declan's Well.

BALLYDWAN: Merlin.

BUNMAHON: Kingfisher on River Mahon, 9 Swallows flying south.