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October 2011
Mon 31 Oct:
HELVICK HEAD: 3 'Blue' Fulmars, juvenile LONG-TAILED SKUA, 14
Pomarine Skuas, 27 Arctic Skuas, 30 Great
Skuas, 4 1st-winter Little Gulls, 5 Red-throated Divers, Storm
Petrel, petrel species, 4 Manx Shearwaters & 2 Sandwich Terns W ( seawatch 09:10-11:00 & 12:20-13:05). DUNGARVAN: 2 Mediterranean Gulls (adult & 1st-winter) at Barnawee, 1st-winter Mediterranean Gull & 2 Curlew Sandpipers at Ballyneety.
CLONEA STRAND: Purple Sandpiper at Ballinard.
Sun 30 Oct:
WATERFORD HARBOUR: Short-eared Owl near Cheekpoint.
DUNMORE EAST: Purple Sandpiper. BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Arctic Skua E, Pomarine
Skua, 2 Great Northern Divers, 34 Brent Geese, 355 Kittiwakes, Sandwich Tern & 'Commic' Tern W ( seawatch 08:00-10:00), also a Porpoise, Red-throated Diver, Wheatear & Tree Sparrow. TRAMORE:
Great Skua over Backstrand, 2 1st-winter Mediterranean Gulls at boating
lake. BALLYVOYLE: Merlin & Black Redstart. DUNGARVAN:
Great Northern Diver off Ballynagaul.
Sat 29 Oct:
ARDMORE: 1st-winter Ring Ouzel & 3 Blackcaps nr St Declan's Well, Great Northern
Diver over bay, Snow Bunting & 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls at Curragh
beach.
HELVICK HEAD: Balearic Shearwater W, 12 Great Skuas (8 W),
2 Arctic Skuas, 3 Pomarine Skuas & a juvenile Little
Gull W ( seawatch 16:40-17:40), also 3 Blackcaps & 4+ Tree Sparrows. CLONEA STRAND: 8+ Great Skuas, 4+ Arctic Skuas, 2 Pomarine
Skuas & a juvenile Little Gull off Ballinclamper.
BUNMAHON:
Great Skua & Merlin.
Fri 28 Oct:
ARDMORE: Snow Bunting still present at Curragh strand, also 3 adult Mediterranean
Gulls.
WHITING BAY: Adult Mediterranean Gull.
BLACKWATER VALLEY: 16 Whooper Swans at Camphire.
CARRIGNAGOUR (nr Lismore): 10+ Crossbills.
Thurs 27 Oct:
TRAMORE: 1 Snow Bunting still
present near sandhills, also a Wheatear, & 3 White-fronted Geese flew NW over backstrand.
SEAFIELD: Redwings overhead tonight.
ARDMORE: Another Snow Bunting, 3 Mediterranean Gulls &
a Wheatear at Curragh strand.
RAM HEAD: Great Northern Diver E, Pomarine Skua, 3 Arctic Skuas,
Black Tern, Fin Whale, 3 Risso's Dolphins,
100+ Common Dolphins ( seawatch 11:05-13:05), also a Merlin & Clouded Yellow. CARRIGNAGOUR (nr Lismore): Crossbills still visiting garden.
Weds 26 Oct:
TRAMORE: 2 Snow Buntings & female
Merlin just west of the sandhills.
Tues 25 Oct:
HELVICK HEAD: Garden Warbler,
2 late Willow Warblers, 4+ Tree Sparrows & 20+ Bullfinches.
DUNGARVAN: Adult Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 500+ Pale-bellied Brent & 5+ Wheatears
at the Cunnigar.
WATERFORD CITY: Wheatear at WIT.
Mon 24 Oct:
DUNGARVAN: Snow Bunting & Short-eared Owl at the Cunnigar, Green Sandpiper, 2 Kingfishers & 20 Long-tailed Tits at Brickey canal.
TRAMORE: Mediterranean Gull at boating lake.
Sun 23 Oct:
HELVICK HEAD: 2 Arctic Skuas, Great Skua, Arctic Tern & 195 Fulmars W (seawatch 15:10-16:10).
TRAMORE: 1st-winter Mediterranean Gull at boating lake.
BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Tree Sparrow.
Sat 22 Oct:
HELVICK HEAD: 4 1st-winter Little Gulls, 3
Pomarine Skuas, 10 Arctic Skuas, 5 Great Skuas,
Common Scoter & Red-throated Diver (seawatch 08:30-11:30), also a Black Redstart.
Fri 21 Oct:
BALLINARD / BALLYNACOURTY POINT: 2 1st-winter Little
Gulls, 5 Pomarine Skuas, 6 Arctic Skuas & 4 Great
Skuas (seawatch 16:15-17:00), 2 Red-throated Divers & a Great Northern Diver .
HELVICK HEAD: Blackcap , 2 late Willow Warblers, 4 Chiffchaffs & good numbers of Redpoll & Siskin.
Weds 19 Oct:
RAM HEAD: Whooper Swan flew past, 2 Little
Gulls, 7+ Fin Whales, 100+ Common Dolphins & a Clouded
Yellow.
ARDMORE: 3 Mediterranean Gulls, Wheatear & lots of Swallows & Sand Martins at
Curragh strand
Tues 18 Oct:
CARRICKAVANTRY: Queen of Spain Fritillary
(only 3rd Irish record of this migrant butterfly).
TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: Female Merlin.
Mon 17 Oct:
CARRIGNAGOUR (nr Lismore): Redwings (later than usual this location).
CLONEA
STRAND: 2 Black Redstarts at Ballinclamper.
Sun 16 Oct:
CARRIGNAGOUR (nr Lismore): Redwings (later than usual this location).
CLONEA
STRAND: 2nd-winter Mediterranean Gull at Ballinclamper.
Nr BUNMAHON: Black
Redstart & Whinchat at small cove west of Bunmahon.
BUNMAHON: 2 Green
Sandpipers, Kingfisher & a Clouded Yellow.
BROWNSTOWN
HEAD: Blackcap, 4 Tree Sparrows, 2 Migrant Hawkers, 17 Red
Admirals & a Clouded Yellow.
EAST WATERFORD: 5 Buzzards.
Sat 15 Oct:
EAST WATERFORD: Buzzard.
TRAMORE: Adult Mediterranean Gull at boating
lake.
BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 2 Great Skuas E, Arctic Skua E &
W, Red-throated Diver & diver species W (seawatch 08:55-12:00).
RATHMOYLAN COVE: Black Redstart.
Fri 14 Oct:
CLONEA STRAND: Great Northern Diver, 3 juvenile Little
Gulls, 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Arctic Terns & a stint species.
BALLYMACART LOWER: Black Redstart.
Thurs 13 Oct:
EAST WATERFORD: 2 Buzzards.
WATERFORD BY-PASS: Total of 6 Kestrels, Kilmeaden to toll-booth, & a dead Polecat/Ferret
hybrid (escaped or feral?) at old Kilmeaden roundabout.
Weds 12 Oct:
WHITING BAY: Juvenile Long-tailed Duck.
RAM HEAD: 2 Arctic Skuas W, a Great Skua E & 65+ House
Martins flew S ( seawatch 15:15-16:55).
BUNMAHON: Green Sandpiper & Blackcap.
Tues 11 Oct:
CARRIGNAGOUR (nr Lismore): 5 Crossbills.
CLONEA STRAND: 2 Arctic Skuas.
SEAFIELD: Female/immature Hen Harrier.
CLONEA STRAND: Black-throated Diver
& Arctic Skua.
WEST WATERFORD: Buzzard.
HELVICK HEAD: Clouded Yellow butterfly.
DUNGARVAN: Clouded Yellow at Ballynagaul.
CLONEA STRAND: Juvenile Little Gull & Arctic
Skua off Ballinclamper.
COMERAGH MOUNTAINS: Female/immature Hen Harrier.
Sat 8 Oct:
WHITING BAY: Juvenile AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER
& 60+ Siskins.
ARDMORE: 7 Mediterranean Gulls (5 adults,
1 1st-winter & 1 2nd-winter) at Curragh beach; 20+ Tree Sparrows & a Willow Warbler at
Goat Island.
HELVICK: Flyover Great Northern Diver, Merlin and
20+ Redpoll.
CLONEA: Adult Mediterranean Gull @ Ballinclamper.
TRAMORE:
370 Brent Geese in Backstrand, 2nd-winter Mediterranean Gull off Saleen, & 3 Mediterranean
Gulls (1st-winter & 2 adults) at boating lake.
BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 'GREENLAND/
ICELAND' REDPOLL (rostrata/islandica) & 38 Lesser Redpolls ringed, 2+ Siskins.
Fri 7 Oct:
CLONEA STRAND: WRYNECK.
RAM HEAD: 2 Fin Whales & 10 Common Dolphins.
ARDMORE: Adult Mediterranean Gull.
DUNGARVAN: 60+ Brent Geese at the Cunnigar.
BUNMAHON: Clouded Yellow.
TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: 162 Brent Geese.
BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Black Redstart,
Spotted Flycatcher, 4 female Blackcaps, 8 Chiffchaffs, 15+ Lesser Redpolls, 50+ Siskins (flew W), 70+ Goldfinches, 2 Tree Sparrows, 35+ Swallows, 160 Skylarks & a Migrant Hawker dragonfly.
CLONEA STRAND: Pomarine Skua at Ballinclamper.
BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Whinchat & Spotted Flycatcher.
Weds 5 Oct:
SEAFIELD: Quail.
BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Sooty Shearwater,
8 Great Skuas & 2 Arctic Skuas west, 2 Common Scoters east, Red-throated
Diver on sea (seawatch 09:40-11:40); Spotted Flycatcher.
Tues 4 Oct:
KNOCKMEALDOWN MOUNTAINS: 3 Red Grouse.
DUNGARVAN: 6 Curlew Sandpipers
& 2 Ruff at Ballyneety.
BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Whinchat, 3
Blackcaps, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Tree Sparrows, 2+ Siskins, & 29 Lesser Redpolls (ringed).
Migrant moths trapped tonight included 5 Vestal.
RATHMOYLAN COVE: 8+ White Wagtails
& a Blackcap.
Mon 3 Oct:
BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 1st-winter BARRED WARBLER
still present (video), 2 Spotted Flycatchers, a Willow Warbler, small nos of Chiffchaffs, female Blackcap, 5 Wheatears & 2 Tree
Sparrows. Migrant moths trapped tonight included Antigastra catalaunalis (site
1st), Convolvulus Hawk-moth, Scarce Bordered Straw & 4 Vestal.
DUNMORE EAST: Blackcap.
TRAMORE TOWN: Small Marbled moth.
Sun 2 Oct:
BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 1st-winter BARRED WARBLER, Whinchat, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 6 Blackcaps, 2 Tree Sparrows &
a Migrant Hawker dragonfly; Pomarine Skua, 6 Arctic
Skuas, 2 Great Skuas, 3 Arctic Terns & a Red-throated Diver
W (seawatch 08:30-11:30).
HELVICK HEAD: YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER & 6 Hummingbird
Hawk-moths.
Sat 1 Oct:
BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Whinchat, Spotted Flycatcher, 4 Blackcaps, 13 Chiffchaffs & 2 Vestal moths; another 9
Vestal, a Convolvulus Hawk-moth, Gem, Palpita vitrealis & Spoladea (Hymenia) recurvalis trapped
overnight. The last-named is new to Ireland (along with 4 trapped at Kilpatrick sand-dunes, Co Wexford the same night).
TRAMORE TOWN: Palpita vitrealis, Small
Marbled & Vestal.
ARDMORE: Adult Mediterranean Gull & a Blackcap.
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.click below for larger images,
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| Great Crested Grebe, Ballynacourty pier, Dungarvan, 31 Oct 2011 © D Clarke |
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| Shoprt-eared Owl, near Cheekpoint, 30 Oct 2011 © A Harrington |
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| Ring Ouzel, 1st-winter, Ardmore, 29 Oct 2011 © D Weldon |
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| Snow Bunting, Curragh, Ardmore, 27 Oct 2011 © A Malcolm |
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| partially leucistic Hooded Crow, Curragh, Ardmore, 27 Oct 2011 © A Malcolm |
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| Merlin, Ram Head, 27 Oct 2011 © A Malcolm |
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| Dark-bellied Brent Goose, the Cunnigar, Dungarvan, 25 Oct 2011 © C Flynn |
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| Snow Bunting, the Cunnigar, Dungarvan, 24 Oct 2011 © D Clarke |
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| Long-tailed tit, Brickey canal, Dungarvan, 24 Oct 2011 © D Clarke |
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| Chough, Curragh strand, Ardmore, 19 Oct 2011 © A Malcolm |
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| Mediterranean Gull, adult, Curragh strand, Ardmore, 19 Oct 2011 © A Malcolm |
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| Bar-tailed Godwits, Curragh strand, Ardmore, 19 Oct 2011 © A Malcolm |
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| Black Redstart, Ballinclamper, 17 Oct 2011 © D Clarke |
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| Common Hawker, nr Lismore, 16 Oct 2011 © A Malcolm |
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| Little Gull, juveniles, Clonea Strand, 14 Oct 2011 © P Archer |
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| Great Northern Diver, Clonea Strand, 14 Oct 2011 © P Archer |
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| Goldcrest, nr Lismore, 14 Oct 2011 © C Ind |
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| Buzzard, east Co Waterford, 13 Oct 2011 © D Clarke |
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| Polecat/Ferret hybrid, old Kilmeaden roundabout, 13 Oct 2011 © D Clarke |
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| Crossbill, Carrignagour, 11 Oct 2011 © A Malcolm |
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| Wryneck, Ballinclamper, Clonea strand, 7 Oct 2011 © P Sheridan |
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| Mediterranean Gull, Ardmore, 7 Oct 2011 © A Malcolm |
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| Little Egret, juvenile, 7 Oct 2011 © A Malcolm |
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| Brent Goose, 7 Oct 2011 © A Malcolm |
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| Black Redstart, Brownstown Head, 7 Oct 2011 © PM Walsh |
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| Antigastra catalaunalis, a migratory pyralid moth, Brownstown Head, 3 Oct 2011 © PM Walsh |
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| Blair's Shoulder-knot, Brownstown Head, 3 Oct 2011 © PM Walsh - 1st recorded in Co Waterford in 2010 |
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| Barred warbler, 1st-winter, Brownstown Head, 3 Oct 2011 © P Archer |
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| Yellow-browed Warbler, Helvick Head, 2 Oct 2011 © D Clarke |
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| Spoladea recurvalis, Brownstown Head, 1 Oct 2011 © PM Walsh - 1st Irish (with 4 Wexford same night) |
Part of a big arrival of migrant & vagrant moths, four individuals of this
migratory pyralid - Spoladea (Hymenia) recurvalis - were trapped at Kilpatrick sand dunes in Co Wexford and
one at Brownstown Head the night of 1st/2nd October - the first Irish records. A further two were trapped at Barnland, Co
Wexford the following night (2nd/3rd Oct), and one was seen by day at Ballagan Point, Co Louth on 3rd Oct. Full details at
www.mothsireland.com/migrants.htm.
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| Convolvulus Hawk-moth, Brownstown Head, 1 Oct 2011 © PM Walsh |
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