Waterford bird reports September 2011

September 2011

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

Fri 30 Sep:

TRAMORE TOWN: Migrant moths trapped tonight included a Tunbridge Wells Gem (2nd Irish record), Antigastra catalaunalis, Palpita vitrealis, Small Marbled, Convolvulus Hawk-moth & 3 Vestal.

Thurs 29 Sep:

CLONEA STRAND: Balearic Shearwater, juvenile SABINE'S GULL, 3 Roseate Terns, 3 Arctic Skuas & 3 Mediterranean Gulls (2 adults & a 2nd-winter) at Ballinclamper.

DUNGARVAN: 2 juvenile Ruffs & 3 juvenile Curlew Sandpipers at Ballyneety.

HELVICK HEAD: MARSH HARRIER & Arctic Skua.

ARDMORE: 4 1st-winter Mediterranean Gulls at Curragh beach.

WHITING BAY: Adult Mediterranean Gull & 10+ White Wagtails.

TRAMORE TOWN: Migrants moths included a Convolvulus Hawk-moth, Small Marbled, Scarce Bordered Straw & Vestal.

Mon 26 Sep:

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: Corncrake heard at Lisselan this afternoon.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Arctic Skua & 12 Wheatears.

CLONEA STRAND: 1st-winter Mediterranean Gull at Ballinclamper.

Sun 25 Sep:

HELVICK HEAD: Juvenile SABINE'S GULL, Great Shearwater, 5 Balearic Shearwaters, 5 Sooty Shearwaters, 'Blue' Fulmar, 4 Storm Petrels, 2 Grey Phalaropes, 20 Great Skuas, 10 Arctic Skuas, 5 juvenile Black Terns, Little Tern, 20+ Roseate Terns, 3 Puffins & 1-2 Porpoises (seawatch 12:00-17:00), also a Merlin.

DUNGARVAN: SPOONBILL on the Cunnigar.

Sat 24 Sep:

CLONEA STRAND: White Wagtail, 5 Roseate Terns, Arctic Skua and summer plumage Great Northern Diver.
DUNGARVAN: Juvenile Curlew Sandpiper, juvenile Ruff, adult Mediterranean Gull & Green Sandpiper at Ballyneety.
HELVICK HEAD: Up to 10 Blackcaps.

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: Kingfisher at Pickardstown.

Fri 23 Sep:

CLONEA STRAND: 6 Arctic Skuas, 2 Storm Petrels, 2 Grey Phalaropes & 2 Roseate Terns (adult & juvenile) off Ballinclamper.

Thurs 22 Sep:

KNOCKMEALDOWN MOUNTAINS: Juvenile Hen Harrier.

Tues 20 Sep:

RAM HEAD: Balearic Shearwater, Great Skua W, Storm Petrel E, 7 Common Scoter E, 100 Common Dolphins & a Fin Whale (seawatch 08:30-10:10), also 13+ Wheatears.

DUNGARVAN: First Redwing of the autumn, at the Pike.

EAST WATERFORD: 2 Buzzards.

Sun 18 Sep:

HELVICK HEAD: 3 Balearic Shearwaters, 2 Arctic Skuas & a Great Skua W & 8 Common Scoter W (4 E) (seawatch 07:55-11:00).

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: Spotted Redshank west of spits, juvenile Little Stint & 3 White Wagtails off Lisselan, juvenile Ruff at racecourse lake, & 18 Brent Geese.

Sat 17 Sep:

SEAFIELD: Yellow Wagtail flew over.

DUNGARVAN: 1 PECTORAL SANDPIPER, sub-adult SPOONBILL & a Curlew Sandpiper at the Cunnigar.

WHITING BAY: 15 Tree Sparrows at Ballysallagh, 3 White Wagtails & 170 Ringed Plover on beach.

BALLYQUIN: 3rd-winter Yellow-legged Gull.

CLONEA STRAND: Arctic Skua W & 10+ Arctic Terns at Ballinclamper.

WATERFORD CITY: 2 Swifts W with large numbers of Swallows & House Martins.

Fri 16 Sep:

HELVICK HEAD: 2 LONG-TAILED SKUAS (adult & juvenile), 2 juvenile SABINE'S GULLS, 3 Balearic Shearwaters, 10 Sooty Shearwaters, 2 Storm Petrels, 4 petrel sp (probably Storm), 1 Grey Phalarope, 2 Pomarine Skuas, 30+ Arctic Skuas, 8 Great Skuas, 3 juvenile Black Terns & 4 Porpoises (seawatch 09:00-12:30 & 13:15-17:30).

BLACKWATER VALLEY: Otter opposite Dromana.

Thurs 15 Sep:

DUNGARVAN: 2 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS (video), 2 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, sub-adult SPOONBILL & a Grasshopper Warbler at the Cunnigar; 2 juvenile Curlew Sandpipers & an adult Mediterranean Gull at Ballyneety
HELVICK HEAD: Male and female Common Scoter at mouth of bay, Spotted Flycatcher & small numbers of Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps & Whitethroats.
CLONEA STRAND: Juvenile Mediterranean Gull and 1-2 small skuas offshore.

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: Spotted Redshank at Pickardstown, 2 Spotted Flycatchers at Saleen.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 7 Tree Sparrows & a Spotted Flycatcher .

Weds 14 Sep:

DUNGARVAN: Kingfisher at Barnawee and 2 Mediterranean Gulls (adult '3H97' & juvenile) at Ballyneety.
ANNESTOWN: Kingfisher.
TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: Kingfisher at Clohernagh; Spotted Redshank (video) & 2 juvenile Curlew Sandpipers at Pickardstown.

EAST WATERFORD: Wing-tagged Buzzard , ringed as a chick in east Cork.

Tues 13 Sep:

DUNGARVAN: Juvenile Mediterranean Gull & 2 juvenile Curlew Sandpipers.
ARDMORE: Adult Mediterranean Gull on beach.

WHITING BAY: Juvenile Mediterranean Gull.
VARIOUS: White Wagtails at Ballinclamper, Ballyquin, Ardmore & Whiting Bay.

Mon 12 Sep:

DUNGARVAN: 2 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS & a PECTORAL SANDPIPER at the Cunnigar.

HELVICK HEAD: 5 Storm Petrel (4 W), 2 Great Skuas W, 4 Arctic Skuas (2 E, 2 W), Little Tern W, 25+ Arctic Terns & a Porpoise (seawatch 09:55-11:55).

KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR: 2 Common Sandpipers & a White Wagtail.

BALLYSHUNNOCK RESERVOIR: Whooper/Mute Swan hybrid (video).

CLONEA STRAND: 4 White Wagtails at Ballinclamper.

WHITING BAY: 2 White Wagtails.

Sun 11 Sep:

DUNGARVAN: 2 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS (video), 2 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS (video), SPOONBILL (video), 3 Curlew Sandpipers, juvenile Mediterranean Gull & a Spotted Flycatcher at the Cunnigar.

HELVICK HEAD: 3 adult SABINE'S GULLS, single Balearic Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater, Storm Petrel, Grey Phalarope, small numbers of Arctic Terns, & a Porpoise (seawatch 13:48-14:48).

CLONEA STRAND: 4 Roseate Terns, 2 Arctic Terns & 4 White Wagtails at Ballinclamper.

WATERFORD CITY: A late Swift over the quay.

Sat 10 Sep:

HELVICK HEAD: CORY'S SHEARWATER, Great Shearwater, 3 Balearic Shearwaters, 30+ Sooty Shearwater, 6+ Storm Petrels, 25+ Grey Phalaropes, Pomarine Skua, 20+ Arctic Skuas, 12 Great Skuas, 6 SABINES GULLS (3 adults & 3

juveniles), juvenile Little Gull, & 2 Little Terns, also 1000+ Manx Shearwaters W per hour (seawatch 12:00-18:00).

DUNGARVAN: BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, 3 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS & a Curlew Sandpiper.

WHITING BAY: 3 Great Skuas.

ARDMORE: 2 Mediterranean Gulls (adult & 1st-winter) & Comon Sandpiper at Curragh beach.

Fri 9 Sep:

KILMEADEN POOLS: 2 juvenile PECTORAL SANDPIPERS still present, also 3 White Wagtails.

CLONEA STRAND: 12 Arctic Terns at Ballinclamper (video) .

RAM HEAD: Balearic Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater, Great Skua & Puffin W (seawatch 17:10-18:40).

Thurs 8 Sep:

KILMEADEN POOLS: 2 juvenile PECTORAL SANDPIPERS (video) & a Chough.

CLONEA STRAND: Adult Roseate Tern & 4 Arctic Terns at Ballinclamper, 4 Sooty Shearwaters off Ballinard.

ARDMORE: 2 Mediterranean Gulls (adult & 1st-winter) & an Arctic Skua.

GLENDALOUGHIN (nr Nire Valley): 2 Gem moths.

Weds 7 Sep:

DUNGARVAN: 2nd-summer Mediterranean Gull at Barnawee.

CLONEA STRAND: Juvenile Ruff, juvenile Mediterranean Gull & 4 Arctic Terns (2 adults & 2 juveniles) at Ballinclamper.

GLENDALOUGHIN (nr Nire Valley): Gem moth.

Tues 6 Sep:

DUNGARVAN: 3 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 5 Curlew Sandpipers, juvenile Little Stint & a Pomarine Skua at the Cunnigar; 3 Curlew Sandpipers & an adult Mediterranean Gull at Ballyneety.

SEAFIELD: 3 White Wagtails.

Mon 5 Sep:

DUNGARVAN: Juvenile BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER & 2 juvenile PECTORAL SANDPIPERS still present on the Cunnigar.

WHITING BAY: 6+ Little Stints, 2 Mediterranean Gulls (adult & juvenile), a Merlin & 8+ White Wagtails.

Sun 4 Sep:

WHITING BAY: PECTORAL SANDPIPER, 2 juvenile Little Stints (video), 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls & 2 White Wagtails.

DUNGARVAN: Juvenile BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER (video) & 2 juvenile PECTORAL SANDPIPERS on the Cunnigar, Little Tern at Ballynacourty.

HELVICK HEAD: Sooty Shearwater, 305 Manx Shearwaters, Puffin & 2 Arctic Terns W (seawatch 17:20-18:20).

Off BALLYVOYLE: Pomarine Skua, 5 Sooty Shearwaters & several hundred Manx Shearwaters from boat.

SEAFIELD: Lesser Whitethroat.

Sat 3 Sep:

DUNGARVAN: 2 juvenile PECTORAL SANDPIPERS (video), sub-adult SPOONBILL, 12 juvenile Curlew Sandpipers, juvenile Little Stint (new bird), juvenile Little Gull, 2+ White Wagtails & 50+ Wheatears at the Cunnigar; near-adult Yellow-legged Gull & 3 Green Sandpipers at Ballyneety.

CLONEA STRAND: 10 White Wagtails & 89 Ringed Plover.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Balearic Shearwater, 384 Manx Shearwaters & Great Skua W, 2 Arctic Skuas E (seawatch 07:40-10:40); 2 Tree Sparrows.

Fri 2 Sep:

DUNGARVAN: 10 Curlew Sandpipers & 8 White Wagtails at the Cunnigar.

BALLYMACARBRY: Kingfisher.

Thurs 1 Sep:

DUNGARVAN: Juvenile Little Stint, 3 Curlew Sandpipers, juvenile Arctic Tern & a Whinchat at the Cunnigar.

WATERFORD CITY: Spotted Flycatcher near the Whitfield Clinic.