Rare passage-migrant
in late summer and autumn, but more frequent in some years.
First recorded
in 1976, when five were seen from a ferry off the Waterford coast on 22 August. Recorded
in nine subsequent years, 1977-2012, most frequently from Helvick Head, with peak numbers in 1999 and especially 2012.
1976: Five, ‘a few miles’ off the Waterford coast, 22
August.
1977: Dungarvan Bay, 11 August.
Helvick
Head, 12 August.
1980: Three, Tramore Bay, 21 August.
1999: Helvick Head – 2 August (1); 7 August (1); 30 August
(4); 7 September (1); 8 September (25).!
2003: Helvick Head, 19 or 20 July.!
2005: Helvick Head – 2 July (2 W); 5 July (1 W); 19 July (5+-
4 E, 7 W), also 5 unidentified large shearwaters E.
2007: Helvick Head, 18 August.
2008: Helvick Head – 1 August (11 W); 9 August (1).
2011: Two W, Brownstown Head, 24 July.
Helvick
Head – 12 July (2); 10 September (1).
2012: 105 W, Ram Head, 2 August (in 3 hours 16:45-19:45).
Helvick
Head – 150+ W, 2 August (in 2.5 hours, 17:40-21:05); 3 W, 3 August.
The 1980
record from Tramore Bay was on the same date that a still-record total of almost 11,000 Cory’s Shearwaters passed Cape
Clear Island (Co Cork).