|
This can sometimes be difficult to decide, but a rough guide is provided below,
by species, to the types of records most worth reporting to the Waterford Birds website. The short answer is: all
records of scarcer or more elusive species, high counts or out-of-season records of commoner species, and various other
categories (or your best judgement) in between...
Not all records will be posted
to the website, but a more detailed database of records is maintained 'behind the scenes'.
Availability of more detailed records allows for fuller documentation of the status of each species locally (in maps, graphs
or text), even if individual records are not always posted online. Extra details can also help with conservation planning
or site-protection, but full details of the most sensitive species such as birds of prey (particularly breeding locations)
will be kept offline.
Longer lists of records are best sent in spreadsheet format, but all formats (including
email or texts or via relevant WhatsApp groups) are acceptable. Also, if you enter records using the online BirdTrack system, your records will be available to the relevant county bird recorder (so most records need only be
entered once) - but if entering records to BirdTrack, ideally also text or email the more interesting
records.
For sightings of rarer species, in particular, a quick message or
tweet (to @watbirds on Twitter/X) at the time will help ensure that other local birders get a chance to catch up with the
species involved. An email that night or next day is sometimes too late...
If a species isn't listed below - definitely report it! (including escapees).
Likewise if in doubt about whether a particular record is worth reporting or not, it might be worth reporting just in case
- especially since the guidelines below may not cover all eventualities (and may be modified or updated over time).
Added 28/1/2013, minor updates 17/01/2024
| Species / subspecies |
Suggested
categories of 'reportable' records |
Website? |
| Alpine Swift |
all
(IRBC rarity) |
all |
| American Bittern |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| American Golden Plover |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| American Herring Gull |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Arctic Skua |
all |
all |
| Arctic Tern |
all |
all |
| Avocet |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Baillon's Crake |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Baird's Sandpiper |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Balearic Shearwater |
all |
all |
| Barn Owl |
all |
all |
| Barnacle Goose |
all |
all |
| Barred Warbler |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Bar-tailed Godwit |
complete counts
of specific wetlands, counts or totals 500+ |
counts 500+ |
| Bean Goose |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Bee-eater |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Bewick's Swan |
all |
all |
| Bittern |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Black Brant |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Black Guillemot |
all records |
counts 10+ |
| Black Redstart |
all |
all |
| Black Tern |
all |
all |
| Blackbird |
counts 50+ or apparent
coastal 'falls' |
usually not |
| Blackcap |
all Nov-Mar records,
coastal migrants, breeding-habitat counts 10+ birds |
all Nov-Mar records,
coastal migrants, counts 10+ |
| Black-headed Gull |
counts 500+ |
counts 1000+ |
| Black-necked Grebe |
all |
all |
| Blackpoll Warbler |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Black-tailed Godwit |
complete counts
of specific wetlands, counts or totals 300+, records away from main sites |
counts 1000+ |
| Black-throated Diver |
all |
all |
| Black-winged Stilt |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Blue Tit |
counts 20+ |
usually not |
| Blue/dark-phase Fulmar |
all |
all |
| Bluethroat |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Blue-winged Teal |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Blyth's Reed Warbler |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Bonaparte's Gull |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Booted Warbler |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Brambling |
all |
all records |
| Brent Goose |
complete counts
of specific wetlands, counts 400+, May-Sept |
high counts, June-Aug,
early/late migrants |
| Buff-bellied Pipit |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Buff-breasted Sandpiper |
all |
all |
| Bullfinch |
totals 10+ |
totals 20+ |
| Buzzard |
all |
all records (but
site details may be vague) |
| Canada Goose |
all |
all |
| Carrion Crow |
all |
all |
| Caspian Gull |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Cattle Egret |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Chaffinch |
totals 50+ |
totals 200+ |
| Chiffchaff |
counts 10+, apparent
coastal migrants, pre-April or post-Oct |
counts 20+, smaller
counts of coastal migrants, early/late, winter |
| Chimney Swift |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Chough |
confirmed
breeding records, counts 10+, inland |
counts
20+, inland |
| Citrine Wagtail |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Coal Tit |
counts 10+ |
counts 20+ |
| Collared Dove |
counts 10+ |
counts 20+ |
| Common Crossbill |
all |
all |
| Common Gull |
counts 100+ |
counts 500+ |
| Common Rosefinch |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Common Sandpiper |
all |
all |
| Common Scoter |
all |
all |
| Common Tern |
timed seawatches,
counts 5+, Mar-Apr |
counts 10+ |
| Coot |
confirmed breeding
records, counts 10+, coastal records |
counts 20+ |
| Cormorant |
breeding counts,
counts or totals 50+ |
counts 100+ |
| Corn Bunting |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Corncrake |
all |
all records (but
site details may be vague) |
| Cory's Shearwater |
all |
all |
| Crane |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Cuckoo |
all |
all |
| Curlew |
breeding-habitat
records, complete counts of specific wetlands, counts or totals 500+ |
counts 1000+ |
| Curlew Sandpiper |
all |
all |
| Dark-bellied Brent Goose |
all |
all |
| Desert Wheatear |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Dipper |
all |
all |
| Dotterel |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Dunlin |
complete counts
of specific wetlands, counts or totals 500+, inland |
high counts |
| Dunnock |
usually not |
usually not |
| Eider |
all |
all |
| Fea's/Zino's Petrel |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Fieldfare |
counts 100+, Apr-Oct |
counts 200+ |
| Firecrest |
all |
all |
| Forster's Tern |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Fulmar |
breeding counts,
timed seawatches, counts or totals 100+ |
counts or totals
100+ |
| Gadwall |
all |
all |
| Gannet |
timed seawatches,
counts or totals 200+ |
counts or totals
200+ |
| Garden Warbler |
all |
all |
| Garganey |
all |
all |
| Glaucous Gull |
all |
all |
| Glossy Ibis |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Goldcrest |
counts 10+, coastal
migrants |
counts 10+ (migrants) |
| Golden Eagle |
all |
all records (but
site details may be vague) |
| Golden Oriole |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Golden Plover |
breeding-habitat
records, complete counts of specific wetlands, counts or totals 500+, May-June |
counts 3000+ |
| Goldeneye |
complete counts
of specific wetlands, counts 5+ |
high counts |
| Goldfinch |
totals 50+ |
totals 100+ |
| Goosander |
all |
all |
| Goshawk |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all records (but
site details may be vague) |
| Grasshopper Warbler |
all |
all |
| Great Auk |
extinct! |
|
| Great Black-backed Gull |
counts 100+ |
counts 200+ |
| Great Crested Grebe |
confirmed breeding
records, counts or totals 10+ (main sites), smaller counts (inland or new sites) |
counts 20+ |
| Great Grey Shrike |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Great Northern Diver |
all |
timed
seawatches, counts 3+, inland, May-Sept |
| Great Shearwater |
all |
all |
| Great Skua |
all |
all |
| Great Spotted Woodpecker |
all |
all |
| Great Tit |
counts 20+ |
usually not |
| Great White Egret |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Green Sandpiper |
all |
all |
| Greenfinch |
counts 50+ |
totals 100+ |
| Greenish Warbler |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Greenland/Iceland Redpoll |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Greenshank |
complete counts
of specific wetlands, counts or totals 10+, inland |
counts 20+, inland |
| Green-winged Teal |
all |
all |
| Grey Heron |
confirmed breeding
records, counts or totals 10+ |
high counts |
| Grey Partridge |
all |
all |
| Grey Phalarope |
all |
all |
| Grey Plover |
complete counts
of specific wetlands, counts or totals 50+, inland |
counts 100+, inland |
| Grey Wagtail |
confirmed breeding,
counts 5+ |
counts10+ |
| Greylag Goose |
all |
counts 10+, non-regular
sites |
| Guillemot |
breeding counts,
timed seawatches, counts 50+ |
counts 100+ |
| Gull-billed Tern |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Gyr Falcon |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Hawfinch |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Hen Harrier |
all |
all records (but
site details may be vague) |
| Herring Gull |
counts 100+, breeding
counts |
counts 200+ |
| Hobby |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Honey Buzzard |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Hooded Crow |
counts 20+ |
counts 50+ |
| Hoopoe |
all |
all |
| House Martin |
colony counts,
counts 20+, records before mid-April or after mid-October, timed passage |
counts 50+, early/late |
| House Sparrow |
counts 20+ |
counts 100+ |
| Iberian Chiffchaff |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Iceland Gull |
all |
all |
| Icterine Warbler |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Ivory Gull |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Jack Snipe |
all |
all |
| Jackdaw |
roost counts, totals
500+ |
usually not |
| Jay |
all |
all |
| Kestrel |
confirmed breeding
records, other records if available |
usually not |
| Kingfisher |
all |
all |
| Kittiwake |
breeding counts,
timed seawatches, counts 200+ |
counts 500+ |
| Knot |
complete counts
of specific wetlands, counts or totals 50+, inland |
counts 100+ |
| Lapland Bunting |
all |
all |
| Lapwing |
breeding-habitat
records, complete counts of specific wetlands, counts or totals 1000+ |
counts 3000+ |
| Leach's Petrel |
all |
all |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull |
counts 50+, cinfirmed
breeding (last confirmed 1983!) |
counts 200+ |
| Lesser Grey Shrike |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Lesser Scaup |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Lesser Whitethroat |
all |
all |
| Lesser Yellowlegs |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Linnet |
counts 100+ |
counts 400+ |
| Little Auk |
all |
all |
| Little Bittern |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Little Egret |
confirmed breeding
records, counts or totals 10+ |
counts 20+ |
| Little Grebe |
confirmed breeding
records, counts or totals 10+ |
counts 20+ |
| Little Gull |
all |
all |
| Little Ringed Plover |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Little Stint |
all |
all |
| Little Tern |
all |
all |
| Long-billed Dowitcher |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Long-eared Owl |
all |
all |
| Long-tailed Duck |
all |
all |
| Long-tailed Skua |
all |
all |
| Long-tailed Tit |
counts 10+ |
counts 20+ |
| Magpie |
counts 20+ |
usually not |
| Mallard |
complete counts
of specific wetlands, counts 100+ |
high counts |
| Manx Shearwater |
timed counts, flocks/totals
100+, Nov-Feb |
higher totals,
all Nov-Feb |
| Marsh Harrier |
all |
all |
| Meadow Pipit |
totals 50+ |
totals 100+ |
| Mealy Redpoll |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Mediterranean Gull |
all |
all |
| Melodious Warbler |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Merlin |
all |
all |
| Mistle Thrush |
counts 10+ |
counts 20+ |
| Montagu's Harrier |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Moorhen |
confirmed breeding
records, counts 10+ |
counts 20+ |
| Mute Swan |
complete counts
of specific wetlands, counts 20+ |
counts 50+ |
| Night Heron |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Nightjar |
all |
all (but site details
may be vague) |
| Northern Parula |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Northern Willow Warbler |
all |
all |
| Northern/Eastern Chiffchaff |
all |
all |
| Osprey |
all |
all records (but
site details may be vague) |
| Oystercatcher |
confirmed breeding
records, complete counts of specific wetlands, counts 400+, May-Sept, inland |
counts 1000+ |
| Pallas's Warbler |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Pectoral Sandpiper |
all |
all |
| Peregrine |
confirmed breeding
records, other records if available |
usually not |
| Pheasant |
counts 50+ |
usually not |
| Pied Flycatcher |
all |
all |
| Pied Wagtail |
roost counts, totals
20+ |
roost counts, totals
50+ |
| Pink-footed Goose |
all |
all |
| Pintail |
all |
all |
| Pochard |
all |
all records (or
counts 10+ in good winters) |
| Pomarine Skua |
all |
all |
| Puffin |
all |
all |
| Purple Heron |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Purple Sandpiper |
all |
all |
| Quail |
all |
all |
| Radde's Warbler |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Raven |
confirmed breeding
records, counts 5+ |
counts 10+ |
| Razorbill |
breeding counts,
timed seawatches, counts 50+ |
counts 100+ |
| Red Grouse |
all |
all
records (but site details may be vague) |
| Red Kite |
all |
all records (but
site details may be vague) |
| Red-backed Shrike |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Red-breasted Flycatcher |
all |
all |
| Red-breasted Merganser |
complete counts
of specific wetlands, counts 20+ (Dungarvan), 10+ (other coastal), inland |
high counts, inland |
| Red-crested Pochard |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Red-eyed Vireo |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Red-footed Falcon |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Red-necked Grebe |
all |
all |
| Red-necked Phalarope |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Redpoll |
totals 10+ |
totals 20+ |
| Red-rumped Swallow |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Redshank |
complete counts
of specific wetlands, counts or totals 100+, inland |
counts 500+, 5+
inland |
| Redstart |
all |
all |
| Red-throated Diver |
all |
timed seawatches,
counts 3+, inland, May-Sept |
| Redwing |
counts 100+, Apr-Oct |
counts 200+ |
| Reed Bunting |
totals 50+ |
totals 100+ |
| Reed Warbler |
all |
all |
| Richard's Pipit |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Ring Ouzel |
all |
all |
| Ring-billed Gull |
all |
all |
| Ringed Plover |
confirmed breeding
records, complete counts of specific wetlands, counts or totals 20+, inland |
counts 100+, inland |
| Ring-necked Duck |
all |
all |
| Robin |
apparent coastal
'falls' |
usually not |
| Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon |
counts 50+ |
counts 100+ |
| Rock Pipit |
totals 10+, inland |
totals 20+ |
| Rook |
roost counts, rookery
nest counts, totals 1000+ |
usually not |
| Roseate Tern |
all |
all |
| Rose-coloured Starling |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Ruddy Duck |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Ruddy Shelduck |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Ruff |
all |
all |
| Sabine's Gull |
all |
all |
| Sand Martin |
colony counts,
roost counts, records before mid-April or after September, timed passage |
counts 100+ (nests
or birds) |
| Sanderling |
complete counts
of specific wetlands, counts or totals 20+, inland |
counts 50+ |
| Sandwich Tern |
timed counts, counts
100+, all Nov-Feb |
counts 100+, all
Nov-Feb |
| Scandinavian LBb Gull |
all |
all |
| Scandinavian Rock Pipit |
all |
all |
| Scaup |
all |
all |
| Scops Owl |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Sedge Warbler |
counts 10+, apparent
coastal migrants, pre-May or post-Sept |
counts 10+, early/late |
| Semipalmated Sandpiper |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Shag |
breeding counts,
counts or totals 50+ |
counts 100+ |
| Shelduck |
complete counts
of specific wetlands, counts 100+, inland records |
high counts |
| Short-eared Owl |
all |
all |
| Shoveler |
all |
all |
| Siberian Chiffchaff |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Siskin |
all |
totals 10+ |
| Skylark |
counts 10+ (breeding
season), 50+ (autumn/winter) |
high counts |
| Slavonian Grebe |
all |
all |
| Smew |
all |
all |
| Snipe |
breeding-habitat
records, complete counts of specific wetlands, counts or totals 10+ |
counts 20+ |
| Snow Bunting |
all |
all |
| Snow Goose |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Sociable Plover |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all records |
| Song Thrush |
counts 10+ or apparent
coastal 'falls' |
counts 20+ |
| Sooty Shearwater |
all |
all |
| Sparrowhawk |
confirmed breeding
records, other records if available |
usually not |
| Spoonbill |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Spotted Crake |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Spotted Flycatcher |
all |
all |
| Spotted Redshank |
all |
all |
| Spotted Sandpiper |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Squacco Heron |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Starling |
roost counts, totals
1000+ |
usually not |
| Stock Dove |
all |
counts 5+ |
| Stonechat |
counts 10+ |
counts 20+ |
| Stone-curlew |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Storm Petrel |
all |
all |
| Subalpine Warbler |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Surf Scoter |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Swallow |
roost counts, counts
100+, records before mid-April or after mid-October, timed passage |
counts 200+, early/late |
| Swift |
counts 50+, records
before mid-May or after mid-August |
high counts, early/late |
| Tawny Pipit |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Teal |
complete counts
of specific wetlands, counts 100+ |
high counts |
| Tree Pipit |
all |
all |
| Tree Sparrow |
all |
all |
| Treecreeper |
all |
all? (in future) |
| Tufted Duck |
complete counts
of specific wetlands, counts 10+ |
high counts |
| Turnstone |
confirmed breeding
records, complete counts of specific wetlands, counts or totals 10+ |
counts 200+ |
| Turtle Dove |
all |
all |
| Twite |
all |
all |
| Velvet Scoter |
all |
all |
| Water Pipit |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Water Rail |
all |
all |
| Waxwing |
all |
all |
| Western Bonelli's Warbler |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Wheatear |
breeding-habitat
records, apparent coastal migrants, pre-April or post-October |
counts 10+, early/late |
| Whimbrel |
all |
spring 10+, autumn
5+, all Nov-Mar |
| Whinchat |
all |
all |
| Whiskered Tern |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| White Stork |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| White Wagtail |
all |
all |
| White-fronted Goose |
all |
all |
| White-rumped Sandpiper |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| White-tailed Eagle |
all |
all records (but
site details may be vague) |
| Whitethroat |
counts 10+, apparent
coastal migrants, pre--mid-May or post-Sept |
counts 10+, early/late |
| White-winged Black Tern |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Whooper Swan |
all |
counts 10+, all
May-Sept |
| Wigeon |
complete counts
of specific wetlands, counts 100+ |
high counts |
| Willow Warbler |
counts
10+, apparent coastal migrants, pre-mid Apr or post-Sept |
counts
20+, smaller counts of coastal migrants, early/late |
| Wood Sandpiper |
all |
all |
| Wood Warbler |
all |
all |
| Woodchat Shrike |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Woodcock |
all |
all |
| Woodlark |
all |
all |
| Woodpigeon |
counts 100+ |
counts 500+ |
| Wren |
high-altitude
records |
usually not |
| Wryneck |
all |
all |
| Yellow Wagtail |
all |
all |
| Yellow Warbler |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Yellow-billed Cuckoo |
all (IRBC rarity) |
all |
| Yellow-browed Warbler |
all |
all |
| Yellowhammer |
all |
totals 5+ |
| Yellow-legged Gull |
all |
all |
|
