Waterford Birds April 2013 reports

APRIL 2013:

Check here for updates or further details

Tues 30 Apr:

SEAFIELD (nr Dungarvan): Green Sandpiper.

EAST WATERFORD: Buzzard.

HELVICK HEAD: 18 Choughs.

Mon 29 Apr:

DUNGARVAN: 4 Swifts over town.

MONAVULLAGH MOUNTAINS: Red-legged Partridges (feral or released) at two locations (one seen, several heard).

Sun 28 Apr:

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Great Skua E & 22 Whimbrel W (seawatch 11:20-12:50); Blackcap, Whitethroat, 15 Willow Warblers & 2 Tree Sparrows.

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: 3 Long-tailed Duck & 75 Whimbrel.

HELVICK HEAD: Whitethroat.

WHITING BAY: c90 Whimbrel.

Sat 27 Apr:

WATERFORD BIRD-RACE: 3 teams had totals of 102, 96 & 83 species (grand total 116 species) - details.

DUNMORE EAST: 1st-winter Mediterranean Gull.

WOODSTOWN BOG: 2 Water Rails.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 6 Red-throated Divers E, 34 Whimbrel & 2 Common Terns W, (seawatch 0740-0840); 5 Wheatears & 2 Tree Sparrows.

TRAMORE: 11 Common Scoter in bay, 2 (feral?) Greylag Geese at Lisselan, 3 Long-tailed Duck & 225 Whimbrel in Backstrand, Whitethroat at Pickardstown, 6 Gadwall on boating lake.

BALLYSCANLAN: Water Rail at lake, Crossbills.

KILL: Grasshopper Warbler at waste treatment works.

KNOCKADERRY: Shoveler.

BALLINLOUGH: Cuckoo.

BALLYVOONEY: Male Hen Harrier.

BALLYVOYLE: Dipper at nest.

CLONEA STRAND: 85 Whimbrel.

DUNGARVAN: Spotted Redshank (almost breeding plumage) off pitch & putt course, Common Sandpiper nr Killongford pool, 40+ Whimbrel.

BLACKWATER VALLEY: Reed Warbler (first of year) at Clashmore Broads.

LISMORE: Swifts.

VARIOUS: Sedge Warblers singing at 4+ locations.

Fri 26 Apr:

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 14 Whimbrel W, 23+ Wheatears, Whitethroat, 2 Blackcaps, 4 Willow Warblers & a Tree Sparrow.

Nr WATERFORD CITY: Swift over IDA Park.

BALLYSCANLAN: Crossbill with nest material.

BALLINLOUGH: Cuckoo & Grasshopper Warbler.

CLONEA STRAND: 27 Whimbrel & 4 White Wagtails.

DUNGARVAN: 5 Long-tailed Duck off pitch & putt course.

KNOCKMEALDOWN MOUNTAINS: Cuckoo calling at Coolnacreena / Coolagortboy.

Thurs 25 Apr:

Nr TALLOW: Short-eared Owl with broken wing taken into care.

Weds 24 Apr:

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Merlin, Whitethroat, 5 Wheatears, 5 Chiffchaffs & a Willow Warbler.

TRAMORE BAY: 3 Red-throated Divers in Bay, Common Lizard between Guillamene to Metal Man.

HELVICK HEAD: 2nd-winter Glaucous Gull.

Tues 23 Apr:

CREADAN HEAD: HOOPOE still present.

DUNGARVAN: Swift over town.

WOODHOUSE: Jay.

Mon 22 Apr:

CREADAN HEAD: HOOPOE.

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: Sedge Warbler & 10+ singing Willow Warblers at Lisselan.

ANNESTOWN: Short-eared Owl.

Sun 21 Apr:

CREADAN HEAD: HOOPOE.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Arctic Skua on sea, 2 Great Skuas W & Arctic Tern W (seawatch 0915-1045); Merlin, Blackcap, 11 Willow Warblers & 4 Chiffchaffs.

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: 53+ Whimbrel .

KILBARRY BOG: Grasshopper Warbler (first of year).

BALLINLOUGH: 2 Sedge Warblers (first of year) & a Cuckoo.

CLONEA STRAND: 6 White Wagtails at Ballinclamper, 125 Whimbrel, 7 Great Northern Divers & an Arctic Tern.

HELVICK HEAD: 2nd-winter Glaucous Gull, 6+ Blackcaps & 20+ phylloscs.

Sat 20 Apr:

DUNGARVAN: Adult BLACK-THROATED DIVER between Ballynagaul & Helvick, 2 Arctic Terns in bay, Common Sandpiper at Barnawee, Swift (first of year) over town.

CLONEA STRAND: Little Tern (first of year).

OLD PARISH: Whitethroat (first of year).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 5 Arctic Terns, Common Scoter, 8 Red-throated Divers, 80 Whimbrel, Tree Sparrow, Blackcap, 11 Willow Warblers & 10 Chiffchaffs.

CREADAN STRAND: 3 Arctic Terns.

Fri 19 Apr:

NEWTOWN GLEN (Tramore Bay): FIRECREST again - presumed bird last reported on 6 April (found 3 April).

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 2 Tree Sparrows, Blackcap, 2 Willow Warblers & c10 Chiffchaffs.

TRAMORE BACKSTRAND: Cuckoo (first of year) at Lisselan.

STRADBALLY: Dipper.

WOODHOUSE: Jay.

CLONEA STRAND: 10 Great Northern Divers, 2 Arctic Terns, 83 Whimbrel & 3 White Wagtails.

ARDMORE / BALLYQUIN: Common Sandpiper (first of year) at Ballyquin beach, 22 Whimbrel at Curragh beach.

WHITING BAY: 16 Whimbrel.

TEMPLEMICHAEL: Jay.

Thurs 18 Apr:

CREADAN HEAD: HOOPOE still present at 12:20.

DUNGARVAN: Common Tern (first of year) around the Quay.

Weds 17 Apr:

CREADAN HEAD: HOOPOE (video).

CLONEA STRAND: 1st-winter Mediterranean Gull.

Tues 16 Apr:

CREADAN HEAD (nr Dunmore East): HOOPOE.

COMERAGH MOUNTAINS: 2 Wheatears near Mahon Falls.

CLONEA STRAND: 24 Whimbrel - the first migrant flock of the year.

Mon 15 Apr:

BROWNSWOOD (nr Portlaw): House Martins back inspecting last year's nests.

LISMORE: House Martins also here.

WEST WATERFORD: 3 Buzzards (two locations).

Sun 14 Apr:

HELVICK HEAD: Great Skua, Puffin & 105 Manx Shearwaters W (seawatch 1300-1400).

ARDMORE HEAD: 195 Manx Shearwaters W & a Porpoise (seawatch 1615-1645).

Sat 13 Apr:

KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR: First House Martins of year & 75+ Swallows.

HELVICK HEAD: 2 House Martins, 6 Willow Warblers & 2nd-winter Glaucous Gull.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Moorhen & Willow Warbler.

VARIOUS: Swallows widely reported today (10+ locations).

Fri 12 Apr:

KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR: Male RING-NECKED DUCK still present on small lake, also a Willow Warbler.

TRAMORE: Short-eared Owl & Swallow at Lisselan.

WATERFORD CITY: Swallow at Grange Heights.

DUNGARVAN: Swallow over town.

COLLIGAN WOOD: Male Blackcap.

Thurs 11 Apr:

KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR: Male RING-NECKED DUCK.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Merlin & 2 Tree Sparrows.

Weds 10 Apr:

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Merlin, 2 Willow Warblers & 10 Chiffchaffs.

Tues 9 Apr:

KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR: Male RING-NECKED DUCK.

BALLYSCANLAN/CARRICKAVANTRY: 3 Crossbills & 6 Sand Martins at Ballyscanlan Lake, Long-eared Owl & 2-4 Snipe drumming.

Mon 8 Apr:

KNOCKADERRY RESERVOIR: Male RING-NECKED DUCK on small lake.

Sun 7 Apr:

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Arctic Skua, 3 Great Skuas, 2 Puffins, 20 Red-throated Divers, 2 Common Scoter & 93 Manx Shearwaters E (seawatch 0840-0940 & 0950-1050), & male Blackcap.

BALLYSCANLAN: 7 Swallows.

Sat 6 Apr:

ARDMORE: FIRECREST near Round Tower.

TRAMORE BAY: FIRECREST still present at Newtown Glen.

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: FIRECREST still present, Willow Warbler & adult Little Gull.

BALLYSCANLAN LAKE: 9 Crossbills.

EAST WATERFORD: 3 Buzzards.

Nr DUNGARVAN: Long-eared Owl found dead.

DUNGARVAN: Brambling at Shandon.

HELVICK HEAD: 2nd-winter Glaucous Gull.

RAM HEAD: 28 Red-throated Divers E, 7 Common Scoter W, 3 Basking Sharks & a Common Dolphin.

WHITING BAY: 2 Common Scoter.

BLACKWATER VALLEY: Green Sandpiper at Dromana Bridge.

Fri 5 Apr:

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: FIRECREST still present (last reported 30 March) (video), also Merlin & 6 Chiffchaffs.

TRAMORE BAY: FIRECREST at Newtown Glen.

EAST WATERFORD: 2 Buzzards.

SEAFIELD (nr Bunmahon): Male Hen Harrier.

DUNGARVAN: Black Redstart at Abbeyside.

Thurs 4 Apr:

TRAMORE BAY: FIRECREST at Newtown Glen, also male Blackcap.

TRAMORE TOWN: Brambling.

DUNGARVAN: Green Sandpiper at Brickey canal.

CAPPOQUIN: 2 Bramblings & >30 Yellowhammers.

WEST WATERFORD: 2 Buzzards.

Weds 3 Apr:

TRAMORE BAY: FIRECREST & Willow Warbler near Newtown Cove.

BUNMAHON: 3 Green Sandpipers & male Blackcap.

EAST WATERFORD: Buzzard.

WEST WATERFORD: 2 Buzzards.

Tues 2 Apr:

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: 10 Chiffchaffs & 5 Wheatears.

TRAMORE: Black Redstart at recycling centre near beach, 2nd-year Iceland Gull off Saleen.

BUNMAHON: Willow Warbler - first of year.

HELVICK HEAD: 2nd-winter Glaucous Gull.

WEST WATERFORD: Buzzard.

Mon 1 Apr:

BUNMAHON: Black Redstart.

VARIOUS SITES: Sandwich Terns, Chiffchaffs & Wheatears now widespread (only higher counts reported this month).

Early Apr:

BROWNSTOWN HEAD: Brambling.