IRISH BIRD NEWS - April 2004

Hawfinch - Fountainstown, Co. Cork. © Paul Moore

Glaucous Gull - Barna, Co. Galway. © Chris Batty

Whimbrel - Ballycotton, Co. Cork. © Sean Cronin

THU 1 APR - Marsh Harrier at Mizen Head and Black Redstart on Cape Clear Island (Cork).

FRI 2 APR - A Yellow-browed Warbler was found today in the grounds of University College Cork in Cork City, Black Redstart on Knockadoon Head and 1W Ring-billed Gull at Lough Aderra (Cork).

SAT 3 APR - Yellow-browed Warbler in the grounds of UCC (Cork), 1W American Herring Gull and 1 Glaucous Gull at Nimmo's Pier and adult Forster's Tern at Kinvarra Bay (Galway), Glaucous Gull at Belfast Lough RSPB reserve (Antrim) and Spoonbill at Inchydoney (Cork).

SUN 4 APR - Yellow-browed Warbler at UCC and Little Gull at Atlantic Pond in Cork City, 1W American Herring Gull at Nimmo's Pier (Galway), Black Brant at Dundrum Inner Bay (Down), Water Pipits at Carnsore Point (Wexford) and Brigg's Rock (Down), 6 Swallows were noted at Edenderry (Offaly) two 1W Glaucous Gulls were at Belfast Lough RSPB (Antrim) and 5 Little Egrets were seen on the North Bull Island (Dublin).

MON 5 APR - Yellow-browed Warbler at UCC (Cork), American Herring Gull at Nimmo's Pier (Galway), 5 Swallows at Kilcoole (Wicklow), Water Pipit at Brigg's Rock (Down), female Smew and a Swallow at Portmore Lough RSPB (Antrim).

TUE 6 APR - A Hoopoe was found today at Ballynagaul (Waterford), Yellow-browed Warbler at UCC (Cork), drake Surf Scoter off Brandon Head (Kerry), 1W Iceland Gull at Belfast Lough RSPB (Antrim), a Sandwich Tern was reported from Sandycove (Dublin) and a 1W American Herring Gull was reported from Dingle (Kerry).

WED 7 APR - Yellow-browed Warbler at UCC (Cork), 1W American Herring Gull at Dingle and Surf Scoter off Brandon Head (Kerry), single Glaucous and Iceland Gulls at Belfast Lough RSPB (Antrim), the Lesser Whitethroat was still at Ballymun (Dublin) and 5 Velvet Scoter were noted off Gormanston (Meath).

THU 8 APR - 1W American Herring Gull and Iceland Gull at Dingle (Kerry), 1W American Herring, 2 Ring-billed, 3 Glaucous and 3 Iceland Gulls at Belfast Lough RSPB reserve (Antrim), 3 Black-throated Divers and a Common Tern were off Ballygally (Antrim).

FRI 9 APR - 1W American Herring Gull at Belfast Lough RSPB reserve (Antrim) long with 2 Ring-billed, 3 Glaucous and 3 Iceland Gulls, 1W American Herring Gulls also at Dingle (Kerry) and at Nimmo's Pier (Galway) along with a Glaucous and a Ring-billed Gull, a Forster's Tern was off Doorus Pier in Kinvarra Bay (Galway), Yellow-browed Warbler at UCC (Cork), 4 Swallows over Sandycove (Dublin), Swallow over Navan (Meath), Goosander and 20+ Swallows at Cruisetown Strand (Louth).

SAT 10 APR - A Gull-billed Tern was reported past Kilcoole (Wicklow) today, American Herring Gull and 3 Glaucous Gulls at Rossaveal (Galway), two 1W American Herring Gulls were noted at Belfast Lough RSPB reserve (Antrim) along with 2 Ring-billed, 3 Glaucous and 3 Iceland Gulls, the Yellow-browed Warbler was at UCC (Cork), Forster's Tern at Kinvarra Bay (Galway), 10+ Sandwich Terns off Dun Laoire (Dublin), Water Pipit at Brigg's Rock (Down), a 1W Yellow-legged Gull was noted at Clogher Head (Louth) while a Caspian Gull was reported from nearby Cruisetown Strand.

SUN 11 APR - Two 1W American Herring Gulls were reported today from Dingle (Kerry), Surf Scoter and 2 Velvet Scoter off Brandon Head (Kerry) Yellow-browed Warbler still at UCC (Cork), adult Forster's Tern at Kinvarra Bay (Galway), 2 Iceland and 1 Glaucous Gull at Lough Beg (Derry), male Smew at Killkirk Lake (Fermanagh), summer-plumaged Slavonian Grebe at Lough Swilly (Donegal), 2 Iceland and 2 Glaucous Gulls at Belfast Lough RSPB (Antrim).

MON 12 APR - A male Hawfinch was reported from a garden at Fountainstown (Cork), Black Tern, Goosander and White Wagtail at Cruisetown Strand (Louth), 2 Avocets were at Swords (Dublin), 4 Grey-bellied Brent Geese (2ads+2juvs) were at Drumnacraig Beach near Fanad Head (Donegal), 4 Water Pipits were at Tacumshin (Wexford), 1W American Herring Gull, 2 Iceland and 1 Glaucous Gull at Rossaveal (Galway), 2 Iceland and 1 Glaucous at Killybegs (Donegal), Spoonbill at Inchydoney (Cork), a Black Brant was seen between Greenore and Carlingford (Louth), a Green Sandpiper was seen at Athboy (Meath) Swallow at Slieve Beg (Down), and good numbers of common migrants reported from several sites including 20 Willow Warblers, a Blackcap and Swallows at Rockabill (Dublin).

TUE 13 APR - Yellow-browed Warbler at UCC (Cork), 3 Whimbrel and a Swallow were at Quilty (Clare), American Herring Gulls at Dingle (Kerry) Belfast Lough RSPB (Antrim) and Rossaveal (Galway) where 3 Glaucous and an Iceland Gull were also present, Ring-billed Gull at Kinsale (Cork), 4 Grey-bellied Brent Geese were still at Drumnacraig Strand near Fanad Head (Donegal).

WED 14 APR - 3 Pomarine, 1 Arctic and 25 Great Skuas were noted past Cape Clear Island (Cork), Spoonbill at Clonakilty (Cork), 4 Grey-bellied Brent Geese were at Drumnacraig Strand (Donegal) and Green Sandpiper at Athboy (Meath).

THU 15 APR - A 2CY American Herring Gull was seen at Fenit (Kerry) while the Surf Scoter was also present today off Brandon Head, a Ring-billed Gull was at Lough Aderra (Cork) and a male Ring-necked Duck was at Derrymacrow Lough near Crom Castle Estate (Fermanagh).

FRI 16 APR - 3 Dotterel were discovered at Doolough on the eastern side of Blacksod Bay (Mayo), 2 American Herring Gulls (1x2CY, 1x3CY) were reported from Dingle (Kerry) and Ring-necked Duck at Derrymacrow Lough near Crom Castle Estate (Fermanagh).

SAT 17 APR - A Hoopoe was found at Church Bay on Rathlin Island (Antrim), Iceland Gull at Strangford Lough (Down).

SUN 18 APR - An Osprey, 4 Swift and a Sedge Warbler were at Oxford Island NNR (Armagh), a Marsh Harrier was seen at Ring Marsh, Glaucous Gull at Kilmore Quay and Black-throated Diver off Lady's Island Lake (Wexford), one 2CY American Herring Gull, 2 Glaucous and 2 Iceland Gulls at Belfast Lough RSPB (Antrim), 7 Twite, 5 White Wagtails and 3 Wheatears at Brigg's Rock (Down), Garganey at Quoile Pondage (Down), Spoonbill at Clonakilty (Cork), 8 White Wagtails and a Spotted Redshank were at Lurgangreen (Louth).

MON 19 APR - A Crane was seen at Ashton's Callows (Tipperary).

TUE 20 APR - A grey shrike sp. was seen briefly at Carnsore Point (Wexford), male Garganey at Ashton's Callows (Tipperary), male Ring-necked Duck at Derrycrome Lake (Fermanagh), 3 Pomarine Skuas past CCBO and Swift over Cork City (Cork) and Grasshopper Warbler at Inagh (Clare).

WED 21 APR - Ring-billed Gull at Lough Aderra (Cork), 5 Great Skuas and good numbers of Manx Shearwaters flew past CCBO (Cork), 16 Great and 5 Pomarine Skuas were seen off Achill Head (Mayo), Grasshopper Warbler at the Bog Meadows, Belfast (Antrim), Common Tern at Larne Harbour (Antrim), no sign today of the grey shrike sp. at Carnsore Point (Wexford) but a Grasshopper Warbler was noted there.

THU 22 APR - One 2CY American Herring Gull, 4 Iceland, 1 Glaucous and 1 Ring-billed at Belfast Lough RSPB reserve (Antrim) and a Grasshopper Warbler was seen on Howth Head (Dublin).

FRI 23 APR - Grasshopper Warblers were widely reported today from coastal and some inland sites around the country, 6 Sedge Warblers were also seen at CCBO (Cork), one 2CY American Herring Gull, 2 Glaucous and 2 Iceland Gulls at Belfast Lough RSPB reserve (Antrim), the long-staying 2CY American Herring Gull was back at Nimmo’s Pier (Galway), Spoonbill at White’s Marsh, Clonakilty (Cork), c.400 White Wagtails were at Lough Beg (Derry).

SAT 24 APR - An adult Bonaparte’s Gull was found at Dungarvan (Waterford), a Ring Ouzel, flava Wagtail, Whitethroat and 100+ phylloscs were noted on Saltee Island (Wexford), two 2CY American Herring Gulls were at Belfast Lough RSPB reserve (Antrim) along with 2 Glaucous, 2 Iceland, a near-adult Yellow-legged Gull and 2 Swifts, a 2CY American Herring Gull was at Nimmo’s Pier (Galway), one 1S Ring-billed Gull at Sandymount (Dublin), 2 Roseate Terns were seen at Lady’s Island Lake (Wexford), Great Skua and Whitethroat reported from Rockabill (Dublin).

SUN 25 APR - The adult Crane was seen again at Ashton’s Callows (Tipperary), 3 Yellow Wagtails were at Kilcoole (Wicklow), Yellow Wagtail also at Minane Bradge (Cork), Garganey off Dursey Island (Cork), Garganey at Tacumshin (Wexford), Swifts were widely reported from around the country today as were Cuckoos, Grasshopper and Sedge Warblers.

MON 26 APR - A Pectoral Sandpiper was found at the Bann Estuary (Derry) today along with a Goosander, 4 Eider were off Ballagan Point (Louth).

TUE 27 APR - A Little Ringed Plover was found today at Aldergrove Airport (Antrim), Marsh Harrier at Ballyvergan (Cork), Reed Warbler and White Wagtail at Kilcoole (Wicklow) along with several Sedge Warblers and a White Wagtail was also at Templetown Beach (Louth).

WED 28 APR - 4 Yellow Wagtails were noted at Kilcoole (Wicklow) and a summer plumaged Slavonian Grebe was off Claggan (Mayo).

THU 29 APR - A Golden Oriole was reported from Inishbofin (Galway) while a Hoopoe was reported from the Tralee area (Kerry), a Marsh Harrier was at Tacumshin (Wexford), 3 Yellow Wagtails were at Kilcoole (Wicklow) and the 2CY American Herring Gull was still at Nimmo's Pier (Galway).

FRI 30 APR - More common summer migrants reported around the country and Corncrakes noted at Banagher and Clonfert (Offaly) and on Inishbofin (Galway) where there was no sign of the Golden Oriole.

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