IRISH BIRD NEWS - December 2003

Pallas's Warbler - Cape Clear island, Co. Cork. © Michael O' Keeffe

Hume's Warbler - Hook Head, Co. Wexford. © Killian Mullarney

Smew - Tymon Park, Dublin. © Paddy Keogh

MON 1 DEC - A Pallas's Warbler and a Red-breasted Flycatcher were discovered at Barleycove on Mizen Head (Cork), a Water Pipit was found at Kilmeaden Sewage Ponds (Waterford) and may be the first county record, the adult Forster's Tern was at Nimmo's Pier (Galway), 2 Ring-necked Ducks were at Lough Fern (Donegal) while 2 Little Auks were seen of Garron Point (Antrim) and 4 Brambling were noted on the outskirts of Monaghan Town (Monaghan).

TUE 2 DEC - Pallas's Warbler and Red-breasted Flycatcher at Barleycove, Mizen Head (Cork), Forster's Tern at Nimmo's Pier (Galway) and Water Pipit at Kilmeaden (Waterford).

WED 3 DEC - Pallas's Warbler and Red-breasted Flycatcher at Barleycove, Mizen Head (Cork), Forster's Tern at Nimmo's Pier (Galway), 2 female Smew were at Inch Lake (Donegal), Ring-necked Duck at Lough Fern (Donegal) and 14 Long-tailed Ducks were off Carrickfergus (Antrim).

THU 4 DEC - Pallas's Warbler and Red-breasted Flycatcher at Barleycove (Cork), 2 Red-necked Grebes and a Slavonian Grebe were off Castlegregory (Kerry) and 4 Iceland Gulls were at Killybegs (Donegal).

FRI 5 DEC - 2 Surf Scoter were seen today at Ballyvooney Cove (Waterford) and a drake Surf Scoter and 5 Velvet Scoter off Brandon Pier (Kerry), Forster's Tern and 2 Ring-billed Gulls at Nimmo's Pier (Galway), Rose-coloured Starling at Lisburn (Antrim), Sabine's Gull still at Cobh (Cork).

SAT 6 DEC - Gyrfalcon, a drake Lesser Scaup and 2 female Smew at Inch, Lough Swilly (Donegal), Red-throated Pipit and 2 Water Pipits at Tacumshin and a Green-winged Teal at the North Slob (Wexford), Forster's Tern and Ring-billed Gull at Nimmo's Pier (Galway), American Wigeon at Rogerstown (Dublin), immature Spoonbill at Inchydoney (Cork), 2 Ring-billed Gulls and a dark-bellied Brent Goose were at Sandymount (Dublin),

SUN 7 DEC - Forster's Tern at Nimmo's Pier (Galway), American Wigeons at Courtmacsherry Estuary (Cork) and at Rogerstown (Dublin), probable Water Pipit at Brigg's Rock (Down) while the Red-throated Pipit and 4 Water Pipits were at Tacumshin (Wexford), a female Smew was found at Broad Lough and 3 Snow Buntings were on Lugnaquilla Mountain (Wicklow), Red-necked Grebe and Slavonian Grebe at Gile's Quay (Louth), 5 Black-throated Divers were off Tracht and 6 off Finvarra (Galway/Clare) and 4 Goosanders were at Lough Fern (Donegal).

MON 8 DEC - A fourth-winter American Herring Gull (the long-staying Cobh bird) was seen at Ballycotton (Cork), single Surf Scoters were reported from Ballyvooney Cove (Waterford) and from Brandon (Kerry), American Wigeon at Timoleague, Spoonbill at Clonakilty and a Ring-billed and 2 Mediterranean Gulls were at Rosscarbery (Cork), the female Smew was again at Broad Lough (Wicklow) and an Eider was seen off Skerries (Dublin).

TUE 9 DEC - A Waxwing was found at Grosvenor Road, Rathmines (Dublin), female Smew at Broad Lough and 5 Brambling were at Butterfly Hill Farm, near Newcastle (Wicklow).

WED 10 DEC - American Wigeon at Rogerstown (Dublin).

THU 11 DEC - Forster's Tern at Nimmo's Pier (Galway), Water Pipit at Brigg's Rock (Down), 2 Glaucous and 1 Iceland Gull at Rossaveal (Galway), male Smew at Inch Lake (Donegal) and Slavonian Grebe off Hermitage (Louth) and a total of 26 Waxwings were noted at Coleraine (Derry).

FRI 12 DEC - Lesser Canada Goose, a Black-necked Grebe and 8 Slavonian Grebes at Lough Foyle and 2 Goosanders on the Bann Estuary (Derry), Rose-coloured Starling at Lisburn (Antrim),

SAT 13 DEC - Forster's Tern at Nimmo's Pier (Galway) along with an adult Iceland Gull and 5 Sandwich Terns, drake Ring-necked Duck at Mell Quarry, Drogheda (Louth), Water Pipit at Brigg's Rock (Down), adult Yellow-legged Gull at the RSPB Reserve in Belfast harbour, 26 Waxwings were at Ring Road, Coleraine (Derry) and American Wigeon at Rogerstown (Dublin).

SUN 14 DEC - Ring-necked Duck at Mell Quarry, Drogheda (Louth), Water Pipit at Brigg's Rock (Down), small race Canada Goose (presumed Lesser) at Myroe Levels, Lough Foyle (Derry), 5 Velvet Scoter off Clogher Head (Louth) a Red-necked and a Slavonian Grebe were at Swords (Dublin) along with a Green Sandpiper, 5 Eider were off Donabate (Dublin), 30 Brambling were seen near to Broad Lough and another 14 were at Butterfly Hill Farm (Wicklow), the Spoonbill was at Clonakilty (Cork) and a Ring-billed Gull was at Timoleague (Cork).

MON 15 DEC - The Red-throated Pipit was seen again at Tacumshin (Wexford), Forster's Tern, 2 Sandwich Terns and a Brambling were at Nimmo's Pier (Galway), Ring-billed and Iceland Gull at Cobh (Cork).

TUE 16 DEC - A female Ring-necked Duck was discovered at Ballyhonack Lake (Cork), single Black-necked and Slavonian Grebes were noted at Rostellan (Cork) and Forster's Tern, 2 Sandwich Terns, Iceland Gull and 3 Brambling were at Nimmo's Pier (Galway).

WED 17 DEC - A Ring-necked Duck and a Smew were found at Lough Arrow (Sligo), 26 Snow Buntings were at Ballyvaughan (Clare), the Forster's Tern, 2 Sandwich Terns and a Ring-billed Gull were at Nimmo's Pier (Galway), the small Canada Goose was again at Myroe Levels (Derry), a Waxwing was at Islandmagee (Antrim) and 14 Long-tailed Ducks were at Carrickfergus (Antrim).

THU 18 DEC - A Hume's Leaf Warbler (the first Irish record ) was found today at Knockadoon Head (Cork), 2 Surf Scoter were off Ballyvooney Cove (Waterford) and a Goosander was seen at Dungarvan (Waterford).

FRI 19 DEC - The Hume's Leaf Warbler was still present at Knockadoon Head (Cork), a Ring-necked Duck and a male Smew were at Inch Lake (Donegal) while a female Ring-necked Duck was at Ballyhonack Lake (Cork) and the Canada Goose was seen at Myroe Levels (Derry).

SAT 20 DEC - Hume's Leaf Warbler at Knockadoon Head (Cork), a first-winter male Ring-necked Duck was found at Knock Lake (Dublin), American Wigeon at Rogerstown (Dublin) and imm. Spoonbill at Clonakilty (Cork).

SUN 21 DEC - The Hume's Warbler was still present at Knockadoon Head (Cork), Ring-necked Duck at Knock Lake (Dublin), American Wigeon at Adrigole (Cork), Canada Goose at Myroe Levels (Derry) and an Iceland and 2 Ring-billed Gulls were at Whitehouse Lagoons (Antrim).

MON 22 DEC - The Hume's Warbler was still at Knockadoon Head (Cork), Forster's Tern, 2 Iceland Gulls, a Sandwich Tern and 3 Brambling were at Nimmo's Pier (Galway), Velvet Scoter, Glaucous Gull and Snow Bunting at Fanad Head (Donegal), 2 Eider off Skerries (Dublin) and 25 Brambling, 10 Twite, a Snow Bunting and an Iceland Gull were at Culmore Tip (Derry).

TUE 23 DEC - Hume's Warbler at Knockadoon Head (Cork), Water Pipit at Kilmeaden (Waterford) and a Goosander at Ballyneety near Dungarvan, a male Smew was seen at Lough Atalia (Galway), a Red-necked Grebe was seen from the Bull Island and from the West Pier, Dun Laoire (Dublin), 2 Ring-billed Gulls were seen inland at Greenhills (Dublin), a Black Redstart was seen at Greystones (Dublin) and a Green Sandpiper was noted at Ballymena (Antrim). News was also received of a possible immature Golden Eagle seen at two locations i in Co. Kerry last week.

WED 24 DEC - Hume's Warbler still at Knockadoon Head (Cork), 2 Ring-necked Ducks were seen again at Newport (Mayo) while 3 European White-fronted Geese were reported from Termoncarragh (Mayo).

THU 25 DEC - A male Smew was discovered at Tymon Park, Dublin City, Ring-necked Duck at Knock Lake and first-winter Iceland Gull on the Bull Island (Dublin), 3 Snow Buntings were seen between Newcastle and Kilcoole (Wicklow) 11 Long-tailed Ducks were on the Caragh Estuary, Glenbeigh (Kerry) for their third day and a Ring-billed and 7 Mediterranean Gulls were at Cobh (Cork).

FRI 26 DEC - The Hume's Warbler was still present at Knockadoon Head (Cork) while a superb record of 5 Firecrests were at Lissagriffin (Cork) with a Black Redstart at nearby Mizen Head, the male Smew was still at Tymon Park (Dublin) while a female was at Craigavon (Armagh), the Water Pipit was at Brigg's Rock (Antrim), 3 Velvet Scoter were reported from Belfast Lough (Antrim) while 2 Yellow-legged Gulls (1W and sub-adult), 4 Iceland and 2 Glaucous Gulls were at Belfast City Dump, 7 Long-tailed Ducks were off Carrickfergus (Antrim) and a Black-necked Grebe was at Hillsborough (Down).

SAT 27 DEC - Hume's Warbler at Knockadoon Head (Cork), first-winter Rose-coloured Starling still at Lisburn (Antrim), Ring-necked Duck at Ballyhonack Lake (Cork), male Smew at Tymon Park (Dublin) and female at the Breaches, Kilcoole (Wicklow) where 2 dark-bellied Brent Geese were also present, a Snow Goose was at the North Slob (Wexford), 20 Long-tailed Ducks, 40 Great Northern Divers and a Glaucous Gull were at Mountcharles (Donegal) while 3 Glaucous and 1 Iceland Gull were at Killybegs (Donegal), a Slavonian Grebe was seen at Aghada (Cork) while a Black-necked Grebe was noted off Hermitage (Louth).

SUN 28 DEC - Ireland's second Hume's Warbler was found at Hook Head (Wexford) while the bird at Knockadoon Head (Cork) was still present today, 3 Ring-billed Gulls were at Blennerville (Kerry), male Smew at Tymon Park (Dublin) with a Ring-billed Gull at nearby Greenhills, the Forster's Tern, 1 Glaucous Gull and 2 Sandwich Terns off Nimmo's Pier (Galway), one Ring-billed and 5 Mediterranean Gulls were at Cobh (Cork), Water Pipit at Brigg's Rock, 10 Long-tailed Ducks off Carrickfergus and Ring-billed Gull and Iceland Gull at RSPB Reserve in Belfast Lough (Antrim), Black-necked and Slavonian Grebe at Aghada and Ring-necked Duck at Ballyhonack Lake (Cork).

MON 29 DEC - Hume's Warbler still present at Hook Head (Wexford) while the other Hume's at Knockadoon Head (Cork) was also seen today, Forster's Tern and 2 Sandwich Terns at Nimmo's Pier (Galway) male Smew still at Tymon Park (Dublin) and female Smew at Kilcoole (Wicklow), a wintering Little Ringed Plover was found at the Mallow sugar factory lagoons (Cork), 2 Surf Scoter were off Ballyvooney Cove and a Goosander was at Dungarvan (Waterford) while the Water Pipit continues to be seen at Kilmeaden (Waterford), 35 Black-throated Divers were noted between Murvagh and Mountcharles (Donegal) while a Slavonian Grebe was also at the latter site, a Black Redstart and 30 Twite were at Bundoran (Donegal), a Chiffchaff was seen on Dursey Island (Cork) the Water Pipit was still at Brigg's Rock (Antrim) and 3 Snow Buntings were seen near Newcastle (Wicklow).

TUE 30 DEC - The Hume's Warbler was still present at Hook Head (Wexford) while a very late Lesser Whitethroat was found at Kilmore Quay (Wexford), the Water Pipit was seen again at Kilmeaden and a Surf Scoter was off Ballyvooney Cove (Waterford), the Forster's Tern and 4 Sandwich Terns plus and Iceland and 2 Glaucous Gulls were at Nimmo's Pier (Galway), a female Smew was at Kilcoole (Wicklow), the male Smew was still at Tymon Park, American Wigeon reported from Rogerstown and 2 Eider were noted off Skerries (Dublin).

WED 31 DEC - Hume's Warblers at Hook Head (Wexford) and at Knockadoon Head (Cork), Lesser Scaup and Ring-necked Duck at Inch Lake (Donegal), Ring-necked Duck also at Ballyhonack Lake (Cork), Spoonbill at Clonakilty (Cork) and 2 Green-winged Teal were at the North Slob (Wexford),

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