IRISH BIRD NEWS - May 2004

Greater Yellowlegs - Quoile Pondage, Co. Down. © Paddy Keogh

Semipalmated Sandpiper - Ballycotton, Co. Cork. © Michael O' Keeffe

Tawny Pipit - Ballycotton, Co. Cork. ©Michael O' Keeffe

SAT 1 MAY - A Tawny Pipit was found near Allen's Pool at Ballycotton (Cork) with a Marsh Harrier nearby, a male and female Montagu's Harrier were seen at Tacumshin (Wexford) along with 3 Marsh Harriers and at least 2 Garganey, at Kilmore Quay a Pomarine Skua was seen while 2 Cuckoos and a Whinchat were the best from Saltee Island. The Crane was seen again briefly at Ashton's Callows (Tipperary), 2 Carrion Crow were noted at Howth Head (Dublin), a Reed Warbler was at Broad Lough (Wicklow) and at least 1 Yellow Wagtail and 23 Whimbrel were at Kilcoole (Wicklow).

SUN 2 MAY - A Short-toed Lark was found on Dursey Island (Cork), male Montagu's Harrier, Hobby, up to 5 Garganey and a Yellow Wagtail at Tacumshin (Wexford), Redstart in Co. Wicklow, Garganey at Mallow SFL (Cork), 105 Whimbrel were at Quilty (Clare), good numbers of migrants including Whitethroats, Sedge Warblers, Spotted Flycatchers and a Garden Warbler reported from Co. Cork headlands while a Reed Warbler was in song at Garrettstown (Cork).

MON 3 MAY - A male and a female Montagu's Harrier and 2 Garganey were at Tacumshin (Wexford), Garganey at Mallow SFL (Cork), more common migrants reported from Co. Cork headlands, 3 Yellow Wagtails were at Kilcoole (Wicklow).

TUE 4 MAY - No sign of the Montagu's Harrier at Tacumshin (Wexford) but 16 Arctic Skuas were seen offshore, 21 Great and 5 Arctic Skuas were off Achill Head and a Snow Bunting was at Keem Bay (Mayo), 2 Yellow Wagtails were at Kilcoole (Wicklow) and a male Snow Bunting was seen on Great Blasket Island (Kerry).

WED 5 MAY - A Woodchat Shrike was found at Cape Clear (Cork), adult Forster's Tern at Lady's Island Lake (Wexford), 51 Pomarine Skuas were noted off Annagh Head (Mayo) along with 17 Arctic and 9 Great Skuas while 1 Leach's Petrel, 1 Pomaring Skua and a blue-phase Fulmar were seen from Kilcummin Head (Mayo) and a Lesser Yellowlegs was found at Quoile Pondage (Down).

THU 6 MAY - An excellent tally of 218 Pomarine, 31 Arctic and 11 Great Skuas was recorded from Annagh Head (Mayo), Woodchat Shrike still at Cape Clear (Cork), Lesser Yellowlegs at Quoile Pondage (Down), Marsh Harrier at Tacumshin (Wexford).

FRI 7 MAY - A Nightingale was trapped on the Saltees (Wexford) where 2 Lesser Whitethroats and large numbers of Blackcaps and phylloscs were also noted, Corncrakes were calling at Banagher (Offaly) and a Glaucous Gull was seen at Skerries (Dublin).

SAT 8 MAY - Nightingale still on Saltees (Wexford), a Wood Warbler was found at Brownstown Head (Waterford) and constitutes the first county record, 2 Garganey were at Tacumshin (Wexford) while another two were at Mallow SFL (Cork), a blue-headed Yellow Wagtail was at Garrettstown and the Spoonbill was at Clonakilty (Cork), 2 Redstarts were reported from a site in Co. Wicklow and both Mediterranean and Ring-billed Gulls were reported holding territory at sites in Northern Ireland.

SUN 9 MAY - Nightingale still on Saltees (Wexford), the adult Forster's Tern plus a 3rd cal-year bird were at Lady's Island Lake while 2 Garganey were at Tacumshin (Wexford), a Tree Pipit was found at the Old Head of Kinsale while an Iceland Gull was at Cross Lake (Cork), Wood Sandpiper at Lough Beg (Derry) and a Marsh Harrier was seen at Knock Lake (Dublin).

MON 10 MAY - A Spoonbill was seen in flight from Rockabill Island (Dublin), Reed Warbler, 2 Garden Warblers and a Whinchat on Saltees (Wexford).

TUE 11 MAY - Adult Forster's Tern at Lady's Island Lake and Marsh Harrier at Tacumshin (Wexford), Yellow Wagtail at Kilcoole (Wicklow) and Spoonbill at Clonakilty (Cork).

WED 12 MAY - Semipalmated Sandpiper found at Ballycotton (Cork), 5 Reed Warblers were singing at Tacumshin (Wexford).

THU 13 MAY - A Garden Warbler was reported singing at Ardcath (Meath).

FRI 14 MAY - Marsh Harrier at Tacumshin (Wexford) and Yellow Wagtail at Kilcoole (Wicklow).

SAT 15 MAY - A male Golden Oriole was seen at Ballyvergan (Cork), Spotted Flycatchers, a Snow Bunting and a Whinchat noted on Saltees (Wexford), male American Wigeon, Corncrakes and a Great Skua reported from Tory Island (Donegal).

SUN 16 MAY - An Osprey was seen over Cabinteely (Dublin), Marsh Harrier at Ballyvergan (Cork), Spoonbill at Clonakilty (Cork), American Wigeon on Tory Island (Donegal), 5 Pomarine and 1 Great Skua off the Copeland Islands (Down), Yellow Wagtail at Nohoval (Cork), Snow Bunting, Reed Warbler and Whinchat on Saltees and Yellow Wagtail at Lady's Island Lake (Wexford).

MON 17 MAY - A female Red-backed Shrike and a Turtle Dove were seen on Cape Clear (Cork), a Dotterel was found at Trostan on the Antrim Plateau (Antrim), 2nd cal-year American Herring Gull at Nimmo's Pier (Galway) and Little Gull at Swords (Dublin).

TUE 18 MAY - A Lesser Whitethroat was the best from Cape Clear (Cork) and the Spoonbill continued to be seen at Clonakilty in the same county.

WED 19 MAY - A Turtle Dove was seen on Cape Clear and the Spoonbill was at Clonakilty (Cork).

THU 20 MAY - A quiet day with only a Garganey at Tacumshin (Wexford) and an Iceland Gull at Belfast Lough RSPB (Antrim). Reed Warblers were also reported to be back in numbers at traditional sites.

FRI 21 MAY - A male Montagu's Harrier was found at Farranfore airport (Kerry) and news was also received of 2 possible Golden Orioles seen at Burnham (Kerry) in recent days, a Quail was on the Saltees (Wexford), Spoonbill at Clonakilty (Cork) and Whinchat at nearby Galley Head.

SAT 22 MAY - A Green-winged Teal and a Turtle Dove were on Inishmor (Galway), 2nd cal-yr. American Herring Gull at Belfast Lough RSPB (Antrim), Marsh Harrier and Garganey at Tacumshin (Wexford).

SUN 23 MAY - A Temminck's Stint and a Pectoral Sandpiper were found today at Lough Beg (Derry) while another Temminck's Stint was at Quoile Pondage (Down), at Hermitage (Louth) a Little Ringed Plover was discovered, a Marsh Harrier was at Broad Lough (Wicklow) and Spoonbill at Clonakilty (Cork).

MON 24 MAY - A Greater Yellowlegs was found at the Quoile Pondage (Down), Temminck's Stint and Blue-headed Wagtail at Paddy's Dub at Lough Beg (Derry).

TUE 25 MAY - No sign of the Greater Yellowlegs at the Quoile Pondage (Down) today although a Spoonbill was seen there, a female Red-backed Shrike was seen between Baltimore and Lough Hyne (Cork), 2nd cal-yr. American Herring Gull and a Glaucous Gull at Dingle (Kerry), 2nd cal-yr. American Herring Gull and a Turtle Dove at Belfast Lough RSPB (Antrim), Iceland Gull at Swords (Dublin), 2 Marsh Harriers were at Tacumshin (Wexford) and a Little Stint was at Blackrock Strand (Kerry).

WED 26 MAY - Greater Yellowlegs seen again at Quoile Pondage (Down), 2nd cal-yr. American Herring Gull, Turtle Dove and sub-adult Yellow-legged Gull at Belfast Lough RSPB (Antrim).

THU 27 MAY - Greater Yellowlegs at Quoile Pondage (Down), a male Common Rosefinch was singing on Cape Clear island (Cork).

FRI 28 MAY - Greater Yellowlegs at Quoile Pondage (Down), a Pectoral Sandpiper was seen at Cahore (Wexford), Common Rosefinch and Turtle Dove on Cape Clear (Cork), 5 Turtle Doves and a Redstart were on Mizen Head (Cork), Iceland Gull at Dargan Bay (Antrim).

SAT 29 MAY - 4 Pectoral Sandpipers were reported from Cahore (Wexford), an Osprey was seen on sandbanks in Wexford harbour (Wexford).

SUN 30 MAY - Greater Yellowlegs still at Quoile Pondage (Down), an Osprey was seen at Lurgangreen (Louth), Spoonbill at Clonakilty (Cork), 2nd cal-yr. American Herring Gull and Glaucous Gull at Nimmo's Pier (Galway), male Marsh Harrier at Cahore with a male and a female at Tacumshin (Wexford) where a Carrion Crow was also noted.

MON 31 MAY - A first-summer White-billed Diver and an adult Sabine's Gull were seen off Cape Clear (Cork), the Osprey was still in the Lurgangreen / Seabank area (Louth) and a 2nd cal-yr. American Herring Gull was at Fenit Head (Kerry).

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