IRISH BIRD NEWS - November 2004

Sabine's Gull - Cobh, Co. Cork. © Sean Cronin

Peregrine - Westport, Co. Mayo. © Pat Lonergan

Waxwing - Ballytivnan, Co. Sligo. © Michael Casey

MON 1 NOV - Glossy Ibis at Tacumshin (Wexford), Pectoral Sandpiper, Ring-billed Gull and Lapland Bunting on the Mullet (Mayo), Red-backed Shrike at Crookhaven and Spoonbill at Lissagriffin (Cork) but no sign of either Barred or Bonelli's Warblers in the area, Sabine's Gull at Cobh (Cork), 30 Waxwings were at Ballymena (Antrim). No sign of the probable Siberian Thrush seen yesterday on Loop Head (Clare)

TUE 2 NOV - Red-backed Shrike at Crookhaven, Sabine's Gull at Cobh and Lapland Bunting on Galley Head (Cork), 30 Waxwings at Ballymena (Antrim), 21 Waxwings at Bangor (Down) and 7 Waxwings at Dingle (Kerry), 2 House Martins were noted at Greystones (Wicklow)

WED 3 NOV - Red-backed Shrike and 6 Black Redstarts at Crookhaven, Lapland Bunting, Black Redstart and 8 Chiffchaffs on Galley Head, 2 Black Redstarts were in the car park at Cork Airport, Sabine's Gull at Cobh (Cork), 50 Waxwings at Cushendun (Antrim), Black Brant at Coney Island (Sligo)

THU 4 NOV - The dowitcher sp. seen last Sunday at the Bull Island NNR (Dublin) was seen again today and identified as a adult-winter Short-billed Dowitcher, Ring-billed Gull plus a 1W Glaucous Gull, 12 Little Gulls and 2 Sandwich Terns at Nimmo’s Pier (Galway), Waxwing on Mizen Head (Cork), Sabine's Gull at Cobh (Cork), 11 Waxwings on Boghall Road, Bray (Wicklow), 4 Waxwings at Ardboe, Lough Neagh (Tyrone), 100+ Waxwings at Ballymena (Antrim), 4 Black Redstarts and 5+ Chiffchaffs at Knockadoon Head, Northern Wheatear at Ballinwilling (Cork), 3 Black Redstarts at Rush (Dublin)

FRI 5 NOV - American Golden Plover at Annagh Head (Mayo) with a Pectoral Sandpiper on nearby Annagh Marsh, 5 Waxwings were seen at Dromard (Sligo), 120 Waxwings at Carrickfergus (Antrim), 50 Waxwings at Ballycastle (Antrim), Sabine’s Gull at Cobh, Common Redstart and 5 Black Redstarts at Ardnahinch and Northern Wheatear at Ballinwilling (Cork), Black Redstart at Greystones (Wicklow)

SAT 6 NOV - A possible Black Stork was reported from Rosscarbery (Cork), American Golden Plover at Annagh Beach (Mayo), Glaucous Gull at Skerries (Dublin), Balearic Shearwater, 3 Sooty Shearwaters, 9 Humpback and 15 Fin Whales on a pelagic off Galley Head (Cork), 2 Sooty Shearwaters and 6 Little Auks off Arranmore island (Donegal), Ring-billed and 20 Little Gulls plus 4 Sandwich Terns at Nimmo’s Pier (Galway), 8 Black-throated Divers off Durrus Pier (Clare), Water Pipit at Tacumshin (Wexford), Green-winged Teal at Bell Harbour (Clare), Black-necked Grebe of the Bull Wall (Dublin), 150 Waxwings at Carrickfergus golf club, 100 at Ballymena and 38 at Coleraine (Antrim), 17 Waxwings at Boghall Road, Bray (Wicklow), 2 Black Redstarts were at Howth (Dublin), Northern Wheatear at Pimore Strand, Redstart at Ardnahinch (Cork), 6 Black Redstarts and c.40 Chiffchaffs on Mizen Head (Cork)

SUN 7 NOV - No sign of the possible Black Stork reported from Rosscarbery (Cork), Little Auk and Glaucous Gull at Rockabill Island (Dublin), adult-summer Black Tern off Dalkey Island and 2 Common Terns nearby (Dublin), Black-necked Grebe off the Bull Wall and 10 Little Egrets on the Bull Island NNR (Dublin), 2 Black-necked Grebes were off Aghada (Cork), 2 Slavonian Grebes off Curracloe and Velvet Scoter off the North Slob (Wexford), juvenile smithsonianus Herring Gull, a Yellow-legged Gull and 2 Iceland Gulls at Killybegs and 2 Black-throated Divers at Mountcharles (Donegal),17 Waxwings in the in Wheatfield Estate off Boghall Road, Bray (Wicklow), 15 Waxwings in the Stormont Estate (Down), 15 Waxwings on Prince of Wales Way, Belfast, c.40 Waxwings at Carrickfergus golf club (Antrim), 3 Black Redstarts at Rosslare (Wexford), 2 Black Redstarts and a Common Tern at Roche's Point (Cork)

MON 8 NOV - Black-necked Grebes seen at the Bull Wall and off Seapoint (Dublin), 11 Waxwings on the Antrim Road and 80 Waxwings at Knightsbridge Park, Belfast (Antrim), 1 Waxwing at Ennis (Clare)

TUE 9 NOV - 30 Waxwings in Belfast and 7 at Carrickfergus (Antrim), 18 Waxwings at Boghall Road, Bray (Wicklow), Black-necked Grebe off he Bull Wall (Dublin), Ring-billed Gull at Belfast Harbour RSPB (Antrim), Wheatear at Knockgriffin (Cork), "Blue" Fulmar and 2 Sooty Shearwaters off Arranmore Island (Donegal)

WED 10 NOV - 157 Waxwings at Carrickfergus, 60 on Cunningham Road, Antrim, 30 at Cushendall, 6 at Donegal Road, Whitehead and 15 in Belfast (Antrim), American Wigeon and Spotted Redshank at Rogerstown (Dublin), 9 Snow Buntings, a Black Redstart and 3 'Eastern" Jackdaws on Arranmore Island (Donegal)

THU 11 NOV - 2 Spoonbills were reported near Bunclody (Wexford), 27 Waxwings were at Boghall Road, Bray (Wicklow), 18 Waxwings at Tollymore (Down), Little Auk off Brandon head and Lapland Bunting at Fermoyle (Kerry), Ring-billed, Glaucous and 25 Little Gulls at Nimmo's Pier (Galway)

FRI 12 NOV - 37 Waxwings now at Boghall Road, Bray (Wicklow) while 200+ were seen at Carrickfergus and a further 4 Waxwings were at Whitehead (Antrim), Carrion Crow, Snow Bunting, 5 Whimbrel and 2 Chiffchaffs on Lambay Island (Dublin)

SAT 13 NOV - Green-winged Teal and 2 Snow Buntings at Kilcoole (Wicklow), Little Auk and Sooty Shearwater off Ramore Head (Antrim), 11 Waxwings at Cabinteely (Dublin) and 30+ Waxwings at Bray (Wicklow)

SUN 14 NOV - Sabine's Gull, Little Auk and 8 Great Skuas seen on a pelagic off Galley Head (Cork) 1 Humpback and 2 Fin Whales also seen, Water Pipit found at Rogerstown (Dublin) where a Pink-footed Goose was also present, 280+ Waxwings at Carrickfergus golf club, 110 in Antrim city (Antrim), 250+ Waxwings were at Ballykelly (Derry), Green-winged Teal at Smerwick (Kerry), Green-winged Teal on the River Suir near Coolfin (Waterford), Green-winged Teal and 2 Snow Buntings at Kilcoole (Wicklow), Siberian (tristis) Chiffchaff on Cape Clear (Cork), Black-necked Grebe off the North Slob, 3 Velvet Scoter and 2 Slavonian Grebes off Curracloe (Wexford)

MON 15 NOV - An Osprey was seen at Broad Lough while the Green-winged Teal was still at Kilcoole (Wicklow), 200 Waxwings were at Carrickfrgus, 42 in Antrim City (Antrim) while 16 Waxwings were still at Wheatfield Estate, Bray (Wicklow) and 30 Waxwings were reported from Blackrock (Dublin)

TUE 16 NOV - 80 Waxwings in Antrim and 34 at Whiteabbey (Antrim), 6 Waxwings were in Wexford Town (Wexford), American Herring Gull, Ring-billed, Glaucous and 15 Little Gulls at Nimmo's Pier (Galway)

WED 17 NOV - An Ortolan Bunting was reported from Ballycotton (Cork), 140 Waxwings at Shaw's Bridge, Belfast (Antrim) American Herring, Ring-billed and 15 Little Gulls at Nimmo's Pier (Galway)

THU 18 NOV - American Herring, Glaucous, Ring-billed and 12 Little Gulls off Nimmo's Pier (Galway)

FRI 19 NOV - Long-billed Dowitcher at Lough Beg (Derry), Surf Scoter at Ballyvooney Cove (Waterford), Siberian Chiffchaff at Belfast Lough RSPB (Antrim), Green-winged Teal at Kilcoole (Wicklow), 2 Waxwings at Cherryville Street, Belfast (Antrim) and a Great Northern Diver was on Lower Lough Erne (Fermanagh)

SAT 20 NOV - 350 Waxwings at Carnmoney, 14 Waxwings at Ballymena (Antrim), Siberian Chiffchaff at Belfast Lough RSPB (Antrim), American Wigeon at Rogerstown (Dublin) and Green-winged Teal at Bell Harbour (Clare)

SUN 21 NOV - Snow Goose on the North Slob (Wexford), up to 350 Waxwings at Carrickfergus while 150 were at Carnmoney (Antrim), 30 Waxwings at Middleton, Dungannon (Tyrone) and 5 Waxwings were at Ballykelly (Derry), American Wigeon at Rogerstown (Dublin), Green-winged Teal and Brambling at Kilcoole (Wicklow), Iceland Gull at Ramore Head (Antrim), 2 Slavonian Grebes at Rostellan (Cork), Little Stint at Tramore (Waterford)

MON 22 NOV - 670+ Waxwings at Ballymena (Antrim), 120 Waxwings at Laggan Meadows and another 20 at Belvoir Park, Belfast (Antrim), Green-winged Teal at Smerwick (Kerry)

TUE 23 NOV - 140 Waxwings at Ballymena (Antrim), Green-winged Teal at Kilcoole (Wicklow), 2 Spotted Redshanks were at Lough Beg (Cork), c.30 Waxwings at Blackrock (Dublin),

WED 24 NOV - 3 Surf and 2 Velvet Scoter plus a Black-throated Diver at Fermoyle in Brandon Bay (Kerry), a Waxwing was noted at Killucan (Westmeath), 20 Waxwings were at Stranmillis, Belfast (Antrim), Snow Goose and Green-winged Teal at the North Slob (Wexford), Green-winged Teal at Bell Harbour (Clare), Ring-billed and 15 Little Gulls at Nimmo's Pier (Galway), Ring-billed and Glaucous Gull on the Mullet (Mayo). News was also received today of a Barred Warbler seen at Newcastle (Wicklow) on 14th November.

THU 25 NOV - 25 Waxwings at Carysford Downs, Blackrock, 110 at Blake's Cross and 25 Waxwings at Castlenock Lodge (Dublin), 400 Waxwings were in Antrim town (Antrim), 40 at Dungannon (Tyrone), 2 Chiffchaffs were at Dublin Zoo (Dublin)

FRI 26 NOV - American Golden Plover at the Annagh Beach (Mayo) along with a Ring-billed and Glaucous Gull, female Ring-necked Duck at Ballyalla Lake (Clare), 170 Waxwings at Antrim town, 45 at Ballymena and 70 at Templepatrick (Antrim), American Wigeon at Rogerstown (Dublin), 3 Surf Scoter and 2 Velvet Scoter off Brandon Head (Kerry)

SAT 27 NOV - 17 Waxwings at Carysford Downs, Blackrock (Dublin), 300 Waxwings at Antrim town, 134 at Doagh (Antrim), male Smew at Acton Lake (Armagh), Ring-billed Gull at Carrickfergus (Antrim), American Wigeon at Blackrock Turlough, Gort (Galway), Green-winged Teal at Bell Harbour (Clare), 11 Little and a Ring-billed Gull at Nimmo's Pier (Galway)

SUN 28 NOV - 22+ Waxwings at Carysford Downs, Blackrock (Dublin), Little Auk off Skerries (Dublin), Snow Goose on the North Slob (Wexford), 1 Waxwing at Andale Embankment, Belfast (Antrim)

MON 29 NOV - 4 Ring-necked Ducks now at Ballyallia Lake (Clare), 3 Waxwings at Kells (Meath) and Snow Goose and Green-winged Teal at the North Slob (Wexford)

TUE 30 NOV - 12 Waxwings were at Ballytivnan, Sligo town (Sligo), 110 Waxwings at Carysford, Blackrock (Dublin) and Snow Goose at the North Slob (Wexford)

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