Wildlife Reports - Co. Wexford November 2009

Great Northern Diver

WILDBIRD RECORDS. Grebes: A Slavonian Grebe was at Blackwater Head on 20^th. There were 2 Black-necked Grebe at Our Lady's Island Lake on 15^th and there was 1 in Wexford Harbour on 29^th.  Divers: There were 30 Great Northern Divers at Kilmore Quay on 19^th with 43 at the same location on 20^th and good numbers present to the end of the month. 3 Great Northern Divers were noted at Carnsore Point on 22^nd and there were 6 in Wexford Harbour on 26^th increasing to 15 on 29^th.  There were 9 Red-throated Divers off Curracloe on 20^th. Herons and Ibis: There were 26 Little Egret counted at Tacumshin Lake on 8^th. A Glossy Ibis was still at Tacumshin Lake to at least 15^th. Swans: There were at least 100 Whooper Swans at Tacumshin Lake on 8^th. Up to 350 Whooper Swans were on North Slob through the month. Geese: There were 7500 Greenland White-fronted Geese on North Slob through the month with 9 Pink-footed Geese and over 3000 Brent Geese also present through the month. There were 100 Brent Geese at Fethard-on-Sea on 7^th.  A Dark-bellied Brent Goose was on the North Slob from 15^th to the end of the month. A Black Brant was on North Slob from 15^th to the end of the month. There was a Black Brant at Rosslare Back-Strand on 20^th. Ducks: There were at least 100 Tufted Duck at Tacumshin Lake on 8^th. A juvenile Blue-winged Teal was shot on North Slob on 7^th. There were 6000+ Wigeon on North Slob on 20^th. A count of 260 Pintail noted on the North Slob on 20^th. A Ring-necked Duck was at Tacumshin Lake from 8^th to 13^th. There were 2 Ruddy Shelduck at Tacumshin Lake from 9^th to 15^th. A Garganey was on North Slob on 3^rd.  2 Wood Duck were shot on North Slob on 7^th. A Long-tailed Duck was at Our Lady's Island Lake from 2^nd to at least 22nd. There were 2000 Common Scoter off Curracloe on 20^th. Birds of Prey: A Buzzard was at Killinick on 15^th and 1 at Newbawn also on 15^th. There was 1 at Crossabeg on a number of dates through the month. Up to 3 Hen Harriers present on North Slob through the month. There was 1 Hen Harrier noted at Carne Beech on 5^th. There were at least 2 Hen Harriers at Tacumshin Lake on 8^th with singles noted on a number of dates through the month. A male Hen Harrier was noted at Murrintown on 1^st. There were 2 Hen Harriers at Ardcavan on 24^th. A Hen Harrier was at Our Lady's Island Lake on 26^th and 1 was also noted on the same date at Curracloe. A Peregrine was noted at Newbawn on 15^th. A Merlin was on North Slob on 8^th and there was 1 at Tacumshin Lake on same date with 1 also noted at Our Lady's Island Lake on 13^th.  Owls: A Short-eared Owl was seen on North Slob on 9^th. A Barn Owl was noted on North Slob on 1^st. Waders: Good numbers of Ruff were noted on North Slob with a maximum count of 30 noted on 3^rd. There were at least 10 Sanderling at Carne Beach on 13^th with 70 at that location on 14^th and 100 present on 26^th.  1 Little Stint on North Slob on 3^rd. There were 2 Spotted Redshank on North Slob on 8^th with 1 still present on 22^nd.  There were 3000+ Black-tailed Godwits on North Slob on 30^th. A Grey Phalarope was noted at Rosslare Harbour on 8^th and 1 was present at Kilmore Quay on 28^th.  There were 5 Purple Sandpipers at Carne Beach on 13^th. There were 2 Green Sandpipers at Carne Beach on 13^th. Gulls: 7 Mediterranean Gulls were at Carne Beech on 4^th with 1 at that location on 14^th.  Pigeons and Doves: There were 100 Wood Pigeons noted at Rosslare Harbour on 2^nd. And 300 were noted at Newbawn on 15^th.  Woodpecker: There were 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers at Gorey on 3^rd. Kingfishers: Kingfishers were noted on North Slob on a number of dates through the month. Swallows: A Swallow was noted at Blackhall, Bannow on 1^st. 1 was noted at Fethard-on-Sea on 16^th and 1 was also seen at Gorey on 18^th. Wagtails: A White Wagtail was at Rosslare Harbour on 2^nd. Thrushes: There were 2 Song Thrushes singing at Woodgraigue on 20^th. There was a Wheatear at Churchtown on 1^st. There was a Whinchat at Churchtown on 1^st and 1 at Nethertown on 6^th.  There were 22 Black Redstarts at Rosslare Harbour on 1^st with 16 there on 2^nd, 18 noted on 4^th, 25 on 5^th, 10 there on 8^th, 2 on 15^th and 1 on 26^th.  There were 8 Black Redstarts at Carne Harbour on 2^nd with 4 at that location on 4^th and 1 there on 15^th.   2 Black Redstarts were on South Slob on 5^th and there was 1 at Nethertown on 6^th.  There were 2 Black Redstarts at Hook Head on 14^th with 1 present at that location on 22^nd. A Black Redstart was seen at Our Lady's Island Lake on 20^th.  Warblers: A Chiffchaff at Rosslare Harbour on 2^nd and 7 were also noted at Rosslare on the same date. A Siberian Chiffchaff was at Churchtown on 8^th and there were 2 other Chiffchaffs also at that location on the same date. There were 2 Chiffchaff at Hook Head on 14^th. A Blackcap was at Rosslare on 2^nd. A Lesser Whitethroat was at Rosslare on 2^nd. Sparrows: A Tree Sparrow was at Jamestown on 23^rd. Starlings: A flock of 700 was noted feeding on stubble at Woodgraigue on 20^th. Finches: A Redpoll was seen in Coolcotts on 27^th.

Shag

MAMMAL RECORDS:  A Harbour Porpoise was noted on the cetacean survey on Irish Sea on 28^th. A dead Long Finned Pilot Whale was found at Rostoonstown on 31^st (not previously reported). This was followed by another dead Long Finned Pilot Whale being found at Duncannon on 22^nd. These two events were just the 4^th and 5^th record of a stranding of this species off the Wexford Coast. There were 2 Grey Seals noted in Rosslare Harbour on. 2^nd. A Grey Seal was regularly seen in Kilmore Quay harbour through the month. There were 158 Grey Seals in Wexford Harbour on 20^th and on the same date there were 11 Common Seal at the same location. Red Squirrels were noted in Raven Nature Reserve on a number of dates through the month.

Wigeon flying

BUTTERFLY RECORDS: Small Tortoiseshell: 1 on North Slob on 1^st. Red Admiral: 1 at Blackhall, Bannow on 1^st; 1 at Oilgate on 4^th; 2 at Tacumshin Lake on 8^th; 1 at Churchtown on 8^th; 1 Wexford Town on 18^th; 1 North Slob 20^th. Painted Lady: 1 at Rosslare Harbour on 5^th.

Black Guillemot

MOTH RECORDS: Feathered Thorn: 1 was at Ballyfinogue on 10^th. Herald: 1 was noted at Woodgraigue on 19^th.