Wildlife Reports - Co. Wexford February 2010

Red Squirrel

WILDBIRD RECORDS FEBRUARY 2010. Grebes: A Black-necked Grebe was in Wexford Harbour on 7th with 2 present on 27th.  There was a Red-necked Grebe at Our Lady's Island Lake on 19th with 1 in Wexford Harbour on 28th. There was 1 Slavonian Grebe at Curracloe on 20th with 3 at Rosslare Backstrand on the same date. There were 8 Slavonian Grebes in Wexford Harbour on 27th with just 2 noted at same location on 28th. Divers: A Black-throated Diver was seen off Our Lady's Island Lake on 19th and 20th with 1 noted off Tacumshin Lake on 22nd. Ibis/Herons: The Glossy Ibis remained through the month at Tacumshin Lake. 5 Little Egrets were at Ballinamorragh on 8th with 5 also seen on North Slob on 10th. There was a count of 29 Little Egrets at Tacumshin Lake on 13th with 30 counted at same location on 21st. Swans: A pair of Mute Swans were noted prospecting on 10th. There were 4 Bewick's Swans at Tacumshin Lake on 6th increasing to 43 on 20th and 18 counted at that location on 21st.  There were 30 Whooper Swans at Tacumshin Lake on 14th. Geese:  8000 Greenland White-fronted Geese were counted on the North Slob on 15th. The North Slob population remained through the month. There were 20 Greenland White-fronted Geese at Tacumshin Lake on 21st. 9 Pink-footed Geese were on North Slob through the month with 1 also present at Bannow Bay up to at least 13th. A Dark-bellied Brent Goose was noted at Wexford Wildfowl Reserve on 20th with 1 also noted at Rosslare Backstrand also on the same date. A Black Brant was at Wexford Wildfowl Reserve through the month with 1 also noted at Rosslare Backstrand to the end of the month. Ducks: A Green-winged Teal was seen at Tacumshin Lake from 18th to at least 28th. There was a Green-winged Teal at Cahore on 19th. 200 Shelduck were on North Slob 10th. The Baikal Teal (type – believed a hybred) was at Tacumshin Lake to at least 23rd. The Ruddy Shelduck was still on South Slob on 13th and 1 was noted at Rosslare Backstrand on 15th and 28th. The Goosander was still present at Bannow Bay up to 7th with 2 present on 20th. There were 2 Long-tailed Duck at Our Lady's Island Lake on 13th with 1 present on 20th and 2 noted at same location on 28th. 161 Common Scoter were counted at Curracloe on 15th with 4 noted at same location on 20th. Birds of Prey: A female Peregrine was on the North Slob on 5th and also 10th.  A Merlin was noted at Tacumshin Lake on 7th and on 22nd.  A Hen Harrier was noted at Curracloe Beach on 5th and 9th. A male Hen Harrier was on the North Slob also on 5th with 2 ring-tails present on 10th.  2 Hen Harriers were at Tacumshin from 6th to at least 9th with 1 present on 14th and 15th, 2 present on 19th, 4 present on 21st, 1 on 22nd and 2 on 27th.  There were 5 Hen Harriers at a roost near Ely House on 13th. A Hen Harrier was at Our Lady's Island Lake on 14th. A Marsh Harrier was noted at Tacumshin Lake on 6th and 7th with 2 present on 13th.  A Buzzard seen at Rosslare Village on 5th with 2 also seen at Our Lady's Island Lake on 5th. 1 was on the North Slob on 15th with 1 noted at Our Lady's Island Lake on 19th and 1 also noted at Tacumshin Lake also on 19th. There were 8 present at that location on 20th and just 1 noted on 21st. Owls: There were 2 Short-eared Owls at Fethard-on-Sea on 19th with 1 noted at Tacumshin Lake on 21st and 24th. Waders: 78 Lapwing were noted at Rathaspick on 19th. A Spotted Redshank was on North Slob through the month. A Spotted Redshank was also noted on the South Slob on 25th. There were 60+ Bar-tailed Godwits on North Slob on 10th. There were 70 Black-tailed Godwits near Killurin Bridge on 27th. A Long-billed Dowitcher was at Tacumshin Lake from 20th to at least 23rd.  A Jack Snipe was at Wexford Wildfowl Reserve on 27th. Gulls:  A Mediterranean Gull was at Our Lady's Island Lake on 14th with 2 present on 20th and 2 also noted at Tacumshin Lake on 20th with 1 at Tacumshin Lake on 21st.  There were 143 Common Gulls counted at Raven Point on 15th. Woodpecker: A Great Spotted Woodpecker was present in Ballymurn from the third week. Dipper: 1 was noted on at stream at Booladuragh on 7th. Thrushes: A Stonechat was seen at Kilmore Quay on 14th with 1 also noted at Coolcotts on 27th. Warblers: There were 2 Blackcap at Fardystown on 4th to the end of the month. A Blackcap was a regular feeder in a garden in Coolcotts through the month. Treecreeper: 1 was at Barntown on 16th. Crows: A Carrion Crow was noted on North Slob 10th. A Raven was seen flying at Booladuragh on 7th. Singles were noted on a number of dates at Coolcotts, Holdmanhill and Woodgraigue. There were 2 at Killurin on 27th. A pair were at Dunbrody Abby on 28th. Finches: 24 Redpoll were at Fardystown on 4th increasing to 40 by the  9th.  There were 4 Redpoll at Coolcotts on 15th with 1 present at same location on 19th. There were 2 Siskins in Coolcotts through the month. There were 6 Goldfinch at Fardystown on 4th.  There were 3 Brambling (2 male 1 female) at Fardystown on 4th with 1 male still present for the rest of the month. A Brambling was at Wexford Wildfowl Reserve on 5th and 1 was also reported at Camolin on 28th. Starlings: Around 4000 were at Booladuragh on 7th. A large roost (many thousands) of Starlings were noted near Forth Mountain over week-end of 20th and 21st. Sparrows: There were 2 Tree Sparrows at Tacumshin Lake on 7th with 1 at Laken on 14th. There were 20 Tree Sparrows counted at Rostoonstown on 22nd. 2 were noted at a peanut feeder in Woodgraigue on 27th.

Greenland White-fronted Geese

MAMMAL RECORDS:  Fin Whale: 4 were regularly seen at Hook Head and Baginbun Head up to 9th with 3 present on 11th. There were 6 counted at Baginbun Head on 14th (highest count of this species this winter for Co. Wexford). Humpback Whale: 1 was present at Hook Head and Baginbun Head to at least 16th. Grey Seal: 203 were counted in Wexford Harbour on 15th with 5 at Ballinesker also on 15th. There were 10 Common Seals in Wexford Harbour on 15th.  Leisler's Bat: A probable was noted flying at Rosslare Backstrand at mid-day on 5th. Pipistrelle Bat:  1 was seen flying Lady's Island Lake on 2nd. Badger: 1 was noted on a number of dates through the month on North Slob. Red Squirrel: 6 were seen chasing each other about in 2 adjacent trees in Raven Nature Reserve on 11th.

INVERTEBRATES:  1st wasp seen flying North Slob on 11th