Clare Bird Sightings

March 2010

Wednesday 31st March 2010
There was a pair of Long-eared Owls at Crusheen this evening. 
Tuesday 30th March 2010
The PIED-BILLED GREBE was still at Lough Atedaun (Josh Jones).
The drake Green-winged Teal was also still at Burrin Lake (Josh Jones).
One Swallow was at Ballyallia Lake.
Monday 29th March 2010
A flock of 250 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and one Peregrine were at Lough Donnell.
Over 70 Purple Sandpipers were at Seafield, Quilty.
Sunday 28th March 2010
The PACIFIC DIVER was off Finvarra Point (Pat Lonergan, Dermot Breen et al).
One drake Green-winged Teal was at Burrin Lake. (Pat Lonergan).
There were 30 Black-throated Divers off the Rine, Ballyvaughan.
One Chiffchaff was singing at Applewood, Ballycar.
Two Wheatears were at Mullaghmore, the Burren.
There was also an influx of Willow Warblers to North Clare with four at Lough Atedaun,
and 5-6 at Mullaghmore in the Burren.  These were the first for the year in the county.
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Willow Warbler near Lough Atedaun © Dave McNamara
Saturday 27th March 2010
The PACIFIC DIVER was off Bishops Quarter (Maeve & Christy Meehan), along with
two Sandwich Terns.
The PIED-BILLED Grebe was at Lough Atedaun, Corofin (James Hayes & Clogdagh Glasgow).
There were three Sandwich Terns at New Quay.
Four Black-throated Divers and 25 Great Northern Divers were off Finvarra Point.
Friday 26th March 2010
The PACIFIC DIVER was at Finvarra Point (Conor Foley), there were also three Black-thraoted
Divers and six Long-tailed Ducks off the point.
The PIED-BILLED GREBE was still at Lough Atedaun (Conor Foley).
The drake Ring-necked Duck was still at Kilkee Resrvoir (Christy Meehan).
One drake Green-winged Teal was also still at Burrin Lake near New Quay (Conor Foley).
A Red-necked Grebe was off Doorus Pier near the Clare/Galway border.
The female Goosander was back at Ardcloony (Paul Troake), along with one Swallow and
40 Sandmartins.
There was one Black-throated Diver, two Long-tailed Ducks, 11 Sandwich Terns and
90 Red-breasted Mergansers at Aughinish.
One Chiffchaff was a Clifden Hill, Corofin.
One Scandinavian Rock Pipit was at Clahane.
One Little Egret was at Clonlara.
There were six Wheatears at Chimney Bay, Kilkee.
One Swallow was on the Tulla Road, Ennis and another at Drehidnagower Bridge.
Thursday 25th March 2010
Puffins returned today to Goat Island off the Cliffs of Moher.
Wednesday 24th March 2010
The PIED-BILLED GREBE made a brief appearance this evening in the left hand corner of Lough Atedaun (Jeff Copner).
A female Ring-necked Duck was at Ardcloony (John N Murphy, Brian Finnegan & Jeff Copner), along with
20 Sandmartins, two Swallows, two Chiffchaffs, one Kingfisher, two Scaup and 50 Tufted Ducks.
Five Sandwich Terns and a Wheatear were on the Flaggy Shore.
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A bird showing characteristics of Scandinavian Rock Pipit at Clahane © Dave McNamara
Tuesday 23rd March 2010
Four Little Egrets were at Shannon Airport Lagoon.
One Dipper was on the Claureen River.
Monday 22nd March 2010
One Woodcock was at Granaghan Castle, Fenloe Lake.
There were 500 Golden Plover at Lahinch Bridge and Marsh.
A flock of 12 Brent Geese were at Clahane along with the colour
ringed Redshank (Red over white/pale green).
Sunday 21st March 2010
The GOOSANDER was at Ardcloony, Parteen Reservoir (Tom Tarpey), along with one
Red-necked Grebe, 50 Tufted Ducks, two Scaup and one Kingfisher.
The drake Green-winged Teal was at Burrin Lake, New Quay (Mark Carmody).
One Common Sandpiper was at the Quay at Clarecastle.
A hundred and sixty  Tufted Duck were at Ballyallia Lake.
One Red Grouse and a Crossbill were at Maghera.
There was one Jay at O’Briens Bridge.
Another Jay was just outside Killaloe.
A flock of ten Sandmartins were at Fenloe (Fin) Lough, Newmarket-on-Fergus,
with another fock of 20 were seen at Drehidnagower Bridge.
Saturday 20th March 2010
The PACIFIC DIVER was at Finvarra Point (Brian Finnegan, Austin Cooney, Tom & Nuala Lynch et al).
The drake Green-winged Teal was still at Burrin Lake (Tom & Nuala Lynch et al). 
One drake Eider was at New Quay.
One Green Sandpiper was at Ballycorrick Bridge, near Ballynacally.
Sand Martins were seen at Ballyallia Lake today, the first for the year in Clare.
One Jay was at Ballynacally Village.
Two Jays and five Wodcock were at Clifden Hill, Corofin.
Thee was a pair of Scaup and up to 60 Tufted Ducks at Ardcloony on the Shannon River.
Friday 19th March 2010
The PACIFIC DIVER was off Bishops Quarter, Ballyvaughan Bay (Michael Cowming, Colum Flynn et al).
The drake Green-winged Teal was at the Turlough near Tulla the Burren (Dave McNamara).
One drake Green-winged Teal was at Burrin Lake, New Quay (Michael Cowming et al).
A Red-necked Grebe was at Doorus Pier on Clare/Galway border.
There were eight Black-throated Divers at Ballyvaughan while 17 were off Finvarra Point.
Two Black-throated Divers were off Aughinish.
One drake Eider was at Finvarra Point.
One second-winter Ring-billed Gull was at Bell Harbour.
Two Little Egrets and 20 Whooper Swans were at Lough Atedaun.
One Green Sandpiper was at Ballycorrick Bridge.
One Little Egret was at Islandavanna, Clarecastle.
Thursday 18th March 2010
The PACIFIC DIVER was off Finvarra Point today (Dominic Mitchell, Chris Harbard & Roy Beddard), along
with three Black-throated Divers.
The PIED-BILLED GREBE was on show again at Lough Atedaun (Dominic Mitchell, Chris Harbard & Roy Beddard).
The drake Green-winged Teal was at Burrin Lake near New Quay (Dominic Mitchell, Chris Harbard & Roy Beddard).
Wednesday 17th March 2010
The PACIFIC DIVER was at Finvarra Point again today (Harry Hussey & John Lynch).
The female GOOSANDER was also back at Ardcloony on the Shannon River (Paul Troake).
A drake Green-winged Teal was at Burrin Lake near New Quay (Harry Hussey & John Lynch).
Tuesday 16th March 2010
The PACIFIC DIVER was in Ballyvaughan Bay today (Jeff Copner, Christy Meehan & Austin Cooney).
The drake Green-winged Teal was still at the Shannon Airport Lagoon (Dominic Mitchell, Chris Harbard & Roy Beddard).
There was a male Blackcap at Oak Park Ennis this morning.
Monday 15th March 2010
The PACIFIC DIVER was still present this morning off Finvarra Point (Colin McNamee).
The female GOOSANDER was back at Ardcloony on the Shannon River (Paul Troake),
along with 50 Goldeneye.
There were eight Crossbills and 60 Siskins at Kilnacreagh Wood east of Sixmilebridge.
One Whimbrel was at Doonbeg.
A flock of 48 Barnacle Geese were at Illaunonearaun with two Chough near Moveen.
Ten Little Egrets were at the Shannon Airport Lagoon with a flock of 210 Black-tailed Godwits.
A male and female Blackcap were at Oak Park Ennis.
Sunday 14th March 2010
The PACIFIC DIVER was once again off Finvarra Point (Dave Fox & Paul Keogh).
A drake Ring-necked Duck was at Kilkee Reservoir (John N Murphy & Finbarr McGabhann).
The second-winter Ring-billed Gull was still at Bell Harbour.
There were two Spotted Redshanks and five Black-throated Divers at Finvarra Point.
A pair of Carrion Crows were near Killard, Cross on the Loop Head peninsula.
A Barn Owl waqs heard calling near Moanreel for 2 hours after dusk.
There was one Whimbrel a Cloghaun Lough, Loop Head.
One Jack Snipe was at the tip of Loop Head Lighthouse.
One Little Egret was at Doonbeg.
There were three Little Egrets and 80 Shelduck at Poulnasherry Bay.
A flock of 140 Barnacle Geese were on Mattle Island.
There were 14 Red-throated Divers at  Doughmore Bay, Doonbeg.
A flock of 40 Whooper Swans were just outside Kilkee near the Reservoir with one Greylag Goose.
There were 45 Cormorants nesting on Illaunonearaun south of Kilkee.
One Dipper was on the River Fergus at Clifden Hill.
There were six Woodcock at Gort Coirce, Dysert.
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Ring-necked Duck with Tufted Ducks at Kilkee Reservoir © John N Murphy
Saturday 13th March 2010
The PACIFIC DIVER was off Finvarra Point again today (Aidan Kelly, Victor Cashera, Tom Shevlin et al).
The drake Green-winged Teal was still at Shannon Airport Lagoon (John N Murphy), 
along with 16 Little Egrets.
There was a drake Green-winged Teal at a Turlough near Tulla, north of Boston on 
the New Line Road between Tubber and New Quay (Dave McNamara).
Six Black-throated Divers were at the Flaggy Shore.
One adult Yellow-legged Gull was at Aughinish.
A second-winter Ring-billed Gull was at Bell Harbour.
The first Wheatear of the year was at Georges Head, Kilkee.
Three Twite were on the cliff walk near Dunlicky Kilkee this morning.
A flock of 53 Whooper Swans were near Kilkee Reservoir.
Five Little Egrets were at Ballyallia Lake, Ennis.
One Peregrine was at Lough Atedaun.
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Green-winged Teal with Eurasian Teal at Shannon Airport Lagoon © John N Murphy
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Three Twite sun bathing at George’s Head Kilkee © Christy Meehan
Friday 12th March 2010
The PIED-BILLED GREBE was seen at Lough Atedaun on the right hand side
of the lake and slipway (Dave McNamara).
A male Hen Harrier and a Woodcock were at Gort Coirce.
There was a flock of 27 Whooper Swans at Lough Cullane.
Over 60 Whooper Swans were still in fields near Ballygireen.
A small party of 22 Greylag Geese were in fields near Lough  Muchanagh.
There were two Greylag Geese over Applewood, Ballycar.
A male Blackcap was at Oak Park Ennis.
Thursday 11th March 2010
There were over 60 Whooper Swans at Ballygireen, Newmarket-on-Fergus this morning.
A flock of 140 Sanderling were at Seafield, Quilty, two of which were colour ringed.
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Colour-ringed Sanderling at Seafield, Quilty © John N Murphy
Wednesday 10th March 2010
The PIED-BILLED GREBE was showing on and off today at Lough Atedaun (John N Murphy,
James Hayes, Howard Williams & Dave McNamara).
There was a drake Green-winged Teal at Shannon Airport Lagoon (John N Murphy & James Hayes),
along with 19 Little Egrets, eight Water Rails and one Peregrine.
The drake Green-winged Teal was at Bell Harbour (Joe Donaldson).
A female GOOSANDER was at Ardcloony, above the Weir, North of O’Brien’s Bridge on the Shannon River (Paul Troake).
This is only a fourth record for the county.
There were five Black-throated Divers at Finvarra Point.
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Green-winged Teal at Shannon Airport Lagoon © James Hayes
Tuesday 9th March 2010
There were four Black-throated Divers and eight Red-throated Divers off Finvarra
Point today.
Monday 8th March 2010
The PACIFIC DIVER was back at Finvarra Point this morning (Jeff Copner).
The PIED-BILED GREBE was still at Lough Atedaun (John N Murphy, Will Soar et al).
Six Woodcock were at Clifden Hill, Corofin.
Sunday 7th March 2010
The PACIFIC DIVER is still at the inner bay at Finvarra Point this morning (Kieran Grace et al).
The PIED-BILLED GREBE was at Lough Atedaun earlier this morning and late this evening (Jeff Copner & Dave McNamara).
One adult male and one immature Eider were off the Flaggy Shore, New Quay.
There were 86 Black-throated Divers between Black Head and Aughinish Island.
A total of 18 Long-tailed Ducks were seen between the Martello Tower at Finvarra
and the Flaggy Shore along with one Merlin close to the Martello Tower at Finvarra Point.
Three Woodcock were at Clifden Hill, Corofin.
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Pied-billed Grebe at Lough Atedaun © Dave McNamara
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Pied-billed Grebe was at Lough Atedaun early this morning © Jeff Copner
Saturday 6th March 2010
An adult PACIFIC DIVER was showing well off Finvarra Point all afternoon (John N Murphy, 
Finbarr McGabhann,  James Hayes, Clodagh Glasgow et al). 
This is the first record for the county and Ireland and probably the same individual as found 
by Michael Davis off the Galway coast some weeks ago.
The PIED-BILLED GREBE was at Lough Atedaun again this morning. (Dave McNamara, John N Murphy
& Finbarr MacGabhann).
Also off the North Clare coast there was the Red-necked Grebe, four Black-throated Divers,
200 Great Northern Divers, 28 Long-tailed Ducks, 60 Black Guillemots and 120 Brent Geese.
There were three Yellowhammers at Mullaghmore in the Burren.
There were eight Woodcock at Clifden Hill.
One Merlin was at Rath Lough, Corofin.
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Pied-billed Grebe at Lough Atedaun © Will Soar
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Pacific Diver flapping wings © Dave McNamara
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Pacific Diver off Finvarra Point © Dermot Breen
Fridray 5th March 2010
A PIED-BILLED GREBE was seen just before sunset at Lough Atedaun (Dave McNamara).
The drake Green-winged Teal was at Bell Harbour (James Hayes).
There was one Red-necked Grebe, four Black-throated Divers and two 
Long-tailed Ducks off Doorus Pier on the Clare/Galway border this morning.
Two Greylag Geese were at Applewood, Ballycar.
There are lots of Bullfinches about eating fresh spring buds © John N Murphy
Thursday 4th March 2010
There were two Long-tailed Ducks and 20 Red-throated Divers off Aughinish.
Three Jays were at Clifden Hill, Corofin.
One Woodcock was at Lough Bunny.
There was a flock of 20 Whooper Swans at Lough Cullaun, the Burren.
Five Greylag Geese and a Water Rail were at Ballycar Lough. 
Six Ravens were at Boston Castle.
Wednesday 3rd March 2010
There was a Green Sandpiper at the Falls in Ennistymon.
One male Hen Harrier was at Ballyeither Lough.
A flock of 43 Greenland White-fronted Geese were at Lough Muachanagh.
One Peregrine was at Lough Donnell.
There were 18 Goldeneye at Lough Bunny. 
Tuesday 2nd March 2010
A drake Ring-necked Duck was at Lough Inchiquin (Dave McNamara).
Three Black-throated Divers were off Aughinish.
A male Hen Harrier was at Lough Atedaun.
There were 14 Pintail at Lough Muchanagh.
A flock of 25 Whooper Swans were at Lough Cullaun, the Burren.
Ring-necked Duck with Coot at Lough Inchiquin © Dave McNamara

Monday 1st March 2010

Six Greylag Geese flew east over Applewood, Ballycar.

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