Contributors
Ciaran Cronin, Davey Farrar, Mike Flanagan, Clodagh Glasgow, Ger Griffin, Jane Griffin, James Hayes, Andrew Holmes, Geoff Hunt, Mark Hunt, Harry Hussey, Gearoid Jackson, Seamus Keating, Roy Lathwell,  Finbarr MacGabhann, Tony Mee, John N Murphy, Dennis O’Sullivan, John Power, Pearse Ryan, Mike Sheehy, Tom Tarpey, Paul Troake & Maura Turner.Thursday 19th May
Cuckoos were reported from Castlemahon, Patrickswell and Ballynort near Askeaton.

One male Merlin and three Red Grouse were in the west Limerick Hills.

Sunday 15th May 2011
Three  Blackcaps, four Sedge Warblers, two Chiffchaffs, several  Willow Warblers  and  five Whimbrel  were the main birds of note at the  Dawn Chorus outing  by the  Shannon  at  UL.  See  feature on the outing  at the end of the  Sunday evening  news  programme on the TG4  website.Saturday 14th May 2011
A Wheatear, two Whitethroats, a Ringed Plover, two pairs of Lapwing, a pair of Great-crested Grebes, a pair of Teal and two Little Egrets were the main birds of note at Coonagh this morning.

Wednesday 11th May 2011
A Cuckoo was calling at Cloncrew, Dromcollogher.
A male Hen Harrier was seen in the west Limerick Hills.

Sunday 8th May 2011
A male Ruff in full summer plumage was at the Coonagh Settlements ponds.  Other birds at the site included 55 Black-tailed Godwits, a Lapwing, a Ringed Plover, six Shelduck, three Little Egrets and a pair of Greylag Geese with five recently hatched goslings.

Monday 2nd May 2011
A Corncrake was heard calling from the fields just north of the Coonagh Settlement Ponds this evening.  Ten Whimbrel were also seen in the same area.

Sunday 1st May 2011
A pair of Swifts was seen in Limerick City. These are the first reported this year for the city.
Four Cuckoos, three Whimbrel and two Hen Harrier pairs were seen in the West Limerick Hills.

Hen Harriers in west Limerick © Mike Sheehy

Saturday 30th April 2011
A Cuckoo was at Carrigkerry.

Cuckoo at Carrigkerry © Mike Sheehy

Thursday 28th April 2011
A single Swift was seen at Oola.
A Cuckoo was heard at Mainister, Croom.
A continental  race ‘sinensis’ Cormorant was noted at the breeding colony at Bunlickey (John N Murphy).

Cormorant at Bunlickey showing characteristics of the European ‘sinensis’ race © John N MurphyWednesday 27th April 2011
White-tailed Eagle ‘Lochlann’ was at Dooncaha, Shannagolden on its way northwards from Kerry towards Clare.
Three Blackcaps were in song at Gooig Bog east side.

Monday 25th April 2011
A flock of 15 Crossbills were seen near Carrigkerry.

Female Crossbill at Carrigkerry © Mike FlanaganSunday 24th April 2011
A Hen Harrier and three Crossbills were seen near Carrigkerry.

Saturday 23rd April 2011
Three Cuckoos and five Crossbills were reported from the Carrigkerry area.
A Dipper was seen on the Deel at Castlemahon.

Dipper at Castlemahon © Mark Hunt

Sunday 17th April 2011
Eleven Whimbrel flew westwards over the Coonagh Settlement Ponds this morning.   Other birds of note at the site were a Wheatear, a Sedge Warbler, two pairs of Ringed Plover, four Lapwing and a Pochard.
Eight singing Blackcaps were in a CBS tetrad (2km x 2km) at Currachase. A Cuckoo was also heard in the area.

Friday 15th April 2011
A pair of Blackcaps was seen on the Southern Trail at Dromin McTurlough, near Newcastle West.

Monday 11th April 2011
A Cuckoo was heard calling at the eastern side of Plassey Park this evening. Two Blackcaps were also in song in the area.

Saturday 9th April 2011
A Merlin was seen south of  Banogue.

Friday 8th April 2011
Four Crossbills and two Wheatear were see near Tournafulla.

Thursday 7th April 2011
A Wheatear and two Little Egrets were at Coonagh.
A Blackcap and five Willow Warblers were in song at Gooig Bog. A single Swallow was alos seen there.

Tuesday 5th April 2011
A Swallow was seen at Adare.

Sunday 3rd April 2011
A Blackcap and a Willow Warbler were in song at Gooig Bog.  Seven Sand Martins were also seen there.
Four House Martins were at the Coonagh Settlement Ponds along with 50 Sand Martins and two Little Egrets.  Other birds at Coonagh included 36 Teal, 18 Wigeon, six Pochard, four Shoveler, a Gadwall, 16 Golden Plover, 15 Redshank and five Lapwing.
Five Swallows, three Chiffchaffs and two Willow Warblers were at Adare.
Swallows were also reported at Ballysteen and Grouse Lodge.

Saturday 2nd April 2011
A single Swallow was seen on the Roxboro Road in Limerick City. The first Swallow report this year in Limerick.
A Long-eared Owl was heard calling at Ballyorgan.

Friday 1st April 2011
There was 100 Sand Martins at Westfields.

Sunday 27th March 2011
Three Buzzards were seen at Monaleen, Castletroy this afternoon.  The birds were calling, circling overhead and slowly drifting westwards.

Saturday 26th March 2011
Singing Chaffchaffs were reported from several locations including four at Lough Gur, two at Knockderc, one at Coonagh and one at Ashbrook, Limerick City.
A flock of 400 Sand Martins was at Lough Gur. A smaller group of 15 was also seen at Healy’s Field, Corbally.
80 Redshank, five Dunlin, two Ringed Plover, two Curlew, 40 Tufted Duck, 25 Wigeon, six Mallard, five Pochard, four Gadwall, two Shelduck , a Little Egret, ten Mute Swans and 60 Coot were at the Coonagh Settlement Ponds.

Friday 25th March 2011
A Chiffchaff was in song at Monaleen.
20 Sand Martins were at Annacotty.

Wednesday 23rd March 2011
A Chiffchaff was in song at Westfields.

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
A Green-winged Teal was found at the Coonagh Settlements Ponds this morning (James Hayes). Other birds of note included a Chiffchaff and two Little Egrets.

Green-winged Teal at Coonagh © James Hayes

Sunday 20th March 2011
Four Hen Harriers and two Peregrine Falcons were seen in the west Limerick uplands.
A Peregrine Falcon was also seen near Kilmeedy.
Seperate flocks of 22 and 15 Golden Plover were also seen migrating northwards in the same area.

Friday 18th March 2011
A Chiffchaff was reported at Plassey.

Thursday 17th March 2011
Twenty Sand Martins were reported on the Shannon at Plassey this morning, with the same number reported again down river at Corbally in the evening. Two more were also seen at Castlemahon.
A Chiffchaff was in song at Ashford.
A pair of Kingfishers was seen at Plassey.
A pair of Dippers were on the Deel at Castlemahon.
A flock of 95 Golden Plover was at Tournafulla.
Two Red Grouse were seen in the West Limerick hills.
Single Ravens were reported from Castletroy and Ballysteen.

Red Grouse in West Limerick © James Hayes

There were two Red Grouse, one male Hen Harrier and eight Crossbills at the west Limerick Hills.

Tuesday 15th March 2011
Two Brambling and 8 Jays were at Curraghchase.
An adult Ring-billed Gull was at O’Callaghan’s Strand.
A Blackcap was in Raheen.Friday 11th March 2011
20 Stock Doves were at Ballysteen.
Blackcaps were reported from Cappamore and Raheen.

Thursday 10th March 2011
Dippers were reported from the Maigue at Croom and the Demense at Newcastle West

Tuesday 8th March 2011
An adult Ring-billed Gull was at O’Callaghan’s Strand.
A Red Grouse was seen on the Slieve Felim hills.
One Goldeneye, 48 Tufted Duck and 164 Cormorants were at Bunlicky Lagoon.

Monday 7th March 2011
A flock of 45 Stock Doves was in the Ballysteen area.

Stock Dove at Ballysteen © James Hayes

Sunday 6th March 2011
A Water Rail and four Treecreepers were at Corbally.
There was a flock of 42 Stock Doves at Ballysteen.
Blackcaps were reported  at Raheen and Cappamore.

Saturday 5th March 2011
A Waxwing was seen in a garden in Rathkeale.

Friday 4th March 2011
A Chiffchaff, 12 Ringed Plover, ten Dunlin, 22 Pochard, two Gadwall, one Merlin, one Water Rail and a Little Egret were the main birds of note at Coonagh.
The Black Swan and three Turnstone were at O’Callaghan’s Strand.
Seven Jays were at Currachase.

One Peregrine was at Rathkeale.
Two Blackcaps, one male and one female, were in a garden at Raheen.
A male Blackcap was also reported from Corbally.Thursday 3rd March 2011
A Kingfisher was at Corbally.

Wednesday 2nd March 2011
Two Goosanders and two Kingfishers were at Corbally (Maura Turner).

Tuesday 1st March 2011
One adult Ring-billed Gull was at Westfield’s Marsh (John N Murphy).

Seven Bramblings and a Jay were at the Curraghchase.

One Chiffchaff, two Stock Doves and two Little Egrets were at Coonagh.

Two drake Scaup were at Lough Gur.

The Black Swan was still at O’ Callaghan’s Strand.

The Black Swan was back at O’Callaghan’s Strand.

One male and one female Blackcap were at a private garden in Raheen.Sunday 27th February 2011
A flock of 36 Stock Doves and a Merlin were reported at Ballysteen.
A Peregrine Falcon was reported from the Mullaghareirk Mountains.

Peregrine Falcon  © Roy Lathwell

Friday 25th February 2011
There was two Crossbills and a Peregrine Falcon at Slieve Felim.
Five Brambling were at Glenstal Abbey.
An adult summer Mediterranean Gull, a Kingfisher and two Little Egrets were at Coonagh.
Two Goosanders were on the Shannon at Corbally (Maura Turner).

Wednesday 23rd February 2011
A flock of 143 Whooper Swans was at Clarina.
A male Blackcap was in a garden in Raheen.
A pair of Ravens were at Newcastle, Castletroy this evening.

The two Goosanders were at Shannon Banks, Corbally (James Hayes).

The adut Ring-billed Gull was still at Howley’s Quay.

Linnet in a private garden at Newcastlewest © Mike SheehySunday 20th February 2011
Two female/immature Goosanders were on the Shannon at Corbally (Tom Tarpey).

One adult Ring-billed Gull was at Howley’s Quay.Saturday 19th February 2011
A Green Sandpiper and a Kingfisher were at the quay in Askeaton.

Thursday 17th February 2011
There was at least one Mealy Redpoll within a flock of 14 Lesser Redpolls and three Chiffchaffs, including two possible ‘tristis’ birds, at the Coonagh Settlement ponds earlier today (John N Murphy & James Hayes).

Other birds of note at the same site were 100 Teal, 63 Wigeon, 51 Tufted Duck, 20 Shoveler, one Pochard, three Pintail, three Water Rails, 48 Lapwing, 23 Dunlin, 12 Skylark and a Little Egret.

Chiffchaff “tristis type” at Coonagh © John N MurphyTuesday 15th February 2011
A Mealy Redpoll, two Chiffchaffs, 14 Skylarks, 133 Teal, 60 Wigeon, 40 Tufted Duck, 31 Shoveler, three Shelduck, 90 Lapwing, one Greenshank, one Whooper Swan and 16 Mute Swans were at Coonagh (James Hayes).
An adult Ring-billed Gull was at O’Callaghan’s Strand.
Three Blackcaps, two males and a female, were at Raheen.

Sunday 13th February 2011,
Two Buzzards were seen in west Limerick.

Saturday 12th February 2011
A Mealy Redpoll was reported in garden at Newcastle West (Geoff Hunt).
A male Hen Harrier was at Grouse Lodge, Carrigkerry.

Friday 11th February 2011
Two Little Egrets were at the Ballinacurra Creek.

One male and one female Blackcap were at Raheen.

Two male and one female Blackcaps were in a garden at Raheen.

One Little Egret was at Ballincurra Creek.

A Barn Owl was seen near Annacotty.

The Black Swan was back at O”Callaghan’s Strand Limerick.

Also on the Shannon River near O’ Callaghan’s Strand was on Ring-billed Gull and two colour ringed Black-headed Gulls.

Two male Blackcaps were in a garden at Raheen.

Black Swan with Mute Swans Limerick City © John N Murphy

Yellow banded Black-headed Gull 252M © John N Murphy

Yellow banded Black-Headed Gull 208P © John N MurphyMonday 7th February 2011
A Little Egret was on the Shannon at the Mill Road, Corbally.
Blackcaps were reported from Corbally (two birds) and Raheen.
The remains of pair of dead Buzzards were recovered  by a farmer in a field near Croagh. The birds had been seen in the area frequently since early January.

There were two adult Mediterranean Gulls at Loghill.

One adult Ring-billed Gull was at O’Callaghan’s Strand (James Hayes & John N Murphy).

One male Blackcap was in a garden at Raheen.

Mediterranean Gulls at Loghill © John N MurphyWednesday 2nd February 2011
The two immature/female Goosanders were still at Shannon Banks, and one male Dipper was in full song at the Mill Road.

There were three adult Mediterranean Gulls in a flock of 2,000 Black-headed Gulls at Loughill.

Dipper at the Mill Road having a stretch © John N Murphy

Goosanders near Shannon Banks, Limerick © John N Murphy

Tuesday 1st February 2011
A single female Goosander was on the Shannon at Corbally (James Hayes).
Two adult Ring-billed Gulls were at O’Callaghan’s Strand.
A male Blackcap was in Raheen.

Goosander preening on a small island at Shannon Banks © James Hayes

Monday 31st January 2011
The two Goosanders were on the Shannon at Corbally today (Maura Turner).

Two Mealy Redpolls and a Chiffchaff were at Coonagh (Geoff Hunt et al).
Two Goosanders and Dipper were on the Shannon near the Mill Road carpark, Corbally (Tom Tarpey et al.)
Blackcaps were reported from Monaleen (female) and Raheen  (male).

Goosanders  on the Shannon at Corbally © Tom Tarpey

Two Hawfinches were at the Curraghchase (John Power & Denis O Sullivan).

Two female Goosanders were at Shannon Banks, Limerick City (Tom Tarpey). This is the second record of this species in Limerick, the first was also of a female, shot near Askeaton in January 1979.

There was at least three Mealy Redpolls (one adut male) and two Chiffchaffs at the Coonagh Settlement Ponds today (Tom Tarpey). Other birds of note there were two Gadwall and two Stock Doves.
Four Crossbills were seen on the Ballyhoura Mts near Ardpatrick.
One Barn Owl was seen near Pallaskenry.
An adult Ring-billed Gull was reported at Westfields.

At least two Mealy Redpolls were at the Coonagh Settlement Ponds today along with the two possible ‘tristis’ Chiffchaffs (Tom Tarpey).

Other birds of note there were 25 Shoveler, 20 Pochard and a Whooper Swan.
One Waxwing was on the Church Road in Raheen.

A Little Egret was seen in the Clonmacken/Coonagh area.

Also at Coonagh were a flock of 50 Reed Buntings, 28 Shoveler, 15 Tufted Ducks, ten Teal, a Sparrowhawk and one Whooper Swan .

Mealy Redpoll at Coonagh © James Hayes

One Little Egret and 16 Greylag Geese were on the Cement factory side of the Limerick tunnel.

Two male Blackcaps were at a garden in Raheen.

A bird showing characteristics of Mealy Redpoll was in a garden at Raheen (see picture below).

Redpoll at Raheen © James Hayes

One male and one female Crossbill were in the Ballyhoura Hills.

One male Blackcap was in a garden at Raheen.

There were five Turnstone at the Slipway near St.Michael’s Rowing Club, a good inland record for Limerick City.
A male Blackcap was present in a garden at Raheen.

Hawfinch at the Curraghchase © John N Murphy

There were two Red Grouse at Lough Gay, Ashford.

A drake Gadwall at Westfield’s Lake © Mike Flanagan

Saturday 8th January 2011
A single Waxwing was seen with a mixed flock of finches and sparrows in a garden at Raheen.

Friday 7th January 2011

A sub-adult Yellow-legged Gull (michieallis) was seen on Thomond Weir at Brown’s Quay in Limerick (Paul Troake).
An adult Ring-billed Gull was at O’Callaghan’s Strand.
Three male Blackcaps were seen in a garden in Raheen today.
Two Brambling were at Castlemahon.
Four Ravens were seen near Raheen.

Adult Yellow legged Gull digiscoped in Limerick © Paul Troake

Blackcaps in Raheen © James Hayes

There were two Hawfinches, three Jays and a Brambling at the Curragh Chase this morning (Clodagh Glasgow & James Hayes).
Blackcaps were reported at several locations with females at Castletroy, Castleconnell and Old Kildimo(one to two birds) and males at Raheen and Kilmoreen/Old Kildimo(two birds).
A flock of 32 Whooper Swans was seen at Newtown, Clarina.
Two adult Ring-billed Gulls were at O’ Callaghan’s Strand a third bird was seen at Westfields.
545 Wigeon, 325 Tufted Duck, 54 Mallard, 38 Teal, 12 Shoveler, four Gadwall , two Pochard and a Scaup were at Lough Gur along with 13 Lapwing, 48 Coot and five Mute Swans.
There were 42 Tufted Duck, three Mallard, two Pochard, two Goldeneye and six Redshank were at Bunlicky.


Scaup at Lough Gur © James Hayes

One of two Ring-billed Gulls at O’Callaghan’s Strand © James Hayes