Author Archives: Tom Tarpey

A Swallow was at Kilmeedy (Andrew Holmes).
A pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers was drumming at the same location near Murroe where they bred successfully last year (Gordon Young).

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming near Murroe (Mike Quirke).
A Green Sandpiper, six Sand Martins and two Whooper Swans were at Cooperhill Lough (Gerry Murphy & Tom Tarpey).
A Blackcap was in song at Glenstal (MQ).

A 1st winter Mediterranean Gull, eight Wigeon, 45 Oystercatchers, 55 Hooded Crows and a Chiffchaff were at the King’s Island marsh (TT).
Black-headed Gull Blue 2J73 was also seen at King’s Island. This bird was ringed as an adult in Cheshire in December 2014 and has wintered at that location every year since. It was last seen there on March 3rd and surprisingly has apparently migrated westwards to Ireland for the breeding season, bucking the trend normally associated with English ringed gulls recorded in Limerick City.