Monthly Archives: October 2026

Saturday 24th October 2026

There were two adult male Ruff and a juvenile female at Lough Atedaun.(James Organ)


Wednesday 21st October 2026

Wednesday 21st October 2026

First-winter Little Gull at the Shannon Airport Lagoon John N Murphy

The immature Northern x Hen Harrier hybrid was also present at the Shannon Airport Lagoon along with five Whooper Swans.(JNM)

An adult Yellow-legged Gull and 82 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were at Lough Gash. (JNM)

At Black Head, (1135-13.25) there were nine Manx Shearwater, two Grey Phalaropes, one pale adult Arctic Skua, 35 Kittiwakes, 21 Gannets and c.250 Razorbills/Gulliemots. (Paul Troake)

A juvenile Peregrine went through a flock of 240 Golden Plover at Aughinish with 24 Pintail on the Lagoon. (James Organ)

At Lough Murree there was one drake Goldeneye and 520 Wigeon. (PT)

At Clahane seven Purple Sandpipers flew past on the sea and 136 Golden Plovers were on the rocks. (Jeff Copner)


Monday 19th October 2026

A Great White Egret, one Kingfisher and ten Pintail Duck were at Shannon Airport Lagoon.(John N Murphy)

One Ruff was at the Drumcliffe end of Ballyallia Lake.(JNM)

A Swallow was at Ruan and a White-tailed Eagle was at Lough Atedaun.(JNM)


Sunday 18th October 2026

Sunday 18th October 2026

Bar-tailed Godwit at Loop Head John N Murphy

One Glossy Ibis was at Lough Atedaun along with 280 Black-tailed Godwits, 120 Lapwing and 250 Golden Plover. (James Organ & John Rutherford)

One Great Egret was at Termon Lough on the Clare/Galway border. (JO)

Two Green Sandpipers were at Moyasta. (JNM)

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was at Gortcoirce, Dysart this evening.(JO)

Three Chiffchaff, one immature female Hen Harrier, 120 Golden Plover and 34 Bar-tailed Godwits flew west past Ross Ringing Station.(JNM)


Saturday 17th October 2026

Saturday 17th October 2026

Yellow-browed Warbler on the Bog Road, Loop Head John N Murphy

A Yellow-browed Warbler was on the Bog Road, Loop Head this afternoon. (John N Murphy & Chris Cullen)

Also at Loop Head were one Merlin, two Hen Harriers, one Buzzard, eight Siskin, 300 Golden Plover, four Redwing and a Kingfisher at Cloghaun Lough. (CC & JNM)

One Spotted Redshank, two Green Sandpiper, 110 Golden Plover and 14 Pintail were the highlights at Moyasta Creek. (JNM)

A Marsh Harrier was at Tooles Slough with two Ruff at Lough Atedaun. (James Organ)

One Curlew Sandpiper was at Seafield. (Charlie Lyons)

One Wheatear was at Tullig, Loop Head. (Pearse Ryan)


Friday 16th October 2026

A Glossy Ibis flew from the Bunlickey side of the Shannon Estuary into the Coonagh Wetlands (Gerry Murphy).

12 Whooper Swans were roosting on the Coonagh of the Shannon Estuary at low tide (GM).

An immature White-tailed Eagle (tag 43) was at Bunlickey (GM).


Friday 16th October 2026

Friday 16th October 2026

Immature male Merlin at Ross Ringing Station John N Murphy

The juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper, two Curlew Sandpipers and a Peregrine were still at Seafield today. (Mark Gibson & Stan Nugent)

The Great Egret, one female Hen Harrier and 80 Golden Plover were at Doonbeg. (John N Murphy)

A seawatch this morning at Ross Ringing Station (08.20-10.30)(JNM) produced four Little Auk (08.55)(09.29)(09.48)(09.59), three juvenile Sabine’s Gulls (2x 8.35, 1 x 09.40), two Sooty Shearwaters, 14 Manx Shearwaters, one European Storm Petrel, one Puffin, one 1st-winter Little Gull, 1,000 Kittiwakes (ph), two Arctic Terns, 22 Grey Phalaropes and an immature male Merlin.

Two Chiffchaff and eight Kestrel were in Kilbaha. (JNM)

One female Greenland Wheatear was at Aughinish. (James Organ)

There were 14 Whooper Swans and 350 Black-tailed Godwits at Tooles Lough, the Burren.(JO)


Thursday 15th October 2026

Thursday 15th October 2026

White-rumped Sandpiper at Seafield John N Murphy

The juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper was still at Seafield (John N Murphy, Doug Dickson & Mark Gibson) along with two Curlew Sandpipers and a Merlin.

At Doonbeg there was one Great Egret, one 2CY Mediterranean Gull, one immature female Hen Harrier, one Kingfisher, one Swallow and two Red-throated Divers. (JNM)

Two Chiffchaff, one Blackcap and a female Hen Harrier were at Kilbaha. (JNM, MG & DD)

At Ross Ringing Station this evening there was one Arctic Skua, five Manx Shearwaters and an immature male Hen Harrier. (JNM)

One immature female Hen Harrier was at Rehy Hill, Kilcredaun. (JNM)

A female Peregrine and 200 Golden Plover were at Gooleen. (JNM)

One Swallow was at Kilkee. (JNM)


Wednesday 14th October 2026

Wednesday 14th October 2026

A Hen Harrier x Northern Harrier hybrid at the Shannon Airport Lagoon John N Murphy

A juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper was at Seafield, Quilty. (Mark Gibson & Doug Dickson) This is the 15 county record. Also at Seafield were three Curlew Sandpipers.

At the Shannon Airport Lagoon this morning there was one Hen x Northern Harrier hybrid (John N Murphy), along with one male Peregrine, 40 Gadwall, two Pintail, 20 Shoveler and six Water Rail.

One Wheatear was at the Bridges of Ross.(Vincent Reynolds)


Tuesday 13th October 2026

Tuesday 13th October 2026

Whimbrel on the Flaggy Shore Paul Troake

A seawatch at the Bridges of Ross and Ross Ringing Station between 08.30-11.30 produced one Little Auk(09.16), two Brent Geese, three Cory’s Shearwater, four Great Shearwater, 25 Sooty Shearwater, 65 Manx Shearwater, one Long-tailed Skua (adult), six Great Skua, four Pomarine Skua, five Arctic Skua, two Leach’s Petrel, six Storm Petrel, three Sabine’s Gull (2 adult 1 juv), two Little Gull(1st-winter), seven Puffin, one Black Guillemot, one Red-breasted Merganser(female), 12 Arctic Tern, one Red-throated Diver, one Great Northern Diver and 22 Grey Phalarope.(John N Murphy, Mark Gibson, Doug Dickson)

Another two Little Auks were seen off the Bridges of Ross. (Doug Dickson & Mark Gibson between 11.30 & 12.30).

Three Storm Petrel and a Whimbrel were at the Flaggy Shore.(Paul Troake)


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