Recent Sightings

Jan 2011       Feb 2011   March 2011   April 2011  
 May 2011   June 2011   Aug & Sept 2011  Oct 2011
Previous Sightings 2010 Previous Sightings 2009

For Reports of Rarities, check IrishBirding.com - updated daily

Date Bird Reported Observer
23 Jan 2 Iceland Gulls at Killala Harbour, one adult and one first winter  click for photos R-A & M Leak
12 - 13 Jan 3 Glossy Ibis on Termoncarra Wetlands - Belmullet D Suddaby & M Reilly
8 Jan 12 Glaucous Gulls on the Mullet - Cross Beach / Annagh Beach
1 Glaucous Gull on Doohoma Beach, south of Belmullet
Consisting of 2 adults, 6 second and 5 first winter birds, some feeding on the numerous Grey Seal carcasses casualties of the altrocious weather over their pupping and breeding season on the overshore islands
M Reilly
2 Jan 2 Ring-necked Ducks (male) and male Green-winged Teal on Carrowmore Lake, Erris
2 Mediterranean Gulls - adult and first winter - Belmullet Docks
M Reilly
1 Jan 346 Barnacle Geese at Carrowholly, Westport W Stringer


Date Bird Reported Observer
16 Dec Ring-billed Gull on Lough Conn - click for photos C Clotworthy
9 Dec Red-breasted Merganser on Lough Conn, Knockmore T Boccaccio
6 Dec Ringed-necked Duck and  Green-winged Teal (both mlae) Carrowmore Lake, Erris'
Adult Mediterranean Gull Belmullet Docks
Cakling Goose and Canada Goose with Barnacle Geese at Termoncarragh
Adult male Black Brant with female Light Bellied Brent with their two hybrid offspring at Leam Lough, Belmullet
M Reilly
3 Dec Pair White-tailed Sea Eagles, one with blue tag, Killadoon, nr. Louisburgh, then seen flying south towards Connemara D Cabot
3 Dec  1 Long-tailed Duck & 4 Barnacle Geese at Killala Branch Outing

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Date Bird Reported Observer
27 Nov Approx 300 Common Scoter, Bartragh Island, Killala Bay, unusual for this area S Meany
27 Nov Only 1 Crane seen at Belderig W Stringer
26 Nov 2 Eurasian Cranes still at Belderig, click for photos M Casey
25 Nov 2 Cranes at Belderrig,  click for photos P Coultry
20 Nov Eurasian Cranes in fields at Belderig, north Mayo H Mooney et. al
20 Nov Approx 1,200 Tufted Ducks on Lough Cullin, Foxford / Pontoon R-A Leak & S Meany
16 - 20 Nov Great White Egret Lough Conn, Knockmore - click for photos
Last seen on the morning of 20th, being chased away from the lake by the Grey Heron
T Boccaccio et al.
11 Nov Brambling in garden near Westport W Stringer
11 Nov Great Northern Diver, Pontoon Bridge, regular winter visitor to this area R-A Leak
8 Nov Immature Long Eared Owl in garden near Foxford A Bell
6 Nov 17 Chough, Clare Island W Stringer
5 Nov Snow Bunting at Croaghmoyle (Castlebar booster station), also seen same place 2 years ago so possibly regular visitor P McNally
5 Nov Sighitngs from Killala Harbour & Estuary:
2 x First winter Black Guillemot, 10 x Red-breasted Merganser, 5 x Little Egret, 200+ Brent, 2 x Red-throated  Diver
Also several Redshank, Bar-tailed & Black-tailed Godwit, Greenshank, Oystercatcher, Lapwings, Curlew. Shelduck, Sanderling, Dunlin, Cormorant, Grey Seal
R-A & M Leak
W Stringer
D Daly
4 Nov Sightings from the Mullet:
Termoncarragh - Juvenile Red-backed Shrike (first reported for area?), Cackling Canada Goose with Barnacles, 2 Tree Sparrow, 18 Twite
Annagh Head & Beach - 2 Snow Bunting, 1 Lapland Bunting, 1 American Golden Plover
Belmullet Docks - 2 Med Gulls
W Stringer
4 Nov 17 Little Egret still at Westport Quay W Stringer

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Date Bird Reported Observer
31 Oct Blackcap in garden near Liscarney, Westport S Churcher
27 Oct 49 Light-bellied Brent Lecanvey W Stringer
27 Oct 17 Little Egret at Westport Quay W Stringer
20 Oct 4 Swallows in Tesco cp, Claremorris C Benson
20 Oct Whoopers arrive in Achill and Foxford O Calvey & R-A Leak
16 Oct Snowy Owl seen regualrly over past 2 weeks on mountain between Ballycroy and Geesala K Lindsay
16 Oct Upland Sandpiper still residing nr Glebe, Termoncarragh, Belmullet P & A Kelly
16 Oct 3 Wheatear at Leecanvey
47 Chough on machair at Silver Strand, west of Klladoon
W Stringer
12 Oct Upland Sandpiper nr Glebe, Termoncarragh M Reilly
10 Oct Swallows reported still present in Ballyhaunis and Ballina areas via R-A Leak
7 Oct Approx 200 Brent Geese arrive at Killala M Kenney
Earl-Oct Report of Buzzard seen near Attymass via R-A Leak
Oct / Sept Reports of White-tailed Sea Eagle seen regulalry in north Mayo via R-A Leak

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Date Bird Reported Observer
17 Sept 6 Light-bellied Brent, 42 Red-breasted Merganser, 23 Bar-tailed Godwit at Murrisk Abbey W Stringer
3 Sept Buzzard being 'Buzzed' by Rook, Culleens, 10 miles north Ballina Trudy

Date Bird Reported Observer
29 Aug Sightings from North Mayo between 8.30am and 11am
1 Great Skua Downpatrick Head
8+ Tree Sparrow, 3 Storm Petrel, 9 Great Skua, 3 Artic Skua, 27 Sooty Shearwater, Kilcummin Head
R Sandham
15 Aug Mallards in eclipse seen along with immature Black-headed Gull on Lough Lannagh, Castlebar
Click Here for Photo
J Milroy

Date Bird Reported Observer
14 June Red Kite seen over Bohola / Straide R Stone
7 June Ring-billed Gull (adult) at Gornor Abbey Pier, Lonn Conn, Crossmolina M Reilly
Early June Reports of White-tailed Sea Eagle seen in North Mayo D McLoughling et. al.

Date Bird Reported Observer
21 May to 1 June Canada Goose at Barnatra saltmarsh and Carrowmore Lake (presumed feral bird) M Reilly
31 May Iceland Gull in furst summer plumage at Annagh Beach on the Mullet M Reilly
30 May Third Whooper swan now on Roonagh Lough, nr Louisburgh D Cabot
12 May Spotted Flycatchers in the grounds around the GMIT, Castlebar J Milroy
11 May Adult Whooper Swan previously at Corragaun Lough, Killadoon, now at Roonagh Lough, Killadoon, nr Louisburgh where it has joined another adult that has been present there for weeks. D Cabot
9 & 10 May Buff-breasted Sandpiper,Annagh Beach, on the Mullet M Reilly
7 & 8 May Swifts arrive in Castlebar, Killala and Foxford R-A Leak
5 May Report of Sand Martins nestimg in bogland where turf has been cut, Hollymount area via J Milroy

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Date Bird Reported Observer
26 April Immature Whooper Swan on Lough Nambrackkeagh, Curryane between Swinford & Kilkelly R-A Leak
25 April Reports of Cuckoo across the county
23 April 1 adult Whooper Swan, 13 Greylag, 25 Shelduck and 22 Sandwich Terns at Roonagh Lough, Killadoon, nr Louisburgh
1 adult Whooper Swan also at Corragaun Lough, Killadoon, Louisburgh, also marked passage of Golden Plover in breeding plumage over last 2 weeks
D Cabot
23 April Whitethroats at Knockmore
House Martin near Attymass
R-A Leak
21 April 25 Whimbrel near Balla C Benson
20 April Common Sandpiper and Grasshopper Warbler at Lough Rusheen, Castlebar J Milroy
18 April Approx 80 Golden Plover in a field between Knockmore and Ballina Trudy
18 April Second Corncrake heard near Carne House on the Mullet T Gordon
17 April Barn Owl near Westport J O'Grady
17 April Cuckoo at Doughmakeon, nr Loiusburgh A Osbourne
17 April Corncrake heard at Carne Hill on the Mullet, assumed same one reported on 9th T Gordon
16 April Sightings from Belmullet - 5 Common Eider, 6 Long-tailed Duck, 8 Purple Sandpiper and 6 White Wagtail at Cross; 3 Gadwall, 1 Pink-footed Goose, 40 Twite and 50 Black-tailed Godwit at Termoncarragh M Reilly
16 April Grasshopper Warbler at Askillaun, Nr Louisburgh A Osbourne
16 April Grasshopper Warbler in heather and scrub at Dooleeg, Ballacorich D McNicholas &
W Woodrow
15 April Cuckoo at Dooaghtry, Killaddon, Louisburgh D Cabot
15 April Cuckoo heard at Sarnaught, Castlebar 8.00am P Lavelle
14 April Dotteral at west end Clare Island E McGreal
13 April Grasshopper Warbler heard at Clogher Bog near Belcarra L Huxley
12 April Blackap, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler at Moorehall Woods L Huxley
10 April 25 Golden Plover in summer plumage at Raheen Bar wind farm, near Castlebar
Also Cuckoo seen in flight (not calling so maybe female)
P McNally
10 April First House Martin spotted at Inishea Islands D Cabot
9 April First report of Corncrake at Carne Hill on the Mulllet T Gordon
8 April Killala Habour - Black Guillemot in summer plumage
Ross Strand, Killala - 110+ Brent Geese feeding on the strand while Swallows fly overhead
R-A Leak
7 April 18 Great Northern Divers in small group off White Strand, Tullavbaun, Killadoon D Cabot
3 April 8 WillowWarbler and 1 Blackcap at Lough Lannagh, Castlebar J Milroy
2 April Chiffchaff near Castlebar
Swallow over Castlebcourt Hotel, Westport and over the Quays at Westport
J Milroy
D Cabot
1 April Tullavbaun, Killadoon- first Willow Warbler and Swallow of the area
Juvenile Peregrine Falcom and three Chough also seen at the same location
D Cabot

Date Bird Reported Observer
29 March First Sand Martin of the area, Tullavbaun, Killadoon D Cabot
27 March Firs t Wheatear of the area, Tullavbaun, Killadoon D Cabot
24 March 2 male & 1 female Wheatear, Merlin and Raven feed nestlings nr Ceide Fields Chris Benson

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Date Bird Reported Observer
26 Feb Red-throated Diver off Kilcummin Head in full breeding plumage with red throat
Green-winged Teal in Killala harbour - drake paired with female Eurasian Teal
Iceland Gull at Lacken Strand - first winter bird
3 Long-tailed Duck at Barnasock Point, Moy Estuary - 2 males and female with males displaying & calling
M David
M Casey
18 Feb Goosander seen on Erriff River E McGreal
9 Feb Sightings from Cross Lough on the Mullet:
50+ Barnacle Geese, 14 Whooper Swan, 12 Mute Swan, 70+ Curlew in flight, 6 Redshank
12+ Tufted Duck, 3 Teal, 8 Mallard, 3 pairs Scaup
M Kenney
7 Feb First winter Glaucous Gull at Annagh Beach, on the Mullet
Kingfisher on the Muihin Rover outlet from Carrowmore Lake, nr Bangor Erris
M Reilly
3 Feb Black Brant at Leam Lough on the Mullet
American Coot on Termoncarra Lake
M Reilly
2 Feb Sightings from Killala Harbour 9.30am - 11.30am
Weather grey and overcast, light SW wind and light to heavy showers:
50 - 60 Brent Geese (Light-bellied), 40+ Curlew, 20+ Bar-tailed Godwit
Numerous Redshank, Cormorant and Oystercatchers
6 Shelduck, 14 Mallard, , 30+ Wigeon, 4 Teal (no sign of Green Winged Teal)
2 Little Egret, 6+ Hooded Crows
3 Male & 1 Female Red-breasted Merganser
Black Guillemot - either 1st winter or just starting to moult to summer plumage
Pied Wagtail
M Kenney

Date Bird Reported Observer
19 Jan Snow Goose plus 2 Pink-footed Geese at Termoncarragh, Belmullet
Green Winged Teal and Ringed Neck Duck on Carrowmore Lake along with 2 Greeland Whitefronted Geese by the lake
M Reilly
6 Jan American Coot still on Termoncarragh Lake, Belmullet along with four Coot at the northern end
1st Winer Snow Bunting, female, also seen at Termoncarragh
Three Goosanders, one male and two female, at the Bangor end of Carrowmore Lake, Bangor Erris
M Reilly
4 Jan Little Egret at Killala, up to 5 seen so far this year but possibly more D Walshe
3 Jan Buzzard seen eating roadkill at Ballintean, Killala C Dunleavy
3 Jan American Coot seen at Termoncarragh, Belmullet
Mealy Redpoll at Glenlara, Belmullet  - click for photos
S Feeney, D Skehan & M Casey