Cork Bird Report 2005 - 2006 Hermit Thrush, Cape Clear, 2006 Paul & Andrea Kelly Compiled and edited by: Ciarán Cronin, Colin Barton, Harry Hussey and Mark Carmody © 2009 Cork Bird Report Editorial Team ISBN: 978-0-9553547-1-7 This publication has received support from the Heritage Council under the 2009 Publication Grant Scheme. Front Cover: Black-tailed Godwits – Barry Ryan Cork Bird Report 1996-2004 1 Contents Table of Contents Contributing Records ............................................................................................. 3 Weather Review ...................................................................................................... 4 Systematic List ........................................................................................................ 8 Cork Ringing Report 2004-2007........................................................................ 144 Rare passerines and near passerines on Cape Clear from 1959 – 2008 ......... 161 Operation Godwit ............................................................................................... 177 Goldfinches – Barry Ryan 2 Cork Bird Report 1996-2004 Contributing Records Contributing Records Records of birds in county Cork can be sent to us on an annual basis, or periodically throught the year. It would be of great assistance to us if records can be sent as soon as possible after the years end, but the end of March is the deadline for submissions. Records can be sent on paper, but if possible, an electronic spreadsheet such as Excel is preferred. Requests for a sample spreadsheet, as well as all submissions (records, papers, photos, sketches) for the next report should be e-mailed to [email protected] The sequence and nomenclature used in this list follows Voous K.H. 1973-77. List of Recent Holartic Bird Species (IBIS 115: 612-638, 119: 223-250, 376-406), as followed by the IRBC. Most of the records from Cape Clear have been extracted from the observatory annual logs, with the kind permission of the warden and BirdWatch Ireland. These records have been included in order to produce as full an overview as possible of the occurrence of birds in the county, and are credited to ‘CCBO’. In many cases they have been abbreviated for editorial purposes. Records from Dursey and Kilcolman NNR Wildfowl Refuge are also included in the report. Records from Dursey have been credited to the individual observers, while records from Kilcolman NNR are credited to the Kilcolman NNR Annual Report. Records from the log book at Lough Beg are credited as LBLB. Records of rare breeding birds from the Irish Rare Breeding Birds Panel (IRBBP) are also included, where available. Records of rare and scarce birds are accredited to the finder first, when known, otherwise as listed by IRBC. Other records, high counts, out of season occurrences, or otherwise particularly interesting records are credited to the observer who submitted them. Cork Bird Report 1996-2004 3 Weather Review 2005 & 2006 Weather Review Below is a summary of monthly weather conditions in 2005 and 2006, taken from the Met Éireann website: www.met.ie/climate/monthly_summaries. 2005 January The first three weeks was dominated by deep Atlantic depressions close to the country, but high pressure became the dominant influence towards the end of the month. As a result, a long spell of wet and stormy weather gave way to much quieter conditions during the final week. February High pressure in the eastern Atlantic during most of February diverted the normal rain-bearing cloud away from Ireland for much of the time. At first, the anticyclone was centred to the southwest of the country, bringing relatively mild southwesterly winds across Ireland; during the final third of the month, however, high pressure lay to the north of the country, with a cold northeasterly airstream developing. Rainfall totals were below normal almost everywhere and it was a very dry month in the south and southeast. March After a cool opening fortnight, much milder conditions became established during the second half of the month. It was the warmest March since 1998 at most stations with particularly high daytime temperatures between 16th and 20th. April Rainfall totals for April were above normal almost everywhere. It was the wettest April for 6 or 7 years in many areas, with much of the rain showery in nature and thundery at times; heavy falls were measured on a number of days, particularly on 5th/6th and 17th. There were spells of cold weather, especially between 4th and 8th when wintry showers were widespread, but mean air temperatures for the month were above normal everywhere. Highest temperatures were recorded at the beginning and end of the month. May It was the coolest May since 1996 almost everywhere. Despite dry and mainly sunny conditions for the first half of the month, winds from a northerly or northeasterly direction during much of this period were cool. Milder conditions became established towards the end of the month, but without any high daytime temperatures. Rainfall amounts up to 17th were generally small, but there followed a spell of very wet weather, especially in the south and west. June After a spell of unsettled weather during the early days of the month, high pressure became the dominant influence for most of the remainder, giving dry conditions generally, with relatively little sunshine. It was the warmest June for at least 13 years in several areas. July July was a warm month everywhere. The warmest spell of weather was in the period 10th to 13th. However, sunshine totals were below normal almost everywhere. Bands of heavy rain affected parts of Munster during the last week, with exceptionally heavy falls near southern and southeastern coasts on 23rd/24th. The number of wet days during the month was close to the normal range for July. August Rainfall totals were below normal, with around half of the normal amounts. Dry weather this month was due to areas of high pressure situated over or to the south of the country on many days. During the second half of the month, however, frontal systems 4 Cork Bird Report 1996-2004 Weather Review 1996-2004 associated with depressions passed to the north of Ireland. The number of wet days were around two thirds of normal generally. August was a warm month everywhere, with mean air temperatures of between a half and one degree above normal at most stations. There were no spells of very sunny weather and sunshine totals were close to normal everywhere. September It was the warmest September for between 6 and 11 years at many stations. The first half of the month was very warm, with temperatures around three degrees higher than normal for the period. Rainfall totals were above normal in coastal counties of the west and south, but it was a relatively dry month generally. Sunshine totals for the month were a little below normal at almost all stations, despite a very sunny first week; it was the dullest September generally for between 5 and 8 years. October At the start of the month, pressure rose over the country as an anticyclone moved slowly northwards over Britain. This period was mostly dry but dull; daytime temperatures were near normal while winds were moderate westerly at first, gradually backing to a southeasterly direction and falling light. In the 2nd week, winds increased from a south to southwesterly direction as frontal systems brought spells of rain or showers each day; heavy and persistent rain affected almost all areas in the period 10th/11th, with gales on 9th. Mid-month, an anticyclone moved northwards over Ireland, bringing a return to dry and settled conditions with light winds, followed by very disturbed weather during the second half of the month as a series of Atlantic depressions tracked close to the west and northwest coasts. Rainfall amounts were heaviest in the south in the period 17th to 20th. Deep depressions off the west coast between 27th and 30th brought southerly gales; they also brought air of tropical origin over the country, lifting temperatures well above normal. November A month of contrasting weather types, beginning with mild, wet and windy weather, under the influence of a series of rapidly-moving depressions in the eastern Atlantic. High pressure over the country after the 12th brought a spell of dry, clear and frosty weather, before a very cold northerly airstream became established during the final week, bringing falls of sleet and snow. Almost all of the month’s rainfall fell towards the beginning and end of the month, with very little recorded in the period 13th to 23rd. Sunshine totals were well above normal everywhere. December There were spells of unsettled weather during the early part of the month and again during the final week, but much of December was relatively dry with light winds, as a large area of high pressure moved very slowly over and to the south of Ireland. Rainfall totals for the month were below normal almost everywhere and it was a particularly dry month in southern counties. Most of the month was mild, especially during the spell of anticyclonic weather around the middle of the month, when a southerly airstream covered the country. The same period brought some frost when skies were clear, however, while a short spell of much colder weather developed just after Christmas, with falls of sleet or snow in places. It was a sunny month in most places, especially in the south, southeast and northwest. Cork Bird Report 1996-2004 5 Weather Review 2005 & 2006 2006 January Rainfall totals for January were below normal everywhere and were well below normal in the east and south. It was the driest January for between 6 and 9 years generally and the driest since 1992 at Cork Airport. Most of the rainfall during January was recorded around mid-month. Despite some frosty weather at times during the month, mean air temperatures overall were above normal everywhere. The period around mid-month was particularly mild, when the mainly cloudy conditions prevented the development of widespread frost.