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2023 Sightings

This page is devoted to recent bird sightings in County Galway.
It is intended for news which is as up to date as possible, so reports are largely unchecked.

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Click here to view the archive of sightings from previous months
Click here to see this Spring's earliest migrant dates

 August 2023
 27th August: Great White Egret, White-tailed Eagle & Peregrine, Muckrush, Lough Corrib (Aonghus O'Donaill).
 27th August: Ad. Win. Little Gull, Rusheen Bay, Galway city (Gerard Walshe).
 24th August: Juv. Little Gull, South Park, Galway city (Gerard Walshe).
 24th August: Wheatear, Mutton Island causeway, Galway city (Tom Cuffe).
 22nd August: 300 Cory's Shearwater, at sea North of Inishbofin (John Brittain).
 21st August: 10 Cory's Shearwater, Ad. Sabine's Gull & 4 Arctic Skua, Silver Strand, Galway city (David O'Keeffe & Aonghus O'Donaill).
 20th August: 23 Cory's Shearwater & 220 Storm Petrel, Baile na hAbhann (Ian O'Connor).
 20th August: 11 Cory's Shearwater, 3 Arctic Skua & 11 Storm Petrel, Cloghmore (Gerard Walshe).
 19th August: Long-tailed Skua, 3 Arctic Skua, Sooty Shearwater & Storm Petrel, Loughaunbeg (Cathal Forkan).
 19th August: 402 Cory's Shearwater, Great Shearwater, 5 Sooty Shearwater, Great Skua & Sabine's Gull, Bunowen Pier, Ballyconneely (Dermot Breen).
 19th August: 78 Cory's Shearwater, Great Shearwater, 3 Sooty Shearwater, Great Skua, 2 Arctic Skua & 47 Storm Petrel, Cloghmore (Paul Troake).
 19th August: 24 Cory's Shearwater, blue phase Fulmar, 6 Arctic Skua, 2 Great Skua & 4 Storm Petrel, Silver Strand, Galway city (Aonghus O'Donaill).
 18th August: 3 Cory's Shearwater, 3 Manx Shearwater & 2 Great Skua, Aughrusbeg (Dermot Breen).
 18th August: Juv. Ruff, 3 Common Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit & 140 Lapwing, Kilcolgan River (Paul Troake).
 17th August: 200 Cory's Shearwater, at sea off Inishbofin (John Brittain).
 12th August: White-tailed Eagle, over Lough Corrib (Marcus Hogan).
 7th August: Mediterranean Gull, Nimmo's Pier, Galway city (Tom Cuffe).
 1st August: Storm Petrel, 32 Cory's Shearwater & Arctic Skua, Bunowen Pier, Ballyconneely (Dermot Breen).
 1st August: 4 Puffin, 38 Storm Petrel, 155 Cory's Shearwater, 5 Great Shearwater, 3 Sooty Shearwater, 340 Manx Shearwater, 20 Common Dolphin & 5 Bluefin Tuna, at sea, North of Inishbofin (Mike Sylvia & John Brittain).
 July 2023
 31st July: Mediterranean Gull, South Park, Galway city (Tom Cuffe).
 31st July: 25 Storm Petrel & Arctic Skua, Tawin (Sean Holland).
 31st July: 2 Wilson's Petrel, Baile na hAbhann (Cathal Forkan & Aonghus O'Donaill).
 31st July: 4 Cory's Shearwater & Sooty Shearwater, Bunowen Pier, Ballyconneely (Dermot Breen).
 31st July: Cory's Shearwater, 2 Arctic Skua & 4 Storm Petrel, Silver Strand, Galway city (Aonghus O'Donaill).
 30th July: Fea's/Zino's Petrel, 4 Cory's Shearwater, Great Skua, Pomarine Skua & 3 Arctic Skua, Bunowen Pier, Ballyconneely (Dermot Breen).
 30th July: 2 Cory's Shearwater & 3 Arctic Skua, Baile na hAbhann (Paul Troake).
 30th July: Wilson's Petrel, 45 Storm Petrel, Arctic Skua & 2nd yr. Little Gull, off Mutton Island, Galway city (Mike Sylvia).
 30th July: 7 Sooty Shearwater, Arctic Skua & 4 Storm Petrel, Silver Strand, Galway city (Aonghus O'Donaill).
 29th July: 2 Sooty Shearwater, Silver Strand, Galway city (Aonghus O'Donaill).
 29th July: Ad. Little Gull, Rusheen Bay, Galway city (Gerard Walshe).
 29th July: Great Shearwater, Cory's Shearwater, Ad. Sabine's Gull & Great Skua, Bunowen Pier, Ballyconneely (Dermot Breen).
 24th July: Red Kite, flew North at Cloughanover, Nr. Headford (Ian O'Connor).
 18th July: Leach's Petrel, off Loughaunbeg (Cathal Forkan).
 17th July: Kingfisher, Ower Bridge (Neil Sharkey).
 11th July: 51 Mediterranean Gull, Kilkieran harbour (Dermot Breen).
 10th July: 3 Little Tern, Loughaunbeg (Aonghus O'Donaill).
 10th July: 8 Little Tern, Ballyconneely (Dermot Breen).
 9th July: Spotted Flycatcher, Kilconly (Darren Ellis).
 8th July: Ad. Little Gull, Rusheen Bay, Galway city (Gerard Walshe).
 3rd July: calling Corncrake, Barr an Phointe, Kilronan, Inishmore (Aonghus O'Donaill).
 June 2023
 26th June: Quail, Varley's Island, Cornamona, Lough Corrib (per. BirdGuides).
 25th June: Roseate Tern, Rusheen Bay, Galway city (Ronan O'Carra).
 20th June: 1st yr. Mediterranean Gull & Little Gull, Mutton Island causeway, Galway city (Paul Troake).
 18th June: Ad. Mediterranean Gull & Great Skua, Tawin (Sean Holland).
 15th June: Arctic Skua, off Newtownlynch (Paul Troake).
 14th June: 2 Arctic Tern, Inchiquin Island, Lough Corrib (Neil Sharkey).
 8th June: Great-spotted Woodpecker, Leenane (per. Darren Ellis).
 4th June: Osprey, Ballyconneely (Mike Heskin).
 May 2023
 29th May: Turtle Dove, Inishbofin (John Lovatt).
 29th May: Great-spotted Woodpecker, Pollnaknockaun Wood (Tom Murtagh).
 28th May: Spotted Flycatcher, Western Way, Glan (Gerard Walshe).
 27th May: Osprey, over Inishbofin (Cian Cardiff).
 25th May: Spotted Flycatcher, Maree (Sean Holland).
 24th May: Whooper Swan, Caherglassaun turlough (Paul Troake).
 24th May: Forster's Tern, again present, Inishroo, Coranroo Bay.
 21st May: Elegant Tern, Inishroo, Coranroo Bay (Sean Holland).
 21st May: 2 Puffin, 2 Pomarine Skua & Great Skua, off Inishbofin (Gerard Walshe).
 21st May: 3 calling Corncrake, Inishbofin (Gerard Walshe).
 21st May: 4 Bottle-nosed Dolphin, Nimmo's Pier, Galway city (Marcus Hogan).
 21st May: Pectoral Sandpiper & Ruff, Muckrush, Lough Corrib (Aonghus O'Donaill).
 19th May: 4 Yellowhammer, Coldwood, Craughwell (Sean Holland).
 14th May: 4 calling Corncrake, East End, Knock, Fawnmore & Westquarter, Inishbofin (Fearghas Mac Lochlainn).
 12th May: Humpback Whale, off Mutton Island, Galway city (Marcus Hogan).
 10th May: 4 Pomarine Skua, 3 Arctic Skua & 2 Great Skua, Bunowen Pier, Ballyconneely (Dermot Breen).
 7th May: 2nd yr. Little Gull, Mutton Island, Galway city (Scott Fox).
 6th May: 2 (Male & Female) Common Crossbill, Derroura Woods (Stephen Walton).
 6th May: 200 Manx Shearwater, Tawin (Sean Holland).
 6th May: 3 (2 Ad. & Juv.) White-tailed Eagle, over Knockranny (Paul Troake).
 4th May: Drake Wood Duck, Sandy/Terryland River, Liosbaun, Galway city (per Tom Cuffe).
 2nd May: Drake Scaup & 2 Great Northern Diver, Angliham, Lough Corrib (Paul Troake).
 1st May: calling Corncrake, Inishbofin (Stephen Blandford).
 1st May: Great Skua, Slyne Head (John & Susan Brittain).
 April 2023
 30th April: 2 Little Tern & Common Tern, Baile na hAbhann (Ballynahown South), Nr. Inveran (Ríona Ní Aodha).
 29th April: Forster's Tern & 7 Mediterranean Gull, Corranroo Bay (Paul Troake).
 29th April: 31 Long-tailed Duck, west of Island Eddy (Paul Troake).
 27th April: Little Tern, Bunowen Pier, Ballyconneely (Dermot Breen).
 27th April: Swift, drake Pintail, 18 Black-tailed Godwit & 2 Gadwall, Rahasane turlough (Paul Troake).
 25th April: 250 Whimbrel, 28 Wheatear & 18 White Wagtail, Kilcolgan Point, Tawin (Paul Troake).
 23rd April: Great-spotted Woodpecker, Kylebrack Woods, Nr. Loughrea (per Sean Holland).
 23rd April: 2 White-tailed Eagle, over Galway city, flying in the direction of Lough Corrib (Aonghus O'Donaill).
 23rd April: Dipper, again present, Mill Street, Galway city.
 23rd April: 2 Long-tailed Duck & Common Tern, Mulroog, Galway Bay (Paul Troake).
 23rd April: Whitethroat & Sedge Warbler, Nr. Ballindereen (Paul Troake).
 23rd April: Whitethroat, Clooncurreen Bog, Nr. Moycullen (Paidi Cullinan).
 22nd April: Common Tern, Inishroo, Coranroo Bay (Paul Troake).
 22nd April: Forster's Tern, again present, Inishroo, Coranroo Bay.
 21st April: Black-crowned Night Heron, picked up dead, Rosleague (Marielouise Heffernan).
 19th April: Grasshopper Warbler & Cuckoo, Pillagh, Nr. Moycullen (Paul Troake).
 18th April: Great-spotted Woodpecker, Coole Park (Ciaran O'Donnell).
 18th April: 3rd Yr. Glaucous Gull, 2 White Wagtail, Greenland Wheatear & 5 Whimbrel, Murvey, Roundstone (Dermot Breen).
 18th April: 5 Gadwall & 63 Black-tailed Godwit, Rahasane turlough (Paul Troake).
 17th April: 36 Whimbrel, Tawin (Sean Holland).
 16th April: 1st Win. Iceland Gull, again present, Spiddal.
 16th April: pair Great-spotted Woodpecker, Lough Cútra Wood (Ray Glynn).
 14th April: 5 House Martin, Gort (Paul Troake).
 14th April: Cuckoo, Kiloughter, Nr. Lough Corrib (Marcus Hogan).
 12th April: House Martin, Knocknacarra, Galway city (Aonghus O'Donaill).
 12th April: House Martin, Shankill, Lough Corrib (Sandra O'Toole).
 12th April: Imm. Iceland Gull, Tawin (Sean Holland).
 12th April: Ad. Win. Iceland Gull, again present, Nimmo's Pier, Galway city.
 11th April: Great-spotted Woodpecker, Monivea Woods (Paidi Cullinan).
 11th April: Cuckoo, Nr. Headford (Ian O'Connor).
 10th April: 1st Win. Iceland Gull, again present, Spiddal.
 8th April: Ad. Kumlien's Gull, again present, Omey Island.
 8th April: Dipper, again present, Mill Street, Galway city.
 7th April: Great-spotted Woodpecker, Derrycrag Wood (Tom Murtagh).
 5th April: 1st Win. Iceland Gull, again present, Spiddal.
 4th April: Common Sandpiper, recorded (nocmig) over Knocknacarra, Galway city (Aonghus O'Donaill).
 1st April: Willow Warbler, Coolanillaun, Lough Corrib (Mike Sylvia).
 March 2023
 31st March: 2 Swallow, Barranny, Lough Corrib (Ian O'Connor).
 30th March: Kingfisher, Ower Bridge (Neil Sharkey).
 30th March: Ad. Win. Forster's Tern, again present, South Park, Galway city.
 29th March: Otter, Lough Atalia, Galway city (Cathal Forkan & Marcus Hogan).
 28th March: Ringtail Hen Harrier & Great White Egret, again present, Angliham, Lough Corrib.
 28th March: Ad. Win. Forster's Tern, again present, South Park, Galway city.
 28th March: 1st Win. Iceland Gull, Spiddal (Gerard Walshe).
 26th March: 2 White-tailed Eagle, 68 Shoveler, 2 Great White Egret & 3 Little Gull, Muckrush, Lough Corrib (Mike Sylvia).
 26th March: 15 Long-tailed Duck & 4 (3 Ad. & 1st Win.) Mediterranean Gull, Aughinish, Co. Galway/Co. Clare border (Gerard Walshe).
 26th March: 3 Long-tailed Duck, Traught (Gerard Walshe).
 26th March: 6 Black-throated Diver, South of Tawin (Sean Holland).
 26th March: 2 Ad. Sum. Mediterranean Gull, Kinvara (Gerard Walshe).
 26th March: 3 Gadwall, Lough Atalia, Galway city (Gerard Walshe).
 24th March: Dipper, Mill Street, Galway city (Neil Sharkey).
 23rd March: Jack Snipe, Clooncurreen Bog (Paidi Cullinan).
 22nd March: 2 Alpine Swift, over River Corrib at Woodquay, Galway city (Sean Walsh).
 20th March: Wheatear, Pollagh, Nr. Ballinderreen (Paul Troake).
 19th March: 9 Sand Martin & 50 Tufted Duck, Caranavoodaun turlough (Paul Troake).
 19th March: 20 Sand Martin, Rahasane turlough (Paul Troake).
 2nd March: Ad. Win. Forster's Tern, again present, South Park, Galway city.
 February 2023
 26th February: Ad. Win. Forster's Tern, again present, South Park, Galway city.
 23rd February: 3rd Win. Glaucous Gull, Murvey, Roundstone (Dermot Breen).
 23rd February: Ad. Win. Forster's Tern, now present, Loughnahulla Bay.
 23rd February: 63 Greenland White-fronted Goose, Blindwell turlough (Darren Ellis).
 23rd February: 58 Greenland White-fronted Goose, Belclare turlough (Darren Ellis).
 18th February: 1st Win. Little Gull, Mutton Island causeway, Galway city (Tom Cuffe).
 14th February: 1st Win. Nelson's Gull (Herring X Glaucous Gull hybrid) , again present, Nimmo's Pier, Galway city.
 11th February: Drake Ring-necked Duck, Leagaun, Lough Corrib (Paul Troake).
 10th February: Ad. Win. Iceland Gull, Waterside, Galway city (Tom Cuffe).
 8th February: 1st Win. Iceland Gull, South Park, Galway city (Tom Cuffe).
 6th February: 3 (Ad., Sub-Ad. & Juv.) White-tailed Eagle & 2 (male & fem.) Marsh Harrier, again present, Barranny, Lough Corrib.
 5th February: Mediterranean Gull, Bell Harbour (Marcus Hogan).
 5th February: 3 (Ad., Sub-Ad. & Juv.) White-tailed Eagle & 2 (male & fem.) Marsh Harrier, again present, Barranny, Lough Corrib.
 3rd February: 2nd Win. Mediterranean Gull, South Park, Galway city (Tom Cuffe).
 3rd February: 1st Win. Iceland Gull, Ballindooley Lough (Aonghus O'Donaill).
 3rd February: 3 (Ad., Sub-Ad. & Juv.) White-tailed Eagle & Male Hen Harrier, Barranny, Lough Corrib (Marcus Hogan & Aonghus O'Donaill).
 January 2023
 31st January: 16 Mediterranean Gull, Kilkieran (Aonghus O'Donaill).
 30th January: Fem./Imm. Marsh Harrier, Kinvara Bay (Paul Troake).
 30th January: drake Blue-winged Teal, again present, Ballindooley Lough.
 29th January: drake Blue-winged Teal, Ballindooley Lough (Aonghus O'Donaill).
 27th January: drake American Wigeon, Rahasane turlough (Tom Kilbane).
 27th January: drumming Great-spotted Woodpecker, Derrycrag Wood (Tom Murtagh).
 26th January: Ad. Win. Forster's Tern, again present, South Park, Galway city.
 26th January: 1st Win. Iceland Gull, Spiddal (Aonghus O'Donaill).
 26th January: 1st Win. drake Lesser Scaup, Rostaff Lake, Co. Galway/Co. Mayo border (Simon Mitchell).
 24th January: Ad. Kumlien's Gull, Fahy Lough, Omey Island (Dermot Breen).
 22nd January: 60 Whooper Swan & 40 Greenland White-fronted Goose, Belclare turlough (Neil Sharkey).
 21st January: Ad. Iceland Gull, Lough Atalia, Galway city (Tom Cuffe).
 21st January: 1st Win. Glaucous Gull, Lettermullen (Marcus Hogan).
 20th January: Drake Goosander, again present, Lough Rea.
 19th January: Spotted Redshank, again present, Mweloon, Tawin.
 19th January: Slavonian Grebe, again present, Ardfry.  18th January: 5 Great Northern Diver, Angliham, Lough Corrib (Ian O'Connor).
 18th January: ringtail Hen Harrier, 2 Great White Egret, again present, Angliham, Lough Corrib.
 17th January: Drake Goosander, Lough Rea (Tom Murtagh).
 17th January: Purple Sandpiper, Whitestrand Road, Galway city (David O'Keeffe).
 15th January: Spotted Redshank & Kingfisher, Mweloon, Tawin (Sean Holland).
 15th January: White-tailed Eagle, 2 (male & fem.) Marsh Harrier, 2 (fem.) Hen Harrier, Merlin, Peregrine & 4 Great White Egret, again present, Angliham, Lough Corrib.
 15th January: Kingfisher, Ardfry (John Curley).
 14th January: Short-eared Owl, Cregg River/Barranny/Muckrush, Lough Corrib (Marcus Hogan).
 13th January: 1st Win. Glaucous Gull, Spiddal beach (Aonghus O'Donaill).
 13th January: 49 Greenland White-fronted Goose, Creganna marsh (John Curley).
 12th January: Ad. Win. Forster's Tern, again present, Kinvara Bay.
 2nd January: Glossy Ibis, Kilcolgan (Mattie Keane).
 1st January: 2 White-tailed Eagle, male Marsh Harrier, female Hen Harrier, 2 Common Buzzard & 6 Great White Egret, Muckrush/Barranny, Lough Corrib (Ian O'Connor & Aonghus O'Donaill).
 1st January: 3 (2 Ad. & Imm.) Little Gull, Mutton Island, Galway city (Mike Sylvia).
 1st January: Slavonian Grebe, again present, Ardfry.

Click here to view the archive of sightings from previous months

© BirdWatch Galway 2023