Pratincoles and Plovers

Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola

2020 The Gearagh, at least one 2nd year bird from the 18th to the 20th April is the first county record.

Global Distribution: Patchy distribution across southern Europe and south west Asia, wintering in Africa, south of the Sahara desert.

Little Ringed Plover Feadógín Chladaigh Charadrius dubius

Occasional passage migrant, in spring and autumn.

34 county records involving 40 birds up to the end of 2014. At least 22 records between 2015 and the end of 2020.

Increasing in number and probably breeding somewhere in or near the county based on a number of early juveniles turning up. Annual since 2003 or so with 12 in 2011.

Recorded in all months except July and November.

2015 – 2020 At least 22 records.
2014 Ring Strand, one on the 15th May.
2013 Pilmore, one on the 23rd August.
2013 Ballycotton, one on the 9th April.
2013 Dooniskey, one on the 6th April.
2013 Kinsale, one on the 2nd April.
2012 Juvenile, Pilmore Strand, 18th August.
2011 Ballymacoda, 24th September.
2011 The Gearagh, five juveniles, 3rd to 11th September.
2011 Dooniskey, two juveniles, 3rd to 13th September.
2011 Ballycotton, up to two juveniles, 24th to 31st August.
2011 Ballycotton, one on 1st/2nd August.
2011 Ballycotton, one on 16th April.
2010 Ballycotton, one juvenile on 31st August/1st September.
2008 Ballycotton, one juvenile from the 1st to the 2nd September.
2008 Mallow Sugar Factory Lagoons, one female from the 15th to the 28th June.
2006 Mallow Lagoons, three adult females and 2 juveniles from the 5th to the 6th August.
2007 Ballycotton, one from the 4th to the 7th May.
2006 Ballycotton, on from the 29th January to the 19th March. Thought to be the Ballymacoda bird below.
2005 near Ballymacoda, one from the 16th December to the 6th January 2006.
2005 Ballycotton, an adult on the 8th May.
2004 Ballycotton, a first-winter from the 29th December to the 23rd April 2005.
2003 Ballycotton, an adult female on the 19th March.
2003 Ballycotton, one from the 26th April to the 27th April.
2003 Mallow Sugar Lagoons, a first-winter from the 29th December to the 13th February 2004.
2000 White’s Marsh (Clonakilty), a juvenile from the 2nd to the 3rd September.
2000 Dursey Island, a male from the 5th to the 8th May.
1998 Ballycotton, an adult on the 7th June.
1998 Ballycotton, a juvenile from the 18th to the 19th October.
1995 Ballycotton, one one the 4th June.
1995 Kilcolman NNR, one on the 25th April.
1987 Ballycotton, a juvenile on the 19th September.
1982 Ballycotton, an adult from the 20th to the 21st June.
1979 Ballycotton, one from the 5th to the 6th May.
1968 Ballycotton, one from the 22nd to the 28th September.

Global Distribution: a widespread summer visitor to much of Europe, which accounts
for less than half of its global breeding range. Also found in Africa and Asia.

(Common) Ringed Plover Feadóg an Fháinne (Coitianta) Charadrius hiaticula

Uncommon and localised Resident breeding species. Common in autumn and winter, when population increased by northern migrants.

Global Distribution: Europe, Asia, Canada, Greenland and Iceland.

Summer Distribution

Winter Distribution

Killdeer Feadóg Ghlórach Charadrius vociferous

Rare vagrant.

Nine county records up to the end of 2020.

2003 Saleen, 3rd February; presumed same, Ballycotton, 9th February.
1996 Cape Clear Island, first-year, 18th October.
1995 Ballycotton, 8th to 22nd October.
1991 Ballycotton, adult, 7th January to 2nd March.
1984 Ballymacoda, 15th February to 24th March.
1979 Ballycotton, 7th to 31st March.
1938 Near Crookhaven, seen, 11th December, picked up dead, 19th March 1939, now at National Museum, Dublin.
1938 Carrigeengoure, near Crookhaven, shot, 30th November, now at National Museum, Dublin.

Global Distribution: Resident across central North America, summer visitor further north and wintering in Central America and northern South America. (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)

Kentish Plover Feadógín Chosdubh Charadrius alexandrinus

Rare vagrant.

Three county records up to the end of 2020.
1984 Ballycotton, one on the 24th April.
1980 Ballycotton, one immature from the 22nd to the 27th September.
1970 Ballymona Strand (Ballycotton) one on the 23rd April.
A ringed individual at Pilmore Strand in 2008(?) turned out to be a captive bird found and released by Dutch/German police following an investigation into illegal breeding of protected species there.

Global Distribution: a widespread breeder in coastal areas of western and
southern Europe, which accounts for less than a quarter of its global breeding range. Also Also Africa, Asia, North and South America. (Birdlife International)

Lesser Sand Plover Feadógín Ghainimh Charadrius mongolus

Rare vagrant.

One county record up to the end of 2020. This is the 1st Irish record of this species.
2013 Ring Strand, Pilmore and Clonpriest, Youghal, one showing characteristics of C. m. mongolus on the 27th and 28th July.

Global Distribution: Asia

Eurasian Dotterel Amadán Móinteach Charadrius morinellus

Rare passage migrant in spring and autumn.

27 records in the county up to the end of 2014. At least five between 2014 and the end of 2020.

2014-2020 At least five records.
2013 Ballycotton, one on the 26th August.
2012 Robert’s Cove, two juveniles, 6th October.
2010 Dursey Island, juvenile on the 10th October.
2009 Old Head of Kinsale, one Juvenile on the 16th September.
2008 Dursey Island, one one the 22nd August.
2005 Cape Clear Island, one on the 22nd October.
2001 Dursey Island, one first-winter from the 19th to the 21st October.
2001 Dursey Island, one juvenile on the 11th October.
2000 Cape Clear Island, one juvenile form the 25th to the 27th September.
1997 Dursey Island, one first-year on the 22nd October.
1996 Cape Clear Island, one from the 7th to the 12th April.
1994 Cape Clear Island, one adult on the 3rd May.
1992 Dursey Island, one first-winter on the 4th October.
1990 Lissagriffin, one juvenile on the 30th September.
1989 Cape Clear Island, one juvenile on the 17th October.
1987 Dursey Island, one juvenile on the 29th August.
1985 Cape Clear Island, one juvenile form the 8th to the 12th October.
1984 Cape Clear Island, one juvenile on the 12th and 13th October.
1983 Cape Clear Island, one juvenile from the 4th to the 6th October.
1982 Cape Clear Island, one on the 18th September.
1980 Cape Clear Island, one on the 1st October.
1977 Cape Clear Island, one on the 19th and 20th August.
1977 Cape Clear Island, one form the 17th to the 20th August .
1976 Cape Clear Island, one from the 28th September to the 1st October.
1976 Cape Clear Island, one from the 24th to the 29th September.
1966 Cape Clear Island, one on the 19th September.
19th Century Near Cork City, one female obtained, about the end of September. (Thompson II:94)

Global Distribution: a summer visitor to northern Europe, but occurs more patchily farther south, with
Europe accounting for less than half of its global breeding range. Also found in Asia. (Birdlife International)

American Golden Plover Feadóg Bhuí Mheiriceánach Pluvialis dominica

Occasional vagrant, mostly in autumn. Rare in spring.

79 records involving about 83 birds up to the end of 2020.

Birds were seen at the following locations; Ballycotton, Ballymacoda, Barley Cove, Cape Clear Island, Clonakilty/Inchydoney, Douglas Estuary, Harbour View, Hare Island, Inchydoney, Inchydoney/Rosscarbery, Kinsale Marsh, Lissagriffin, Midleton Estuary, Old Head of Kinsale, Pilmore Strand, Ring Strand, Rosscarbery, Shanagarry, The Gearagh.
Where age was given most were juveniles.
All records between July and November with most records in October and November.

Global Distribution: Breeds in the far north of North America and winters in eastern central South America. (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)

Pacific Golden Plover Feadóg Bhuí an tAigéan Ciúin Pluvialis fulva

Rare vagrant.

Three county records up to the end of 2020.

1993 An adult at Ballycotton on the 8th August.
1991 Inchydoney, adult, 19th October.
1991 Kinsale Marsh, adult, 5th to 8th October.

Global Distribution: the Pacific Golden-Plover breeds in western Alaska and Siberia and winters on islands across the Pacific Ocean, through southeast Asia, to north-eastern Africa. It is uncommon in North America, found breeding in Alaska, and migrating and wintering in small numbers along the Pacific Coast. (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)