Avocets & Stilts
Black-winged Stilt Scodalach Dubheiteach Himantopus himantopus
Rare vagrant.
15 county records involving at least 29 individuals up to the end of 2020.
2014 White’s Marsh, one on the 30th and 31st May.
2008 Little Island, 27th May.
2005 White’s Marsh, Clonakilty, adult male, 1st May; same individual, Kilkerran Lake, 2nd to 7th May.
1995 Clogheen Marsh, Inchydoney, adult male and a female, 22nd to 29th May.
1993 Dunworly Bay, adult, 12th April.
1990 Garrettstown, two, 1st to 8th April; presumed two of same as elsewhere in Cork.
1990 Bateman’s Lake, 31st March to 1st April; presumed same as elsewhere in Cork.
1990 Rostellan Lake, Cork Harbour, three, 19th March, two, 24th to 30th March, five, 1st April.
1990 Douglas Estuary, two, 19th to 25th March; presumed two of same as elsewhere in Cork.
1990 Ballycotton, six, 17th March, five, 19th March, two, 25th March, three, 1st April.
1989 Ballycotton, 15th to 23rd October, two, 22nd October.
1987 Ballycotton, male and female, 10th May.
1949 Arigideen Estuary, near Timoleague, 11th September to 3rd October, when another joined it on the 3rd October..
1942 Clonakilty, mid-April to early June.
1823 or 1824 Near Youghal, seen, winter. Yarrell, 1845. This is the first Irish Record.
Global Distribution: A widespread but patchily distributed summer visitor to southern and eastern Europe, which accounts for less than a quarter of its global breeding range.
Also found in Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand North and South America. (Birdlife International)
(Pied) Avocet Abhóiséad (Alabhreac) Recurvirostra avosetta
Rare winter visitor.
41 records involving over 50 birds up to the end of 2020.
Wintered annually in small numbers in Cork Harbour between 1956 and 1965 with a maximum of eight in the winter of 1962/63.
Birds have been reported from the following locations: Ballycotton, Ballymacoda, Ballymona, Belvelly, Cape Clear Island, Castletownberehaven, Clonakilty Estuary, Cork Harbour (Cobh, Great Island, Douglas Estuary, Lough Beg, Midleton, Midleton/Rosslague, North Channel, Ringaskiddy,) Courtmacsharry Bay, Inchydoney, Kilboy (Cloyne), Shanagarry, Youghal.
Global Distribution: A widespread but patchily distributed breeder across much of Europe (except the far north), which accounts for less than half of its global breeding range. Also found in Africa and Asia. (Birdlife International)