A Wet and Windy Week in Wexford. September 2023.

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Everyone knows that autumn means swallows start to migrate south. Many birds get the urge to move as the days shorten. There are certain locations that are well known places where birds head for to feed up, rest or make the shortest sea crossing. In Ireland these places tend to be headlands and islands. The same places are often good places to discover vagrants, birds that have become lost or blown off course.

County Wexford located on the southwest corner of Ireland is such a hotspot for birdwatching at this time of year. A few months ago a birdwatching friend suggested an autumn week in Wexford to see if anything interesting might turn up. I have used the ferryport at Rosslare many times to travel to Spain or France, but have never spent much time in Wexford. So I happily agreed.

The weather was very mixed. On the first day, a beautiful sunny, but windy day, we explored Brownstown, Our Lady's Island and Hook Head, Next day Storm Agnes barrelled through. As expected vagrants and migrants blown off course began to be reported around the country. In Wexford, this included grey phalarope and a red-eyed vireo from North America. Both showed themselves very well, so I added two "lifers", in ornothological parlance, to the list of birds I have been lucky enough to see.

The Wexford Wildlife Reserve is a fantastic place only a few kilometres outside Wexford Town. The hide on top of the observation tower provided an excellent platform to view the thousands of waders making use of the wetland and fields. It was fantastic to see thousands of black tailed godwits making use of the entire site.

In the evenings we explored the pubs. Wexford is definitely an excellent base for a wildlife holiday. I think it would be a very interesting place to spend a week in spring when the northward migration is taking place.

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Photos

Juvenile Yellow Legged gull
Our Lady's Island. Wexford.

Grey Pharalope
Storm Agnes raged around Wexford for a full day. Three grey phalarope took shelter in the pools at Tacumshane. They were still there the next day enjoying a little break from their oceanic trip.

Red Eyed Vireo. Hook Head Wexford.
A vistor from North America courtesy of Storm Agnes.

Ruff and Lapwing
Wexford Wildlife Reserve.

Lapwing
Wexford Wildlife Reserve.

Black Tailed Godwit
Wexford Wildlife Reserve.

Black Tailed Godwit
There were several thousand black tailed godwit at the Wexford Wildlife Reserve outside Wexford Town.