County Waterford

County Waterford is a county in the province of Munster on the south coast of Ireland. At 1,858 km² (717 square miles), with a population of around 128,000 people. It is the smallest county in Munster in terms of both area and population. Administratively, the city of Waterford is a county town, as well as the largest with almost a third of the county’s people. It is bordered by four counties; Cork to the southwest, Tipperary to the northwest, Kilkenny to the northeast and Wexford to the east across the estuary formed by the outflowing of the River Barrow and River Suir.

County Waterford has two mountain ranges, the Knockmealdown Mountains and the Comeragh Mountains. The highest point in the county is Knockmealdown, at 794m. It also has many rivers, including Ireland’s third longest river, the River Suir and Ireland’s fourth longest river, the Munster Blackwater. There are over 30 beaches along Waterford’s volcanic coast line.

Across the valley of the River Suir to the Knockmealdown Mountains – Public Domain

Birding County Waterford

Waterford’s varied geography means that it also has a variety of different habitats, from beaches and cliffs to estuaries and rivers, loughs, bogs, farmland, mountains and woodlands. This in turn makes it a great birding destination and being in the warmer southeast it’s relatively sheltered although also less likely to turn up vagrants from the Americas. It may be a small county, but the variety makes up for that, and there is plenty to see, although there are few designated nature reserves.

Fenor Bog National Nature Reserve is the only fen in the county of Waterford and is protected mainly because it is in private ownership and the owners are very vigilant about caring for it. It has a rich biodiversity with over 225 plants and animals and is a refuge for some scarce plants and animal species; found nowhere else in the county. It is renowned for being the best dragonfly site in Waterford as well a productive birding spot. Species of birds here include Barn Owl, Snipe, Cuckoo, Stonechat, Reed Buntings and summer warblers.

Fenor Bog – ©Brendan Tobin CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Waterford Nature Park is an oasis of approximately 150 acres, located near Waterford City. Stones from the park have been used to construct stone walls creating small fields, which have been planted with flowers and meadow seeds, and so home to a variety of insects including butterflies. Approximately 20,000 shrubs have been planted in the park. It’s a great place to introduce youngsters to nature and common species, rather than rare birds.

Dungarvan is considered to be the prime destination for birdwatching. It is a large tidal estuary that is popular with birders. The Colligan River flows through Dungarvan and there are extensive mudflats exposed at low tide. These extend almost three kilometres from the town. There is a roadway extends along the length of the estuary where large numbers of wildfowl and waders feed at low tide.