County Wexford
County Wexford is a maritime county in the southeast of Ireland, in the province of Leinster. It takes its name from the principal town, Wexford Its original meaning was ‘inlet or bay (fjord) of the mud-flats’ in the Old Norse language. The county’s total area is over 2,350 km² (over 900 square miles). The county has a population of about 164,000 people. It is bounded on the south by the Atlantic Ocean and on the east by the Irish Sea. Waterford lies to the southwest, Kilkenny to the west, Carlow to the northwest and Wicklow to the north.
The River Barrow forms its western boundary. The Blackstairs Mountains form part of the boundary to the north, as do the southern edges of the Wicklow Mountains. Wexford is known as Ireland’s ‘sunny southeast’ because of the high amount of sunshine it receives relative to the rest of Ireland — in general, the number of hours of sunshine received daily is higher. Overall, the county has a mild, but changeable, oceanic climate with few extremes. The North Atlantic Drift, a continuation of the Gulf Stream, moderates winter temperatures.
Largely low-lying fertile land is the characteristic landscape of the county. The highest point in the county is Mount Leinster (790m, 2610 ft) in the Blackstairs Mountains in the north-west on the boundary with Co. Carlow. Other high points are: Black Rock Mountain, located near the Wexford-Carlow border; Croghan Mountain on the Wexford-Wicklow border; Annagh Hill near the Wicklow border.
Great Saltee Island – ©Daldalm CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Major rivers are the Slaney and the Barrow; the latter being the second longest river on the island of Ireland. Other smaller rivers of note are the Owenduff, Pollmounty, Corrock, Urrin, Boro, Owenavorragh, Sow and Bann rivers. There is no significant fresh-water lake in the county. Small seaside lakes or lagoons exist at two locations – one is called Lady’s Island Lake and the other Tacumshin Lake.
The Saltee Islands, located off Wexford’s south coast, are the only major islands in the county. They consist of two main islands – Great Saltee and Little Saltee. Two small rocks, known as Coningmore and Coningbeg, lie roughly south-west of these islands.
Birding County Wexford
Lying off the coastal village of Kilmore Quay, in south Wexford, are the Saltee Islands – in avian terms an Irish equivalent of the Scillies. Great Saltee was one the first islands in Ireland to have a bird observatory, because of of the number of rare passerines seen there during migrations. Landing on the island is difficult, as it has no built harbour, so small zodiacs land you on the beach when the tide is high. At low tide a clamber across slippery rocks is required. In spring the small garden of the only house can hold Golden Oriole, warblers, pipits and flycatchers. In autumn, Red-breasted Flycatchers and warblers are regular vagrants while the open fields are ideal for pipits and larks. Ireland’s first Olive-backed Pipit was found on this island, with other notable finds including Black-eared Wheatear, Bluethroat, Barred, Yellow-browed and Dusky Warblers, Wrynecks, Hoopoes, Scarlet Rosefinch etc.
Raven Point from Wexford Wildfowl Reserve – Wikimedia Commons
Ballyteigue Burrow Nature Reserve is a 9 km shingle spit with a range of features, including sand dunes, dune slacks, mudflats and salt marshes. It is particularly good for overwintering birds including significant numbers of Pale-bellied Brent Geese, Black-tailed Godwits and Golden Plover, with the mudflats attracting many other waders and wildfowl. It is also particularly botanically rich. The Raven Nature Reserve is also a long narrow spit sheltering Wexford Harbour. Waders and terns roost on the tip and 35% of the world’s Greenland White-fronted Geese shelter there after feeding on the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve. There waders and wildfowl have a safe place to feed, loaf, roost and breed. The wide shallow harbour with its sandbars and mud-banks have recorded 260 bird species, of which 69 are considered common in winter.
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Great Saltee Island
WebsiteSatellite ViewLying off the coastal village of Kilmore Quay, in south Wexford, the Saltee Islands (Little and Great Saltee) are between 4km and 6km offshore. The Great Saltee was one the first islands in Ireland to have a bird observatory, in recognition of the number of rare passerines seen there each spring and autumn. Landing on the island can be difficult, with no built harbour. Instead it requires a person to climb from the larger boat and be transferred to a small zodiac where you land on the beach if the tide is high. At low tide a clamber across slippery rocks is required. But it's worth it in spring, summer and autumn. In spring the small garden of the only house can hold Golden Oriole, warblers, pipits and flycatchers. In autumn, Red-breasted Flycatchers and hippo warblers are regular vagrants while the open fields are ideal for pipits and larks. Ireland's first Olive-backed Pipit was found on this island, with other notable finds including Black-eared Wheatear, Bluethroat, Barred, Yellow-browed and Dusky Warblers, Wrynecks, Hoopoes, Scarlet Rosefinch etc.
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Tony Murray
Wexford Wildfowl Reserve, North Slob
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Number of bird species: 385
(As at March 2026)
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Avibase
ChecklistThis checklist includes all bird species found in Wexford , based on the best information available at this time. It is based on a wide variety of sources that I collated over many years. I am pleased to offer these checklists as a service to birdwatchers. If you find any error, please do not hesitate to report them. -
eBird
PDF ChecklistThis checklist is generated with data from eBird (ebird.org), a global database of bird sightings from birders like you. If you enjoy this checklist, please consider contributing your sightings to eBird. It is 100% free to take part, and your observations will help support birders, researchers, and conservationists worldwide.
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Birds of Ireland - A Field Guide
| By Jim Wilson | Gill Books | 2024 | Edition 2 | Paperback | 288 pages, 1600+ colour photos, colour distribution maps | ISBN: 9781804580721 Buy this book from NHBS.com -
Finding Birds in Ireland - The Complete Guide
| By Eric Dempsey & Michael O'Clery | Gill Books | 2014 | Edition 2 | Paperback | 389 pages, 300 colour photos, colour maps | ISBN: 9780717159253 Buy this book from NHBS.com -
Wexford's Wild Heritage
| By Alan McGuire, Christopher J Wilson & Don Conroy | Reardon Publishing | 2014 | Hardback | 80 pages, colour & b/w photos, colour & b/w illustrations | ISBN: 9781874192817 Buy this book from NHBS.com
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Birdwatch Ireland
WebsiteWelcome to BirdWatch Ireland, the largest independent conservation organisation in Ireland. -
Wexford Naturalists' Field Club
Facebook PagePromoting Wexford's natural history...
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NR Ballyteigue Burrow
InformationSatellite ViewThis coastal site extends eastwards and northwards from the village of Kilmore Quay in County Wexford. A long, narrow spit of coarse sand and gravel with an impressive sand dune system (Ballyteige Burrow) forms most of the seaward boundary of this site. Behind the spit lies a shallow, tidal sea inlet and estuary of the Duncormick River (The Cull)… -
NR The Raven
WebsiteSatellite ViewThe Raven is situated on the north side of Wexford Harbour, incorporating the dynamic sand system of Raven Point and the coast running north to Curracloe House. The site is designated as a National Nature Reserve… -
WR Wexford
WebsiteSatellite ViewWexford Wildfowl Reserve is located on flat farmland on the North Slob which was walled off from Wexford Harbour and reclaimed from the sea in the 1840s partly as a famine relief project. The main habitat types are farmland and a brackish channel. Much of the area lies two metres below sea level and rainwater is pumped out using a water pump located in an old pump house near the Nature Reserve Visitor Centre.
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Irish Birding
SightingsSearch by county etc. -
WexfordBirdNews
News & SightingsRare and Scarce bird news from County Wexford, Ireland -
eBird
SightingseBirding This Month
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Photographer - Tom Shevlin
Twitter FeedWeb site featuring Tom Shevlin`s photographs of birds and other Irish wildlife