Bird News Sunday 5th October 2025

Whoopers are arriving now in good numbers, including in the fields near the stables at Myroe, (Stephen Riddell),15 over Cliftonville heading south, (Ricky McQuillan), 6 over Derrytrasna on the south shore of Lough Neagh, (Pat Flowerday), 20 at Portmore, (Ed O'Hara), and 20+ over Cloughmills, (Derek McClean).

Siberian Chiffchaff Bar Hall Bay along path to Ballquintin Farm near crest of hill in garden edge,  the bird was calling frequently. 32 Mediterranean Gulls were at the south end of Cloughey beach. (Bob Watts).

Ballyquintin Farm on the outer Ards  had a Stock Dove and 16 Whoopers. A single Pinkfoot flew into Bar Hall Bay. 2 Chiffchaff, male Blackcap, 8+ Goldcrest, 2 Wheatear and a calling Whimbrel were along the path to the farm from Bar Hall Bay. (Bob Watts,  Richard Weyl).

A Chiffchaff was at Templecowey. (Richard Weyl).

31 Barnacles and 3 Whitefronts were over Magilligan. (Stephen Riddell).

Ramore Head 07:30 - 10:30. 2 Adult Pomarine Skua, 4 Arctic and 8 Great Skua, 2 Sooty Shearwater, 8 Leach’s Petrel, 3 European Storm Petrel, 3 Arctic Tern, 41 Great Northern Diver, 11 Red-throated Diver, 24 Whooper Swan, 163 Barnacle Geese, 5 Whitefronts, 10 Brent, 3 Pintail, 3 Common Scoter, 174 Tufted Duck, 48 Wigeon, 2 Teal, 11 Red-Breasted Merganser and 4 Purple Sandpiper. (Dean Jones, ChrisVeale).

58 Whoopers, a 1st winter Mediterranean Gull and a Curlew Sandpiper were at Ballycarry Bridge. There was no sign of the Glossy Ibis. (Cameron Moore  Dave Craig).

A Pectoral Sandpiper was at Church Island, Lough Beg. (David Steele).

Rathlin today had 87 Barnacles, 37 Whoopers and 11 Storm Petrels. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

Bird News Saturday 4th October 2025

Swainson’s Thrush still showing very well on garden at Malin More, Co Donegal (Ian Stevenson et al).

A Common Tern at Kinnegar (Stuart Cossey).

Glossy Ibis seen in flight at Kilclief (David Stirling).

Great Spotted Woodpecker in a Lambeg garden yesterday (Noeni Bryars).

Numerous flocks of Barnacle Geese, 100 birds in total, heading north over Rathlin this morning. Sooty Shearwater, Arctic Skua and Great Skua offshore (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

Ramore Head 07:30 - 12:45. Personal tallies: Adult Pom Skua, 5 Arctic and 3 Great Skua, 1 juv Sabine’s, 11 Sooty Shearwater, 55 Manx, 1 Leach’s Petrel, 1 adult Little Gull, 7 Arctic Tern (plus 4 Common/Arctic), 1 Sandwich Tern, 28 Great Northern Diver, 8 RT Diver, 5 Whooper Swan, 104 Barnacle Geese, 40 Brent, 30 Pink Feet, 4 Greylag, 3 Pintail, 5 Common Scoter, 84 Tufted Duck, 62 Wigeon, 14 RBMerganser (Dean Jones / Richard Donaghey / Aaron Long). Additional to 1430: 1 Leach’s Petrel, 2 Storm Petrel, 1 Great Skua, 2 Arctic Skua, decent numbers of divers and geese (Aaron Long).

At Lough Beg this morning 13 Glossy Ibis and 40 Ruff at West Shore/Church Island and 2 Great White Egret in flooded fields along the Ballydermot Road with Grey Herons and Little Egrets (Godfrey McRoberts). Late evening 1+ Pectoral Sandpiper and a Curlew Sandpiper at the south end (David Steele).

Curlew Sandpiper and 2 Whooper Swans at Ballycarry (Gerard McGeehan). Glossy Ibis on the north side of Ballycarry Bridge at 4pm (Cameron Moore).

In an hour this morning at Melmore Head, Co Donegal Sooty Shearwaters passing at 5-10 per minute, single Arctic and Great Skuas, large movement of Barnacle Geese including a flock of 300 and 30 Whooper Swans in off the sea (Eric Randall).

Great Spotted Woodpecker, Noeni Bryars:

Bird News Friday 3rd October 2025

 4 Curlew Sandpipers were off the hide at the Barmouth. (John Spottiswood).

The Swainson's Thrush was seen again this morning in poor weather conditions at Glencolumcille in Donegal. (Dean Jones)

A Marsh Harrier was off the platform hide at Inch in Donegal, a Water Rail was calling below the hide. (Michael Savage).

Bird News Thursday 2nd October 2025

The Swainson’s Thrush is still present at Malinmore, Co Donegal for its 4th day near the Glencomcille Hotel in garden at crossroads and showing well (Ian You g).

Great White Egret again off Croaghan Island, Oxford Island NNR (Ed O’Hara).

Little Stint yesterday at Myroe (Mervyn Guthrie).

Marsh Harrier and 2 House Martin at Inch, Co Donegal (Martin Deehan / Theo Campbell).

Swainson’s Thrush, Anthony McGeehan:

Little Stint, Mervyn Guthrie:

Bird News Wednesday 1st October 2025

The Swainson's Thrush was still present at Malinmore, Donegal (Sean Gibson / Aaron Long / Billy Miskelly)

A Great White Egret was off the Croaghan Hide, Oxford Island (Ed O’Hara)

A Great White Egret and Curlew Sandpiper were in the channel at Myroe (Stephen Riddell)

Black Tern still present at Lough Beg. Also 2 Great White Egret (Dev & Helen)

A Common Sandpiper is at Camlough Lake (David Stirling)

A Little Gull was at Magilligan (Stephen Riddell)

Three Pectoral Sandpipers were at Lough Beg this evening, mobile around the south end with other waders. Also three Spotted Redshanks together in the southwest corner and a total of five Great White Egret around the lake - but no Glossy Ibis seen (David Steele)

A leucistic Brent Goose, like one at Ballykelly on the 25th September, was at Islandhill, Strangford Lough this morning (Graham McElwaine)

6 Glossy Ibis and 14 Ruff were at Lurgangreen, Co Louth (Neal Warnock)

Great White Egret, Myroe, Stephen Riddell:

Little Gull, Stephen Riddell:

Bird News Tuesday 30th September 2025

 A juvenile Sabine's Gull was off the Rue on Rathlin this morning and a female or juvenile Pintail in Church Bay. Also present were 2 Arctic Skuas and 9 White Wagtails. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

The Swainson's Thrush is still at Malinmore in Donegal, in the garden at the crossroads. (Chris Ingram). The bird was present into the afternoon. The bird stayed in the same garden (just before crossroads in Malinmore valley) all day. It has a circuit around the grass/leaves and should be looked for from a parking area that overlooks the garden (with a small yellow gate). Do not enter garden. Bird easily seen from car park. One circuit takes about twenty minutes. So if not on view, be patient. Occasionally hops up on to roadside wall too. (Anthony McGeehan).

A 1st winter Mediterranean Gull was on Runkerry beach this morning. (Stephen Riddell)

3 Common Terns were at Kinnegar shore. (Bob Watts).

A Curlew Sandpiper was at Myroe this morning, there was no sign of the Glossy Ibis. (David Hill).

A Great White Egret was on Lower lough Erne. (Irishbirding).

Mediterranean Gull, Stephen Riddell.

Curlew Sandpiper, David Hill.

Bird News Monday 29th September 2025

Swainsons Thrush seen flying into the the plantation at the back of the Malinmore Hotel, Co Donegal (Anthony McGeehan).

Red-breasted Goose of unknown origin but presumed escape with 5 Barnacle Geese on Tory, Co Donegal (Anton Meenan). Note there has recently been a bird at Dunfanaghy New Lakes, Co Donegal. 

Ringtail Hen Harrier at Portmore Lough early afternoon (Colin Bell).

Great White Egret at the Roe Eatuary (Steven Fyffe).

Juvenile Little Stint at Lough Beg this evening, also now three Great White Egret present but only two Glossy Ibis clocked (David Steele).

Ringtail Hen Harrier, Kestrel and 3 Wheatear on Divis this afternoon (John O’Boyle).

4+ Curlew Sandpipers at the mouth of the River Blackstaff, Dundrum Inner Bay (David Nixon).

Moulting 2nd year female Hen Harrier on Rathlin this evening (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

Swainson’s Thrush, Anthony McGeehan:

Little Stint, David Steele:

Red-breasted Goose, Anton Meenan:

Hen Harrier, Ric Else / Hazel Watson:

Bird News Sunday 28th September 2025

Ballykelly had 16 Slavonian Grebes, 30 Med Gulls, a Curlew Sandpiper (David Steele / Garry Armstrong)

7 Pink-feet and a Black Tern are at Portmore RSPB (Ed O’Hara)

A Glossy Ibis and 3 Curlew Sandpipers are at Myroe (Garry Armstrong/ David Steele)

Yesterday a drake Common Scoter was showing very well at Lough Fea, Cookstown. (Andy Warwick)

A single Black Tern was north of Long Point and two Great Egrets in the bay south of Church Island, Lough Beg (Richard Gray)

A Spotted Redshank and two Curlew Sandpipers were at Dundalk Docks (John Spottiswood)

A juvenile Arctic Skua, 3 Black Terns, juvenile Little Gull, 3 Common Terns and 2 Arctic Terns were at Magilligan (Garry Armstrong / David Steele)

A single Glossy Ibis was at The Creagh, Toomebridge (Richard Gray)

Two juvenile Mediterranean Gulls were at Antrim Marina (Gareth Platt)

13 Redwing were on Rathlin today (Dakota Reid / Martin Clift)

The best at Glencolmcille, Co Donegal were a Lapland Bunting, 4 Redwing and 3 Chiffchaff (Anthony McGeehan)

A Hen Harrier was on Divis Mountain (Alan Fitzsimmons)

Mediterranean Gull, Gareth Platt:

Bird News Saturday 27th September 2025

A Great White Egret was at the carpark east of Todd's Corner, Ardmore on the south shore of Lough Neagh. (Garry Armstrong, Ed O'Hara).

The Marsh Harrier was still at Inch in Donegal. (Leia Getty).

A Mediterranean Gull and 9 Ruff were in the field opposite Lady Bay. (Garry Armstrong).

Lough Beg had 7 Glossy Ibis, a Great White Egret and a Marsh Harrier at the south end, 29 Ruff were off Long Point. (Dermot Hughes)

A White Wagtail was at Bar Hall Bay, 6 Greenland Wheatear and a Chiffchaff were at Kearney on the outer Ards. (Bob Watts).

An Arctic Skua was at the Barmouth. (Mark McCullough).

Tory Island had 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Goldcrest, 1 White Wagtail, 30+ Wheatear, 5 Barnacle Geese, 2 Pink-footed Geese, immature Hen Harrier, Kestrel and Buzzard. (Wilton Farrelly).

Buff-breasted Sandpiper again with the plover flock south end of Lough Beg this evening, also Curlew Sandpiper, two Great White Egrets, at least 22 Glossy Ibis and a fly-through Osprey…also two Black Terns distant north end of the lake…the Osprey was a juvenile.  (David Steele).

The Bonaparte's Gull was on Kinnegar shore. (Steven Farquar).

Bird News Friday 26th September 2025

Crossbill calling over Belvoir Park with some Chaffinch (Stuart Cossey).

Common Scoter off Marina at Manor House hotel, Killadeas also a male Great Spotted Woodpecker (Garry Wilkinson).

2 Black Tern off Croaghan Island Oxford Island Lough Neagh (Ed O’Hara).  Great White Egret this afternoon (Daniel Newton).

Glossy Ibis still at Myroe (BirdGuides).

Lapland Bunting on Tory, Co Donegal (Robert Vaughan).

A Whimbrel at Ballycarry (Paula Campbell).

Great White Egret at Ballykelly (U3A Foyle Group per Michael Savage).

4 Crossbill Rathlin (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

7 Pinkfeet and a Dark-bellied Brent Goose Dundrum Inner Bay (David Nixon).

35 Glossy Ibis in a single flock mobile around the south end of Lough Beg this afternoon but no sign of the Buff-breasted Sandpiper in windy conditions but Spotted Redshank, 2 Great White Egrets and 2 Pinkfeet also seen (David Steele).

2 Red Kites above Poyntzpass from canal path (Mark Killops).

Great White Egret on the rocks at Portballintrae (Gillian Kyle).

Lapland Bunting, Robert Vaughan:

Glossy Ibis, David Steele:

Pink-footed Goose, David Nixon:

Dark-bellied Brent Goose, David Nixon:

Great White Egret, Michael Savage & Daniel Newton:

Bird News Thursday 25th September 2025

A Whimbrel was at Ballyquintin Point, a Greenland Wheatear at Kearney and a Mediterranean Gull at Cloughy. (Bob Watts). 

An immature female Peregrine was at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve. (Derek Polley).

A Buff-breasted Sandpiper was at Lough Beg this evening, mobile with the Golden Plover flock. Also 30 Glossy Ibis, a flock of 21 and a separate group of nine. (David Steele).

A moulting adult Grey Plover, 6 Curlew Sandpipers, 2 Little Stints and a Great Egret were at Blanket Nook in Donegal. (Derek Brennan).

A leucistic Brent Goose was at Ballykelly this afternoon. (Graham McElwaine).

A ringtail Hen Harrier on Rathlin (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

Bird News Wednesday 24th September 2025

17 Ruff, 4 Curlew Sandpiper and the Marsh Harrier were at Inch, Co Donegal (Ralph Sheperd)

A single Glossy Ibis was seen briefly at Reedy Flats (David McCready)

A Marsh Harrier was at Reedy Flat (David Clarke)

A female Pintail was in Church Bay, Rathlin Island (David Morrow / Jonathan Mann)

A sub-adult male Marsh Harrier was at the Bann Estuary. A Curlew Sandpiper was also present. (Matthew Tickner)

The Red-breasted Goose of unknown origin is still in the goose fields at Dunfanaghy. A Garganey was at the west end of New Lake (Robert Vaughan)

3 Barnacles Geese, presumed feral, were at Lady Bay, Lough Neagh (David Clarke)

Marsh Harrier, David Clarke:

Glossy Ibis, Myroe (yesterday), Juliet Fleming: