nibirds

Bird News Sunday 8th November 2026

Great White Egret still distantly from Croaghan hide at Oxford Island NNR. Ringtail Hen Harrier showing well at Portmore Lough (Ewan McKenzie).

Black-throated Diver, Slavonian Grebe and 2 redhead Goosander off Glynn (Michael Latham/Shane Brighton).

2 Black-throated, 3 Red-throated & Great Northern Dover at Carnlough (Michael Latham).

Snow Bunting heard over Kelly's Wood, St John's Pt 1145 (Chris Murphy).

Chough at Torr Head (Stephen Dunbar).

Goosander and Long-tailed Duck at Ballycarry Bridge (Cameron Moore).

Siberian Chiffchaff and possible nominate Chiffchaff Curlew Cottage Bar Hall Bay also Grey Plover. Swallow at Kearney (Garry Armstrong/Stuart McKee/David Steele/Hal McCullough). Heard originally in morning and sonogram taken (Richard Weyl).

c20 Twite, 2+ Snow Bunting, Blackcap at Copeland BO (David Stirling).

2 Jack Snipe including one near Templecooey (Richard Weyl).

2 Swallow Sandy Bay, Larne (Ivan Quail).

Juvenile Northern Harrier Inch, first for Donegal (Michael Huggins).

3 Ring-necked Parakeet at Waterworks (Ian Enlander).

10+ Mediterranean Gulls south end Cloughey beach (Bob Watts).

2 Pink-footed Goose and Grey Plover at the Bann Estuary (John Spottiswood).

A boat trip from Bangor to Whiteabbey included Slavonian Grebe, 11 Common Scoter and 20 Red-throated Divers (Anthony McGeehan, Jim Wells et al).

Yellow Wagtail on Tory, Donegal (probably Western) (Theo Campbell/Chris Ingram et al).

Northern Harrier, Derek Brennan:

Siberian Chiffchaff, Stuart McKee:

Goosander and Long-tailed Duck, Cameron Moore:

Black-throated Divers, Michael Latham:

Bird News Saturday 7th November 2026

A Snow Bunting is at West Town, Tory (Anton Meenan)

At least one Snow Bunting is at Ramore Head, Portrush (Dylan Thomas)

A Russian White-front and a Merlin were at Myroe (Ian Dickey).

A Siberian Chiffchaff was on Tory Island (Derek Brennan)

A Great White Egret was off the Croghan Hide, Oxford Island (Kevin Rice)

Two Pink-footed Geese were off Torr Road, Co Antrim (Stephen Farquhar)

A Short-eared Owl, Brambling and Blackcap were the best on CBO today. (David Stirling)

Today's river Bann/Lough Beg boat trip had 8 Glossy Ibises (seen very briefly), 3 Green Sandpipers, a Hen Harrier, Great Northern Diver and one Great White Egret. (Jim Wells)

Russian White-fronted Goose, Ian Dickey:

Siberian Chiffchaff, Derek Brennan:

Bird News Friday 6th November 2026

A Grey Plover was north of the hide at the Barmouth. A White-fronted Goose was also present. (Mike Savage).

7 Common Scoters were off Castlerock promenade. (John Spottiswood).

A Chiffchaff was between Kinnego hide and the visitor centre, Oxford Island. (Dermot Hughes).

A Green-winged Teal was with c.1,000 Eurasian Teal at Lough Beg. (David Steele).

Bird News Thursday 5th December 2026

Curlew Sandpiper still at Myroe (Ian Dickey).

Commic Tern and Kestrel at Belfast Lough WoW (Ronnie Doggart).

Late Sedge Warbler on Tory, Donegal (Anton Meenan).

Dead Barn Owl found by dog walker on outskirts of Antrim (Andrea Owers per Mark Smyth).

Great White Egret at Kilmore Quay, Upper Lough Erne with a possible second at Corradillar Quay. Also a ringtail Hen Harrier Knockninny Marina and 2 Woodcock at A4 near Maguiresbridge (Colin Bell).

Lesser Scaup reported in a pool off Portmore Road, Portstewart (Sean Hickey).

Commic Tern, Ronnie Doggart:

Bird News Wednesday 4th November 2026

A ring-tail Hen Harrier was at Ballykelly (John Spottiswood)

The Curlew Sandpiper was still present, at Myroe, Co Derry. A Snow Bunting was also heard. (Paul McCarron / Theo Campbell)

The best on Tory today are 3 Snow Bunting, 3 Brambling and a Woodcock (Anton Meenan)

The two White-rumped Sandpipers were still at Myroe although they can be elusive (Dermot Hughes)

A Waxwing was at Glenveigh National Park, near the visitor centre, below the lookout point at the bus stop. Feeding on Rowan (Ian Young)

2 Black-throated Divers were in Carnlough Bay (Jeff Larkin)

At least 34 Snow Bunting were at the est end of the sand dunes at Magheroarty, Donegal (Robert Vaughan / Ian Young)

Waxwing, Ian Young:

Snow Buntings, Ian Young:

Bird News Tuesday 3rd November 2026

Yesterday the Cattle Egret was still at Castle Espie. (P Hunter per Derek Charles).

Also yesterday 9 Barnacle Geese were at Magilligan. (A Warwick per Derek Charles).

A female Ring Ouzel was at Portstewart Strand in buckthorn bushes in dunes but flightly. (Ian Young).

The two White-Rumped Sandpipers were still at Myroe, same spot lurking in the tractor tracks. (Ian Young).

The juvenile American Golden Plover was seen again at Lough Beg this afternoon in fading light. (David Steele).

An adult Mediterranean Gull was at Whitehouse Lagoon. (Gerard McGeehan).

A Woodcock was at Garvery, Enniskillen this evening. (Colin Bell)

Two Red-throated Divers were off Castlerock. (Wren Kirkpatrick0.

American Golden Plover, David Steele.

Red-throated Diver, Wren Kirkpatrick.

Sanderling, Wren Kirkpatrick.

Bird News Monday 2nd November 2026

2 Red Kites over Shilinavogy this morning (David Clarke).

2 White-rumped Sandpipers, Baird’s Sandpiper and Curlew Sandpiper at Myroe, the former in the fields, the latter to in the channel (Ewan McKenzie / John Clarke).

Rustic Bunting on Tory, Donegal (Anton Meenan).

2 Great White Egret from Long Point, Lough Beg (Conor McKenzie / Ewan McKenzie).

Short-eared Owl at Ballyquintin Point this morning (Daniel Bailie).

A set of car/van keys found at Portmore Lough RSPB - please ring 02892 651936 to reclaim.

Rustic Bunting, Anton Meenan:

Red Kites, David Clarke:

White-rumped Sandpipers & Curlew Sandpiper with Dunlin, Rod Gillan:

Bird News Sunday 1st November 2026

A Black Redstart was at Ballybefore Beach Carrickfergus yesterday (Ricky Clarke per Facebook)

A Black Redstart was on the roof of the shops, Clandeboye Rd, Bangor at 8:30 am (Billy Miskelly)

A Snow Bunting was heard over Ardglass Golf Club (Chris Murphy)

A Snow Bunting and a Lapland Bunting were at Ballykelly. Also 7 Red-throated Divers, 7 Common Scoter, 5 Med Gulls and 4 Grey Plover (David Steele et al)

Two Long-tailed Duck were in Rathlin Harbour (Ric Else / Hazel Watson)

The 2 White-rumped Sandpipers were at Myroe. (Searlas Anderson, Michael Latham, Nathan Gilbert). A third bird was found later (Stuart McKee et al) and then a fourth (Searlas Anderson). Also at Myroe were a 30 Twite fly past flock, 15 Slavonian Grebe and a single Ruff, (Stuart McKee, Davy Steele and Garry Armstrong).

A juvenile Baird's Sandpiper and Curlew Sandpiper also at Myroe. (Jeff Larkin)

A Snow Bunting is on a beach 500m north of Kearney Village (Daniel Newton)

An adult Hobby was seen briefly at Barr Hall Bay, Outer Ards (Billy Miskelly)

The ring-tailed Hen Harrier was still at Portmore (Stevie Brennan)

1:30 to 15:30 at Magilligan Point had a Great Skua, 2 Little Gulls, numerous Red-throated Divers and one Great Northern Diver. (Michael Latham / Nathan Gilbert)

A late Wheatear was 1km north of Kearney (Richard Weyl)

Two White-tailed Eagles were at the Acton Estate, Co Fermanagh (Roman Bober)

Two Spotted Redshank were at Dundrum (Sarah McCann)

An adult Mediterranean Gull was at the Promenade, Larne (Jason Bain)

A Great White Egret was at the Watermill, Lisnaskea. Another was at the Knockninny Refuge, Co. Fermanagh (John Cusack)

A Long-tailed Duck, Slavonian Grebe and Goosander were at Glynn (Gerard McGeehan)

White-rumped Sandpipers, Michael Latham:

Baird’s Sandpiper, David Steele:

Grey Plover, Castle Espie, Richard Caves:

Great White Egret, John Cusack:

Snow Bunting, Kearney, Daniel Newton:

Bird News Saturday 31st October 2026

A Barred Warbler was on Rathlin this morning. (Hazel Watson, Ric Else).

At least two Twite in a flock of about 50-100 Linnet along the Bayhead Road Portballintrae this morning. (Simon Morton).

A Peregrine and a ringtail Hen Harrier were at Portmore. A Great White Egret was to the left of the viewing platform. (Michael Latham).

A Great White Egret was still off the viewing platform at Inch in Donegal. (Searlas Anderson).

On a boat trip from Newferry to Toome and back. Three Green Sandpipers, two Kingfishers and three Great White Egrets. No sign of the Glossy Ibises. (Jim Wells).

A 1st winter Mediterranean Gull was on the beach at Newcastle. (Mel O'Hagan).

The juvenile American Golden Plover was seen again at Lough Beg, also a juvenile Grey Plover and Great Northern Diver. (David Steele).

The presumed returning Spotted Redshank was back in Dundrum Inner Bay South with the waders at the Moneycarragh River. (David Nixon).

A Red Kite was over Ballydugan Road in Downpatrick. (Paul McIlwaine).

Barred Warbler, Ric Else.

Hen Harrier, Michael Latham.

Bird News Friday 30th October 2026

A few Snow Bunting, Grey Phalarope, Brambling and 2 Blackcaps on Tory, Donegal (Anton Meenan).

Swallow at St. John’s Point (Dermot Hughes).

Great Egret still at Inch, Donegal (Garry Wilkinson / David & Jennifer Holt).

Single Merlin, Commic Tern, Chiffchaff and Goldcrest at St John's Pt (Tim Murphy).

Juvenile American Golden Plover at Lough Beg (David Steele).

2 White-rumped Sandpipers still at Myroe, also 6 Grey Plover (John Clarke). 3 Barnacle Geese of unknown origin (Garry Wilkinson).

2 Mediterranean Gulls and a Grey Plover at the Bann Estuary (John Spottiswood).

Single Great and 2 Cattle Egrets on flooded fields at private site near Lisnaskea (Colin Bell).

Red Kite drifted over University of Coleraine in the direction of Portstewart (John Clarke).

Ringtail Hen Harrier at Portmore Lough this morning (Warren McConnaughie).

One space available for tomorrow’s boat trip from Ballycastle to Islay. Contact Jim Wells on 07856 235144 for full details.

American Golden Plover, David Steele:

White-rumped Sandpiper, Rod Gillan:

Bird News Thursday 29th October 2026

Two Pink-footed Geese were on the Foyle close to Derry City Airport. Three Barnacle Geese of unknown origin were at Myroe (Stuart Cossey) (Barnacle Geese have been at Inch / Lough Foyle since the summer).

A Curlew Sandpiper was at Myroe. There was no sign of the White-rumped Sandpipers (Searlas Anderson)

A late Pectoral Sandpiper was at the Moyle end of Blanketnook (Derek Brennan)

A Great White Egret was off the platform at Inch (Richard Smith)

No sign of the Snow Bunting at Donaghadee but a Merlin was seen along with two first winter Common Tern and 6 Purple Sandpipers (Bob Watts / Chris Veale)

Pectoral Sandpiper, Derek Brennan:

Bird News Wednesday 28th October 2026

The two White-rumped Sandpipers were still at Myroe this morning. (John Spottiswood). A Curlew Sandpiper was also present. (Mervyn Campbell, Ian Dickey). The 2 White-rumped Sandpipers were still present this afternoon, a Hen Harrier was also present. (John Clarke, Rod Gillan).

A Grey Phalarope was at Ushet Port on Rathlin. (Ric Else).

A flock of Snow Buntings has been reported in Donaghadee, a single bird was near the lighthouse at the harbour. (Ian Young).

2 Snow Buntings and a Glaucous Gull are on Tory Island today. (Anton Meenan).

Three Cattle Egrets are on shoreline 200m west of Farland Bank hide at Inch in Donegal. (Juliet Huggins).

5 Crossbill were in Ballycastle Forest. (Tomás Hand).

2 Black Redstarts present on Copeland Bird Observatory today (Chris Acheson and David Galbraith)

A Great White Egret was at Lough Beg and another Great White Egret was in the flooded field beside the Nicholl garage in Toomebridge. (Jonny Rosborough).

A Great White Egret and 2 Cattle Egrets were at private sites on Upper Lough Erne. (Tom Saxon).

2 Goosanders were at Ballycarry Bridge in Larne Lough. (Linda Thompson).

A Scaup was at Glynn in Larne Lough, a Knot was at Whitehead and a Mediterranean Gull at Sandy Bay in Larne. (Cameron Moore).

Snow Bunting, Ian Young.