Bird News Sunday 8th December 2024

The female type Ring-necked Duck was still on Corbally Reservoir outside Portrush. (Aaron Long).

The Green Sandpiper was still at Corbett Lough outside Banbridge. (Ian Young).

14 Pinkfeet were with Greylags in fields near Anne's Point on Strangford Lough. (Richard Weyl).

Several Bramblings and a ringtail Hen Harrier were in the Antrim hills. (Michael Latham).

A Common Chiffchaff was in Belvoir Forest. (Dermot Hughes).

A Mediterranean Gull was at Kinnegar sewage works. (Daniel Newton).

A female Great Spotted Woodpecker is visiting a garden in Derryboye. (John Johnston).

An adult Mediterranean Gull was ar Sandy Bay in Larne. (Cameron Moore).

Great Spotted Woodpecker, John Johnston.

Brambling, Michael Latham.

Bird News Saturday 7th December 2024

Late news from yesterday of 8 White-fronted Geese over Rathlin, also 7 Fieldfare, 12 Purple Sandpipers, Mediterranean Gull (Ric Else / Hazel Watson). 12 Purple Sandpipers still today Church Bay (Ric Else).

Little Gull at Kinnegar (Stuart Cossey).

Female/1st W drake Ring-necked Duck still at Corbally Reservoir near Portrush (Rod Gillen).

Ring-necked Duck, Rod Gillan:

Bird News Friday 6th December 2024

The Snow Goose is back at Dunfanaghy New Lake this morning.

A female Brambling is s visiting a garden in Ballymena (Jeff Larkin)

A Green Sandpiper is on the flooded field beside railway sidings at Myroe (Mervyn Campbell)

The female Ring-necked Duck is still at Corbally Reservoir. 100+ Purple Sandpiper are at the Coastal Zone, Portrush (John Clarke)

A juvenile Red-throated Diver was at Victoria Park, Belfast. The bird may not be in good health. (Harry Byron)

Red-throated Diver, Harry Byron:

Purple Sandpipers, John Clarke:

Bird News Thursday 5th December 2024

 A Great White Egret and a Marsh Harrier were at Portmore Lough RSPB reserve. (Ian Dickey).

A Slavonian Grebe and a redhead Goosander were off Glynn Station in Larne Lough. (Ian Enlander).

The redhead Goosander was still close to Kinnegar shore in Belfast Lough. (Gilly Irwin). The bird was still present this afternoon. (Derek Polley).

The Green Sandpiper is still at Corbet Lough outside Banbridge. (Theo Campbell, Martin Deehan).

A Snow Goose, presumably the bird seen recently at Dunfanaghy in Donegal, has moved to Tory Island. (Anton Meenan).

The female Ring-necked Duck is still at Corbally Reservoir outside Portrush. (John Spottiswood).

The 2 Swallows are still present in Killough and went to roost at 3.30pm. (Chris Murphy).

Bird News Wednesday 4th December 2024

Juvenile White-tailed Eagle (wing-tagged No 47) and 4 Ruff at Inch Lake, Lough Swilly, Co Donegal (Theo Campbell / Martin Deehan).

Drake Ring-necked Duck, 4 Goosander, 1+ Scaup on Lough Fern, Co Donegal this morning (Ralph Sheppard).

Adult Gyrfalcon of presumed captive origin as very approachable still at large in the Ballymena area. Captive birds are known from the vicinity.

2 Swallows (Adult & juvenile) still hawking insects along the Ropewalk at St Anne’s Church, Killough (Chris Murphy).

Wigeon, Terry Hanna:

Bird News Tuesday 3rd December 2024

The Green Sandpiper remains at Corbet Lake, Co Down. Also seen was a Red Kite (David McCreedy)

The Great White Egret was still along the Lagan Towpath, between Hillsborough and Hilden. A Green Sandpiper was also present. (Eric Randall)

The female Ring-necked Duck is still at Corbally Reservoir (Stephen Riddell)

Great White Egret, Eric Randall (mobile phone pic):

Ring-necked Duck, Stephen Riddell: 

You can see more local bird pics at: https://nibirdpics.blogspot.com/

Bird News Monday 2nd December 2024

The Ring-necked Duck was still on Corbally reservoir outside Portrush this morning. (Stephen Riddell).

A Great White Egret was with Little Egrets on a dredged section of the Lagan between Lisburn and Hilden this morning. (Eric Randall). The Great White Egret was 200 metres from the Lisburn Civic Centre this afternoon. (Leia Giesel).

A Green Sandpiper was at Corbet Lake outside Banbridge this morning. (David McCreedy).

An Iceland Gull was at Ramore/Lansdowne in Portrush. (John Clarke).

3 Twite were at Whitehead Boatyard. (Cameron Moore).

A Snow Bunting flew over Glenbane Road near Omagh this afternoon. (Clive Mellon).

Ring-necked Duck, Stephen Riddell.

Great White Egret, Leia Giesel.

Bird News Sunday 1st December 2024

Female Ring-necked Duck Dunfanaghy New Lake (west end) (Wilton Farrelly / Philip West /Bob Watts).

Snow Goose, 2 Richardson’s Cackling Geese, Todd’s Canada Goose (Tony Dodds / Aaron Long et al).

Spotted Redshank Dundrum Inner Bay (Kevin Kirkham).

1st winter Iceland Gull at Church Bay, Rathlin, also long staying Whimbrel still (Nathanael Poffley).

Redhead Goosander still Kinnegar Shore (William Smiton).

Merlin between Portrush and Portstewart (Chris Hamilton).

Ringtail Hen Harrier and Marsh Harrier at Portmore Lough RSPB (Gerry Judge).

Female or immature Ring-necked Duck at Corbally Res (John Clarke).

Drake Ring-necked Duck at Inch, Co Donegal (Tony Dodds /Sean Gibson).

689 Whitefronts from Manorcunningham viewpoint and 12 Pinkfeet Blanket Nook (Chris Murphy).

Great White Egret 200m downstream from Lisburn Civic Centre (Darrin Wilson).

Ring-necked Parakeet near South Lakes Leisure Centre, Craigavon (Martin Smith).

Drake Ring-necked Duck still at Lough Fern, Donegal (Bob Watts)

A high count of 33 Greenshank were at Castle Espie (Gerard McGeehan)

Iceland Gull, Nathanael Poffley:

Marsh & Hen Harrier, Gerry Judge:

Goosander, William Smiton:

Ring-necked Duck, John Clarke:

Todd’s Canada & Richardson’s Cackling Geese, Derek Brennan:

Bird News Saturday 30th November 2024

Two Slavonian Grebe were off Kinnegar (Kevin Kirkham). Also redhead Goosander (Daniel Newton).

Juvenile and subadult “N” White-tailed Eagles over Farland Bank, Inch Lake, Co Donegal. Also Great White Egret (Theo Campbell / Chris Ingram).

70 White-fronted Geese from Manorcunningham viewpoint, Co Donegal (Stuart Cossey). 

2 Richardson’s Cackling Geese and Todd’s Canada Goose but no sign of the Snow Goose amongst the Barnacles at Dunfanaghy New Lake (Stuart Cossey). Snow Goose again mid afternoon also 67 Whitefronts (Chris Murphy).

Drake Goosander and Slavonian Grebe off Glynn (Michael Latham).

Hybrid Ring-billed Gull still present on railings near shallow pool at Millisle seafront (George Gordon).

Grey Plover at Ballyfrench beach (Aaron Long).

Great White Egret and 2 Merlin at Portmore Lough RSPB with Slavonian Grebe in the bay behind the Gate Inn (David McCreedy / Mike McLaughlin).

Snow Bunting and Merlin at Magilligan (Natalie Montgomery / Tom Garner).

Great Northern and 25 Red-throated Divers on Belfast Lough boat trip (Jim Wells).

Goosander, Michael Latham:

Slavonian Grebe, David McCreedy:

Goosander, Stephen Riddell:

Snow Bunting, Tom Garner:

A Bird for All Seasons - Robert McDowell

 Viewers may be interested in this newly published book from local birder, Robert McDowell:

The book is available from Shanway Press (info@shanway.com) and from booksellers in Carrickfergus, Larne and the Gobbins Centre, Islandmagee.

Bird News Friday 29th November 2024

Two White-tailed Eagle are still at Inch, Co Donegal. One is a near adult. (Chris Murphy)

A high count of 87 Whoopers were at Whinney Hill, Holywood, this morning (Dave Weir)

The two Cackling and small race Canada Geese were still at Dunfanaghy New Lake this afternoon (Stuart Cossey)

Two Swallow were still at Killough (John Scovell)

The Goosander was still at Kinnegar this morning (Dot Blakely)

White-tailed Eagle, Chris Murphy:

Bird News Thursday 28th November

Late news from yesterday of ringtail Hen Harrier on Rathlin (Nathaniel Poffley).

Great White Egret and 80 Whooper Swans Lough Beg. 670 Whooper Swans Toome Complex (Chris Murphy).

Whooper Swans, Garry Wilkinson:

The NI Birds Blog Team would like to send our heartfelt condolences to friends and relatives of Bill Guiller, who has sadly passed away. He contributed sightings on a regular basis over the years and his excellent photos of Pallid and Montagu’s Harrier are particularly fondly remembered.

Bird News Wednesday 27th November 2024

The Snow Goose,2 Richardson's Cackling and the Todd's Canada Goose were still present at Dunfanaghy New Lake, Donegal (Theo Campbell / Martin Deehan)

12 Long-tailed Duck were at Mullaghdearg, Kincasslagh, Donegal (Dermot Hughes)

A flock of Crossbills and a Merlin were at Bienevenagh (John Clarke)

A male and female Pintail were at Inch, Donegal near the Tready Hide. (Raymond Fulton)

Crossbill, John Clarke:

Stonechat, Rod Gillan: