nibirds

Bird News Monday 13th July

A Woodchat Shrike was at Dunfanaghy in Donegal. It was in brambles about 400 metres downstream of the Gaelic club on the way to Horn Head. See pisture below. (Wilton Farrelly)

The Little Gull, 2 Green Sandpipers and 6 Common Sandpipers were at Lady Bay on the shore of Lough Neagh. (Ed O'Hara).

A Marsh Harrier and a ring-tail Hen Harrier were in the Antrim hills this morning. (Ivan Quail).

A juvenile Cuckoo, present since 7th July, was still at the Killough Coastguard yesterday evening. For anyone interested a pod of c.12 Bottle-nosed Dolphins passed close to the rocks at St John’s Point, Killough Bay and Ardglass Golf Club between 10 and 11am this morning (Chris Murphy).

The male Ring-necked Duck (now going into eclipse), an Osprey and seven Ruff (all moulting males) were at Mullagh, Lough Beg, this evening. (David Steele).

A Ruff and 3 Common Sandpiper were at RSPB WoW (Gerard McGeehan / Shirley Dunlop)

Woodchat Shrike, Wilton Farrelly and thanks to Thomas Campbell for the pictures of the Buzzard and the Meadow Pipit:

Bird News Sunday 12th July

A Green Sandpiper was along the River Maine at Slaght near Ballymena. (David Steele).

The Green Sandpiper was still at Lady Bay on the south shore of Lough Neagh. (Michael Latham).

Thanks to Ronald Surgenor for the pictures of the Manx Shearwater and the Gannet, to Juliet Fleming for the pictures of the Willow Warbler and the Blackbird and to Michael Latahm for the picture of the Green Sandpiper:

Bird News Saturday 11th July

This morning 7 Ruddy Shelduck were in Dundrum Inner Bay South near the mouth of the Moneycarragh River. (Danny Bailie).

The Green Sandpiper and 6 Common Sandpipers were at Lady Bay on the south shore of Lough Neagh. (Daniel Newton/Richard Hunter).

Two Sandwich Terns were off Croaghan hide at Oxford Island. (Garry Armstrong, Ed O'Hara).

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was in woodland near Blackers Rock, Lough Neagh. (GodfreyMcRoberts).

Thanks to Richard Hunter for the picture of the Ruddy Shelduck:

Bird News Friday 10th July

The Green Sandpiper and 10 Common Sandpipers were at Lady Bay on the south shore of Lough Neagh, see picture below. (Ed O'Hara).

Yesterday 2 Red Kites were seen hunting separately over Anahinchego Lake, Co Down. (Daniel Moore).

Also yesterday a Peregrine was seen along the River Maine south of Randalstown. (Sam Andrews).

Thanks to Ed O'Hara for the picture of the Green Sandpiper and the Common Sandpiper :Also to Stephen Maxwell for the Sandwich Tern.

Bird News Thursday 9th July

2 Arctic Terns and a Common Sandpiper were the best at RSPB WoW this morning (Derek Polley)

Manx Shearwater, Copeland, Brian Redpath:

Puffin, Copeland, Brian Redpath:

Bird News Wednesday 8th July

The Green Sandpiper was still at Lady's Bay on the south shore of Belfast Lough, see picture below. (Ed O'Hara).

Thanks to Ed O'Hara for the picture of the Green Sandpiper and to Mike McLaughlin for the picture of the Common Tern:

Bird News Tuesday 7th July

A Cuckoo was in Killough this evening.(Chris Murphy)

A Spotted Flycatcher was seen on the Buskhill Rd. Newry.(Daniel Moore)

Female Blackcap - Juliet Fleming.

Bird News Monday 6th July

The sub adult Little Gull & a single Common Sandpiper were at Lady's Bay this morning (Richard Hunter)

A Green Sandpiper was still at Lady’s Bay, Aghalee, this morning (Nigel Moore)

Bird News Sunday 5th July

There was no sign of the Spotted Sandpiper at Barton's Bay this morning.

Lady's Bay over the morning had a Little Gull and 7 Common Sandpipers. (Ed O'Hara, Gerard McGeehan, Shirley Dunlop, Carol Gillespie). A Garganey was present on Saturday evening. (Jeff Larkin).

A Green Sandpiper was at Lady Bay this afternoon. (Ed O'Hara).

A Mediterranean Gull was at Carnfunnock, see picture below. (Jason Bain).

A Storm Petrel was close inshore at St John's Point this evening. (Chris Murphy).

Yesterday Copeland Bird Observatory had a minimum of 65 Puffins, 70 Black Guillemots and a Peregrine Falcon and a Great Northern Diver was seen in flight between the Observatory and Bangor. (Chris Acheson).

Thanks to Kevin Kirkham for the picture of the Common Sandpipers, to Jason Bain for the picture of the Mediterranean Gull, to Ed O'Hara for the picture of the Little Gull, to Brian Redpath for the picture of the Kingfisher and to Mark Magee for the picture of the Spotted Flycatcher:

Bird News Saturday 4th July

A Little Tern was off the Croaghan hide, Oxford Island, 2 male Scaup were also present. (Garry Armstrong).

A summer plumaged Spotted Sandpiper was seen at Barton's Bay near Aghagallion early this afternoon. A single Whooper Swan and several Reed Warblers were also seen. (Kevin Kirkham) The bird was seen up to 2.30 but not subsequently up to 5.00pm.

A Hobby was seen near Orlock, County Down.

Thanks to Wilf Swain for the picture of the Great Spotted Woodpecker, to Guy Hamilton for the picture of the Rock Pipit and to Michael Latham for the picture of the Yellowhammer: