nibirds

Bird News Saturday 23rd September

The Baltimore Oriole is still present on Rathlin this morning. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson). The bird showed briefly again after 13 o'clock. (Derek Brennan). The bird also showed late afternoon (Stuart McKee)

A pair of Whooper Swans flew over Cliftonville Road in Belfast this morning, possibly heading to the Antrim Road Waterworks. (Ricky McQuillan).

Baltimore Oriole, Ric Else:

Baltimore Oriole

A Baltimore Oriole has been found today at Keeble, Rathlin (Ric Else). This would be the first record of the species in NI. Due to the weather conditions, there are no boats to the island today.

Bird News Friday 22nd September

A Baltimore Oriole has been found on Rathlin (Ric Else)

A Turtle Dove was reported from Whitepark Bay yesterday. (Birdguides).

18 Pinkfeet were at the Bann Estuary this morning. (John Spottiswood).

Four Sabines Gulls and a Leaches Petrel were at Magilligan (Jonny Rosborough).

Two Ruff, 2 Curlew Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper were at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve (Daniel Newton).

2 Leach's Storm Petrels west off Castlerock coastguard lookout Co Derry early afternoon. Also 2 dark phase Arctic Skuas (John Spottiswood)

Yesterday a Black Tern was at Kinnegar (Gerry Judge) The bird was also present this afternoon (Simon Morton)

A ringtail Hen Harrier was seen at the coastline of Carrickfergus near Sloefield (Kevin Rice)

A seawatch at Fanad lighthouse from 10.00-12.00 had 11 Leachs Petrel, 5 Artic Skua, 1 Bonxie, 2 Sooty, 1 Sabine Gull (adult), 3 Puffin and 15 Artic Tern (Jamie Bliss)

60 Pink-footed Geese were seen flying south over Glynn, Larne at around 5.35pm (Jemma Davies)

Off Ramore today were 17 Leaches petrel, 3 Sooty Shearwater, 1 Pomarine Skua, 2 Great Skua, 4 Arctic Skua, 2 Storm Petrels, 150 Manx Shearwater, about 2000 Auks, 1 Pink Footed Goose, 100 comic Terns mostly Arctic (Dennis Weir, Dermot Hughes, Bill Martin and Stuart McKee)

Also seen on Rathlin were 2 flocks of Pink-footed Geese & a lone Barnacle Goose crossing Rathlin Sound, a Merlin in Church Bay, a Great Skua & Iceland Gull in the North Channel (Ric Else / Hazel Watson)

Black Tern, Gerry Judge:

Little Gull, Magilligan, Donna Riddell:

Bird News Thursday 21st September

The two Pectoral Sandpipers were still in the stubble field at Myroe, a single Pink-footed Goose was also present. (Martin Deehan).

The Lesser Yellowlegs, American Golden Plover, 4 Curlew Sandpipers and 5 Ruff were at Blanket Nook in Donegal this morning. (Chris Ingram).

Two Common Sandpipers were at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve and a Raven flew over. (Jonathan Cooke, Derek Polley).

Three Ruffs and an adult Mediterranean Gull were in a flooded field in Ards Airfield, North Strangford Lough. (David Nixon).

The Bonaparte's Gull was still on Kinnegar shore this morning. (Derek Polley)

Gareth Platt is looking for any good pictures of a Cormorant with an orange darvic ring that has been seen around Belfast Lough.

Thanks to Jason Bain for the picture of the Wheatear and to Jonathan Cooke for the picture of the Common Sandpiper:

Bird News Wednesday 20th September

A Red-throated Diver was at Foyle Port Marina in L'Derry. (Mike Savage, John Spottiswood).

A Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff and Common Sandpiper were at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve this morning. (Gerard McGeehan).

The Bonaparte's Gull was at Kinnegar shore again. (Aaron Long).

The Lesser Yellowlegs and American Golden Plover are both still at Blanket Nook in Donegal. (Band).

Thanks to Juliet Fleming for the picture of the Brent Goose and to Terry Hanna for the picture of the Wheatear

Bird News Tuesday 19th September

The adult Bonaparte’s Gull again on Kinnegar Shore. Also 2 Curlew Sandpipers at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW Reserve (Daniel Newton). Also Common Sandpiper still (Stuart McKee). Bonaparte’s Gull still present 1815 (Michael Latham).

Juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs at Inch Marshes, Co Donegal (BAND).

Adult American Golden Plover still at Blanket Nook, Co Donegal (BAND).

Bonaparte’s Gull, Michael Latham, Daniel Newton, David Weir & Jonathan Cooke:

Bird News Monday 18th September

Two Ruff and a Common Sandpiper were at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve this morning. (Bob Watts).

A Black Tern is at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve and a winter plumaged Mediterranean Gull at Whitehouse Lagoon. (Tony Dodds).

Adult and juvenile Sabine's Gulls were off the harbour in Rathlin this morning. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

The Lesser Yellowlegs remains at Blanket Nook in Donegal.

A Mediterranean Gull was at Antrim Marina, it is likely to be the same bird that was there at the end of August. (Gareth Platt).

A flock of 4 Wheatear were along the coastal path at Whitehead. (Conor McCoy).

Thanks to Tony Dodds for the picture of the Black Tern and to John McClean for the picture of the Manx Shearwater which was found in the backyard of a house in Bangor:

Bird News Sunday 17th September

Buff-breasted Sandpiper and 8 Ruff flushed by a Peregrine at Myroe and headed towards Binevenagh, also the Spotted Redshank still present. 2 Pectoral Sandpipers in the stubble field nearest the Roe Estuary at Myroe. 4 Mediterranean Gulls Ballykelly (Stuart McKee & Garry Armstrong).

2 Pink-footed Geese, 3 Ruff and 4+ Mediterranean Gulls at Myroe (Donna & Stephen Riddell).

Juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs still at the Pumphouse end and adult American Golden Plover still at Blanket Nook, Co Donegal (Derek Brennan).

Black Tern off Kinnegar Shore (Birdguides).

7 Curlew Sandpipers and juvenile Little Stint at the Bann Estuary (Dean Jones).

Lesser Yellowlegs & American Golden Plover, Derek Brennan:

Lesser Yellowlegs, Michael Latham:

Bird News Saturday 16th September

A juvenile Spotted Redshank was in the drainage channel at the Roe end of Myroe. (Derek Brennan).

Two Ruff were at Lady Bay, Lough Neagh this morning. (Garry Armstrong).

A Lesser Yellowlegs and an American Golden Plover are at Blanket Nook in Donegal. (Derek Brennan).

Thanks to Derek Brennan for the pictures of the Spotted Redshank and to John McClean for the picture of the Knot:

Bird News Friday 15th September

20+ White Wagtail are in a harrowed field next to Ballynacor STW, Lough Neagh (Ed O'Hara)

Peregrine, Castle Espie, Jonny Clark:

Sandwich Tern, David Hill:

Birds News Thursday 14th September

Arctic Skua this morning at Magilligan Point (Donna & Stephen Riddell).

Female type Merlin at Ballykelly (Bob Watts).

Single Common Sandpiper and Ruff at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW Reserve, also still 12+ Common Tern (Derek Polley & John Fraser). 4 Ruff this evening (Daniel Newton).

An Osprey, 2 Garganey and a Great White Egret at Lough Beg (David Steele).

Bar-tailed Godwit, Donna Riddell:

Common Sandpiper, John Fraser:

Little Egret, Stephen Maxwell:

Bird News Wednesday 13th September

Three Ruff were at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve this morning. There was no sign of the Curlew Sandpipers at Kinnegar pool or shore although the tide was right out so they may still be present. (Daniel Newton). Two Wheatear were on Kinnegar shore this afternoon. (Paul Hunter)

A single Curlew Sandpiper was with Dunlin on Kinnegar shore this afternoon. (Stuart McKee).

A White-tailed Eagle has been fishing around Carlingford Lough.

Thanks to Terry Hanna for the picture of the Knot and to Paul Hunter for the picture of the Wheatear: