Bird News Sunday 17th April

A Water Pipit was on the beach at the north end of Kearney village, Co. Down, also present were 5 Wheatear, a Whimbrel, a Merlin and a Grasshopper Warbler. (Ian Graham, Ian Patience, Garry Armstrong). A Merlin, Ruff, 500 Golden Plover, 400 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Whimbrel and 12 Knot were at Bann Estuary (Jeff Larkin). The Little Gull, female or immature Smew, a Common Sandpiper and a Sedge Warbler were at Collectors Bay, Quoile Pondage. The male RN Duck was at Ballyherly Lough (Keith Bennett). 12 Red Throated Diver and 8 Great Northern Diver were at Rossglass and a Whimbrel at St John's Point. A Sedge Warbler was at Tullyrathy Dam (Richard Weyl). 2 Whimbrel, a Black-tailed Godwit and Common Sandpiper were at Lower Lough Erne Islands RSPB Reserve. The first Common Sandpipers were back in Fermanagh on 14th (Brad Robson). 4 Garganey were at Portmore, 2 Grasshopper Warbler and 6 Sedge Warbler were at Oxford Island, and 2 Common Tern were at Reedy Flats. (Ed O'Hara). Thanks to Ian Graham for this Stonechat shot:

Stonechat, Kearney Village, Co. Down - Ian Graham