nibirds: Bird News Sunday 19th February

There was no sign of yesterday's intriguing 'whitefronted' goose at Lough Neagh.
Reedy Flats had 26 Greenland Whitefronts and 1 Pinkfoot. The Tundra Bean Goose, 3 Pinkfeet and 2 Greenland Whitefronts were at the west end of Ardmore. (Garry Armstrong)

The Rough-legged Buzzard was hunting with a Buzzard over Chapel Island, Strangford Lough. Best viewed from road leading to the shore south of Anne's Point where the 4 Russian Whitefronts can also be seen.

2 Tundra Bean, 3 Pink feet, a prob 1 st w Russian Whitefront, (this was unlikely to be the bird that was photographed yesterday!) c.20 Greenland Whitefronts and a 1st yr male Marsh Harrier, from Ardmore Point, L Neagh (Neal Warnock)

The Red-crested Pochard was at Oxford Island (Ed O'Hara)

In addition to the Rough-legged Buzzard, the saker \ peregrine -type falcon (see post from Saturday 11th) was sitting on a post on Chapel Island, Strangford Lough. In Greabbey Bay at least 16 Slavonian Grebe. South of Gransha Point. 2 Black-throated Diver. A female type Black Restart was at Knockinelder Bay and 4 Sandwich Tern at Portaferry.(R.Weyl)
The Cattle Egret was at Hillsborough Lake (Irish Birding)
The Smew was still at Drumgay Lough (Irish Birding)
A Short-eared Owl was this afternoon quartering on Chapel Island, Strangford Island. (Shirley Dunlop \ Gerard McGeehan \ Norma Perceval-Price)

A Pink-footed Goose was at Diamond Lane, near Portmore Lough. An adult Iceland Gull and 2 first winter Med Gulls were off Glynn Station. (Neal Warnock)

At Glennoo Mountain, nr Fivemiletown Co Tyrone this afternoon- one group of crossbills including one singing, a different group of crossbills incl at least one juvenile begging. Also 11 whooper swans near a flooded river nr Fivemiletown (Colin Bell)

At Magilligan a flock of 10 - 15 Snow Buntings were along the high tide mark and a Glaucous Gull closeby (David Hill)