Bird News Sunday 3rd February

A Lesser Scaup was at Oxford Island this morning, see pictures below. A Great Northern Diver was also present. A Pink Footed Goose was with 20 Whoopers and 300 Greylag Geese at Reedy Flats. The Little Gull and a Kingfisher were at Craigavon Balancing Lakes, see picture below. (Ed O'Hara).

The Bittern was showing well at Inch, from the Causeway. 2 male Smew also (Neal Warnock/Christine Cassidy). The Cattle Egret was also nearby at the Pig Farm at St Johnstone. (Neal Warnock)

The drake Green Winged Teal was still at Bar Hall Bay, Ballyquintin. (Keith Bennett).

A male Merlin was on Divis Mountain above Belfast, a Kestrel and a Stonechat were also seen. (Dave Stirling).

The Ring-billed Gull was still in Groomsport, see picture below. (Stephen Maxwell).

The Iceland Gull was seen again today on the River Lagan at Central Station in Belfast. (Paul McCullough).

A flock of 18 Waxwings were on Lisnahunshin Road in Cullybackey at 4.40 this afternoon. (Peter McAllister).

15 Waxwing were opposite the church a Killowen, Coleraine (Dave Allen).    

6 Waxwing, a female Bullfinch and 25 Tree Sparrow were in a garden in Castlerock (Mervyn Guthrie).   

An un-tagged Red Kite was at Tyrella (Ivor McDonald).      

Thanks to today's photographers, to Ed O'Hara for the pictures of the Lesser Scaup and the Little Gull, to Alistair Prentice for the Kestrel picture, to John Clarke for the Brambling picture, to Christine Cassidy for the Buzzard picture, to Stephen Maxwell for the Ring-billed Gull and to Alan Gallagher for the Coal Tit picture. You can see more NI bird pictures at www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk