Bird News Sunday 31st October

The Snow Bunting was still at the Bowling Green, Ramore Head throughut the day (Stephen Riddell \ Michael Latham \ Philip West).

A Slavonian Grebe and a Great White Egret were off Emerson's Quay on the south shore of Lough Neagh. (Garry Armstrong).

A male Long-tailed Duck was off the Croaghan hide at Oxford Island. (Garry Armstrong). A Bar-tailed Godwit was also seen. (Ed O'Hara).

Two late juvenile Common Tern were at Kinnegar Shore (Bob Watts)

The Little Gull was present at Kinnegar this afternoon (Michael Latham)

The two Great White Egret were still at Ballycarry and 18 Whoopers were at Glynn (David Stirling)

A fourth Ring-necked Duck was at Ardmore, Lough Neagh this afternoon.

Snow Bunting, Ramore, Michael Latham:

Bar-tailed Godwit, Linda Thompson:

Snow Bunting, Ramore, Tony Dodds:

Bird News Saturday 30th October

The Cattle Egret was at the south end of Lough Beg, the Great White Egret was at Paddy's Dub and 15 Ruff were in the south west corner. (Richard Hunter).

The Marsh Harrier was still at Portmore Lough RSPB. (Michael Latham).

Forty Three Pinkfeet and over twenty Twite flew low south east over Castlerock this afternoon. (John Spottiswood/Richard Grey).

An adult Little Gull and an adult Mediterranean Gull were at Kinnegar shore this afternoon. (Gareth Platt).

A ringtail Hen Harrier was at Portmore Lough RSPB this evening. (Seamus O'Hara).

Thanks to Gareth Platt for the picture of the Little Gull, to Guy Hamilton for the picture of the Kingfisher and to Michael Latham for the pictures of the Marsh Harrier:

Bird News Friday 29th October

 A Snow Bunting was on Portstewart Strand this morning. (Stephen Riddell).

3 Ring-necked Duck where at Ardmore, Lough Neagh. 

The Snow Bunting at Ramore in Portrush was on the bowling greens this morning. (Jeff Larkin). The Snow Bunting was still present this afternoon and the Glaucous Gull was at Burger King in Coleraine. (Richard Donaghey).

A female/juvenile Hen Harrier was at St John’s Point, along with a late Swallow, around lunchtime. (Steve Grieve and Colin Mayes)

The Twite flock 15+ was still feeding on the shoreline beside the Community centre in Donaghadee.(Ian Graham)

A male American Wigeon but with some aspects of the head pattern indicating possible Eurasian Wigeon influence was at the south end of Lough Beg this afternoon. The Long-billed Dowitcher also still present.(David Steele)

Juv male Hen Harrier and two Merlins hunting over beet fields, St John’s Pt this afternoon; also strong passage of Skylarks and finches after morning rain; summer plumage GN Diver on the sea; another Merlin later flying south off Killough Coastguard; five Whoopers roosted o/n on Strand Lough.(Chris Murphy)

Two Slav. Grebes were on Lower Lough Erne.(Brad Robson) 

Thanks to David Steele for the picture of the Cattle Egret from Lough Beg yesterday, to Stephen Riddell for the picture of the Snow Bunting from Portstewart Strand and to Colin Mayes for the picture of the Hen Harrier:

Bird News Thursday 28th October

The Snow Bunting was still on Ramore Head this morning (Chris Rankin)

The Great White Egret was still at the west end of Lower Lough Erne (Brad Robson).

A Cattle Egret was at the ponds at the south end of Lough Beg this afternoon. (David Steele).

The two Great White Egrets were still at Ballycarry this afternoon  (Shirley Gray/Linda Thompson)

Thanks to Linda Thompson for the picture of the Great White Egret:

Bird News Wednesday 27th October

A flock of 51 Twite were at Ramore Head in Portrush this afternoon, a Snow Bunting was also present (Dean Jones). The Snow Bunting was still present at 2:30 (Stephen Riddell).

The Snow Bunting is still at Foreland Point in Donaghadee today. (Billy Miskelly).

A Great White Egret, 1 Little Egret and a breeding plumage Great Northern Diver were at  the west end of Lower Lough Erne Islands RSPB reserve today. (Finnnbarr Cross & Ken Moore).

Thanks to David Stirling for the first Snow Bunting picture from Donaghadee and to Stephen Riddell for the second Snow Bunting picture from Ramore:

Bird News Tuesday 26th October

 Two Spotted Redshanks were in the channel at Myroe this afternoon. (John Clarke).

A Snow Bunting was at Foreland Point, D'dee.(Rosemary McAuley)

Our thanks to Terry Hanna for this image of a Greenfinch. Also to Rosemary McAuley for the Snow Bunting photo.

BTO Conference

 

Please see the programme for the BTO Northern Ireland Birdwatchers' Conference 2021 here. 

 This year the conference will again be "virtual" with online presentations on seabirds, volunteering, migration, the new Birds of Conservation Concern in Ireland list and the important local sites of Lough Neagh and the Antrim Hills. 

 The conference is to be held via Zoom on Friday 5th and Saturday 6th November. 

The cost is only £5 for both sessions. If you're interested and haven't already done so, please register online before this Sunday 31st October. 

 Hope to see you then! 

 Thank you for your continued support. 

 Please consider forwarding this email to anybody who might be interested.

Bird News Monday 25th October

17 Twite are at Donaghadee shoreline in front of car park opposite Copeland Cafe & Community Centre (Bob Watts)

A Slavonian Grebe was at the Strand, Church Island, Lough Beg. (David Morrow)

The two Great White Egrets and twenty one Little Egrets were at the Ballycarry end of Larne Lough this morning. (Ian Enlander).

Islay Boat Trip - Those who went on yesterday’s boat trip from Ballycastle to Islay saw 22,000 Barnacle Geese at the RSPB's reserve at Loch Gruinart as well as a wide range of other wildfowl and raptors. There are two seats available on each of the trips to Islay this Friday (29th). Contact Jim Wells on 07856235144 for full details.

Thanks to Ian Enlanderfor the picture of the Great White Egret and to Bob Watts for the picture of the Twite:

Bird News Sunday 24th October

A Cattle Egret was beside the Bann at Toome - on the East bank with grey herons opposite Nicholls filling station (Richard Gray)

12 Twite were at Murlough Bay and a Hen Harrier at Fair Head, Co Antrim (Michael Latham)

A male Ring-necked Duck was found off the Farland Bank Inch, Co Donegal and a female was beside the causeway. (Theo Campbell)

A Barn Owl was seen at Magheradartin Road, Hillsborough this morning (Garry Wilkinson)

Two Great White Egret, 7 Ruff, Barnacle Goose & a Pink Footed Goose were at the South end of Lough Beg this morning (Richard Hunter / Richard Gray)

At least 21 Snow Bunting were at Tower Hill, Malin Head (Ronan McLaughlin)

A flock of 15 or so Twite were feeding along the shore opposite the community centre in Donaghadee this afternoon. (Jonny Andrews)

A Ring Ouzel was seen at Ballyconagan, Rathlin. At least 20 Snow Bunting were also present (Ric Else / Hazel Watson)

A juvenile Arctic Tern was at Sandeel Bay, Orlock. (Richard Weyl)

Cattle Egret, Richard Gray:

Twite, Michael Latham:

Twite, Jonny Andrews:

You can see more pictures of local birds at: http://nibirdpics.blogspot.com/

Bird News Saturday 23rd October

Yesterday 2 Carrion Crow, Jack Snipe and Twite were at Myroe levels. Today a Red Kite was at Limavady. (Gerard Murray, Peter Phillips and John Cusack).

The Great White Egret and the Barnacle Goose were both still at the south end of Lough Beg. (Richard Hunter).

The Marsh Harrier was still at Portmore Lough RSPB. (Suzanne Belshaw)

A Snow Bunting and 5 Twite near Marconi's Cottage, Ballycastle. (Neal Warnock)

A female Common Scoter was off the Croaghan hide at Oxford Island. (Garry Armstrong).

A Green Sandpiper was seen briefly at Shaw's Lake County Armagh. (Joe Devlin).

Our thanks to Thomas Campbell for this image of a juvenile Gannet. Also to Alastair McLean for the Wheatear.(Greenland race) and to Suzanne Belshaw for the picture of the Marsh Harrier:

Bird News Friday 22nd October

The Long-billed Dowitcher was still at the Bann Estuary around 1530. (Dean Jones).

A female Ring-necked Duck was at the south end of Lough Beg this afternoon, with the Tufted Duck flock on the main lake, also the Long-billed Dowitcher, ten Pink-feet and a Barnacle Goose. (David Steele).

Thanks to Linda Thompson for the picture of the Kestrel and to Tim Jess for the picture of the Red Kite:

Bird News Thursday 21st October

A seawatch from 0810-1120 at Ramore Head had a Grey Phalarope, a Glaucous Gull, 4 Red-throated Diver, 2 Great Northern Diver, 2 Pintail, c100 Wigeon, c30 Teal, 10 Common Scoter and c10 Common Dolphin. 10 Purple Sandpiper were also seen (Bob Watts)

A juvenile Glaucous Gull and 6 Snow Bunting were on Rathlin today (Ric Else \ Hazel Watson)

12 Whooper Swans were at the top pond at the Waterworks, Belfast (Dot Blakely)

Glaucous Gull, Hazel Watson:

Buzzard, hunting a Moorhen, Stephen Maxwell:

Redshank, John Fraser:

Bird News Wednesday 20th October

On Rathlin a Ring Ouzel was at Kinramer with what was almost certainly asecond bird at Kebble. A Fieldfare was present with Redwings along with 35 Pinkfeet and 12 Barnacle Geese. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson). The White-tailed Eagle was also seen again at Kinramer this afternoon.

The Long-billed Dowitcher was at the south end of Lough Beg, also present were 30 Ruff, a Garganey and the Great White Egret.(David Steele).

This evening, the two Great White Egrets were still at Ballycarry (Ian Enlander)

The Marsh Harrier was at RSPB Portmore (Richard Caves)

Visible migration at St Johns Point this morning included a Merlin, 180 Siskin, 11 Redpoll, 4 Twite, 40 Tree Sparrows and 400 Skylarks (Chris Murphy)

Marsh Harrier, Richard Caves:

Great White Egret, Ballycarry, Ian Enlander:

Bird News Monday 18th October

A first year White-tailed Eagle was again on Rathlin today (Ric Else / Hazel Watson)

There were 2 Greenland White-fronted Geese at Lomond Road / Myroe Levels (Lindsay Hodges)

30 Purple Sandpiper were at the Countryside Centre, Portrush (Juliet Fleming)

Juvenile White-tailed Eagle, Hazel Watson:

One of the Greenland White-fronts at Myroe was colour banded and was caught as a first winter male on Big Isle, Lough Swilly in November 2019. The mother of this bird was fitted with a satellite tracker and was recorded over two years returning from Greenland, visiting the North West and also south-west Ireland (when it then eventually relocated to the north west). Thanks to Lindsay Hodges for the picture and Tony Fox for this information.

 

Bird News Sunday 17th October

A Tundra Bean Goose was with 20 Pinkfeet and a large flock of Whooper Swans on the road down to Ballykelly Marsh. (Stuart McKee, Hal McCullough). The Bean Goose was still present at 17.00, with 24 Pinkfeet in a stubble field east of the road to the Saltmarsh. An immature redhead Goosander was with Mergansers off the river mouth at high tide. (Richard Grey).

A Pectoral Sandpiper was opposite the hide at the Barmouth. (Ian Dickey).

The Pectoral Sandpiper was again in the south west corner of Lough Beg, a Garganey was also present. 8 Pinkfeet were at Mullagh. (David Steele).

The Marsh Harrier was at Portmore Lough RSPB this afternoon. (Michael Latham).

The two Great White Egrets were still at Ballycarry Bridge, a Pinkfoot was also present. (Linda Thompson).

At least 150 Whooper Swans were between Burnally Road and Broighter Road on the way down to Myroe. (Felicity Currie & Nick Lynch).

The hybrid Ring-billed Gull was still at Millisle. (Richard Weyl).

3 Whooper Swans flew high east over Stormont this evening. (Paul Lynas).

Rathlin had 2 Brambling, a Mistle Thrush, Redwings and 41 Pinkfeet which have been commuting between the island and the mainland. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

Thanks to Michael Latham for the picture of the Marsh Harrier, to Linda Thompson for the picture of the Great White Egrets and to Steven Fyffe for the picture of the Merlin from Copeland:

Bird News Saturday 16th October

The Long-billed Dowitcher was still at the Barmouth. (Richard Donaghey).

A Marsh Harrier was on the island behind the Discovery Centre at Oxford Island. (Garry Armstrong).

63 Whooper Swans flew over Lough Foyle heading towards Inch. (Christine Cassidy).

The two Great White Egrets and fifteen Little Egrets were at Ballycarry Bridge. (Philip West).

The Spotted Redshank was in the channel running through Dundrum Inner Bay south, two Ruff were also present. (David Nixon).

A Pectoral Sandpiper was in the south west corner of Lough Beg until 15.30 when it flew high north, 30 Ruff were in the area and the Great White Egret was at Paddy's Dub. Six Pinkfeet were still at Mullagh. (David Steele).

The Glaucous Gull was seen again at the Barmouth. (Birdguides).

Thanks to Michael Latham for the picture of the Merlin and to Julia Fleming for the picture of the Redwing from her garden:

Bird News Friday 15th October

The Long-billed Dowitcher was still at the Barmouth, distantly off the hide. (Garry Armstrong).

The Long- billed Dowitcher still at the south end of Lough Beg, a Great White Egret, 6 Pink-feet and 12 Greenland Whitefronts werevalso present.(David Steele)

The two Great White Egrets were still at Ballycarry (Linda Thompson) see Linda's pic below

2 Carrion Crow at Kinnegar,  Belfast. (Kenneth Anderson & Jim McKeown).

5 Slavonian Grebes, 3 Mediterranean Gulls, 12 Red-throated Divers and 2 Great Northern Divers were off the west end of Myroe, a flock of Twite were with Linnets at the Roe end. (Garry Armstrong).

7 Twite were at Ramore Head in Portrush, a single Wheatear and 18 Barnacle Geese were also seen.  (Richard Donaghey).

Rathlin had a late Willow Warbler, good numbers of Goldcrests, a White-fronted Goose, 41 Pink-feet, 50 Greylags and 70 Barnacle Geese over the day. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

A Snow Bunting was at Slieve Gullion. (David Knight).

The two Barnacle Geese and at least four Pink-feet were with the Greylag flock at the Ecos Centre in Ballymena. (Ginny McKee).

A Little Gull was at Sandy Bay in Larne this evening. (Suzanne Belshaw)

Thanks to Linda Thompson for the picture of the Great White Egrets, to David Knight for the picture of the Snow Bunting, to Ric Else for the picture of the White-fronted Goose and to Suzanne Belshaw for the pictures of the Little Gull:

Bird News Thursday 14th October

An immature White-tailed Eagle was at The Rue, Rathlin. Also present around the island were 5 Arctic Skua, a Red-throated Diver, Mediterranean Gull, a Merlin chasing a Peregrine, the Grey Plover and 47 Pink-feet (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

A single Barnacle was with 71 Greylags at the Roe Estuary. (Martin Deehan).

The two Great White Egrets were still at Ballycarry (David Stirling)

Thanks to Ric for this picture of the White-tailed Eagle, to David Stirling for the pictures of the Great White Egret and to Lindsay Hodges for the picture of the Merlin:

Bird News Wednesday 13th October.

 The Long-billed Dowitcher was still at the Bann Estuary.(James McDowell)

2 Great White Egrets  where at Ballycarry bridge.(David Stirling/Cameron Moore) .

Rathlin today had 2 Snow Buntings, 6 Redwing, 20 Barnacle Geese, 2 White-fronted Geese, a juvenile Grey Plover and a Blackcap. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

Our thanks to Cameron for the photo of the 2 GWE together, also to Ric Else for the pic of one of the Snow Buntings from Rathlin.

.