Bird News Wednesday 21st January 2026

Pinkfoot east of Reedy Flats and Great White Egret east of Emerson’s, Lough Neagh (Clifford Sharpe). 

2 drake Lesser Scaup and ringtail Hen Harrier at Oxford Island NNR (Ed O’Hara).

1st winter drake Harlequin still at Tra na gCloch, Donegal (Bird Info Svcs).

Bird News Tuesday 20th January 2026

Two Black-throated Diver were at Red Bay, Co Antrim, opposite the Salmon cages (David Steele)

A single Barnacle Goose, of unknown origin, was at the Bann Estuary (John Spottiswood)

The Lesser Yellowlegs was still on Rathlin at the weekend per Jon Biddle.

The Black Redstart was still at Whitehead. A Merlin was at Portmuck (Gerard McGeehan / Shirley Dunlop)

Black-throated Divers, David Steele:



Bird News Monday 19th January 2026

2 Great White Egrets were at Oxford Island. (Ed O'Hara).

2 Great White Egrets were at Reedy Flats. (Steven Fyffe).

A Bittern and Ruff were off the viewing platform at Inch in Donegal. (Searlas Anderson).

A Great White Egret was at Lough Beg. (Rachel McConnell).

Bird News Sunday 18th January 2026

Female type Black Redstart still Whitehead favouring Boat Yard and environs (Garry Armstrong et al).

1w Goosander Ballycarry Bridge (Wilton Farrelly et al).

Slavonian Grebe from Glynn (Philip West et al).

Yesterday the Black Redstart again at Newcastle at the white bridge beside Mauds (Adam Middleton).

1st winter drake Harlequin still Tra na gCoch, 2 Long-tailed Duck Magheraorarty (Luke Gerarty).

Possible Green-winged intergrade and Barnacle Goose at the Bann Estuary (Dean Jones).

Black Redstart still showing very well at Portavogie this afternoon (Stephen Dunbar).

2 Black-throated Divers Carnlough, also 3 Great Northern Divers, immature male Common Scoter (Philip West, David Steele et al).

2 Red Kites in the Antrim Hills (Bob Watts et al)

Black-throated Divers, Daniel Newton:



Bird News Saturday 17th January 2026

A Red Kite was on Broighter Road, Ballykelly (Searlas Anderson / Kevin McLaughlin)

The drake Harlequin Duck was still at Curranport, Donegal, this morning (Leia and Mark Getty)

A drake Lesser Scaup was at Todd’s Corner, Lough Neagh, along with a Merlin. Two Great White Egret and a Great Northern Diver were east of Emersons Sandpit  (Garry Armstrong)

A drake Goosander was at Corbett Lough, Banbridge this morning (Chris Rankin)

The Black Redstart and Purple Sandpiper were still at Whitehead (Paul Hunter)

A female Ring-necked Duck and 6 Scaup were at Knockninny Refuge, Co Fermanagh (John Cusack / Ronan Owens)

A Peregrine was on the Seven Mile Straight, Antrim (Mark Smyth)

An eagle species was seen at distance in the Antrim Hills (Ian Dickey / Kenny Moore)

20+ Twite were at Gyles Quay car park, Co Louth (Don McCorry)

Four Great White Egret were at Lough Beg, along with 3 Great Northern Diver (David Steele)

Harlequin Duck, Leia Getty:


Red Kite, Searlas Anderson:

Black Redstart, Whitehead, Paul Hunter:



Bird News Friday 16th January 2026

The Harlequin Duck is still at Tra na Goloch, 4 Red Billed Chough at Derrybeg golf club, a Great Northern Diver at Derrybeg harbour, 2 Cackling Geese with Barnacles and a Ring Necked Duck at Dunfanaghy New Lake, 2 Slavonian Grebes at Blanketnook in Donegal. (Garry Wilkinson).

9 Taiga Bean Geese are amongst the Greylags at Blanket Nook in Donegal. (Chris Ingram).

A male Lesser Scaup was at the Maltings in Newtownards. (Dermot Hughes).

An adult Little Gull was in Carnlough Bay this evening. (David Steele).

You can see more bird pictures at https://nibirdpics.blogspot.com/

Harlequin Duck, Garry Wilkinson.


Buzzard, Rod Gillan.




Little Gull, David Steele.





Bird News Thursday 15th January 2026

A Barn Owl at Tullywest Road, Crumlin this morning (Gayle & Garry Wilkinson).

Great Northern Diver at Portrush Harbour (Tim Davis).

Red Kite close to Loughbrickland Lough (Juliet Fleming).

Male Black Redstart still at Portavogie (Ian Young).

3 Slavonian Grebes off Macedon Point in Belfast Lough this morning (Philip McHaffie).

1st winter drake Harlequin still at Tra na gCloch, near Curranport, Co Donegal (Peter Doyle / Hugh Delaney).

Lapland Bunting at Blanket Nook. Donegal (Theo Campbell / Martin Deehan). Also a single Pinkfoot (Garry Wilkinson et al).

Female Black Redstart also continues at Rangers Club Whitehead (David Bowman / Ian Young).

2 Drake Goosander at Glassdrumman Lough, Co Armagh (Joe Devlin).

Bittern at Inch, Donegal from platform (Theo Campbell / Martin Deehan). Also 4 Greenland Whitefronts and a Merlin Garry Wilkinson et al).

A Great White Egret at Inishlught, Upper Lough Erne (Ronan Owens).

Black Redstarts at Portavogie & Whitehead, Ian Young:





Bird News Wednesday 14th January 2026

20 Purple Sandpipers were at Donaghadee. Grey Plover were seen at Ballyhalbert and Portavogie (David Clarke)

A Barn Owl was seen at Ballyblack Road East \ Moss Road, Donaghadee on the 8th January (J Adams)

The Lesser Yellowlegs was still on Rathlin (Ric Else / Hazel Watson)

A Sandwich Tern was at Groomsport today (Denis Chambers)

Purple Sandpiper, David Clarke:


Sandwich Tern, Denis Chambers:

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

Bird News Tuesday 13th January 2026

The male Black Redstart is still at Portavogie. A Grey Plover and a Purple Sandpiper were also present. (Bob Watts).

The hybrid Ring-billed x Common Gull is still at Millisle and 15 Purple Sandpipers are at Donaghadee. (Bob Watts).

A ringtail Hen Harrier was at Oxford Island. (Ed O'Hara).

Two Ring-necked Ducks reported again at Knockninny, Upper Lough Erne. (Birdguides).

The Black Redstart and Purple Sandpiper are still at Whitehead seafront. (Cameron Moore).

Bird News Monday 12th January 2026

Single Pinkfoot with c30 Greylag at Myroe Levels (Martin Deehan). Also 2 Snow Buntings close to a flock of Oystercatchers (Patrick Barton).

86 Pintail from the Castle Island Hill hide, Quoile this morning (Maurice McNeely).

Adult Iceland Gull still at Glynn (Rhona Bell).

24 Ruff at Church Island, Lough Beg and still 8 Great White Egrets; 5 at Annagh on the west side and 3 at the Toome end (David Steele).

Bird News Sunday 11th January 2026

The Harlequin Duck is still at Trá na gCloch in Donegal. (Daniel Newton).

The Black Redstart is still at Whitehead. (Tom Garner).

A Slavonian Grebe is still at Glynn in Larne Lough. (Gary Brown).

An adult Iceland Gull is at Glynn in Larne Lough. Ivan Quail).

A Glossy Ibis is at Portmore. (Garry Armstrong).

A Great White Egret was at Todd's Corner near Ardmore and a Merlin at Reedy Flats. (Ed O'Hara).

4 Ring-Necked Duck (2 males and 2 new females) and 16 Greater Scaup at Knockninny, Great Northern Diver on Mill Lough, White-tailed Eagle and Great White Egret near Drumguiff. Upper Lough Erne, Co. Fermanagh. (John Cusack).

A Great White Egret was at the back of the Discovery Centre at Oxford Island. (Ed O'Hara).

At least eight Great White Egrets around the south end of Lough Beg this afternoon, four together and others dotted about, all quite mobile, also two Great Northern Divers remaining out on the lake and five Pinkfeet by the A6 at Toome. (David Steele).

Iceland Gull, Ivan Quail.


Yellowhammer, Robert Boyle.





Bird News Saturday 10th January 2026

The 1st winter drake Harlequin remains at Tra na gCloch, Donegal (Chris Ingram / Harry Hussey).

Carrion Crow at Audleys, Strangford (Stuart Cossey).

Male and 2 female Ring-necked Ducks and the male hybrid still at west end of New Lake Dunfanaghy, Donegal (Chris Ingram).

Black-throated Diver at Carnlough (Michael Latham).

6 Long-tailed Duck (4drake) off from the sea wall at Myroe this morning. 38 Slavonian Grebe present also (Dean Jones).

Adult Mediterranean Gull at People's Park,  Ballymena (Nicky Lynn).

Redhead Goosander at Glynn. Also a Slavonian Grebe (Gerard McGeehan / Michael Latham).

2 Bittern still at Inch, Donegal also 2 Russian Whitefronts (Derek Brennan).

Brambling still at Oxford Island NNR (Aaron Long).

Long-tailed Duck and adult Mediterranean Gull from Kinnegar Shore (Jeff Higgott).

Ringtail Hen Harrier at Killard (Stuart Cossey).

Four Common Scoter (male and three females) north past Galboly and adult Little Gull offshore in Red Bay (David Steele).

Juvenile Golden Eagle still present in Antrim hills this afternoon (Stephen Dunbar).

Black Redstart still at Whithead near Rangers supporters club (Michael Latham).

Adult Iceland Gull west of Letterkenny at Anagaire, Co. Donegal (Michael O’Cleary).

Barn Owl, Ardglass Rd, mile south of Downpatrick Hospital, 6.35 this evening (Chris Murphy).

Black Redstart, Michael Latham:


Brambling, Aaron Long:


Goosander with Red-breasted Merganser, Michael Latham:





Bird News Friday 9th January 2026

 A juvenile Golden Eagle was in the Antrim hills. (Kenny Moore).

Two Great White Egrets were off Croagh Hide and a Great Northern Diver off Owen Roe's Flat at Oxford Island. (Ed O'Hara).

At least 50 Purple Sandpipers were behind the coastal zone in Portrush. A Peregrine was at the Bann Estuary. (Martin Deehan).

A male and a female Common Scoter were off Drains Bay, two Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver were off Ballygally, a Black-throated Diver was in Glenarm Bay before flying towards Carnlough. (Garry & Gayle Wilkinson).

Golden Eagle, Kenny Moore.




Bird News Thursday 8th January 2026

No sign of Waxwing flock at onslip to M2 at Broughshane (Mark Getty).

Green Sandpiper still present Corbet Lough  (Martin Deehan / Theo Campbell).

Great White Egret past Croaghan Hide and female Brambling at feeding station Oxford Island (Martin Deehan / Theo Campbell).

A Bittern from the platform at Inch, Donegal at 4pm (Searlas Anderson).

Lesser Yellowlegs still at roost on Rathlin this evening also c30 Purple Sandpipers (Jon Biddle).

Male Brambling still in a Whitehead garden (Cameron Moore).

Off Macedon Point 3 Slavonian Grebe and 1 female/immature Long Tailed Duck looking roughly towards Giants Park and Kinnegar (Stuart McKee). 

Brambling and Blackcap, Cameron Moore:




Bird News Wednesday 7th January 2026

A single Twite was at the Long Hole, Bangor (Adam Ringland)

Approximately 15 Waxwings were feeding on berries beside the slip road joining the M2 from the Broughshane exit, at 2pm today (Guy Hamilton). 5 Waxwings flew off East from the on-slip in direction of Ballymena livestock market at 4pm (Mark Getty)

Two Green Sandpiper were still on Corbett Lough (David McCreedy)

First winter Iceland and Glaucous Gulls were at Killybeggs today (Chris Ingram)

A female Black Redstart was at the mouth of the river in Newcastle (Rhona Bell)

The Black Redstart and Purple Sandpiper were still at Whitehead (Sarah McCann)

Three Snow Bunting were on Divis Mountain (John O’Boyle)

Bird News Tuesday 6th January 2026

3 Mediterranean Gull were at Kinnegar Shore this morning (Jeff Higgot)

The Harlequin Duck was again at Curranport, Donegal this morning (Chris Ingram)

An adult Mediterranean Gull was at Sandy Bay, Larne (Tom Garner)

65 Purple Sandpiper were at the Coastal Zone, Portrush (Juliet Fleming)

Med Gull, Tom Garner:



Bird News Monday 5th January 2026

2 Purple Sandpipers were on rocks below the war memorial at Portstewart promenade at high tide. (John Spottiswood).

The Iceland Gull was reported again around the Stena ferry terminal. (Birdguides).

The Black Redstart was still on the beach at Killough, south of the church, later seen at the back of Quay Lane.(David Clarke/Ann Feltham).

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was at Lagan Meadows in Belfast. (Mel O'Hagan).

Two Snow Buntings were on Divis this morning. (Joe Doone).

A Cattle Egret has been reported in Glenwherry on Facebook. (Sam O'Hara)

Black Redstart, David Clarke.





Bird News Sunday 4th January 2026

Male Black Redstart showing well at Portavogie (Michael Latham).

8+ Mandarins still on the River Maine (Jonny Rosborough).

Male Brambling still in Whitehead garden (Cameron Moore).

4 Mandarin (2 prs together) on River Braid at Galgorm Golf Course - flushed by an otter (Richard Gray).

Black Redstart, Michael Latham:



Brambling, Cameron Moore:





Bird News Saturday 3rd January 2026

The Black Redstart and Purple Sandpiper were still at Whitehead (Michael Latham)

The Great White Egret and two Great Northern Diver were still at Owen Roes Flat, Oxford Island (Garry Armstrong)

A Chiffchaff was along the Lagan towpath, Moores Bridge, Lisburn (Eric Randall)

The Bonapartes Gull was still at Sandy Bay, Larne (Jon Biddle)

The male Brambling was back visiting a garden in Whitehead (Cameron Moore)

Purple Sandpiper, Michael Latham:

Brambling, Cameron Moore:



Bird News Friday 2nd January 2026

Seven redhead Goosanders were on the River Maine at Slaght. (David Steele)

The male Black Redstart is still at Portavogie. (Richard Weyl).

The Harlequin Duck is still at Trá na gCloch, Donegal. (Shawn Dowdall).

A Greater Scaup was at Portmore. (Daniel Newton).

Seven Pinkfeet were at Myroe. (Martin Deehan).

A Bonaparts Gull wad at Sandy Bay in Larne (Gerard McGeehan).

Winter plumaged Curlew Sandpiper in the channel at Myroe. (Martin Deehan).

Two male Ring-necked Duck and 3 Scaup at Knockninny refuge, as well as the single Great White Egret again near the Kilmore Lodge, Upper Lough Erne Co. Fermanagh. (John Cusack).

An adult Mediterranean Gull was at Ballyholme beach. (Jeff Higgott).

The Iceland Gull was seen flying around behind the Stena line ferry at 15.30. (Stuart Cossey).

The Black Redstart was still around the beach at Killough this afternoon. 
(David Nixon/Philip McHaffie).

2 Richardson's Cackling Geese still with big Barnacle Goose flock Dunfanaghy New Lake Co Donegal. (John Spottiswood).

The Black Redstart was still at Whitehead. (Gerard McGeehan, Shirley Dunlop).

Four Ruff were off the platform at Inch in Donegal around 4pm. (Steven Farquhar).

Bird News New Years Day 2026

Approximately 70 Whooper Swans from Castle Island hide, Quoile and good numbers of Pintail (Kevin Kirkham).

The Lesser Yellowlegs remains on Rathlin (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

Great White Egret along River Quoile at Inch Abbey. Ruff at Kilclief, Strangford. (Clive Mellon).

1st winter Mediterranean Gull Kinnegar Shore this morning (Jeff Higgott). Adult Iceland Gull again at 2pm (Stephen Farquhar). 2 Mediterranean Gulls Kinnegar Shore in afternoon, Iceland Gull flew off 3pm (Jeff Higgott).

A Short-eared Owl at the southern tip of Ballyquintin Point. Ruff in flooded fields north of Kirkiston (Richard Weyl).

Pair of Goosanders at the river mouth at Waterfoot and the long-staying Pinkfoot still with the feral geese at the car park there (David Steele).

Adult Mediterranean Gull with red ring and Purple Sandpiper at Whitehead (Ian Enlander / Cameron Moore). Black Redstart close to dusk near Rangers Club (Aaron Long / Kevin Rice).

Brambling in a Whitehead garden (Cameron Moore).

Harlequin still present at Trà na gCloch Co Donegal. 30+ Whitefronts with Barnacle Geese and drake Ring-necked Duck at Dunfanaghy New Lakes (Stephen Dunbar / Michael Latham).

Red Kite near Castlewellan (Mel O’Hagan).

A single Ruddy Shelduck of unknown origin still at Kiltonga (Kevin Kirkham).

Ring-billed x Common Gull hybrid still at Millisle (Jeff Higgott).

Male and female Goosanders at Ballycarry Bridge and a Barnacle Goose with 98 Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Steele’s Point, Larne Lough (Cameron Moore).

Jack Snipe and Woodcock at Harbour Meadows, Belfast Lough (Stuart Cossey).

Bittern still at Inch, Donegal (Theo Campbell).

2 Black-throated Divers at Carnlough Bay (David Steele).

Purple Sandpiper at Ballintoy Harbour (Dakota Reid / Martin Clift).

2 Green Sandpiper at Corbet Lough, 3 Red Kites Loughbrickland area (Neal Warnock).

Purple Sandpiper & Mediterranean Gull, Ian Enlander:



Bramblings and Purple Sandpiper with Turnstones, Cameron Moore:




Iceland Gull, Bob Watts:


Lesser Yellowlegs, Ric Else: