Bird News Tuesday 8th September 2026

A Pectoral Sandpiper was on the turf field at Myroe last night (Richard Donaghey) Two birds were subsequently seen in the late afternoon (Theo Campbell / Martin Deehan / Paul McSwiggan)

A juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpiper was at the Roe Estuary end of Myroe. Also two Curlew Sandpipers and Whimbrel (Stuart McKee / Hal McCullough)

A White-tailed Eagle was in the Antrim Hills (Kenny Moore)

Nearly 6 hours at Melmore this morning had c2000 sooties, 8000 manxies, 3 great Shearwaters, 6 leaches, 7 Sabine's, 1 long tailed skua, 3 pomerine, 23 arctic skua, 37 bonxies, 31 arctic tern, 5 RT diver, 4 common scoter. (Eric Randall). Another 4 hrs at Melmore Head this afternoon produced an additional 7 arctic skua, 18 bonxies, 4 long tailed skua (2 adults), 12 Sabine's (incl a flock of 7), 1 little gull, 19 leaches petrel, 64 arctic terms, 250 sooties and 2000 Manx. (Eric Randall / Oscar Campbell)

The Pectoral Sandpiper was still at Myroe early afternoon, found in rough area  adjacent to stack of pallets (Ian Dickey / Mervyn Campbell)

Magilligan had an Arctic Tern, 4 Bonxies, 4 Arctic Skuas (Hal McCullough / Stuart McKee)

Another Lapland Bunting was near the East Light on Rathlin. Two Sooty Shearwater and 4 Storm Petrels were also seen (Ric Else / Hazel Watson)

3 hours seawatch from Ramore Head this afternoon had 5 Leach's, 3 Sabines ( all juvs) and 2 Bonxie. (Dennis Weir)

Brief seawatches at lunchtime and evening, at Ramore Head, Portrush had 24 Leach’s petrel, 7 arctic skua, 4 bonxie, 4 arctic tern, a single sooty shearwater, great northern and red- throated diver. Also 3 Med gulls, east strand car park. (Matthew Tickner)

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was at Colin Glen Park, Belfast (Ivan Cullen)

Pectoral Sandpiper, Mervyn Campbell:


Use of Merlin for Bird Identification:

We have been getting an increasing number of unusual / scarce bird sightings with people using Merlin as the means of identification. Merlin should not be relied upon as the sole means of identification as it known to not be 100% accurate and mis-identification is common, particularly when relying upon calls only. 

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