Bird News Monday 1st December 2025

The Lesser Yellowlegs remains on Rathlin (Jon Biddle)

40 Purple Sandpiper were at the Coastal Zone, Portrush. A flock of 30 Twite were also present. (Rod Gillan)

The first winter drake Harlequin Duck was seen again at Curransport, north west Donegal, this morning. Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/y8ZN3eJ2VH12A9Fm9?g_st=ipc

A Snow Bunting was feeding on the tide line at Whitepark Bay (Patrick Barton)

Purple Sandpipers, Rod Gillan:



Bird News Sunday 30th November 2025

The Great Northern Diver was still in Portrush harbour and a Merlin was on Ramore Head. (Chris Hamilton).

A Great Northern Diver was east of Emersons sand quay at Ardmore on the south shore of Lough Neagh. A Great White Egret was at the east end of Reedy Flats. (Garry Armstrong, Ed O'Hara).

Two Slavonian Grebes were off Glynn in Larne Lough. (Michael Latham).

A Great White Egret was at Drumguiff on Upper Lough Erne in Fermanagh. (John Cusack).

The male Lesser Scaup was still on Portmore. (Garry Armstrong).

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was in Ormeau Park.(Jonathan Clark).

A Great White Egret was in Kinnegoe Bay at Oxford Island. (Ed O'Hara).

3 Slavonian Grebes on Foyle off T-junction at Myroe Levels and 2 Twites heard near viewing screen. (John Spottiswood).

The Lesser Yellowlegs was still on Rathlin. (John Biddle).

The Bittern was still at Inch in Donegal. (Derek Brennan).

The Taiga Bean Geese were still with Pinkfeet at the back of Blanket Nook in Donegal. (Chris Ingram).

Great Northern Diver, Dakota Reid.




Bird News Saturday 29th November 2025

A female Brambling was at the Magheradartin Road, about 500m before the Comber Road, Hillsborough (Garry Wilkinson)

Two drake Ring-necked Duck are on Lough Fern, Co Donegal (Jamie Bliss)

The Lesser Yellowlegs was on Rathlin this morning along with a Snow Bunting and 35 Purple Sands (Jon Biddle)

The flock of Purple Sandpiper remain at the Coastal Zone, Portrush (Leia Getty)

A Red Kite was in the Antrim Hills (Michael Latham)

Two Cackling Geese were at the east end of Falcarragh Beach with the Barnacle Geese (Jamie Bliss)

Three Goosander were on Lough Begney near Dromara (David Nixon)

A Common Sandpiper was seen at the Governors Bridge, Stranmillis, Belfast (Stuart Cossey)

A Purple Sandpiper and a Red-throated Diver were seen at Whitehead Bay. A Barnacle Goose was at Larne Lough with a flock of 70 Greylags (Cameron Moore)

The Harlequin Duck was looked for at Port Arthur beach this morning, without success. A Grey Phalarope was however present. A female Ring-necked Duck was at Inch (Andrew McMillan)

Bird News Friday 28th November 2025

6 Purple Sandpipers at Dunseverick Pools (Patrick Barton).

Female or immature Black Redstart from Memorial Garden, Fisherman's Row, Killough (Ann Feltham).

2 Great White Egret off Croaghan Island, Oxford Island NNR (Ed O’Hara).

Adult Mediterranean Gull at Whitehead (Gerard McGeehan).

2 Snow Buntings on Rathlin (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

Bird News Thursday 27th November 2025

4 Woodcock were seen at the Rectory, Drumquin Road, Limavady (Rev Rhys Jones)

14 Purple Sandpiper were on Rathlin (Hazel Watson / Ric Else)

Bird News Wednesday 26th November 2025

Goosander at the mouth of River Bush Portballintrae (Stephen Riddell).

11 Taiga Bean Geese among large flock of Pinkfeet at new location behind Blanket Nook, Donegal (Chris Ingram et al).

Goosander, Stephen Riddell:




Bird News Tuesday 25th November 2025

A ring-tail Hen Harrier was at Portmore Lough RSPB (Kenny Moore)

The Harlequin Duck was seen yesterday at Port Arthur. However this morning there was no sign of it, north of there to Glassagh. A Black-throated Diver was present (Robert Vaughan)

The Great Northern Diver is still in Portrush Harbour. 50 Purple Sandpiper were also near The Coastal Zone (Juliet Fleming)

Two Great White Egret and a ring tail Hen Harrier were at Oxford Island (Ed O’Hara)

A Snow Bunting was heard flying over The Moors, Castlerock (John Spottiswood)

A boat trip on Belfast Lough today had 5 Slavonian Grebe, 4 Common Scoter, circa 50 Red-throated Diver and 14 Great Northern Diver (Stuart McKee)

2 Chiffchaff were on Rathlin (Hazel Watson)

Bird News Monday 24th November 2025

Great Northern Dover at Portrush Harbour (Donna Riddell).

Snow Bunting at the far end of Ballycastle Beach (Conor McCoy).

2 Snow Buntings yesterday on Rathlin (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

Great Northern Diver, Donna Riddell:



Bird News Sunday 23rd November 2025

4 Pinkfeet with Greylags in field N of Greyabbey (Aaron Long et al).

10+ Mediterranean Gulls Kirkiston (Philip West et al).

Male Black Redstart Portavogie along shoreline also Grey Plover and 12 Purple Sandpipers (Wilton Farrelly et al).

2 Bitterns still at Inch, Donegal (Martin Deehan / John Biddle). Also 11 Taiga Bean Geese and 2 Pinkfeet behind Burt GAA club (Hugh Delaney).

Snow Bunting, Jack Snipe, 4 Grey Plover Ballyqintin Point (Bob Watts et al).

Female Scaup from Waddells Hill (Road by Castle Espie) (Stuart Cossey).

Female Marsh Harrier at Portmore Lough (Michael Latham).

Female Marsh Harrier, Lough Cowey (Bob Watts et al)

Snow Bunting, Aaron Long:



Bird News Saturday 22nd November 2025

Female Marsh Harrier at Croaghan Island, Oxford Island NNR (Ed O’Hara).

The long-staying hybrid Ring-billed x Common Gull remains at Millisle (Aaron Long).

Male Black Redstart still present on the rocks near the New Quays pub, Portavogie (Aaron Long).

The morning  NIOC boat-trip on Lough Beg had 2 Great Northern Divers, female type Long-tailed Duck, ringtail Hen Harrier, Ruff and a Green Sandpiper which was on the river north of the A6 road bridge (Richard Gray /Jim Wells et al).

No sign of the Taiga Bean Geese this morning in Inch, Donegal but a Russian Whitefront, a Pinkfoot, and 9 Barnacle Geese on the road to Farland. Also 800 Whitefront, and single Barnacle and 2 Brent Geese at Drumardagh (Chris Ingram).

2 Red-throated Divers close in at Glenarm Bay (David Gillespie).

Siberian Chiffchaff at Runkerry (Matthew Tickner).

White-rumped Sandpiper, Gerry Bond:



Bird News Friday 21st November 2025

A male and female Brambling were visiting a garden in Antrim (Mark Smyth)

10 Taiga Bean Geese were with the Greylag geese flocks at Inch Levles, off the road on the way to Farland Bank (Chris Ingram)

A Snow Bunting was seen at a wind farm in the south Antrim hills (Clive Mellon)

A Long-tailed Duck was off Carrickfergus (Gerard McGeehan)

Two Woodcock and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were seen in a wooded area close to Belfast City Airport (Stuart Cossey)

Bird News Thursday 20th November 2025

Yesterday both Hen and Marsh Harrier at Portmore Lough RSPB (Arnie Livingston).

The 1st winter drake Harlequin was again at Port Arthur seen from near the picnic table then flew north but had returned by 1415 (Mike McLaughlin).

A single male Black Redstart still at Portavogie on the rocks (Jonathan Clark).

Harlequin, Mike McLaughlin: