Bird News Friday 9th October

A Yellow-browed Warbler was at Runkerry Wood (Richard Hunter). Also yesterday a Garden Warbler was also present here (John Clarke)

A Yellow -browed Warbler was seen at Kearney.(Comghal McQuillan)

4 Yellow-browed Warbler and 3 Twite where on Rathlin Island.(Wilton Farrelly)

The Temmincks Stint was still present yesterday on the Blackstaff river.(Dermot Hughes/John O'Boyle)

3 Redwing where at Murlough today.(Garry Wilkinson)

A Cattle Egret was seen between the restored section of Strabane Canal and the Foyle, south of where the Burn Dennet flows in. Parking at the Canal car park on Greenlaw Rd. associating w cows in long rush field.(Michael Savage)

Our thanks to Michael Savage for the photo of the Cattle Egret (see above post for location) Also to Comghal McQuillan for the Yellow - browed Warbler and to Dermot Hughes for the Temmincks Stint.

Bird News Thursday 8th October

A Yellow-browed Warbler was at Kearney.  (Ed O'Hara,  Garry Armstrong).

A Lesser Whitethroat, a Pied Fly, and 2 Yellow-browed Warblers were at Runkerry Wood near the Giants Causeway. 25 Pink-footed Geese and 4 Barnacle Geese also flew over (Dennis Weir / Stuart McKee)

A Short-eared Owl was in the Antrim Hills (Clive Mellon)

Rathlin had at least 7 Yellow-browed Warblers (assumed to be new birds), 1 Ring Ouzel and 3 Bramblings (Ric Else / Hazel Watson)

Ring Ouzel, Ric Else \ Hazel Watson:

Yellow-browed Warbler, Ric Else \ Hazel Watson:

Bird News Wednesday 7th October

A Yellow-browed Warbler was at Kearney this morning. (Billy Miskelly/Ivan Quail & Nicky Lynn).

Ramore between 8 and 9.30 this morning had a Leach's Petrel, Sabine's Gull,  2 Arctic Skua's, 4 Bonxie's and a Great Northern Diver. (Garry Armstrong).

A Temmincks Stint, was at the Blackstaff River at Dundrum Inner Bay North (Dan Bailie)

A Yellow-browed Warbler was at The Gobbins this morning. Two Grey Plover were at Belfast WOW reserve, a drake, duck and juvenile Scaup were in Dargan Bay. (Stuart McKee)

A juvenile American Golden Plover was at Myroe (Theo Campbell)

A Yellow-browed Warbler and a Pied Flycatcher were at Runkerry Wood near Portballintrae. (Dennis Weir)

A Little Gull was at Groomsport. A White Wagtail was at Portavoe yesterday (Richard Weyl)

Up to 30 Whooper Swans were along the Lagan near Moira. (David Hunter).

Rathlin had 2 Yellow-browed Warblers, 4 Pink-footed Geese, 34 Whooper Swans, 1 Goldeneye, 1 Arctic Skua, a Merlin and a  Hen Harrier. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

A Wood Sandpiper was at Mullagh this afternoon. The Black Tern was also still present, but more distant today over Lough Beg. (David Steele).

An adult Mediterranean Gull was in Dundrum South Inner Bay today. (David Nixon).

Thanks to Lindsay Hodges for the picture of the American Golden Plover, to David Hill for the picture of the Red-throated Diver and to David Hunter for the picture of the Whooper Swans:

Bird News Tuesday 6th October

Rathlin has 6 Yellow-browed Warblers (3 at Keeble and 3 at Kinramer), Brambling, Snow Bunting, a continuing arrival of Redwings, a late Willow Warbler and the White-tailed Eagle (Ric Else / Hazel Watson)

Two Yellow-browed Warblers are at Kearney, Co Down (Garry Armstrong)

A Yellow-browed warbler was at Whitehead, Co.Antrim, in trees on the Blackhead path, Port Davey. A Black-throated Diver and an Arctic Skua were offshore (Paul McCullough)

An un-ringed Sacred Ibis is present at Kiltybane Lake, Cullyhanna, Co. Armagh. (Victor Caschera)

Two Snow Bunting were on Castlerock Beach and a Lapland Bunting flew over (John Clarke)

A possible Whistling Swan has been seen with a small group of Whoopers on The Oa, Islay. It's worth keeping an eye on arriving Whooper flocks! (David Dinsley)

The juvenile Long-billed Dowitcher was seen again at Mullagh this afternoon, also Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper and a Black Tern. (David Steele)

On Fanad Head a Yellow-browed Warbler was near the bar. Off shore a two hour sea watch had 8 Bonxie, 4 Arctic Skua and a Leaches Petrel (Jamie Bliss)

Yellow-browed Warbler, Kearney (Garry Armstrong):

Snow Bunting, John Clarke:

Bird News Monday 5th October

The Little Stint was still at Myroe. A Merlin was also present (Garry Wilkinson / Nigel Moore)

A Snow Bunting was again at Ramore Head this morning (Albert Boyle)

Rathlin today had 3 Yellow-browed Warblers, 1 Lapland Bunting, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Goosander, 5 Twite ,White-tailed Eagle also present.(Ric Else / Hazel Watson)

An estimated 12 Yellow-browed Warblers were at West Town on Tory Island this afternoon (Robert Vaughan)

Our thanks to Ric Else and Hazel Watson for the photo's of the Yellow - browed Warbler and Lapland Bunting, both birds where present on Rathlin to-day. Bottom photo is of the Snow Bunting taken by Albert Boyle.

Bird News Sunday 4th October

A Yellow-browed Warbler is at the Arcadia, Portrush (Dennis Weir)

One American Golden Plover was seen at Ballykelly and the Little Stint was still at Myroe. (Daniel Newton)

RSPB WoW had 3 Ruff and 2 Grey Plover (Wilton Farrelly).

The White-tailed Eagle was still on Rathlin. A Short-eared Owl, Merlin and the first 3 Redwing of the autumn were also present. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

Three Red-throated Diver, one in summer plumage, were at St John's Point. (Michael Latham)

A Whimbrel was Seahill and a Slavonian Grebe at Greyabbey Bay. (Richard Weyl)

Bird News Saturday 3rd October

The juvenile American Golden Plover and a Curlew Sandpiper were in the south west corner of Lough Beg Co.Derry this morning. (Richard Hunter)

9 Mediterranean Gulls were at Cloughy Beach. A further 7 were to the north at Ratallagh Beach. Best at Kearney was a Chiffchaff and a Greenland Wheatear (Wilton Farrelly / Garry Armstrong)
 

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was in a garden between Hillsborough and Moira. (Juliet Fleming)

The White-tailed Eagle was seen again on Rathlin Island. (Ric Else / Hazel Watson)

Two Yellow-browed Warblers and a Garden Warbler were on Tory (Anton Meenan / Chris Ingram / Robert Vaughan)

A juvenile Little Stint was in the southwest corner of Lough Beg this evening. (David Steele)

Kestrel, Ed O'Hara:

Bar-tailed Godwit, Thomas Campbell:

Bird News Friday 2nd October

A Buff-breasted Sandpiper is at Myroe,(seems to be different bird from the one at Ballykelly yesterday) at the east end, in the wet field with the small bridge. 35 Whoopers, 3 Pinkfeet and 23 Slavonian Grebes were also present.(Garry Armstrong)

Ballykelly had 2 juvenile American Golden Plovers, 11 Mediterranean Gulls, 27 Whoopers and 2 Greenland Wheatears. (Garry Armstrong)

A Hawfinch was by the Scarva to Poyntzpass towpath this morning, close to Scarva, not far past Sintons (Stephen Drake)

The female Snow Bunting is at Ramore Head opp the play park (Colin Guy)

A Great-spotted Woodpecker was on Rathlin this morning (Ric Else / Hazel Watson)

A Cattle Egret was near Strabane, where it flew over the Foyle to one of the small islands on the river (Brian Hegarty / Michael Savage)

Kearney had 2 Chiffchaff and 4 Wheatear.(Richard Weyl)

Our thanks to Garry Armstrong for the photo of the Buff - breasted Sandpiper. Also to Michael Latham for the Wheatear.

Bird News Thursday 1st October

A Red Kite was in the Antrim hills. (Kenny Moore)

2 Ruff were at RSPB WoW. 3 juvenile Common Tern were also still present at this stage. Good numbers of auks were in the channel around the Stena terminal. (Derek Polley)

A juvenile American Golden Plover was with the Golden Plover flock on the spit at Mullagh this afternoon but flew off at 1430 and not relocated up to 1730. Also a Curlew Sandpiper and six Pink-footed geese. No signs of the Dowitcher or Pec. (David Steele).

The White-tailed Eagle was still on Rathlin along with a male Hen Harrier and a Crossbill. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

The Buff-breasted Sandpiper was still at Ballykelly. (John Clarke, Hill Dick & Ken Perry).

A Snow Bunting was at Ramore Head this afternoon, see pictures below. (Robert Plant).

Buff-breasted Sandpiper - John Clarke

White-tailed Eagle - Ric Else

Bird News Wednesday 30th September

A Yellow-browed Warbler is on Rathlin this morning. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

The juvenile American Golden Plover was in the flock of Golden Plover, quite close to the channel at Myroe levels on the part of the western ploughed field. (Martin Deehan)

2 Greenland Wheatear were on at Divis Mountain at lunchtime today. (Philip McErlean)

Circa 1000 Skylark passed through St John’s Point, Co Down this morning (Chris Murphy)

Greenland Wheatear, Philip McErlean:

Bird News Tuesday 29th September

The Buff-breasted Sandpiper was still in the same field at Ballykelly (Nigel Moore et al)

The Little Stint was still at Myroe (J Clarke, J McDowell, S Riddell)

2 Black-throated Divers were at Carnlough - 1 still in summer plumage (Gerard McGeehan)

An interesting gull showing characteristics of eg Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull and even Little Gull was at Kinnegar shore - see pic below (Ian Enlander)

A second calendar year White-tailed Eagle was on Rathlin this evening (Ric Else \ Hazel Watson)

Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Nigel Moore:

White-tailed Eagle, Ric Else \ Hazel Watson:

Little Stint, Myroe, John Clarke:

Potential hybrid Gull, Kinnegar, Ian Enlander:

Bird News Monday 28th September

The Buff-breasted Sandpiper was still in the ploughed field at Ballykelly(still present at 17.30) , there was no sign of the American Golden Plover there. A Little Stint was at the eastern end of Myroe. (Ivan Quail, Nicky Lynn/Martin Deehan) 

The Long-billed Dowitcher was seen again at Mullagh, Lough Beg this afternoon; also a Pectoral Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper and 12 Ruff in the area. (David Steele)

Bird News Sunday 27th September

A juvenile American Golden Plover and a Buff-breasted Sandpiper are at Ballykelly with a Golden Plover flock (Garry Armstrong) Location: 

Dropped pin:

https://goo.gl/maps/ZFrGjnMSgDk2nTt56

The AGP was at 4pm at the west end of Myroe (Tony Dodds / Billy Miskelly / Gerard McGeehan / Jeff Larkin)  The bird was back at Ballykelly at 6pm (Daniel Newton)

5 Grey Plover, 2 Greenland Wheatear, a Peregrine and a Merlin were also at Ballykelly. (Garry Armstrong, Neal Warnock).

The Marsh Harrier was still at Portmore Lough RSPB, 3 Kestrel were also present. A Merlin was at Ballinacor on the south shore of Lough Neagh. (Ed O’Hara)

42 Slavonian Grebe were off Myroe. (Jeff Larkin)

A Pink-footed Goose was with circa 35 Greylag, 3 miles north of Portaferry (Michael Latham)

4 Ruff were at RSPB WoW (Daniel Newton)

 4 Pink-footed Geese and a Sand Martin were at Kearney (Richard Weyl)

A Pied Flycatcher was on Arranmore, also over the weekend there was a Yellow-browed Warbler. 20 Crossbills, 3 White Wagtails, 6 Bonxies and 3 Sooty Shearwaters. (Davy Hunter).

Around 30 Whooper Swans arrived in several flocks late last night in Upper Lough Erne at Crom. They were sighted again today. (Paul Lynas).

A single Whooper Swan was just outside Ballygally, Larne. (Linda Thompson),

A ring-tailed Hen Harrier was in the Antrim hills, 2 Pink-feet were seen in flight. A Merlin and a Wheatear were at Sandy Bay in Larne. (Brian Halligan).

2 juvenile Hen Harriers were on Rathlin. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

Buff-breasted Sandpiper & Greenland Wheatear, Christine Cassidy:

Marsh Harrier & Merlin - Ed O'Hara:

Whooper Swan - Linda Thompson:

Hen Harrier - Ric Else:

Bird News Saturday 26th September

14 Pink-footed Geese were at Kearney,  2 Wheatear were along the shore.  (Billy Miskelly, Garry Armstrong)

A Yellow-browed Warbler was seen and heard in a garden in Comber, near the Ballygowan Road (Chris Shaw)

A first winter Glaucous Gull and 3 Barnacle Geese were seen at Fanad Head this morning (Wilton Farrelly).

Two ring-tailed Hen Harriers were in the Antrim hills. (Kenny Moore, Michael Latham).

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was at the Ecos Park in Ballymena. (John Parkinson).

Dargan Bay in Belfast Lough today had 6 Common Scoter, 2 Red-Breasted Mergansers, a Red-throated Diver, 5 Curlew, 1 Whimbrel, 6 Bar-tailed Godwits, a Curlew Sandpiper, a Greenshank, a 1cy Mediterranean Gull and a 1cy Peregrine flew over. (Kevin Kirkham).

4 Ruff were at Belfast Lough WOW reserve. (Stuart McKee).

10 Pink-footed Geese and a Red Kite were seen over Fairhead. (Jeff Larkin).

At St John’s Point visible migration from 8am to 10am produced 1 Pinkfooted Goose, 1 Merlin, c. 500 Skylarks, 300 Linnets, 30 Siskins, 10 Redpolls, 4 White Wagtails, 5 Goldcrests, and 30 Golden Plover (Chris Murphy).

Thanks to John Parkinson for the picture of the Great Spotted Woodpecker, to Thomas Campbell for the pictures of the Razorbill and the Gannet and to Michael Latham for the picture of the Hen Harrier:

Bird News Friday 25th September

There was no sign of the Bobolink at all today.

The juvenile Long-billed Dowitcher was seen again at Lough Beg today, along the shoreline at Mullagh. Also 25 Ruff and a Pink-footed Goose in the area.(David Steele) 

60 Whoopers were back at Myroe (Lindsay Hodges)

2 Mandarin Duck were at Broughshane on the River Braid.  A seawatch at Ramore was very quiet - 4 Bonxies, 3 RT Diver, 1 GN Diver, 1 Arctic Tern, 1 Manx Shearwater, 4 Teal + Gannet and Kittiwake (Ian Enlander)

3,000 Skylark where noted between 10am - noon at St Johns Point.(Chris Murphy)

A Yellow-browed Warbler,  50+ Coal Tits and 2 Wheatear were the best on Arranmore today (Davy Hunter)

Yesterday 122 Pink-footed Geese were observed flying over Rathlin (Ric Else / Hazel Watson)

A seawatch at Ramore Head produced 1 Sabine's Gull and 3 Great Skua. (Hill Dick)

24 Pink-footed geese flew over Orlock today (Richard Weyl)

2 juv Sabine's, 6 Bonxie, 2 Red-throated diver, and an Arctic Skua were at Ramore Head this evening. (Matthew Tickner)

Our thanks to Ian Enlander for the Mandarin photo  to Lindsay Hodges for the Wheatear and to David Hill for the Arctic Skua. 

Bird News Thursday 24th September

The Bobolink is this morning in the brambles and rush patch, opposite the cottage for sale by Sherry Fitzgerald, at Fanad Head. (Robert Vaughan)

Two Lapland Bunting were seen flying low at the Bann Estuary. A Chiffchaff was also present (Richard Donaghey)

12 Pink - footed Geese where seen nr Ballycarry.(Cameron Moore)

Bobolink, Dick Coombes:

Bird News Wednesday 23rd September

The Bobolink is back in the brambles and rush patch, opposite the cottage for sale by Sherry Fitzgerald, at Fanad Head. The bird was still present at this location at late afternoon (Chris Ingram / Brian Porter / Dick Coombes / Tony Dodds)

A Yellow-browed Warbler is at Kinramer on Rathlin this morning and a Lapland Bunting flew over. (Ric Else / Hazel Watson)

8 Lapland Bunting and 37 Pink Feet were at Fair Head, Co Antrim. A Curlew Sandpiper was at the Bann Estuary (Gerard McGeehan, Shirley Dunlop).

70 Pinkfeet in 4 groups were over Killough today; 3 Wheatears, a Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaffs, 4 Goldcrests, 400 Skylarks and c. 700 Linnets were at St John’s Pt this afternoon (Chris Murphy)

Yellow-browed Warbler, Ric Else:

Bird News Tuesday 22nd September

The Bobolink was still at the wet field at Fanad Head, Donegal this morning, close to this point - 55.2753479, -7.6542799 (Richard Hunter). The bird was looked for from 5pm to darkness without success. 50 Pink Feet were seen flying over. (John Spottiswood)

Bobolink, Richard Hunter:

Greenland Wheatear, Ballywalter, Alastair Mclean:

Bird News Monday 21st September

The Bobolink is still at Fanad in Donegal this morning, much closer to the coast than yesterday. It was in the field east of the Sherry Fitzgerald house for sale. (Mark Stewart)

A juvenile Long-billed Dowitcher in southwest corner Lough Beg this evening. Found at 1830, present up to at least 1930. Also two Curlew Sandpipers were present. (David Steele)

An adult Mediterranean Gull was at Kinnegar Shore (Tony Dodds)

Bird News Sunday 20th September

A Bobolink is at Fanad Head, in front of the cottage for sale by Sherry Fitzgerald. It favoured the dense area of rushes / brambles. The bird was seen to 4:05pm when it flew north (Wilton Farrelly)

Four Lapland Buntings were at Fair Head. (Ivan Quail & Nicky Lynn).

A red-head Goosander was off Ballykelly in Lough Foyle. (Neal Warnock).

A male Hen Harrier was in the Antrim hills, 3 Red Grouse were also seen. (Kevin Kirkham).

A Slavonian grebe off Glynn Station, Larne Lough this morning (Brian Sutton).

Four White Wagtails were at Ballyfrench and five Mediterranean Gulls were at Portavogie. (Richard Weyl).

The Bobolink at Fanad and thanks to Kevin Kirkham for the picture of the Grey Wagtail: