Bird News Wednesday 16th October

A male Ring-necked Duck and a 1st winter Mediterranean Gull were at Lough Beg this afternoon, 8 Great White Egrets were spread around the south end of the lough. (David Steele) 

The Cattle Egret is still present at Kinnegoe Bay in Oxford Island, with cattle in the field opposite the end of the breakwater at Kinnegoe Marina. (David McCreedy). A Great White Egret was also present along the shore. (Clifford Sharpe).

Yesterday a Mediterranean Gull was in Church Bay and the Great White Egret on Kebble Lough on Rathlin. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

A Snow Bunting was on Tory. (Anton Meenan).

A 2nd year Mediterranean Gull was at the Bann Estuary. (Stephen Riddell).

A Snow Bunting is at Ramore Head in Portrush. (John Clarke).

A Black-throated Diver is still off Carnlough. (Chris Hamilton).

A Peregrine was on the shore at Castle Espie. (Dave Weir).

3 Pinkfeet were with Whoopers at Longlands Road viewable distantly from its junction with the Comber dual carriageway. (Ian Young).

A ringtail Hen Harrier was at Inch in Donegal. (Theo Campbell).

Mediterranean Gull, Stephen Riddell.

Peregrine, Dave Weir.

Cattle Egret, Richard Caves.

Bird News Tuesday 15th October

A single Whooper Swan was at Ballykeel Lough, Co Down (Garry Wilkinson)

A Great White Egret is at Reedy Flats (Ed O’Hara)

A Med Gull was at Clea Lakes, Co Down (Dave Weir)

Four Great Egrets were at Lough Beg this afternoon, also eleven Ruff and an adult Mediterranean Gull (David Steele)

A Siberian Chiffchaff was on Tory (Anton Meenan)

Whopper Swans are now returning in significant numbers. We will now only post sightings away from normal wintering grounds.

Redshank, Rod Gillan:

Bird News Monday 14th October

Late news from Rathlin, yesterday a male Hen Harrier, Great White Egret, Merlin, Pink-footed Goose and Great Northern Diver (Ric Else / Hazel Watson / Nathanael Poffley).

2nd calendar year Glaucous Gull at east end of Ballykinler Beach, Co Down at noon (Dermot Hughes).

Juvenile Wheatear Killard (David Stirling).

Cattle Egret still at Oxford Island NNR amongst cattle on the shoreline opposite the tip of the outer breakwater at Kinnego Marina (Clifford Sharpe).

Possible Iceland Gull seen along the Ballyhaft Shore, Portaferry Road south of Greyabbey from moving vehicle (David Miller).

c200 Golden Plover on the Tesco warehouse roof, Antrim (Mark Smyth).

25 Pinkfeet at Inch Lake, Co Donegal (David Hill).

Pink-footed Geese, David Hill:

Bird News Sunday 13th October

3 Pinkfeet were with Whoopers in a field north of Kearney before flying south past Ballyquinton. Another 4 Pinkfeet flew south over Kearney this afternoon. A single Ruff was with Golden Plover at Kirkistown. 6 Mediterranean Gulls were on Cloghy beach and another 17 off the carpark at the north end of Cloghy. (Garry Armstrong,  David Steele).

A Cattle Egret was along Canalbank Road outside Poyntzpass. (Joe Devlin).

3 Black-throated Divers including one in summer plumage, a Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver were at Carnlough. A Merlin was in the Antrim hills. (Michael Latham)

4 Whoopers and a Grey Plover were at the Barmouth. (Mel O'Hagan).

12 Grey Plover were off Rough Island on the outer Ards. (Bob Watts).

A Greenland Wheatear was outside Portstewart. (Chris Hamilton).

A possible Yellow-browed Warbler and a Jack Snipe with 6 Snipe were at Global Point Business Park in Newtownabbey. (Steven Farquhar).

Black-throated Diver, Michael Latham.

Black-throated Divers, Michael Latham.

Black-throated & Great Northern Divers, Michael Latham.

Merlin, Michael Latham.

Bird News Saturday 12th October

A Cattle Egret was off Croaghan hide at Oxford Island. (Garry Armstrong, Ed O’Hara).

A Yellow-browed Warbler was seen briefly at Ballycarry on Rathlin this morning. (Nathanael Poffley).

Ramore Head between 12.30 and 4pm had 1 Sabine's Gull, 4 Barnacles, 1 Manx Shearwater and 2 Brent. (Michael Latham).

Bird News Friday 11th October

The American Golden Plover is still at Myroe on the turf field next to the large pond (Martin Deehan).

Yellow-browed Warbler again at Kelly’s Wood, St John’s Point at 4pm and calling. Also Chiffchaff, Blackcap and up to 10 Goldcrest (David Stirling).

Whooper Swans have been arriving in significant numbers during this window of clement weather and are back in the stubble fields at Myroe in significant numbers and elsewhere eg 753 at Eglington (Dean Jones).

19 Pinkfeet at Balls Point early morning (Dean Jones).

Ruff at Belfast Lough WoW (Stuart Cossey).

Male Great Spotted Woodpecker still visiting garden between Moira band Hillsborough (Juliet Fleming).

A late juvenile Common Tern at Magilligan Point (David Hill).

Single Great White Egret still on Rathlin also a single Barnacle Goose amongst Greylags (Nathanael Poffley).

'There are two seats available for the boat trip from Ballycastle to Islay  on Saturday 26th October. At least 25,000 Barnacle Geese will be present plus Sea Eagle, Chough and Hen Harrier. Contact Jim Wells on 07856235144 for details'.

Whooper Swans, Garry Wilkinson:

Great Spotted Woodpecker, Juliet Fleming:

Common Tern, David Hill:

Bird News Thursday 10th October

Yellow-browed Warbler at Kellys Wood, St John’s Point at 430pm. Also c10 Goldcrest, Chiffchaff and 2-3 Blackcaps (Chris Murphy). Still present near entrance to house 545pm (Bob Watts).

3 Pinkfeet at St John’s Point this morning and c500 Skylarks (Chris Murphy)

Yesterday 9 Whooper Swans Dundrum Inner Bay (Chris Leonard).

9 Whooper Swans over Straid (Dave Craig).

16 Whooper Swans in flight over Lough Road, N of Ballynahinch (Debs Cullen).

6 Barnacle Geese Rathlin (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

Juvenile Arctic Skua at Magilligan Point (Ian Dickey).

Great White Egret at Portmore Lough RSPB (Richard Caves).

Arctic Skua, Ian Dickey:

Whooper Swans, Dave Craig:

Bird News Wednesday 9th October

11 Whooper Swan were over Lisburn this morning (Andrew Upton)

Yesterday 45 Pink-footed Geese flew north over Rathlin (Nathanael Poffley)

5 Whoopers were at Portmore today (Richard Caves)

18 Pink-footed Geese and 4 Barnacle Geese were seen on Rathlin (Ric Else / Hazel Watson)

Whooper Swans, Richard Caves:

Snipe, possibly fareoensis sub-species, Myroe, Mervyn and Susanne Guthrie:

Bird News Tuesday 8th October

The American Golden Plover was still at Myroe this morning (Theo Campbell / Martin Deehan)

A Pied Flycatcher is at Malin Beg, Donegal (Chris Ingram)

The two Great White Egrets are still on Rathlin (Ric Else)

A Ruff was in the channel at Myroe (Stephen Riddell)

15 Pinkfeet and 6 Whoopers were at Myroe (Garry Wilkinson et al)

At Magiligan, a Little Gull and Black Tern were seen (Gerard McGeehan). There were also circa 300 Sanderling.

6 Crossbills were at Springwell Forest (Garry Wilkinson)

A Long-eared Owl was at Coleraine (John Clarke)

Ruff, Stephen Riddell:

Great White Egrets, Rathlin, Ric Else \ Hazel Watson:

Bird News Monday 7th October

A Long Eared Owl was off Agherton Road, Portstewart 7:30 this morning. (Peter Hough).

 One of the Great White Egrets is still at Kebble Lough on Rathlin. This evening a female Long-tailed Duck was in Church Bay. ( Nathanael Poffley).

A Snow Bunting flew south over Rathlin this morning. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

Two Ruff were at Belfast Lough RSPB reserve, a Common Sandpiper was at Kinnegar pool. (Stuart Cossey).

Ballyquintin and Bar Hall had 4 Chiffchaffs, a Yellowhammer and at least 60 Swallows. (Dermot Hughes).

A male Hen Harrier has been hunting in fields along the motorway near the Moira roundabout. (Barry Coleman).

Long-tailed Duck, Nathanael Poffley.

Bird News Sunday 6th October

Adult American Golden Plover with c1000 Golden Plover at west end of Myroe still present mid afternoon (Wilton Farrelly / Garry Armstrong / David Steele).

Yellow-browed Warbler in East Town garden on Tory (Brian McCloskey).

St John’s Point produced an Arctic Tern, 2 Red-throated Divers, single Manx Shearwater, Greenland Wheatear opposite the church, one Chiffchaff in Kellys Wood (Chris Murphy).

3 Greenland Wheatear at Ramore Head (John Clarke).

Slavonian Grebe Glynn (Gerard McGeehan), also 310 Red-breasted Mergansers (Aaron Long).

3 Red-throated Divers Carnlough (Aaron Long).

2 Great White Egrets on Rathlin the second island record (Liam McFaul). Also Whimbrel still (Ric Else).

Great White Egret at Portmore Lough RSPB (Andrew Upton).

Barr Hall Bay produced 3 Chiffchaffs and a White Wagtail at Curlew Cottage. Ballyquintin Point produced 2 White Wagtails and 2 Red-throated Divers. 2 Red-throated Divers from the Strangford Ferry (Chris Veale).

5 Pinkfeet at Quoile (Chris Murphy).

American Golden Plover, Wilton Farrelly:

Greenland Wheatear, John Clarke:

Bird News Saturday 5th October

A juvenile Little Stint, Baird’s Sandpiper and Curlew Sandpiper were off the Tready Hide, Inch, Donegal (Derek Brennan)

The best at Kearney this morning was 4 Wheatear and a Red-throated Diver flyby (Aaron Long)

Chiffchaff and Greenland Wheatear was the best at Barr Hall / Ballyquinton this morning (Bob Watts)

100s of Scoter on the sea just of Murlough beach and a small flock of 15 Sanderling in the inner bay. A Curlew Sandpiper and two Pink-footed Geese were also in the inner bay. (Stuart Cossey)

St John’s Point was quiet, best two Chiffchaff in Kelly’s Wood (Chris Murphy)

A Great White Egret was at Portmore (Garry Armstrong)

Two Great White Egrets were at Oxford Island today.

A Ruff was at the Quoile (Aaron Long)

A Wheatear was at Murlough, Co Down (Leia Giesel)

Bird News Friday 4th October

 A Hoopoe was seen in a garden in the Feystown Road area of Glenarm on Monday 30th September. (Gemma Sandford).

The Bonaparte's Gull was at Drains Bay again. (Jonny Rosborough).

A single Mediterranean Gull was with 37 Sandwich Terns and a single Knot on rocks at end of Ballywalter beach. A Grey Wagtail and two Carrion Crows were on the beach near the outfall. (Garry Wilkinson).

The first Fieldfare of the autumn was in a garden in north Antrim.

A Spotted Redshank, 40 Ruff and a Knot were at Lough Beg this evening. (David Steele).

Hoopoe, Gemma Sandford.

Bonaparte's Gull, Jonny Rosborough.

Bird News Thursday 3rd October

Yellow-browed Warbler this morning on Rathlin (Hazel Watson). Late news from yesterday of a Merlin on Rathlin also still present today along with single Twite and Wheatear (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

Single Whooper Swan over Castle Espie this morning (Jonathan Clark).

2 Ruff remain at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW (Derek Polley).

Yellow-browed Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler, Lapland Bunting, Corncrake, 2 Sabine’s Gulls, Spotted Flycatcher and deceased Lesser Whitethroat on Tory (Gerard Murray / Derek Brennan / Peter Phillips).

Yellow-browed Warbler, Hazel Watson:

Whooper Swan, Jonathan Clark:

Bird News Wednesday 2nd October

A male Hen Harrier was at Portmore Lough RSPB this morning (Stevie Brennan)

A juvenile Arctic Tern was at the Bann Estuary (John Spottiswood)

100 Sanderling were at Magilligan (David Clarke)

The Whimbrel remains on Rathlin (Hazel Watson)

A juvenile Spotted Redshank and two Great White Egrets were at Lough Beg (David Steel)

2 Yellow-browed Warblers were in Malin Beg, Donegal, a Yellow-browed Warbler and Willow Warbler in Malin More. A Lapland Bunting was at Rossmore (John O'Boyle)

A Hen harrier (ringtail) was at Slievenacloy, hunting over reedbeds (Ivan Cullen)

The Lesser Yellowlegs was looked for this evening without success.

Sanderling, David Clarke:

Juvenile Arctic Tern, John Clarke:

Bird News Tuesday 1st October

A Lesser Yellowlegs is at Clea Lakes. (Dave Weir). The bird was still present this evening along with a Mediterranean Gull. (Aaron Long). Please note the land around the lakes are private and you should only enter if you have the permission of the land owner. 

 Yesterday a Pinkfoot and a Whimbrel were still on Rathlin. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

2 Ruff and a White Wagtail were at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve this morning. (Aaron Long, Daniel Newton).

2 Yellow-browed Warblers are still on Tory this morning. (Anton Meenan).

A Yellow-browed Warbler was at Malin Beg in Donegal. (John O'Boyle, Dermot Hughes).

A Dark-bellied Brent and a leucistic Brent at Green Island in Dundrum Inner Bay. (David Nixon).

The Baird’s Sandpiper was present this morning at Blanket Nook. Bird was on the southern point of the island best viewed from the lane into the pumping station and still present up to 1pm. (Godfrey McRoberts, John Clarke).

On 25th September a Cattle Egret was seen by a small lake north of Enniskillen. (Michael Masterson)

Leucistic Brent Goose, David Nixon.

Bird News Monday 30th September

5 Yellow-browed Warblers: 2 Magic Bush, 1 in West Town, 2 in East Town on Tory. Also a Garden Warbler (Anton Meenan / Joe Adams).

Yellow-browed Warblers, Anton Meenan:

Garden Warbler, Anton Meenan:

Bird News Sunday 29th September

A ring-tail Hen Harrier was near St John’s Point, (Michael Latham)

The Baird’s Sandpiper is still at Blanketnook, Donegal (Theo Campbell)

Killard had a Merlin, Whimbrel and 5 Wheatear (David Stirling)

St John's Point this morning had 11 Common Scoter, 2 Arctic Skua, 1 Wheatear, 5 Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver. (Aaron Long)

Paddy’s Dubh and the south west section of Lough Beg this morning had a Great White Egret and 18 Ruff (Godfrey McRoberts)

The Red Kite is still present east of Tardree Forest, Antrim (Mark Smyth)

A ‘Viking Gull’ was in Killough Harbour (Chris 

Murphy)

Bird News Saturday 28th September

A Great White Egret was briefly at the Barmouth, 2 Ruff were also present. (John Spottiswood, Dean Jones).

A single Ruff was off Croaghan hide at Oxford Island. (Garry Armstrong).

A Whimbrel and 2 Wheatear were at St John's Point. (Chris & Tim Murphy).

The Baird's Sandpiper is still at Blanket Nook in Donegal. (Derek Brennan).

The Green Sandpiper was still at Clea Lakes. (Hugh Thurgate).

2 Ruff were at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve. (Stuart Cossey, DanielNewton).

2 Ruff, 2 Whoopers, a Carrion Crow and a Carrion Hooded hybrid were off Castle Island hide at the Quoile. (Aaron Long).

A hybrid Carrion x Hooded Crow was at Belfast Waterworks. (Stuart McKee).

A Great White Egret was at Portmore Lough RSPB reserve. (Garry Armstrong).

Yesterday 5 Pinkfeet and 4 Barnacles flew over Rathlin. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

Ballyquitan this afternoon had a Hen Harrier and a Greenland Wheatear. Cloghy had 23 Mediterranean Gulls, all but one adults. (Wilton Farrelly).

Bird News Friday 27th September

Circa 100 Pinkfeet past Rinagree early morning (Stephen Riddell).

100 Pinkfeet were over Killough (Chris Murphy).

3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers (2m & f) in Annahilt garden this morning (Garry Wilkinson).

2 Ruff at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW Reserve (Chris Hamilton).

A Red Kite this morning near Tardree Forest (Mark Smyth).

Juvenile Corncrake and 30 Pinkfeet roosted last night but no sign today on Tory Island (Anton Meenan).

Black Tern still at Portmore Lough RSPB (Dave McCreedy / Mike McLaughlin).

Bairds Sandpiper at Blanket Nook, Co Donegal (Derek Brennan).

An adult Sabine’s Gull off Runkerry Beach, Portballintrae mid afternoon flying towards Runkerry House c100 yards offshore at 1545. Was still visible in surf off Runkerry House at 1610 (Garry Wilkinson). No further sign by 1710 (Aaron Long).

18 Barnacle Geese east past Magilligan Point (Ivan Quail / Nicky Lynn).

Wood Sandpiper from the hide at Quoile Pondage (Tim Murphy).

Juvenile Sabine’s Gull past Ramore Head this evening (Aaron Long).

Lough Beg had five Barnacle Geese, seven Brent Geese and four Pink-feet. Also two Hen Harriers about (a juvenile and an adult female) - (David Steele)

A Pink-footed Goose was In the channel running through Dundrum South Inner Bay. (David Nixon)

White-tailed Eagle bred in NI in Co Fermanagh; the first breeding record in NI for more than 150 years. Read more at https://www.nirsg.com/white-tailed-eagles-first-breeding-pair-confirmed-in-northern-ireland-in-over-150-years/

Pink-footed Geese, Stephen Riddell: