Report sightings to: Email nibirds@live.co.uk, Text: 07973 403 146 or 07870 863 782 or Twitter: @nibirds See local bird pics at: www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk
Bird News Thursday 24th March
Bird News Wednesday 23rd March
A pair of Blackcaps were in a garden in Greyabbey. (Matt Rainey).
Great Spotted Woodpeckers were heard drumming in Rostrevor near Cloughmor, this morning. (Mark Cooper, David Cooper, Sean Tinnelly).
Thanks to Noeni Bryars for the picture of the Treecreeper, to Denis Chanmbers for the picture of the Dipper and to Peter Wedderburn for the picture of the Grey Wagtail all taken in Glenarm Forest and to Wilfred Swain for the picture of the Buzzards.
Cuckoo Records
Bird News Tuesday 22nd March
Bird News Monday 21st March.
The adult Med Gull was still at the Pickie Park at Bangor Marina,. 10 Purple Sandpipers where on the rocks on the outside of the harbour wall.(John Edwards)
80 Fieldfare were at the top of Knockagh Road (Billy Hamilton).
90 Barnacle Geese were at Malin Head and 2 first winter Glaucous Gulls were at Greencastle harbour today (Colin Guy)
Thanks to Colin Guy for this pic of one of the Glaucous Gulls:
Bird News Sunday 20th March
Bird News Saturday 19th March
At least two Red Grouse were near the summit of Slieveanorra. (Roger Woodward)
10 Sandwich Terns were at Portaferry marina. (John Wilson Foster).
Today Ballykelly had 1 Black-throated Diver, 1 Little Egret; Myroe 140 Whooper Swans, 6 White-fronted Geese, 12 Greylag Geese and 200 Bar-tailed Godwits....also 5 Hares; Bann Estuary held 300 Golden Plovers.(Peter Robinson/ Hill Dick/ Fermanagh RSPB Group).
A drake Goosander flew long the seafront at Portballintrae today heading towards the River Bush, 11 Redwing were on Rathlin. (Colin Guy)
Bird News Friday 18th March
Yesterday ...the SW corner of Lough Beg and Paddy’s Dub held 2,000+ wildfowl mostly Teal and Wigeon with 30 Pintail and 50 Shoveler along with smaller numbers Tufted Duck, Pochard, Gadwall and Shelduck. Waders present included 200 Black tailed Godwit, 10 Ruff, 12 Dunlin along with Redshank and Lapwing. 50+ Common Snipe with 2 Jack Snipe also seen.(Godfrey McRoberts)
The Spoonbill was at Anne's Point and a whimbrel at Ballyquintin Point. (Richard Weyl)
The male Smew was at Inch Island, Donegal. (Pete Wedderburn)
Med Gull, Derek Polley:NI Seabird Report
Flightline
Bird News Thursday 17th March
Boat Trip to Islay Tomorrow
Rathlin West Light Seabird Centre Opening
Bird News Wednesday 16th March
25 Twite were still at the harbour in Whitehead. (Birdguides).
2 Barn Owl, a male Pochard and 7 Goldeneye were at Loughmourne Dam (Billy Hamilton).
Thanks to Kevin Kirkham-Brown for these picture of the Mediterranean Gulls at RSPB Belfast WOW reserve.
Bird News Tuesday 15th March
Bird News Monday 14th March
3 Goosander have been on the River Maine since Saturday 12th March. (Ian Logan)
2 Sand Martins flew over this morning at Brigg's Rocks (Colin Guy) - these are the first spring passerines to be reported.
Thanks to David Hunter for this pic of Whoopers. You can see more pics of local birds at www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk
Bird News Sunday 13th March
A total of 26 Whooper Swans were seen on Rathlin including a group of 21 flying over. (Colin Guy) Also seen was 2 Choughs, 1 Gadwall,and 1 Woodcock (Ivan Quail)
The Greenland White-front, a Sandwich Tern, Black-tailed Godwit and 2 summer plumage Red-throated Divers were off Glynn Station today. (Neal Warnock)
| White fronted Goose with Widgeon, Glynn. - Linda Thompson. |
Bird News Saturday 12th March
Bird News Friday 11th March
A Blackcap was singing at Jordanstown, Belfast Lough. 3 Little Egret were at the Whitehouse lagoon area this morning. (Paul McCullough).
An adult Little Gull was feeding close to Killough Pier and 3 Little Egret were in Killough Harbour.(Tim Murphy).
Thanks to Suzanne Belshaw for the picture of the Mediterranean Gulls taken at Newtownards Sailing Club on Tuesday.
Bird News Thursday 10th March
A second winter Iceland Gull was at Whiteabbey this morning. (Birdguides)
The drake Gadwall was still on Rathlin. Two Choughs again seen. Also 40 Syklarks passing overhead, 2 Wigeon and a Sparrowhawk (Colin Guy)
For details on an impressive 20 year old Common Gull rining recovery, see: http://birdingatantrimmarina.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/finland-replys.html?m=1
Bird News Wednesday 9th March
The adult Ring-billed Gull was still in the harbour at Carrickfergus. (Birdguides).
34 Greenland White-fronted Geese were in flight and eventually landed in a field just north of the inland Bushmills - Ballycastle Road. (Colin Guy).
A Snipe was in the high Mournes this afternoon, on the Brandy Pad near Slieve Donard. (Roger Woodward).
Bird Records in NI
Records can also be submitted via a submission form and contributors can also provide supporting information for records etc.
Bird News Tuesday 8th March
Bird News Monday 7th March
A Short-eared Owl was at Ballyquintin Point (Danny Baillie). Yesterday a Dark-bellied Brent and Slavonian Grebe were at Myroe, Lough Foyle (Ivor McDonald).
A summer plumage Slavonian Grebe, 6 adult Mediterranean Gulls and 3 Scaup at Glynn, Larne Lough today. The Twite and Linnet flock was still at Whitehead, Belfast Lough.(Paul McCullough)see pic below.
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| 3 of the 6 Med. Gulls seen at Glynn - Paul McCullough. |
| Twite from Whitehead. |
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| Sanderling & Ringed Plover - Christine Cassidy. |
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| Dippers - Noeni Bryars. |
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| Redshanks - David Hunter. |
Bird News Sunday 6th March
Bird News Saturday 5th March
Perhaps the same Short-eared Owl was seen this evening on the Charlestown Rd north of Portadown.(James O'Neil)
A Merlin was at Orlock Point, Groomsport.(David McCormick)
The Red Kite was still along the M1 at the turnoff for Moira (Aidan Donohoe).
Three Iceland Gulls were at the RSPB WOW reserve this evening (two first year and the advanced second year/third year). An adult Med Gull was also present, moulting into summer plumage (Stuart McKee)
Our thanks to Cameron Moore who sent in these pics of a White-fronted Goose(top)and a Barnacle Goose, both these Geese where at Steele's Point, Islandmagee.
Bird News Friday 4th March
The adult male Smew saw still at Inch Island in Donegal. (Birdguides).
Thanks to James McQueen for the picture of the Buzzard and to Wilf Swain for the picture of the Curlew,
Bird News Thursday 3rd March.
A pair of Gadwall where on the main lake in Roselawn Cemetery.(Robert Scott)
.Please repeat the note about the Nikon bins found at Strand Lough, Killough. The telephone number given was incorrect. It should be 07547362332
| Buzzard - Linda Thompson. |
| Peregrine - Linda Thompson. |
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Bird News Wednesday 2nd March
56 Whooper Swans were at Creighton's Green fields in the Holywood Hills this morning, 3 Black Swans were also present. (Julian Greenwood).
7 Purple Sandpipers were west of Bangor Marina, 500 metres towards Pickie. (Derek Polley).
A 3rd winter Glaucous Gull was at Corbally Reservoir, Portrush. (Colin Guy).
Bird News Tuesday 1st March
Bird News Monday 29th February
6 Whooper Swans were in the bay at Ballintoy. (Colin Guy).
Thanks to Jason Bain for this picture of a Buzzard.
Bird News Sunday 28th February
An adult Ring-billed Gull and 3 adult Med. Gulls where at Glynn this afternoon.(Neal Warnock)
On the east side of Strangford 29 Slavonian Grebe (25 between Greyabbey and Kircubbin, 2 at Horse Island and 2 at Newtownards Sailing Club) and 4 Black-throated Diver at Horse Island.(Richard Weyl)
The ever popular Black Redstart was still showing well around Newcastle harbour.(Phillip West)
A very late report of a Montagu's Harrier seen last Tuesday(23rd) was reported to Irishbirding to-day, it was seen at Crigshane, a wind farm south of Killeter Co.Tyrone, we have no other info. on the bird.
Bird News Saturday 27th February
There was a hunting Merlin at Portmore Lough this evening. (James O'Neill)
In Donegal the male Smew and 2 male Scaup were at Inch Lake, and a Greenland White-fronted Goose, a Barnacle and 3 Pink-footed Geese were with 1,000 Greylag Geese at Inch Levels (Richard Gray)
Bird News Friday 26th February
The adult Mediterranean Gull, now in summer plumage, was at the north promenade in Newcastle (Leonard Charles).
The Glossy Ibis was still on the Antrim side of the River Bann at Toome this afternoon. (Neal Warnock).
A pair of Goosander was along the River Maine at Slaght in Ballymena. Lough Beg had 24 Pintial, 30 Shoveler and 750 Black-tailed Godwit. The fem/imm Smew and 8 Little Egret were at Mullagh, and 11 Ruff in wet fields at the Creagh (David Steele).
Thanks to Ray Brogan for the picture of the Sparrowhawk and to Cecil Smyth for the picture of the Twite at Whitehead boatyard.
Lost Binoculars?
Bird News Thursday 25th February.
A second year Mediterranean Gull and the third-year Iceland Gull were at Loughshore Park (Stuart McKee).
Lower Lough Erne Islands RSPB had a fem/imm Smew, 2 Goosander and 2 Great Northern Diver (Fionbarr Cross, Amy Burns).
An Iceland Gull was at the marina on Lough Foyle.(Martina Boyle)
At 08.20 this morning a Red Kite flew over the Motorway approx. two miles from the Moira roundabout , heading towards Lurgan.(Tim Ryan).
1 Barnacle Goose was amongst a flock of 89 Canada Geese and 52 Greylag Geese in Co. Fermanagh. (Gareth Buchanan).
| Twite - Cameron Moore. |
| Jay - Martina Boyle. |
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| Barnacle Goose - Gareth Buchanan |
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| Greenfinch - Wilfred Swain |





































