Bird News Sunday 10th September

Two Buff-breasted Sandpipers are at Myroe throughout the day (Michael Latham) Two Curlew Sandpipers were also present (Gerard McGeehan / Shirley Dunlop)

9 Ruff were at RSPB WoW (Kevin Kirkham)

At Magilligan Point at 4pm in a strong westerly wind were 5 Arctic Skua ( 4 dark 1 pale) and 1 Bonxie all flying west into Lough Foyle. An Arctic Tern was also on the beach. (Raymond Fulton)

At Burial Island, Co Down a Pomarine ‎Skua,,an Arctic Skua and 14 Red-throated Diver were seen. The hybrid Ring-billed Gull was back at Millisle (Richard Weyl).

Thanks to Michael for the pics of the Buff-breasted Sandpipers and a Curlew Sandpiper:

Bird News Saturday 9th September

This morning at Ramore Head there were 6 Leach's Petrels, a juv Sabine's Gull, 4 Sooty Shearwaters, 2 Great Northern Diver, a Red-throated Diver, 8 Bonxie and 4 Arctic Skua (Neal Warnock)

There were good numbers of seabirds feeding in Belfast Lough, including a Storm Petrel and a dark phase Arctic Skua off Grey Point. (Philip Watson)

Three juv Ruff & 2 juv Curlew Sandpipers were at Myroe Levels before a Peregrine scattered everything (Neal Warnock) There were another 4 Curlew Sandpipers at the Bann Estuary (Neal Warnock)

The Hudsonian Whimbrel was still 3km east of Easkey, Co Sligo (Philip West / Mark Stewart).

The high tide roost at Murlough today had 32 Little Egrets. (William Jefferson).

Five Ruff were at Belfast Lough RSPB reserve this morning. (Garry Armstrong).

A single Swift was outside Garvagh today. (Brian Nelson).

A 40 minute seawatch from Marconi's at Ballycastle this evening produced an adult Sabines Gull, a Sooty Shearwater and at least 250 Manx Shearwaters. (Colin Guy).
 

Thanks to Stephen Ffyfe for the picture of a Ruff at RSPB WoW this morning and to Colin Guy for the picture of the Red-throated Diver from Ballintoy:

 

Bird News Friday 8th September

A Buff-breasted Sandpiper was at Myroe this morning (Jeff Larkin)

A juv/1st win.Red-necked Grebe was seen at Mullagh, Lough Beg this evening, there was also 3 Garganey and 4 Ruff.(David Steele)

The second year Little Gull was seen again at Whitehead (Cameron Moore) see pic below

Seawatching from Rathlin Island was quiet this morning, with 3 Bonxies (Great Skua) probably the highlight. Another Hen Harrier was out at the west end (Ric Else/Hazel Watson)

Ramore Head had 39 Leach's Petrel, a juv Sabine's, a Grey Phalarope & a Bonxie in 2 hours (Gareth Bareham, Neal Warnock & Colin Guy) additional birds over 30 mins included 6 Leach's Petrels and 1 dark phase Arctic Skua. Earlier a Red-throated Diver was sheltering in Ballintoy Harbour(Colin Guy)

A Bonxie and a pod of Bottlenose Dolphins were at the mouth of Belfast Lough. (Stephen Dunstan)

Bird News Thursday 7th September

Five Ruff were at RSPB WoW this evening. Three Swift were also seen. (Daniel Newton) 200+ House Martin were also present and the Terns have now left the Reserve (Derek Polley)

Unusually, a Kingfisher was seen at Rue Point, Rathlin Island today (Ric Else and Hazel Watson)

Everyone will be aware of the bird hunting issues in the Mediterranean. However the work by CABS and what they have observed in Lebanon in the last few days deserves as much publicity (and support) as we can give:

https://youtu.be/RCG0v0tX3j0

Thanks to Ginny McKee for this pic of Sandwich Terns at Carnlough:

 

Bird News Wednesday 6th September

A seawatch from Rue Point, Rathlin this morning had a Long-tailed Skua, 2 Arctic Skuas, 3 Bonxies, 1 Sooty Shearwater and 2 Red-throated Divers (Ric Else and Hazel Watson).

A Roseate Tern, 2 Ruff and 15 Knot were at Belfast Lough RSPB reserve. (Gerard McGeehan).

Thanks to Richard Hunter for the picture of the Wheatear.

 

Bird News Tuesday 5th September

A Red Kite was at Armoy, Co Antrim (Chris Easton)

The first Purple Sandpiper of the autumn was at Rue Point, Rathlin Island this morning, as well as an Arctic Tern, two Whimbrels and two White Wagtails. Quite a few Swallows and Meadow Pipits were making their way south too. Yesterday there was another juvenile Hen Harrier. (Ric Else and Hazel Watson)

Yesterday a Mediterranean Gull was at Newcastle (Leonard Charles)

Yesterday a Harrier species was seen at Islandhill, Newtownards (Paul Allen)

Thanks to Chris Easton for the pic of the Red Kite and Angus Kennedy for the Jay:

Red Kite, Chris Easton:

Jay, Angus Kennedy:

Bird News Monday 4th September.

The best at RSPB WoW today was a Ruff. (Ronald Surgenor)

Last night a high count of 800 Kittiwake were on the shore at Newcastle.(Suzanne Belshaw). Recent figures, (British Birds vol.110) show that Kittiwake breeding populations in mainland Britain, (Northern Ireland is excluded) have dropped by a staggering 81%.

Oystercatchers - Wilfred Swain.

Bird News Sunday 3rd September

An adult American Golden Plover, presumed to be the recent Myroe bird, was at Ballykelly in the first ploughed area by the marsh, at 12:30 (Garry Armstrong).

Two Ruff were at RSPB Belfast Lough reserve. (Carol Gillespie).

A Hudsonian Whimbrel was at Easkey in County Sligo. (Seamus Feeney)

Thanks to Wilf Swain for the picture of the Buzzard.

Bird News Saturday 2nd September

The adult American Golden Plover and the Buff-breasted Sandpiper were still at Myroe this morning (Daniel Newton) the American Golden Plover disappeared for a while but was refound at 3:30 pm. A Hen Harrier, Merlin, 2 Peregrines and 10 Wheatear was also seen. (Gerard McGeehan / Shirley Dunlop/Carol Gillespie)

An Osprey was at the Barmouth, Bann Estuary (Birdguides).

On Rathlin two Sooty Shearwaters headed north past the East Light this morning. Not much of note on the island, with three White Wagtails, one Grey Wagtail and a Wigeon the highlights so far. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

Two Red Kites were just off the B2 opposite Lough Aghery between Hillsborough and Ballynahinch. (Gerard McLaughlin).

Thanks to Gerard Murray for the flight shot of the American Golden Plover, to Noel Austin for the picture of the Dunlin and to Gerard McLaughlin for the picture of the Red Kite:

 

Bird News Friday 1st September

The adult American Golden Plover was still at Myroe this morning (Gerard Murray) The Buff - breasted Sandpiper was located from the same location this afternoon with a flock of Ringed Plover (Gerard Murray)

Seawatching at Melmore Head was quieter this morning. In 2.5 hours in a very gentle westerly there were 28 Sooties, 16 Bonxies, 8 Arctic Skuas, 2 Arctic Terns, 2 Red-throated Divers, 2 Great Northern Divers, 5 Kittiwakes and a Peregrine and Whimbrel over the headland. (Eric Randall)

A flock of c40 Black-tailed Godwit were feeding on pitches at Musgrave Park, Belfast at lunchtime (Adam McClure)

An adult Little Gull flew past Carrick this morning heading towards Belfast.(Ian Enlander)

The blog team would like to thank everyone who kindly report Little Egrets, the sightings have become so numerous and widespread that we feel they no longer need to be included on the daily sightings, the only sightings that will appear are eg any high counts.