nibirds

Disruption at Quoile pondage

Just to let you know there is major reed cutting taking place at the Quoile pondage all week from 09.00 - 16.00, this may have a bearing on the birds that use the area, something to think about if you plan to birdwatch the area.

Bird News, Tuesday 31st August

Osprey: A Juvenile was fishing on the Bann, near Agivy Bridge, west of Ballymoney (M Tickner).

Please email, text or phone us with your bird sightings, news or events.

Lapland Buntings

A Lapland Bunting was on Rathlin Island yesterday (B Robson). No word on it today.
With the strong North Westerly winds there have been good numbers in the the West of Ireland so it is worth while listening and looking for them!

Michael O'Clery Exhibition - Update

Leading Irish wildlife artist Michael O'Clery has an exhibition, at the Graffan Gallery, Castle Espie, Co. Down which runs until Sunday 12th September. The exhibition includes many plates from the forthcoming "The Complete Field Guide to Ireland's Birds", to be published by Gill & Macmillan in the middle of September.
As a taster, here is one of the plates:

Bird News 29th August

2 Black-necked Grebe's were still present at Mullagh Co.Londonderry. (D. Steele)

Garganey a fem / imm, 22 Little Grebe, a high count of 210 Gadwall, 65 Shoveler, 37 Wigeon, 60 Coot and 150 Meadow Pipit in the south west corner. 5 Knot were at Mullagh.

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen near Downpatrick (Down)

Arctic Skua at Ballymacormick Point (R Weyl).

2 RT Diver and a Peregrine Falcon were at at Kearney Point.Continuing with the run of Pectoral Sandpipers, John Lovatt found one today at Lough Oughter, Co. Cavan - a first County record?

An unconfirmed report of a Lapland Bunting on Rathlin Island Co.Antrim (Birdguides)

Pectoral Sandpiper Belfast

This bird was found by ed O'Hara this morning but could not be reloacted this afternoon, however it may still be in the area:

Bird News for Sunday 29th August

Balearic Shearwater: 1 flew south past Kearney, Co. Down at 11.45am today. Very close to shore. (J Robinson)

Curlew Sandpiper: 2, Killard (C Nash):

Pectoral Sandpiper: 1 Belfast Harbour RSPB Reserve along with 1 Green Sandpiper and 3 Ruff.

Pectoral Sandpiper: 1 on pool at Myroe Lawn Fields

Melmore Head, Donegal Seawatch: over 2.5 hrs (7.45 to 10.15 am), 1 Wilsons Petrel,1 Sooty Shearwater,

24 Bonxies, 4 Arctic Skua, 2 Poms, 10 Arctic Terns (Eric Randall)

1 Arctic Skua a Red -throated Diver and 7 Common Scoter passed Burial Island Co.Down

The two Glossy Ibis were still showing well at Portmarnock Co.Dublin

Bird News for 28th August

Fanad Head Co. Donegal. in two spells of seawatching (7am-8.30am and 4pm -7pm)produced a Wilson's Petrel which showed for an hour,also 1 Cory's Shearwater,4 Sooties, 1 Pom Skua,18 Storm Petrel (W.Farrelly)

Another Wilson's Petrel, 17 Sooty Shearwater, 19 Great Skua ,4 Pom. Skua's, 13 Arctic Skua's, 9 Arctic Tern's all passed Mellmore Head Co.Donegal

The two Glossy Ibis at Portmarnock Co Dublin were still present to-day. For anyone interested going to look for the Ibis, directions are heading for Dublin turn of at the Swords/Malahide turnoff,go through Malahide and head for Portmarnock which is about two and a half miles beyond Malahide once in Portmarnock you will see a Texaco garage, facing this is a large grass area were Mallard ducks are fed by the public the Ibis are coming on to the field,it's as easy as that.

1 Balearic Shearwater and a Great Skua passed by Burial Island Co.Down (which is on the outer Ards peninsula), also 1 ad Med. Gull on the beach south of Portavogie and a Reed Warbler at Ballyherly Co.Down.(R.Weyl)

2 Black-necked Grebe's, an adult and a juv. were at Mullagh Co. Londonderry and a Little Egret at Church Island.(K.Bennett)

Brent Geese continue to arrive on a daily basis there were 15 at the Maltings Co. Down along with a Wheatear and a Little Egret. (I.McKee)

Bird News 27th August

1 Green Sandpiper 4 Ruff 6 Dunlin 2 Knot were at the RSPB Belfast Harbour reserve.

4 Purple Sandpiper at Bangor Marina and nearby Seacliff Road had 50 Turnstone and 50 Ringed Plover.

12 Brent Geese (just arrived) a Little Egret and a Buzzard were on the Comber Estuary close to Castle Espie.

Glossy Ibis update

The flock of ten Glossy Ibis that were reported from Rogerstown Co.Dublin earlier in the week,have now been reduced to just two birds and have been re-located at Portmarnock. With the new road system to Dublin now fully open you could be watching these birds within 90 mins after leaving Belfast. Where the other 8 birds have gone is of course a mystery, they could have well come north,so if you are out and about this week-end keep and eye out. The last certain record of Glossy Ibis in the north was way back in 1944 so one is long overdue. There has been old records going back to the end of the 19th century and early 20th century, but like most old records they had all been shot.

Sea - watching season

As we are now well into the sea watching season, to-day(27th Aug.) could be interesting, looking at the forecast there is north westerly winds reported, ideal for Ramore Head. It was around this date back in 2004 that Northern Ireland had it's first Little Shearwater of this headland, who knows maybe the second could be passing any day soon.

Bird News 26th August

Black-necked Grebes: 2,Mullagh, Lough Beg

Arctic Skua: 2, 400 Manx and a Whimbrel off Whitehead, Antrim,(P McCullough)

Red Kite and a Buzzard along Bonecastle Road, near the racecourse at Downpatrick Co Down, and 13 Little Egret at Ardilea at Dundrum Inner Bay North. (S and J Marshall)

A large raptor, possibly a Golden Eagle near Hillsborough Co. Down, (S Cook)

Green Sandpiper (Belfast Lough RSPB Reserve)

Michael O'Clery Exhibition @ Castle Espie

Leading Irish wildlife artist Michael O'Clery has an upcoming exhibition, at the Graffan Gallery, Castle Espie, Co. Down this Saturday. The opening is at 3pm on Saturday 28th, and runs until Sunday 12th September. The theme is 'Birds of the West Coast', and the exhibition also includes many plates from the forthcoming "The Complete Field Guide to Ireland's Birds", to be published by Gill & Macmillan in the middle of September.
As a taster, here is one of the portraits of a White Tailed Eagle:

Red Grouse

Red Grouse: 2, near Fardross Mountain (Slieve Beagh) Co Tyrone/Fermanagh, last night (C K Bell). This species is estimated at around 200 pairs for the whole of NI.

Green Sandpiper, RSPB Reserve, Belfast Lough

Many thanks to Danny Boyd for the pictures below of the Green Sandpiper at Belfast Lough RSPB Reserve today:

Glossy Ibis - Down the A1 \ M1

Paul Kelly (Irishbird Images - www.irishbirdimages.com ) has kindly provided a picture of one of the Ibis's currently present at Rogerstown Estuary which is north of Dublin.

Bird News 25th August

Black-necked Grebes: 2 at Lough Beg, along with an arctic Tern (D Steel)
Laughing Gull, Ballycastle, R Pollok
Little Egret 11, 400 Curlew, 2 Carrion Crow, Mill Bay, Carlingford Lough (F Carroll).
Linnet: 60 Ballyeaston Antrim and a Kingfisher along the Six Mile Water (E Flynn).
Green Sandpiper: 1, Belfast Lough RSPB reserve (D Boyd)

Don't forget that you can report sightings to: nibirds@live.co.uk