nibirds

Bird News for 30th Sept.

The only news, is of an immature Goshawk at Tyrella Co.Down (P.Lorimer) Any further sightings of this exciting raptor would be very welcome indeed, it's not everyday we all see Goshawks.

Peregrine

The picture below is of a Peregrine and was taken by Ronald Surgenor. The estimated number of breeding birds in NI is only 87 pairs.

The latest copy of the Northern Ireland Bird Report is available for £10. If you email your name and address to nibirds@live.co.uk we will send a copy out in good faith. This report is the result of work by not only the observers but also the voluntary team who work hard to produce it. As always, the contribution by everyone is appreciated!

Bird News 29th September

Matthew Tickner had 2 Little Stint at the Bann Estuary (Londonderry)
500 Gannet went north at Torr Head (Antrim) over 2 hours. D Clark
A Little Auk was at Ardglass (Down),
Craig Nash had the leucistic Wheatear and a Merlin at Killard Point (Down).
Lough Beg had 2 Pink Feet, 16 Ruff and a Spotted Redshank. D Steele.

Bird News for 28th Sept.

Thanks to Joe Devlin for the above photographs of the 2 Black Terns that were present on Shaws Lake Co.Armagh.

2 Lapland Bunting were still present at Ramore Head Co.Antrim (C.Guy).

4 Greenshank and a Med Gull were at Glynn Co.Antrim (C.Moore)

More clues of global warming

Thanks to Danny Boyd who forwarded his friends photograph which he took at Kinbane Head near Ballycastle, further evidence that Northern Ireland is now nearly sub-tropical, that is of course until you dip your big toe into the sea at Portrush.

Bird Observatories of Britain & Ireland

Bird Observatories of Britain & Ireland

This great new book is now available. It contains a full section on Copeland Island and for Irish Birders, there is also a section on Cape Clear by Steve Wing. It can be ordered from Neville McKee at £45! It would be helpful to Copelands funds if you could order your copy from Neville. You can book a copy by e-mailing him at neville.mckee@btinternet.com . If you are not in a hurry to receive it (it will be excellent winter reading!) you can collect from him, or if you live in the greater Belfast area or within 8 miles of Bangor, he should be able to deliver. Please reserve your copy now by e-mail. This book looks like being a collector’s item, like the last one printed in 1975 which has recently been selling second-hand at over £200! The new book is far bigger and better and is getting quite decent reviews.

Bird News for 27th Sept.

There is a report from Kiltagh Point Co. Tyrone on the west shore of Lough Neagh of a Glossy Ibis, prehaps the same bird of a few weeks back which flew over the Mullagh.( C.Coney).

There was two seperate reports of Lapland Buntings, one possibly two reported from Fair Head and the other again from Ramore Head.

Lapland Bunting - a bird overlooked

This month so far has had a good selection of rare birds,but one in particular this has been a very good month to see them. Usually Lapland Buntings are very scarce in Northern Ireland and over the last ten years very few have been recorded,but this month there has been quite a few around, Ramore Head has had at least 4 birds seen regular there over the last few weeks, Kearney on the Co.Down coast has had up to 3 birds and there has even been one reported from Co.Fermanagh.Elsewhere Shetlands have had up to 200 birds and even Tacumshin in Co. Wexford have had a couple. The problem is of course they are hard to see on the ground,once they feed in tussocks and ploughed fields they tend to disappear from sight, so getting to know the diagnostic call is vital when the birds are in the air, if your are lucky enough to see them on the deck they do look quite distinctive(see above photo) They do tend to be recorded generally from coastal areas, one thing we certainly aren't short of in Northern Ireland, so this autumn and winter keep looking and more importantly listening out for this attractive bunting.

Bird News Sunday 26th September

Juv Baird's Sandpiper, Tullyhill, Kilclief Strangford Narrows. The bird was found in the morning,but disappeared on the rising tide and has not been relocated.

A Little Stint (see photo below by I.Graham ) was on the Lawn fields at Myroe, along with a Merlin and 2 Kingfisher,there was also large numbers of Skylarks feeding on the stubble fields.(G.Armstrong/ P.West/I.Patience/I.Graham)

3 Grey Plover and a Merlin were at Ballykelly and a RT Diver just of shore.

Slavonian Grebes have started returning to Greyabbey Bay south and 2 were reported from there to-day, and continuing the large number of Skylark flocks 200 were at Kirkistown (R.Weyl)

A Little Gull was at Mill Quarter Bay Co.Down (I.Jackson)

A Lapland Bunting was again reported from Ramore Head Co.Antrim (R.Hoy)

Bird News Saturday 25th September

Matthew Tickner had 4 Lapland Bunting at Ramore Head (Antrim), a Wheatear and the adult RB Gull at Portrush East Strand car park.

Jim Whitla and Bangor RSPB had 2 BT Diver going south at Ramore and the 2 PF Geese (very approachable) at Ballymena Ecos Park (Antrim).

Ian Enlander had a pale Arctic Skua on the way over to Rathlin.

Richard Weyl had 2 Lapland Bunting (elusive) with 100 Skylark and 150 Linnet in a stubble field at Kearney Point (Down) and an adult Mediterranean Gull at Cloghy Bay.

Neville and Pat McKee had 6 Twite on the beach at Ballintoy Harbour (Antrim).
Keith Bennett had a Ruff and Mediterranean Gull at Myroe Levels (Lough Foyle) and another Mediterranean Gull at Ballykelly.
In Donegal 7 PF Geese at Blanket Nook and a juv Black Tern at Inch Lake.

Bird News Friday 24th September

David Steele had another flyover Pectoral Sandpiper at Mullagh, Lough Beg (Londonderry) as well as 6 PF Geese, 2 Little Egret and 4 Ruff. A juv Black Tern was at the Beg.
Gerard McGeehan had 2 PF Geese, a Ruff, 23 Golden Plover, 2 Tree Sparrow and 3 White Wagtail at the south end of the Beg as well.
C Stewart had a dark Arctic Skua and 7 RT Diver at Magilligan (Lough Foyle).

Bird News for 23rd Sept.

Not a lot of news to-day,it was obvious that the bad weather contributed to that but there was, 2 Med.Gulls reported one at Cloghy Bay and the other at Ballyquinton Point on the Outer Ards penisula. 3 RT Diver were at Kearney

2 PF Geese were at Ecos centre in Ballymena.

White Tailed Eagle - Antrim

You may be interested in the news story below from BBC NI regarding one of the released birds from Kerry:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-11390153

Bird News 22nd Sept. Update

An Osprey flew south at Aghnaleck nr Hillsborough (G.Wilkinson)

1 Lapland Bunting was at Ramore Head, but could be a small flock present as there was more heard than seen.(M.Tickner)

1 Pec Sandpiper (considered a new bird) was in flight along with 2 Snipe at Mullagh end of Lough Beg, 6 Ruff as well, 3 juv. Black Tern were at the Beg and 2 Little Egret on the West Shore.
(D.Steele)