Bird News Tuesday 10th January

6 Waxwings were in Lismore Avenue in Bangor this morning. (William Bullar).

A presumed escaped Gyr Falcon was seen on a house roof in Saitnfield Co down (per RSPB NI).

A Greenshank and at least 20 Red-breasted Mergansers were at the Strand in Killyleagh. (Spencer & Joan Marshall)

A Little Egret was at Whitehouse Lagoon. (Stuart McKee)

A Green Sandpiper flew from a drain just east of Lisleitrim Lough near Cullyhanna Co. Armagh today (Joe Devlin).

The Black Redstart was still present in Whitehead. (Guy Hamilton).

An adult Iceland Gull was at Corbally Reservoir outside Portrush. (Hill Dick).

A Little Egret was in the Stormont  Estate. (Paul McCullough).

Thanks to Paul McCullough for this picture of a Jay.

 

Bird News Monday 9th January

The red head Smew and a Water Rail where at Portmore Lough reserve.(Garry Wilkinson)

A Carrion Crow was feeding in the grounds of the City Hall in Belfast.(Paul McCullough)

The Black Redstart and the flock of Twite where still on show at Whitehead sea front.(Jim McKeown)

3 Goosander (1 male/2female) where on Lough Island Reevy Co Down.(Frank Carroll)

3 Ruff where at N'ards floodgates.(Ross McIIWrath)

The Green-winged Teal continues to be seen at the Ecos centre.(G McGeehan/S.Dunlop)

A Cattle Egret seen at Whitehouse Lagoon has been reported to Irishbirding.

Our thanks to Gavin Ferguson who kindly sent in the pics  from Whitehead of the Black Redstart and the flock of Twite:

Bird News Sunday 8th January

The Black Redstart was still at Whitehead along with up to 22 Twite (Gerard McGeehan \ Clive Mellon) See pictures below.

The drake Ring-Necked Duck was showing well on the lake at NT Castle Ward, Co Down (Wilton Farrelly)

Three Ruff were at Dundrum Inner Bay (Ian Graham)

The Spoonbill was again at Castle Espie (Kevin Kirkham-Brown)

A Brambling and 5 Yellowhammer were in a large finch flock on the road down to the Quoile (Wilton Farrelly)

Two Red Grouse were on Slieve Donard (Edward Cooper)

The drake Surf Scoter and 3 Velvet Scoter were at  Murvagh, Donegal (Brad Robson)

Three Carrion Crows were east of Fishermans Quay and another 2 at Glynn Railway Halt, with 4 Red-throated Divers there as well (Clive Mellon)

Twenty two Red-throated Divers and three Great Northern Divers were off Newcastle (Garry Armstrong)

2 Gadwall were at Galwally Lake, south Belfast. Two Great Spotted Woodpeckers were in Belvoir near the sewage plant. Yesterday an adult Med Gull was at Newcastle at the river outflow on the beach and there were 7 Goosanders on Lough Island Reavy (Dermot Hughes)

A second winter Iceland Gull was on the shore from the small car park at Lough Shore Park, Belfast Lough (Stuart McKee)

2 Red Grouse were today at Breesy Hill, close to Belleek. Also 2 male Goosander were at Assaroe Lake Ballyshannon (Annette Elkin)

A male Gadwall was among Mallards in Mill Bay, Rathlin Island. A Great Northern Diver was also present (Patrick Barton)

12 Purple Sandpipers were at Portrush. A first winter Iceland Gull was at Corbally Reservoir (Gerard McGeehan / Shirley Dunlop)

Blackcaps are now widely reported from gardens. This male was photographed by Lindsay Hodges in a garden in Dundonald:

Thanks to Cecil Smyth for this pic of the Black Redstart and Twite:

Bird News Saturday 7th January

This morning at Whitehead, Co Antrim were ca 20 Twite at the boatyard and the female Black Redstart on the adjacent sea wall (Keith Bennett)

7 Scaup and a Red-throated Diver were off Kinnegar. At Dargan were 56 Scaup and 2 Long-tailed Ducks (Daniel Newton)

A 1st winter Ring-billed Gull was at Whitehouse lagoon Co Antrim and 2 Long-tailed Duck at Carrickfergus, from Fisherman's wharf. (Keith Bennett).

2 Slavonian Grebe were off Glynn Station and the Ring-billed Gull was still at Carrickfergus harbour. (Garry Armstrong).

A first winter Glaucous Gull was at Whiteabbey (Wilton Farrelly)

28 Common Scoter and 5 Red-throated Divers were off Crawfordsburn. Two Carrion Crow and five Carrion / Hooded Crow hybrids were on the shore with Hooded Crows (Stuart McKee)

The juv Iceland Gull Was at Enniskillen dump. The long staying Ring-billed Gull was still at the Round O, Enniskillen (Brad Robson)

In Strangford Lough, 12 Slavonian Grebe were at Greyabbey Bay and 7 Black-throated Divers south of Gransha Point. (Richard Weyl)

The red head Smew was still at Portmore Lough. A Green Sandpiper was at Lady Bay, Lough Neagh. (Neal Warnock)

200 Whooper were in the swan fields at the Creagh near Toome (Shane McGarvey)

Two Ruff were at Dundrum Inner Bay (Angus Kennedy)

Thanks to Angus Kennedy for this pic of a Greenshank:

Bird News Friday 6th January

Two Bewick Swans were with Whoopers at Closet Meadows, Oxford Island (Billy Miskelly)

A Brambling was in a garden at Islandmagee this morning (Robert McDowell)

A Waxwing is in Windsor Avenue, Belfast (Dave Allen)

The Black Redstart and approximately 15 Twite were still in Whitehead this afternoon. (Nigel Moore).

Thanks to Robert McDowell for the picture of the Brambling and to Nigel Moore for the picture of the Black Redstart:

Bird News Thursday 5th January

57 Waxwings are now at Carniny Rd, Ballymena. (Jeff Larkin).

Two Ravens were among 39 species seen at Belfast Lough WOW RSPB reserve this morning. (Jim McKeown).

The Red-head Smew was still at Portmore Lough RSPB reserve and a flock of up to 6 Yellowhammer were at the Quoile Pondage. (John & Michael Cusack).

A single Waxwing was in a garden in Greenland Crescent in Larne. (Geraldine Seymour).

Yesterday the Great White Egret was still at Rosscor in Co. Fermanagh. (Peter Taylor).

3 Jack Snipe, 212 Snipe and 4 Little Egrets were at Lower Lough Erne, Co. Fermanagh today. (Brad Robson).

You can report rare and scarce birds via email: nibirds@live.co.uk  Twitter @nibirds  or via text on the numbers at the top of this page. Thanks to everyone who shares sightings!

Thanks to Geraldine Seymour for the Waxwing picture and to Wilf Swain for the picture of the Brent Geese.

 

 

 

Bird News Wednesday 4th January

16 Twite and the Black Redstart were still at Whitehead this morning. (Adam McClure)

49 Waxwings were on Carniny Rd at the junction with Cullybackey Rd in Ballymena (Jeff Larkin)

The Green-winged Teal was still at the Ecos Centre and a Med Gull at Sandy Bay, Larne. (Adam McClure)

The adult Glaucous Gull and an adult Iceland Gull were at Corbally Reservoir, Portrush (Wilton Farrelly / Garry Armstrong)

A Pink-footed Goose and a Merlin were at Fair Head (Stuart McKee)

Circa 1500 Barnacle Geese, a Merlin and 3 Chough were at Malin Head (Christine Cassidy, Lindsay Hodges and Dermot McLaughlin)

6 Waxwings were at Roe Valley Country Park at 12pm today (Claire Hassan)

A flock of 20 Yellowhammer were with Redpoll & Reed Bunting on the Ballydrain Road near Castle Espie WWT. (Jim McKeown)

A Chiffchaff was at the North end of Belfast Waterworks this morning (Larry Toal)

The drake Smew was still at Inch, Co Donegal (Robin Cunningham)


Thanks to Linda Thompson for this pic of the Whitehead Twite, Christine Cassidy for the Barnacle Geese and Robin Cunningham for the Smew:

Twite, Linda Thompson:

 

Barnacle Geese, Christine Cassidy:

Drake Smew, Robin Cunningham:

Bird News Tuesday 3rd January

A Waxwing flock were on Ormonde Avenue Newtownabbey around 1015 this morning ( Chris Rankin)

The red-head Smew and female Marsh Harrier were still at Portmore Lough this morning (Keith Bennett \ Nigel Moore)

3 Waxwing were in a tree at the war memorial, Church Place in Lurgan (Aidan Donohoe)

Two Long-tailed Duck were off Dargan (Adam McClure)

A Slavonian Grebe was off Glynn Station, Larne Lough (Neal Warnock)

Another 23 Waxwing where on Windmill Road, Hillsborough.(Gary Wilkinson) see pic below.

14 Twite were at Whitehead boat compound.  A fem/imm type Black Redstart was along seawall between car park and old swimming pool (Ian Enlander)

The Ring-billed Gull was seen again at Carrick harbour.(Daniel Newton)

The Ring-billed Gull was again seen at the Round O, E'killen.(Brad Robson)

Waxwing( taken in Lurgan) - James O'Neil.

Ring - billed Gull - Dougie Gamble.

Black Redstart - Cameron Moore.

Bird News Monday 2nd January

A flock of 50 Waxwings are at Sherwood Road, Sherwood Park, Newtonabbey Co. Antrim, eating berries at the very top of the estate. (John Cusack, Tom McEntee and Vanessa Dunn/Stephen Maxwell).

The female Marsh Harrier was hunting over the reed-beds at Portmore Lough Co. Antrim circa 2.40.(John Cusack, Tom McEntee and Vanessa Dunn).

Around 30 Waxwing were at Birch Meadow, Ballyhenry, Glengormley. (Jim McKeown)

2 Waxwings were in the. car park at Belvoir Park, Belfast (Dave Allen)

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was at Blackwood Golf Club this morning. (Colin Cardy)

A male Brambling is visiting a garden in Glengormley (Philip McHaffie)

18 Twite were at the car park beside Whitehead Boat Club this morning (Clive Mellon)

Portmore Lough had a Ring-necked Duck, Smew and Green-winged Teal (BirdGuides)

A female Peregrine was along Windmill Road near Annahilt. (Garry Wilkinson).

A pair of Dipper were on the Shimna River in Tollymore Forest. (Derek Polley).

A Sandwich Tern and 3 Black Guillemots were in Holme Bay, Killyleagh in Strangford Lough. (Spencer & Joan Marshall).

The Green-winged Teal was still at the Ecos Park in Ballymena this morning. (John Parkinson).

2 Woodcock , Prehen House Grounds, Prehen Park, Derry (Christine Cassidy)

Thanks to Gareth Platt for the picture of a Common Gull taken at Antrim Marina, this bird was ringed as a juvenile in Finland over 21 years ago, to Stephen Maxwell for the pictures of the Waxwings and to John Parkinson for the picture of the Green-winged Teal.

 

 

 

 

Bird News New Years Day, Sunday 1st January 2017

The Green-winged Teal is still at the Ecos Centre, Ballymena. (Jeff Larkin)

The adult Little Gull was at Drains Bay, Larne (Neal Warnock)

The Spoonbill was seen again today on the salt marsh at Castle Espie (Kevin Kirkham-Brown).

A male Great Spotted Woodpecker was at Mount Stewart, Co Down, today (Keith Bennett)

A pair of Crossbills were in courtship this morning near Clabby Co Fermanagh. (Colin Bell)

A Great-spotted Woodpecker was seen on the Comber Greenway at Knock Police HQ

The Ring-billed Gull was still in Carrickfergus Harbour (Birdguides)

18 Waxwings were seen again this afternoon at Birch Green, Newtownabbey (Brian Murphy)

A happy new year to all users of this Blog. Also a big thank you to everyone who shared their bird news, sightings and pictures in 2016. This Blog could not exist without your continued contribution and support. Thanks again.

Many thanks for this pic of a Buzzard from John Moore and the Spoonbill from Kevin Kirkham-Brown:

Bird News New Year's Eve

The Ring-billed Gull is back at Carrickfergus harbour.(Paul McCullough).

The Marsh Harrier and the Red-head Smew were both still at Portmore RSPB. (Seamus Feeney).

A Great Northern Diver was off the harbour in Newcastle. (Daniel Newton).

A Great Northern Diver was off Crawfordsburn this morning. (Derek Polley).

Thanks to Neal Warnock for this picture of a Dark-bellied Brent, a Pale-bellied Brent and a leucistic Brent from Myroe yesterday.

Bird News Friday 30th December

This afternoon, there was a first winter Iceland gull off Strickland's Glen, Bangor West. (Philip Watson)

18 Snipe and a Pintail were at RSPB WOW (Gerard McGeehan)

A Barnacle Goose, a dark-bellied Brent Goose along with a leucistic Brent where at Myroe Levels, a Glaucous Gull was on the Corbally Rd reservoir in Portrush.(Neal Warnock)

A second winter Kumliens Gull was at Whitehouse lagoon. (Stuart McKee)

41 Scaup were off Dargan (Daniel Newton)

Thanks to Stuart McKee for the pic of the Kumliens Gull and David Hunter for the Sanderling:

 

Bird News Thursday 29th December

A flock of 18 Waxwings were over Birch Green, Glengormley, with a Sparrowhawk (Gerard McGeehan / Shirley Dunlop)

Two Waxwings were at the west end of Clogher at noon today (Richard Gray)

28 Scaup were off Dargan (Daniel Newton)

Rathlin today had 30 Twite, 3 Common Scoter and a Gadwall & bottlenose dolphins were seen from the ferry. (Neal Warnock).

A Barn Owl flew across the road at Annahilt Orange Hall at 17.04 today. (Gayle & Garry Wilkinson).

A Little Gull was at Ballycastle. (Gareth Platt).

The Green-winged Teal was seen again at the Ecos Park, Ballymena. (Jeff Larkin).

Both the Red Head Smew and the Marsh Harrier were still at Portmore RSPB this morning. (Garry Armstrong).

An adult and a 2nd winter Little Gull were at Bishopscourt this afternoon. (Ian Jackson)

Thanks to Gareth for these pictures of the Little Gull:

 

Bird News Wednesday 28th December

The flock of 40+ Waxwing were still present Birch Green, Newtownabbey. These birds can be absent from the street for long periods. (Richard Hunter)

A first winter Iceland Gull was at Whitehouse Lagoon (Stuart McKee)

The female Goosander is still at Six Mile Water Park, Ballyclare but now in the Duck Pond. Still there at 1300 hrs. At RSPB Portmore Lough this afternoon the female/first winter Smew was still present. (Tom Ennis/Tony Dodds)

Thanks to Rod Gillan for this pic of a Blackcap in a garden in Portstewart:

 

Bird News Tuesday 27th December

2 Iceland Gull(adult & 1st winter) where seen at E'killen dump.(Brad Robson)

A female Smew was at the RSPB Portmore Lough reserve,2 Little Egret where also present.(G.McGeehan/Shirley Dunlop)


30 Waxwing where at Birch Green, Newtownabbey.(Birdguides)

Bird News Boxing Day

Four Goosanders, 1 a male, were on Lough Island Reavey this morning. (Ron Price).

20 Waxwings were in Ballyhenry Road, Glengormley. (Birdguides).

A1st winter Glaucous Gull and about 25 Long-tailed Duck were at Glasagh Bay, Fanad in Donegal. A single Manx Shearwater was off Fanad Lighthouse. (Wilton Farrelly).

The Great White Egret was in Tully Bay, Lower Lough Erne, near the Church Hill picnic area on the Lough Shore Road. (Annette Elkin).

A Barn Owl was seen flying towards a marshy area on Windmill Road in Hillsborough this evening. (Gary Wilkinson).

Thanks to Annette Elkin for these pictures of the Great White Egret.

Bird News, Christmas Day

Wishing everyone a Happy Christmas.

5 Waxwings were in trees on the Hillsborough Old Rd, Lisburn this morning. (Eric Randall)

The Ring-billed Gull was still at the Round O, Enniskillen (Gavin Thomas)

Bird News Saturday 24th December

The Ring-billed Gull was still at the Round-O, Enniskillen (Wilton Farrelly)

The Marsh Harrier was still showing well at RSPB Portmore Lough. Also there are around 30 Pintail on the lough. (Laura Smith)

3 Jack Snipe were today at Aughnagurgan Lough, Co. Armagh and 2 at Clay Lake, Co. Armagh. (David Knight)

A pair of Goosanders were today on the Erne at Belleek for a couple of hours (Paul McGahon)

Blackcaps continue to be reported from gardens.

We wish all viewers and contributors of the Blog, a Merry Christmas.

Ring-billed Gull - Wilton Farrelly

Tree Sparrow, Portstewart - Rod Gillan

Bird News Friday 23rd December

The Ring-billed Gull was still at the Round O, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh (Brad Robson)

Bird News Thursday 22nd December

The Green-winged Teal was still present at the Ecos Park, Ballymena. (Jeff Larkin)

The female Goosander was at Ballyclare again this morning (Neal Warnock)

There was a Jack Snipe on the NW slope of Croaghan Hill, County Antrim this morning (Clive Mellon)

Thanks to Neal for this pic of the Goosander: