Bird News Wednesday 15th December

A female/1st winter Black Redstart is frequenting the slipway at Killough, Co Down (Chris Murphy)

The drake Lesser Scaup was still just to the east of Todd's Corner at Ardmore on the south shore of Lough Neagh. (Bob Watts)

A juvenile Glaucous Gull and a 2nd winter Iceland Gull are at Enniskillen dump, Co Fermanagh (Brad Robson)

19 Greenland Whitefronts left Rathlin for the mainland this morning (Ric Else / Hazel Watson)

A Brambling was on the Hollow Rd, Aghalee. The Marsh Harrier was still at Portmore Lough (Dermot Hughes)

A Brambling was at Whitehead (Cameron Moore)

Male Brambling, Cameron Moore:

A record shot of the Ring-necked Ducks at Lough Beg, yeaterday (David Steele):

Bird News Tuesday 14th December

 The Lesser Scaup was still just to the east of Todd's Corner at Ardmore on the south shore of Lough Neagh. (Clifford Sharpe).

A Black-throated Diver was off the coastal path at Carnalea outside Bangor. (Derek Polley).

Two male Ring-necked Ducks were at the south end of Lough Beg. The Cattle Egret, Spotted Redshank, Great Northern Diver and 31 Ruff were also present. (David Steele).

The two Great White Egrets are still at Ballycarry in Larne Lough. (Tom McDonnell).

The Lesser Whitethroat was seen again in a garden in Bangor. (Sean Wensley).

Thanks to Tom for the pictures of the Great White Egret:

Bird News Monday 13th December

4 Brambling were still with the Chaffinch flock (70+), by the stream on Cushendun beach. (Dermot Hughes)

At Portstewart back strand today (opposite the NT hide at the Barmouth) were 2 male Goosanders and a Spotted Redshank (David Morrow)

2 Velvet Scoter (female type) seen off D3, Belfast Harbour today out towards the shipping channel (John O'Boyle)

Bird News Sunday 12th December

Male Lesser Scaup just east of Todds Corner at Ardmore on the south shore of Lough Neagh. (Garry Armstrong)

A male and female Goosander are at Neillsbrook Weir, Randlestown (Ivan Quail)

22 Pink-footed Geese we’re at the Low Road, Islandmagee, 1km from Ballystudder. (Rachel Walter and Chris Veale)

A Short-eared Owl was at Portavogie this morning. (Richard Weyl)

2 Black-throated Divers and 6 Common Scoter were at Carnlough. The adult Med Gull  was still at Glenarm. The 1st winter Iceland Gull was still at Drains Bay. (Neal Warnock)

A Lesser Whitethroat was seen in a garden in Bangor today. (Sean Wensley).

Thanks to Michael Latham for the picture of the Kestrel:

Bird News Saturday 11th December

6 Goosanders were at Begney Lough this afternoon, 3 males, 3 red-heads. (David Nixon)

An Iceland Gull at Drains Bay along the Antrim Coast this afternoon. (Neal Warnock)

2 Great White Egrets were still on Larne Lough at the Islandmagee causeway this evening (Dakota Reid)

Icceland Gull, Neal Warnock:

Great White Egret, Dakota Reid:

Bird News Friday 10th December

 11 White-fronted Geese flew from Rathlin towards the mainland this morning. (Hazel Watson & Ric Else). 

17 Twite and a Purple Sandpiper where at Whitehead.(Ian Enlander)

An Iceland Gull was on Stoneyford reservoir.(Suzanne Belshaw)

76 Pinkfeet, 1 Barnacle Goose and a Merlin were at Donnybrewer today, (Matthew Tickner)

Our thanks to Suzanne for the photo of the Iceland Gull.

  

Bird News Thursday 9th December

 Two Glossy Ibis flew high over the Lagan Valley Hospital, Lisburn, in the direction of Lough Neagh at 08.32. (Garry Wilkinson).

The White-tailed Eagle was seen again on Rathlin this morning. (Hazel Watson & Ric Else).

A small flock of Crossbills were in Ely Lodge Forest in west Fermanagh this morning. (Brad Robson).

Both of Great White Egrets were at Ballycarry (David Stirling / Kevin Kirkham)

A hybrid Carrion x Hooded Crow was at Fisherman's Quay in Carrickfergus. (David Stirling)

65 Whooper Swans were in flooded fields at Flatfield near Moira. (Juliet Fleming)

2 Pink-footed Geese were at Knockninny, Derrylin, Co. Fermanagh. (Ronan Owens).

A male Brambling was in a garden in west Fermanagh this evening. (Brad Robson).

Thanks To Tom McDonnell for the picture of the White-tailed Eagle and to David Stirling for the pictures of the Great White Egret and the hybrid Carrion Crow:

Bird News Wednesday 8th December

The two Great White Egrets are still at Ballycarry Bridge, Larne Lough. (Cameron Moore)

Paid BTO Survey Work

 Paid Bird Survey Work 

The BTO requires field surveyors for agri-environment scheme monitoring work. This fieldwork would involve three (monthly) survey visits from December-February, with BBS-like methods, plus habitat recording. Land access permissions are secured. Payment is by an hourly rate as a paid employee of BTO or as a subcontractor (if self-employed). Further surveys are available in spring and winter for the next five years. The survey sites are near Newry and Craigavon. If interested, please contact Gavin Siriwardena at gavin.siriwardena@bto.org.

Bird News Tuesday 7th December

 Four Goosanders, three males and a female, were on Corbett Lough outside Banbridge this morning. (David McCreedy).

A Mediterranean Gull and a Purple Sandpiper were at the slipway in Whitehead. (Cameron Moore).

Thanks to Cameron Moore for the pictures of the Purple Sandpiper:

Bird News Monday 6th December

57 Pinkfeet were in a flooded field on the Cromore Rd between Coleraine and Portstewart this afternoon

John Clarke and Stephen Riddell) 

 A Great White Egret was at the SE end of Lough Beg, adjacent to the River Bann(Graham McIlwaine)

A single male Goosander on Corbet today 33 Whoopers still there. (Also one Tuftie) (Mike McLaughlin)

4 Goosanders, 3 of them males, on Begney Lake near Dromara, this afternoon. (David Nixon)

16 Purple Sandpiper and a Twite where opposite Donaghadee Community Centre.(Bob Watts)

Imm. White-tailed Eagle seen on Rathlin to-day.(Tom McDonnell)

Bird News Sunday 5th December

A Merlin and a Siberian type Chiffchaff were near the marina at Oxford Island. (Ed O'Hara).

33 Whooper Swans and a Greenshank were at Corbett Lough outside Banbridge, there was no sign of the Goosanders. (Mike McLaughlin).

A Great Northern Diver, 2 Black throat divers and 3 Common Scoter were at Carnlogh Bay. A Med Gull continues to be in Glenarm. Two Brambling were at Tweeds Port. (Ivan Quail / Nicky Lynn).

A Merlin and 30+ Tree Sparrow were at St Johns Point (Kevin Rice).

Today between 10 am & 2 pm, Belfast Lough from Belfast WOW reserve to Kinnegar Pools had a Long-tailed Duck and 3 Slavonian Grebes, the best of 50+ species. (Kevin Kirkham, North Down Birdwatching Club).

Three Slavonian Grebe were off Macedon Point (Stuart McKee)

The Marsh Harrier was at Portmore today (Michael Latham)

The Brambling are still with the Chaffinch flock at the north end of Cushendun Beach (Brian Halligan)

A Merlin was also seen at the cliffs below Mussenden Temple (Seamus & Sean O’Hara)

Marsh Harrier, Michael Latham:

Greenshank, David Clarke:

Brambling, Ivan Quail:

Merlin, Kevin Price:

Bird News Saturday 4th December

One of the Siberian type Chiffchaffs and a Common Chiffchaff were around the ponds by the Discovery Centre at Oxford Island. (Garry Armstrong, Ed O’Hara)

Two Goosanders, male and female, were still at Corbett Lough outside Banbridge, a Peregrine and a Greenshank were also present. (David McCreedy).

A mixed flock of 100 Fieldfare and Redwing were at the Derrytrasna Road, Lenny's Road  junction in Craigavon @ 1 pm (David Clarke).

Three Long-tailed Duck were seen off Macedon Point, Belfast Lough (Bob Watts).

At least 14 Twite were at Whitehead seafront. (Ian Enlander).

A Brambling was in a garden at Springfield, Enniskillen (M Duffy)

Thanks to Ed O'Hara for the picture of the Siberian type Chiffchaff and to Michael Latham for the picture of the Red Kite:

Bird News Friday 3rd December

2 Goosander where in Bally Lough  which lies between Castlewellan and Clough. (Mike McLaughlin)

,

All 4 Goosanders on Corbet lake this morning, but flew off at 1100 am towards river Bann.(David McCreedy)

2 Long-tailed Duck seen off D3 Belfast Lough, another flew in and landed on sea nr. Kinnegar.(Stuart McKee).

St John's Point had...2 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk,  about 300 Linnets, 30+ Tree Sparrow, flock / group of 15 Reed Buntings.  Tyrella  had at least 500 Common Scoters with a few Red-breasted Merganser mixed in. (Mike McLaughlin)

Our thanks to Thomas Campbell for the photo of the Purple Sandpiper. Second pic taken by Alastair McLean of a Greenshank. Third pic taken by Mike McLaughlin of a flock of Knot.

Bird News Thursday 2nd December

4 male Goosander were on Corbet Lough near Banbridge this morning. (Mike McLaughlin)

A Great Spotted Woodpecker is visiting a garden at Cloveneden Rd, Loughgall (Dennis Lavery).

Two Siberian type Chiffchaffs were around the ponds by the Discovery Centre at Oxford Island. (Ed O'Hara).

A new 1st calendar year Glaucous Gull was seen in flight on Rathlin, a Little Egret, a rare bird on the island, was in Church Bay. (Hazel Watson & Ric Else).

An adult Glaucous Gull and 1st winter Iceland Gull were at Keady Compost Plant, Co. Armagh. The Green Sandpiper was seen again at Shaw's Lake. (Joe Devlin).

The two Great White Egrets were at Ballycarry Bridge in Larne Lough this morning. (David McCreedy).

A Long-tailed Duck was off Kinnegar shore. (Dot Blakely, Stephen Boyd).

Thanks to Josh Clarke for the picture of the Great White Egret, to Dennis Lavery for the picture of the Great Spotted Woodpecker, to Ed O'Hara for the pictures of the Siberian type Chiffchaffs, to Wilf Swain for the picture of the Buzzard and to Stephen Boyd for the picture of the Long-tailed Duck:

Bird News Wednesday 1st December

One of the Great White Egrets was showing at Ballycarry and an adult Mediterranean Gull was at Loughshore, Belfast Lough (Brian Murphy)

A Brambling is visiting a garden in Castlerock (Mervyn Guthrie)

Female Brambling, Mervyn Guthrie:

Bird News Tuesday 30th November

The Siberian type Chiffchaff was seen again around the pools by the Discovery Centre at Oxford Island. (Ed O'Hara / Bob Watts).

The two Great White Egrets were still at Ballycarry Bridge in Larne Lough this afternoon. (Kevin Kirkham).

Thanks to Ed O'Hara for the picture of the Siberian type Chiffchaff:

Bird News Monday 29th November

At least one Great White Egret was still at Ballycarry (Kevin Kirkham)

At least 44 Red-throated Diver were at Carnalea. (Richard Weyl)

The Spotted Redshank was still at Dundrum inner bay. A Green Sandpiper was at Ardilea but flew upstream. (Dermot Hughes / John O’Boyle)

4 Whooper Swans were grazing in a field west of A26 near Cloughmills. (Derek McClean)

Yesterday, a Black-throated Diver was in Red Bay on the East Antrim Coast, also at least ten Red-throated Divers, three Great Northern Divers and three Common Scoter. (David Steele)

Jay, Guy Hamilton:

Bird News Sunday 28th November

A Black-throated Diver was in Carnlough Bay with one of the Brambling still at the north end of Cushendun beach.(Jeff Larkin)

2 Great White Egret were still at Ballycarry.(Tim Davis)

2 Black-throated Diver were seen at Kircubbin.(Gerard McGeehan/Shirley Dunlop)

A Carrion Crow was at Glynn.(Dakota Reid)

A Slavonian Grebe was off Macedon Point, along with 350 Great Crested Grebe, 3500 Eider.(Stuart McKee)

31 Slavonian Grebe were off Myroe (David Stirling)

Our thanks to Gerry Bond for this image of a Dunlin. 

Bird News Saturday 27th November

The two Great White Egret were at Ballycarry and 8 Twite were at Whitehead Boatyard (Cameron Moore / Mark Elliott)

Fanad this morning had 2 Iceland Gulls (1w & 2w) and 1 Little Auk (Jamie Bliss / Wilton Farrelly).

Two Brambling are still visiting a garden near Magilligan (Martin Deehan).

A single Brambling was at Tweeds Port near Larne. (Ivan Quail & Nicky Lynn).

A Stock Dove was visiting a garden in Richhill. (Andrew Poots).

A Whimbrel was heard calling at D1 beside Belfast Lough RSPB WoW Reserve. (Stuart McKee).

Four Twite were at Kinnegar Shore. (Tim Davis).

Thanks to Mark Elliott for the pictures of the Twite and the Great White Egret, to Andrew Poots for the picture of the Stock Dove and to Michael Latham for the picture of the Water Rail: