Bird News Saturday 2nd May 2026

A second year Little Gull was at Inch (Chris Ingram)

An adult Spoonbill is at the Quoile (Dan Baillie)  The bird was still present at 5pm (David Stirling)

120 Whimbrel were at Portballintrae (Simon Morton)

Rathlin today had a Golden Eagle, 2 Tree Pipits, circa 40 Whimbrels, 4 Purple Sandpipers, 4 Great Skuas, 1 Corncrake and a Carrion Crow. The Lesser Yellowlegs appears to have finally gone after a 6-month stay (Ric Else / Hazel Watson) It is thought that up to 6 Tree Pipits have been seen in the last few days.

The drake Ring-necked Duck was still at Magheredrumman Lough, Fanad Head (Wilton Farrelly)

11 Glossy Ibis were at the south end of Lough Beg although mobile (David Steele)

Cuckoo’s are widely reported from usual breeding locations.

Tree Pipit, Ric Else:

Whitethroat, Michael Latham:

Bird News Friday 1st May 2026

A Tree Pipit and two Crossbills were at Kinramer on Rathlin. A second Tree Pipit was over Kebble. A Corncrake was heard near Church Bay this morning by Nick Richards. Nick also saw the White-tailed Eagle again yesterday evening. A Pinkfoot was also present. (Ric Else).

Drake Ring Necked Duck was still present at Magheredrumman Lough, Fanad, in Donegal early this morning.

A Reed Warbler was at Harbour Meadows this morning. No sign of Spoonbill or Little Gull at WoW. 14 Common Terns at WoW. (Stuart Cossey).

A Mediterranean Gull was on the island by Farland Bank, Inch Lake in Donegal this morning. (Searlas Anderson).

4 Cuckoo were at Altikeeragh this morning. (John Clarke).

The Cetti’s Warbler is still at Lough Cowey. 4 Ruff were on flooded fields north of Kirkiston. (Richard Weyl).

9 Glossy Ibis flew east over Portmore. (Madeleine Mills).

Common Sandpiper, 26 Whimbrels, 365 Dunlins, 85 Sanderlings and 20 Ringed Plovers Bann Estuary this afternoon. (John Spottiswood).

The Little Gull is at the Quoile seen from the hide. A Ruff coming into summer plumage is at the yacht club end. (David Nixon).

1st-summer (2CY) American Golden Plover at Lough Beg this evening, also two Wood Sandpipers. The American Golden Plover dropped in at 19.10 and flew out again calling at 19.40, looked to be on the move. (David Steele).

The Chough was still on Copeland. (Holly McCormack).

A Whimbrel was at Larne Promenade. (David Gillespie).

6 Swifts were over Shaftesbury Square in Belfast this evening. (Jim Bowman).

Bird News Thursday 30th April 2026

Juvenile White-tailed Eagle (no visible tags) in the Antrim Hills (Ian Young).

Common Sandpiper and White Wagtail at Portstewart (Stephen Riddell).

Water Pipit reported at Ballystrudder on Islandmagee on fence post around edge of Oldchurch Bay, Larne Lough at 1052 (BirdGuides).

Juvenile White-tailed Eagle glided over Shantallow, Derry early afternoon heading NW perhaps towards Lough Swilly (Searlas Anderson).

Drake Ring-necked Duck on Magheredrumman Lough, Fanad Head late this evening. Also 40 Long-tailed Duck at Ballyheirnan Bay. 

5 pairs of Mediterranean Gulls at Belfast Lough WoW also adult Little Gull, 6 Common Terns and 30+ Sandwich Terns (Derek Polley).

White-tailed Eagles, Ian Young & Searlas Anderson:

Bird News Wednesday 29th April 2026

An unringed White Stork is at a ploughed field at Newtowncunningham, Donegal. It is viewable from here:  https://maps.app.goo.gl/kB8xvgRpThFHSKcX9?g_st=if (per Derek Brennan)

40 Whimbrel were in front of the Barn Gallery at Rossglass Beach (David Clarke)

An adult Little Gull was at RSPB WoW (Gerard McGeehan)

A Little Gull, Ruff and 29 Whimbrel were at the Quoile (Chris Murphy)

A White Wagtail and 10 Whimbrel were at Portstewart this morning. A further 50 Whimbrel were at the Bann Estuary (John Clarke)

Rathlin had the Lesser Yellowlegs, the White-tailed Eagle, 5 Purple Sandpiper and 2 Twite (Ric Else / Hazel Watson)

A Mealy Redpoll was visiting a garden in Co Antrim (Tim Davis)

White Stork, Derek Brennan:

Whimbrel, David Clarke:

Bird News Tuesday 28th April 2026

A Spoonbill is at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve this morning. (Clive Mellon). The Spoonbill was still present this evening. (Wilton Farrelly).

Two Cetti's Warblers, either side of 11, Downpatrick Road. Killough, which seems to be the territorial boundary. Adult summer plumaged Little Gull, Ruff and two Common Sandpipers at the Quoile. (Chris Murphy).

9 adult and a 1st summer Mediterranean Gull were also at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve. (Stuart McKee). A Common Sandpiper was also present. (Dot Blakely).

2 Stock Dove over Newtownards Road south of Newtownards, near the sewage works. (Bob Watts).

The shore between Ballintoy Harbour and White Park Bay had 42 Whimbrel and 3 White Wagtail this afternoon (Ian Enlander)

Dark-bellied Brent Goose and 88 Whimbrel are at the Bann Estuary this evening. (John Spottiswood).

A Wood Warbler was heard but not seen in east Antrim. (Christopher Lamb)

A male Whinchat was seen in the Antrim Hills. (Hugh Thurgate).

Spoonbill, Clive Mellon.

Bird News Monday 27th April 2026

Yesterday close views of immature White-tailed Eagle on Rathlin, also a Hen Harrier, 2 Great Skuas and a female Bullfinch represented just the 6th island record (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

Lesser Yellowlegs and White-tailed Eagle still present on Rathlin also 5+ Purple Sandpipers and Twite (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

White-tailed Eagle, Ric Else:

Bird News Sunday 26th April 2026

A Cettis Warbler was singing at the back of Strand Lough, Co Down. 25 Whimbrel were on Rossglass Beach. (Chris Veale)

The Cettis as Lough Cowey was calling again this morning. 15 Whimbrel and a White Wagtail were at Ballyquinton (Bob Watts)

A Common Sandpiper and 40 Common Tern were at The Quoile (Dermot Hughes)

Yesterday an immature White-tailed Eagle was on Rathlin (Stephen Macauley)

Two Pink-footed Geese and 10 Whimbrel were at Larne Lough (Cameron Moore)

A Wood Sandpiper was flushed at Lough Beg. 3 Ruff were also present (David Steele)

A Wood Sandpiper was in the flooded field behind the platform at Inch Lake (Chris Ingram)

32 Whimbrel were at the Bann Estuary (John Spottiswood)

11Whimbrel and two White Wagtail were at Kearney (Bob Watts)

7 Whimbrel were at Bartin’s Bay, Lough Neagh (Chris Rankin)

Six Common Tern were at RSPB WoW (Stuart McKee)

The leucistic Great Black Backed Gull which could be mistaken for a Glaucous Gull was again at Ardglass (Chris Murphy)

A Hoopoe was seen on a fence post at 107 Middle Road, Saintfield (Jackie Wade)

Whitethroat are widely reported. Cuckoo are now back at usual breeding locations.

Cettis Warbler, Chris Veale:

Dunlin, John Clarke:

Wood Sandpiper, Inch, Derek Brennan:

Bird News Saturday 25th April 2026

72 Whimbrel and 8 Brent were at Rossglass, Co. Down. A Basking Shark was off St. John's Point, also a female whitethroat. Cetti's Warbler was singing at Killough. (Dermot Hughes).

4 Ruff were with the Golden Plover flock in the middle of Reedy Flats, 5 White Wagtails were in a ploughed field. (Garry Armstrong, Ed O'Hara).

2 Whitethroat singing at Billy Neill Country Park, also a Yellowhammer. (Bob Watts, Daniel Newton).

A White-tailed Eagle was seen on the north coast near Downhill. (James Harte).

A Tree Pipit was trapped on Rathlin this morning. (James Crymble).

The Lesser Yellowlegs was seen again on Rathlin. (John Clarke, Ric Else).

2 Great Skua were seen on a boat trip round Rathlin. (John Clarke).

2 Mediterranean Gulls, a Whimbrel and 3 Common Terns were at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve. (Michael Latham).

A flock of around 80 Whimbrel this afternoon at Maghery Country Park. A White-tailed Eagle was seen in this area last Sunday past perched on a branch on the shore. (Ken Simpson).

Tree Pipit, James Crymble.

Great Skua, John Clarke.

Mediterranean Gull, Michael Latham.

Wheatear, Michael Latham.

Bird News Friday 24th April 2026

Minimum 5 pairs Mediterranean Gulls at Belfast Lough WOW also 2 1st summer Mediterranean Gulls on far side with Black Headed Gulls (Stuart McKee).

A Basking Shark was filmed from a boat off Ardglass harbour this morning - would be visible from shore (NI Cetaceans WA Group).

Whitethroat Coney Island, Co Down (Chris Murphy).

Great White Egret and 8 Common Terns at Portmore Lough. 14 Whimbrel at Lady Bay (Garry Armstrong).

Aythya hybrid on Lough Beg considered to be Ferruginous Duck x Pochard (David Steele).

Red Kite, David Clarke:

Aythya hybrid, David Steele:

Bird News Thursday 23rd April 2026

5 Common Sandpiper were at The Cutts, Coleraine on the River Bann (Ian Mercer)

Portmore Lough RSPB had 2 Mediterranean Gulls and two Common Terns (Maurice McNeely)

A Grey Partridge (presumably released) was seen on the Carnaghliss Road, near Nutt’s Corner (Sean Gibson)

Two Whitethroat were at Portballintrae (Stephen Riddell)

30 Whimbrel were at Bartin’s Bay, Lough Neagh (Richard Caves)

RSPB WoW had 10 Med Gull (including one of last years young) and a Common Sandpiper. Sandwich Tern numbers are well down on last year with six only (Derek Polley)

A Cuckoo was at Altmore Upper Reservoir, Cappagh (Philip McErlean)

Two Common Sandpiper were at Oxford Island (Maurice McNeely)

Three Whimbrel were at Lady Bay, Lough Neagh (Sean Gibson)

A second calendar year White-tailed Eagle was over Rathlin this evening (Ric Else)

RSPB WoW this evening had 4 Whimbrel briefly, a Common Tern still and a Common Sandpiper. Also a Common Sandpiper at Kinnegar Pools. (Daniel Newton)

Whitethroat, Stephen Riddell:

Whimbrel, Richard Caves:

Tiree Boat Trip

There is one seat available for Saturday's boat trip from Ballycastle to Tiree. Please contact Jim Wells on 07856235144 for full details.

Bird News Wednesday 22nd April 2026

 The Harlequin Duck was still in Magheraroarty Bay in Donegal. (Chris Ingram).

6 Mediterranean Gulls were at Belfast lough RSPB WoW reserve. (Gerard McGeehan).

6 Swifts were over Portmore this evening. (Terry Hanna).

Swift, Terry Hanna.

Bird News Tuesday 21st April 2026

Male Ring Ouzel Chapel then Church Bay on Rathlin. Also 4 Great Skuas (Hazel Watson / Nick Richards / Ric Else).

Swifts have returned to colonies in Antrim and Crumlin (David Foster / Brian Cahalane per Mark Smyth).

6 Mediterranean Gulls, 2+ Whimbrel and a Common Sandpiper at Belfast Lough WoW (Bob Watts).

7 Whimbrel Dundrum South Inner Bay (David Nixon).

Yellowhammer at Carnroe Lock outside Ballymoney (James Armour).

Ring Ouzel, Ric Else:

Yellowhammer, James Armour: