Bird News Wednesday 24th December 2025

A male Long-tailed Duck and 2 Great White Egrets were at Reedy Flats on the south shore of Lough Neagh. (Garry Armstrong).

A Great White Egret was at Owen Roes Flat at Oxford Island. (Ed O'Hara).

A Woodcock was at Altnawalk Cross, near Roslea, Co Fermanagh this morning. (Colin Bell).

The Bittern was seen again off the Platform at Inch in Donegal. (Searlas Anderson).

Two Greenshank were in Victoria Park. (Simon Morton).

1 Black-throated Diver and 3 female Common Scoter were off Carnlough. (Aaron Long).

A Red Kite was in the Antrim hills. (Laura Rose Millar).

A drake Goosander was at Glassdrumman Lough and a Great White Egret at Lough Ross both Co. Armagh. (Joe Devlin).

A Swallow was reported in Newtownards. (Birdguides).

The Spotted Redshank was at the wader roost on the Dundrum side of the Moneycarragh River, in Dundrum South Inner Bay. (David Nixon)

A 1st winter Mediterranean Gull was at Antrim Marina. (Gareth Platt)

Red Kite, Laura Rose Millar.

Mediterranean Gull, Gareth Platt.

Bird News Tuesday 23rd December 2025

2 Jack Snipe at Harbour Meadows, Belfast Lough (Stuart Cossey).

4+ Great Northern & several Red-throated Divers in Newcastle Harbour (Michael Latham).

Single Great Northern Diver in Portrush Harbour (Juliet Fleming).

20+ Grey Plovers at Green Island, North Dundrum Bay (Michael Latham).

5 Long-eared Owls and a Woodcock at dusk at the University of Coleraine (John Clarke).

Three Great Northern Divers were at Castle Caldwell on Lower Lough Erne. (Jamie Dillon).

Great Northern Diver, Juliet Fleming.

Red-throated Diver, Michael Latham.

Great Northern Diver, Michael Latham.

Bird News Monday 22nd December 2025

Two red head Goosanders a were on the River Maine at Slaght, near Ballymena (David Steele)

Two Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper were at Corbett Lough (Neal Warnock)

A Green Sandpiper was at Loughbrickland Lake on the eastern shore, with the Lapwings (Neal Warnock)

Two Great Northern Diver were in Portrush Harbour this morning (Eddie Manthorpe)

The male Harequin Duck was showing at Tra Na gCloch, Co. Donegal this afternoon. (Victor Caschera)

Video of the impressive looking Harlequin by Victor Caschera:

Bird News Sunday 21st December 2025

The Harlequin Duck is still at Trá na gClock in Donegal this morning, later moving to Magheroarty Pier. (James Organ).

The ringtail Hen Harrier was at Portmore again. (Michael Latham).

The Great White Egret and one of the Great Northern Divers was at Oxford Island. Reedy Flats had 3 Great Northern Divers, 2 Great White Egrets and a Merlin. (Ed O'Hara).

11 White- fronted Geese were at Myroe. (Dylan Thomas).

The Bittern was seen again from the platform at Inch in Donegal. (Derek Brennan).

Hen Harrier, Michael Latham.

Harlequin Duck, Wilson Gardiner.

Bird News Saturday 20th December 2025

The 1st winter drake Harlequin still at Tra na gCloch near Curranport, Donegal (Chris Ingram / Jim Wells).

Great White Egret at Oxford Island NNR off Owen Roe (Jamie Dillon / Ed O’Hara).

7 Greater Scaup at Inch, Donegal (Leia Getty).

2 Great Northern Divers remain at Lough Beg also 3 Pinkfeet, 2 ringtail Hen Harriers and 3 Great White Egrets (David Steele).

Ringtail Hen Harrier at Culnady (John Spottiswood).

Common Sandpiper along the River Lagan this evening (Mel O’Hagan).

Single Great White Egret at Lough Ross (John Cusack).

Single Twite at Gulladuff, Derry (John Spottiswood).

Common Sandpiper, Mel O'Hagan.

Great White Egret, Ed O'Hara.

Raven, Rod Gillan.

Bird News Friday 19th December 2025

A Cattle Egret was at Diamond Lane, near Portmore RSPb (Jim Wells)

The two Great Northern Divers were still off Oxford Island. Two Great White Egrets and a Hen Harrier were seen on Owen Roe (Ed O’Hara)

A Pink-footed Goose was with the Greylags at Lady Bay (Jim Wells)

The Lesser Yellowlegs was still on Rathlin (Jon Biddle)

Cattle Egret, Wilson Gardiner:

Great Northern Divers, Ed O’Hara:

Pink-footed Goose, Wilson Gardiner:

Bird News Thursday 18th December 2025

The Harlequin Duck is still at Trá na gCloch in Donegal this morning. (Tom Kavanagh).

A male Goosander is on the River Main at Randalstown. (Chris Hamilton).

Two Great Northern Divers are in Portrush Harbour. (Donna Riddell).

A female Marsh Harrier was off Croaghan hide at Oxford Island and the Great White Egret was seen again in flight. (Ed O'Hara).

Two Little Gulls with the Kittiwakes off Galboly / Garron Point 1030-1430, also a large group of Bottle-nosed Dolphins showing well. (David Steele).

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was in a garden outside Hillsborough. (Juliet Fleming).

A Long-eared Owl was in Ballymena this morning at 5 30 am. (Thomas Cullen).

Great Spotted Woodpecker, Juliet Fleming.

Bird News Wednesday 17th December 2025

The Great White Egret is still present at Owen Roe, Oxford Island NNR (Ed O’Hara).

2 redhead Goosander still on Begney Lough this afternoon (David Nixon).

Bird News Tuesday 16th December 2025

The first winter drake Harlequin Duck was still present at Trá na gCloch, Curranport, north west Donegal (Derek Brennan)

The Great White Egret remains at Owen Roe Flat, Oxford Island (Ed O’Hara)

The Lesser Yellowlegs remains on Rathlin. (Ric Else / Hazel Watson)

Two female Ring-necked Duck were at Dunfanaghy New Lake. Two Cackling Geese were still with the Barnacles there (Derek Brennan)

Up to 9 Little Gulls were seen of Galboly from 11am to 3pm (David Steele)

The Isle of Muck had 2 Whimbrel and 3 Red-throated Diver (Ian Enlander)

The Taiga Bean Geese were still with Pink-feet at the rear of Blanketnook (Chris Ingram)

The two Bittern seem to have been seen at different times at Inch today. One showed well off the Tooban Hide.

A single Woodcock was at Eshnadara,nr Rosslea Co Fermanagh this afternoon (Colin Bell)

Video footage of the Harlequin Duck, Derek Brennan:

Female Ring-necked Duck, Derek Brennan:

Bird News Monday 15th December 2025

The Harlequin Duck is still at Trà na gLoch in Donegal. (Tony Culley)

The Taiga Bean Geese are still with Pinkfeet at Blanket Nook in Donegal. Yesterday 4 Pinkfeet and a Lapland Bunting were at Donnybrewer Levels, Derry. (Jon Biddle).

A single Crossbill was near Clabby in Co. Fermanagh. (Colin Bell).

A Great White Egret was near Carrybridge in Co. Fermanagh. (Steven Fyffe).

Bird News Sunday 14th December 2025

Long-tailed Duck in Ballycastle harbour (Patrick Barton).

Crossbill heard at Glenarrif Forest Park (Chris Hamilton).

Single Whimbrel At Ballymacormack Point (Simon Morton).

Slavonian Grebe at Glynn (Michael Latham).

Lesser Scaup and ringtail Hen Harrier at Portmore Lough (Daniel Newton / Garry Armstrong).

Bird News Saturday 13th December 2025

The best at Portavogie was a Grey Plover and 6+ Purple Sandpipers but no sign of the Black Redstart in half hour search (Bob Watts)

An adult Little Gull was at Red Bay (David Steele)

A Common Gull showing some features of the hybrid was at Millisle. 6 Purple Sandpiper were at Donaghadee (Bob Watts)

2 Green Sandpiper were in the flooded area adjacent to Newry Canal towpath, 0.9 km north of Madden Bridge (between Tandragee and Gilford), Co. Armagh (David Knight)

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was at Hillsborough Park Lake this morning (Dougie Gamble)

Two Great White Egret were at Lough Ross on the Monaghan / Armagh border (John Cusack)

Common Gull, Bob Watts: