Bird News Friday 30th October 2026

A few Snow Bunting, Grey Phalarope, Brambling and 2 Blackcaps on Tory, Donegal (Anton Meenan).

Swallow at St. John’s Point (Dermot Hughes).

Great Egret still at Inch, Donegal (Garry Wilkinson / David & Jennifer Holt).

Single Merlin, Commic Tern, Chiffchaff and Goldcrest at St John's Pt (Tim Murphy).

Juvenile American Golden Plover at Lough Beg (David Steele).

2 White-rumped Sandpipers still at Myroe, also 6 Grey Plover (John Clarke). 3 Barnacle Geese of unknown origin (Garry Wilkinson).

2 Mediterranean Gulls and a Grey Plover at the Bann Estuary (John Spottiswood).

Single Great and 2 Cattle Egrets on flooded fields at private site near Lisnaskea (Colin Bell).

Red Kite drifted over University of Coleraine in the direction of Portstewart (John Clarke).

One space available for tomorrow’s boat trip from Ballycastle to Islay. Contact Jim Wells on 07856 235144 for full details.

American Golden Plover, David Steele:

White-rumped Sandpiper, Rod Gillan:

Bird News Thursday 29th October 2026

Two Pink-footed Geese were on the Foyle close to Derry City Airport. Three Barnacle Geese of unknown origin were at Myroe (Stuart Cossey) (Barnacle Geese have been at Inch / Lough Foyle since the summer).

A Curlew Sandpiper was at Myroe. There was no sign of the White-rumped Sandpipers (Searlas Anderson)

A late Pectoral Sandpiper was at the Moyle end of Blanketnook (Derek Brennan)

A Great White Egret was off the platform at Inch (Richard Smith)

No sign of the Snow Bunting at Donaghadee but a Merlin was seen along with two first winter Common Tern and 6 Purple Sandpipers (Bob Watts / Chris Veale)

Pectoral Sandpiper, Derek Brennan:

Bird News Wednesday 28th October 2026

 The two White-rumped Sandpipers were still at Myroe this morning. (John Spottiswood). A Curlew Sandpiper was also present. (Mervyn Campbell, Ian Dickey). The 2 White-rumped Sandpipers were still present this afternoon, a Hen Harrier was also present. (John Clarke, Rod Gillan).

A Grey Phalarope was at Ushet Port on Rathlin. (Ric Else).

A flock of Snow Buntings has been reported in Donaghadee, a single bird was near the lighthouse at the harbour. (Ian Young).

2 Snow Buntings and a Glaucous Gull are on Tory Island today. (Anton Meenan).

Three Cattle Egrets are on shoreline 200m west of Farland Bank hide at Inch in Donegal. (Juliet Huggins).

5 Crossbill were in Ballycastle Forest. (Tomás Hand). 

2 Black Redstarts present on Copeland Bird Observatory today (Chris Acheson and David Galbraith)

A Great White Egret was at Lough Beg and another Great White Egret was in the flooded field beside the Nicholl garage in Toomebridge. (Jonny Rosborough).

A Great White Egret and 2 Cattle Egrets were at private sites on Upper Lough Erne. (Tom Saxon).

2 Goosanders were at Ballycarry Bridge in Larne Lough. (Linda Thompson).

A Scaup was at Glynn in Larne Lough, a Knot was at Whitehead and a Mediterranean Gull at Sandy Bay in Larne. (Cameron Moore).

Snow Bunting, Ian Young.

Grey Phalarope, Ric Else.

Goosanders, Linda Thompson.

Scaup, Cameron Moore.

Mediterranean Gull, Cameron Moore.

Knot, Cameron Moore.

Goosanders, Cameron Moore.

Bird News Tuesday 27th October 2026

Ring-billed Gull from the ferry coming into Belfast Lough this morning (Stuart Cossey).

Grey Phalarope off the harbour wall at Newcastle (Chris Rankin). Still present 150pm (Maurice McNeely). Continuing at 3pm also 4 Purple Sandpipers (Richard Caves).

Little Gull, 3 Sooty Shearwater, 3 Manx Shearwater, Storm Petrel, Arctic Skua, Shoveler, Whimbrel and 4 Purple Sandpipers from Rathlin this morning. Grey Phalarope this afternoon and a Snow Bunting (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

2 White-rumped Sandpipers at Myroe (Ian Dickey).

Grey Phalarope on a flooded area at the south end of Lough Beg before flying off, also 3 Glossy Ibises (David Steele).

Dark-bellied & Pale-bellied Brent Geese pair with 3 hybrid young still near Green Island, Dundrum Inner Bay (David Nixon).

Storm Petrel found along the shore of Lough Neagh sadly died overnight (Per Mark Smyth).

Grey Phalarope, Richard Caves, David Nixon & Chris Rankin:

White-rumped Sandpiper, Ian Dickey:

Purple Sandpipers, Richard Caves:

Whimbrel, Ric Else:

Bird News Monday 26th October 2026

Sadly a dead Grey Phalarope was amongst sea debris on the beach at Port Portballintrae (Simon Morton)

30 Twite were at Ramore (John Clarke)

A first winter Glaucous Gull and two Snow Bunting were on Tory Island (Anton Meenan)

Myroe this afternoon had a juvenile American Golden Plover and two White-rumped Sandpiper (Ivan Quail)

3 Greenland Whitefronts were seen at Islandhill, Strangford Lough (David Clarke)

A Mediterranean Gull was at Sandy Bay, Larne (Jason Bain)

Redwing and Whooper Swans are now widely reported.

Grey Phalarope, Simon Morton:

Twice, Rod Gillan:

Greenland White-fronted Geese, David Clarke:

Mediterranean Gull, Jason Bain:

Bird News Sunday 25th October 2026

The Long-tailed Duck is still off Glynn in Larne Lough, a redhead Goosander is also present. (Michael Latham, Nathan Gilbert).

Ramore Head this morning in mountainous seas had 3 Arctic Skua,1 Great Skua, 5 Barnacle Geese, 50 Whoopers plus one dead in East Strand surf. 1 Leach's Storm Petrel. 3 Great Northern Diver. 2 Grey Phalarope and 1 Purple Sandpiper. (Mervyn Heasley, Chris Veale).

A Purple Sandpiper was new in on Rathlin. (Ric Else).

11 Purple Sandpipers and a Twite were  at Portrush Coastal Zone. (Chris Veale).

A Little Auk past Malin Head in Donegal. (Derek Brennan).

A Snow Bunting was also near the Coastal Zone in Portrush. (Richard Donaghey).

6 Goosanders and 70 Whoopers were at Ballycarry Bridge in Larne Lough. (Cameron Moore).

26 Whoopers were off the carpark between Ballygally and Glenarm. (Pauline Majury).

2 possible Eagles were in a field on Straid Road in Antrim. 

A Common Redstart was seen in a garden in Kells, Co. Antrim. (Matthew Warwick).

Common Redstart, Matthew Warwick.

Goosander, Michael Latham.

Bird News Saturday 24th October 2026

Slavonian Grebe just off the hide at Bann Estuary by posts (John Spottiswood).

Rough estimate of 600 Barnacle Geese in fields at Shalwey, Kilcar, Donegal (John O’Boyle).

Swallow at Donaghadee (James McNair).

Bird News Friday 23rd October 2026

 The Cattle Egret is still on the shingle bank at Castle Espie. (Jonny Clark). The Cattle Egret was seen briefly in flight this afternoon but there was no sign of the Glossy Ibis. A Great White Egret was seen in flight from the Montgomery hide. (Garry Wilkinson).

A 2nd year Ring-billed Gull was at the Round O in Enniskillen this morning, perched on a roof in Cornagrade Estate before flying towards the Sligo Road. (Colin Bell).

A Yellow-browed Warbler and a Whimbrel were on Rathlin. (Ric Else, Hazel Watson).

3 Twite were at Sandy Bay in Larne and a Black-throated Diver off Carnlough. (Dermot Hughes).

2 Little Auks and 9 Sooty Shearwaters past Bloody Foreland in Donegal this morning.

The Glossy Ibis flew over Castle Espie this evening. (Leigh Marshall).

Bird News Thursday 22nd October 2026

A Yellow-browed Warbler was at Kinramer, Rathlin. Other newly arrived migrants included Snow Bunting, Merlin, 2 Blackcaps, Woodcock, lots of thrushes and 3 Whooper Swans (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

3 Cattle Egret are with cows off the Farland Hide, Inch, Donegal (Searlas Anderson)

Circa 20 Snow Bunting were north of Ballyness Pier, Falcarragh, Donegal (Robert Vaughan)

The Glossy Ibis was again reported from Castle Espie today (Anna Caldwell)  The Cattle Egret was also reported  as seen today.

Up to four Goosanders were seen at Ballycarry Bridge today at Larne Lough. (Cameron Moore)

The best on Tory Island today was Snow Bunting, Blackcap and Chiffchaff.

The presumed returning adult Ring-billed Gull was at the Round O, Enniskillen (Ben Knolfe)

6 Redwing were in trees near the Quoile Visitor Centre (Dot Blakely)

Cattle Egret, Inch, Derek Brennan:

Goosander, Cameron Moore:

Yellow-browed Warbler, Ric Else:

Bird News Wednesday 21st October 2026

Two Cattle Egret were reported from Inch, Donegal.

Bird News Tuesday 20th October 2026

White-tailed Eagle still on Rathlin also Woodcock, 3 Chiffchaffs, Hen Harrier and Great Spotted Woodpecker still yesterday (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

Long-tailed Duck at Portballintrae this morning (Stephen Riddell).

Cattle Egret and 2 Swallows at Castle Espie (Rhona Bell).

A Marsh Harrier and 2 Great White Egrets were seen from Long Point at Lough Beg (Jeff Larkin).

Juvenile Arctic Tern at Magilligan Point (David Hill).

14 Crossbill at Davagh Forest, Cookstown, Co Tyrone this afternoon (Godfrey McRoberts).

Arctic Tern, David Hill:

Bird News Monday 19th October 2026

 The Cattle Egret is still on the shingle bank at Castle Espie this morning. (Jonny Clarke).

A Swallow was at Lowry's Lake, Armagh this morning. (John Anderson).

A White-rumped Sandpiper was at Glashagh Bay, Fanad in Donegal. (Chris Ingram). 

The Baird’s Sandpiper and a Grey Plover were at Myroe. (John Clarke, Rod Gillan).

The White-tailed Eagle remains on Rathlin, 2 Bramblings over too.(Ric Else).

Cattle Egret, Jonny Clarke.