Bird News Sunday 1st February 2026

A probable American Pipit is at Portmore RSPB reserve (Garry Armstrong). There was no sign of the bird this afternoon.

The drake Harlequin Duck was still at the river outflow at Trá na gClocha, Curranport, Donegal this mornimg (Mark Carmody)

At least 4 Goosander were at Lough Island Reavy (David Stirling / Chris Murphy)

The Black Redstart was at the mouth of the Shimna River, Newcastle (Chris Murphy / Liam O’Hara)

Two Russian White-fronted Geese were in the fields opposite Callaghans Tyres, Burt, Co Donegal (Derek Brennan)

A Spotted Redshank is at Castle Espie (Stuart Cossey)

The male Black Redstart was still at Portavogie (Stuart Cossey)

A Great White Egret and Peregrine were seen at Portmore Lough (Andrew Upton)

Killybeggs had one Glaucous Gull and three Iceland Gull (Dermot Hughes / Chris Ingram)

A Black-throated Diver was seen from Kircubbin Car Park (David Stirling)

The Lesser Yellowlegs was still on Rathlin (Ric Else)

Two Woodcock were at Galgorm Golf Course. A pair of Mandarin were close by on the River Braid (Richard Gray)

A drake Goosander was at Cushendun (Tomás Hand)

The Ring-billed Gull was seen again at the Round O, Enniskillen today. This bird was recently ringed in Cork! (Ronan Owens)

A drake Ring-necked Duck was at Crom, Fermanagh. A Great White Egret was at The Watermill (John Cusack)

The Ferruginous Duck was looked for today without success.

Russian White-fronted Geese, Derek Brennan:

Probable American Pipit, Portmore by Michael Latham:




Black Redstart, Liam O’Hara:

Goosander,  Tomás Hand:

Ring-billed Gull, Enniskillen, Ronan Owens:



Bird News Saturday 31st January 2026

The Ferruginous Duck was still at Ballysagggart Lough. (Mark Getty).

The Black-throated Diver was still in Church Bay on Rathlin along with 5 Great Northern Divers and a Red-throated Diver. (Ric Else).

The Harlequin Duck is still at Trá na Gloch in Donegal. (Searlas Anderson).

A female or juvenile Hen Harrier heading north near Charlestown road, north of Portadown at 11am. (Sean Thompson).

Ringtail Hen Harrier, male Pintail and Great Egret at Portmore. (Stuart Cossey).

2 Great White Egrets in flooded fields a mile from Oxford Island. (Michael Latham).

A Merlin was at Reedy Flats. (Michael Latham).

Black Redstart still at Newcastle - on the rocks between the Tropicana and the beach. (Chris Rankin).

A dark-bellied Brent was in Killough Harbour, seen from Station Road. (Chris Murphy).

Ferruginous Duck:


David Knight


David McCreedy


Michael Latham

Merlin, Michael Latham.



Great Northern Diver, Robert Boyle.




Bird News Friday 30th January 2026

 A male Lesser Scaup was in Closet Bay at Oxford Island. (Ed O'Hara).

A female or immature Black Redstart is at the mouth of the Shimna River in Newcastle. (Andrew Crory).

The Spotted Redshank and Ruff were still present in the field at the south end of Dundrum Inner Bay at high tide this morning. (Maurice McNeely).

The Harlequin Duck was at Tra na Gcloch in Donegal again this morning. (Dermot Hughes).

Bird News Thursday 29th January 2026

There was no sign of the Ferruginous Duck at Ballysaggart Lough this morning (David McCreedy)

A male Brambling was in a garden in Antrim (Mark Smyth)

A Black-throated Diver was off Church Bay, Rathlin, along with 3 Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver. (Ric Else)

The Black Redstart was still at Whitehead (Ian Enlander)

Bird News Wednesday 28th January 2026

The Black Redstart is still at Whitehead. (Jonny Rosborough).

The Ferruginous Duck has returned to Ballysaggart Lough outside Dungannon. (David Knight).

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was in Stormont Estate. (Gilly Irwin).

Eight Stock Doves were at Mount Hill, Katesbridge. (Hugh Thurgate).

The leucistic Great Black Backed Gull is commuting between Killough and Ardglass. (Chris Murphy).

Black Redstart, Jonny Rosborough.

Ferruginous Duck, Aaron Long.



Bird News Tuesday 27th January 2026

3 Great White Egret were at Reedy Flats, Lough Neagh (Stevie Brennan)

A 1st winter Little Gull was close inshore at Carnalea (Richard Weyl)

The Spotted Redshank and a Ruff were feeding with many other waders in a field off the Main Road, at the south end of Dundrum South Inner Bay (David Nixon)

Bird News Monday 26th January 2026

 Two Short-eared Owls were at Ballyquintin and the Black Redstart was still near the Quays Restaurant in Portavogie. (Garry Wilkinson).

The Brambling is still visiting a garden in Whitehead, the Black Redstart was still along the seafront. (Cameron Moore).

Brambling, Tree Sparrow & Blackcap, Cameron Moore.



Sparrowhawk, David McCreedy.



Bird News Sunday 25th January 2026

The male Black Redstart was still at Portavogie (Michael Latham)

The leucistic Great Black-backed Gull, which could be mistaken for a Glaucous Gull, has returned to Ardglass Harbour (Chris Murphy)

6 Purple Sandpiper were at Portstewart (Chris Hamilton)

9 Pink-footed Geese were with Greylags, off Torr Road, near Fair Head (Chris Veale)

The Lesser Yellowlegs is still on Rathlin (Ric Else)

A Great Northern Diver, Red-throated Diver, Merlin and 6 Sandwich Tern were at the Narrows, Strangford Lough today. (Andrew Upton)

A Slavonian Grebe with Great Crested Grebe and a Red-throated Diver were off Kinnegar (Kevin Kirkham)

The Harlequin Duck was still at Curranport, Donegal.

A Little Gull was at Garron Point (Gerard McGeehan/ Shirley Dunlop)

Three Taiga Bean Geese were with Whoopers, near Lough Neagh. (Per X)

Black Redstart, Michael Latham:



Bird News Saturday 24th January 2026

The 2 Lesser Scaup were with a Tufted Duck flock off Croaghan hide at Oxford Island, a hybrid Ring-necked Duck type was also with the flock. (Garry Armstrong).

Harlequin still at Trá na gCloch in Donegal. (Andrew McMillan).

A wing tagged Red Kite is along Broighter Riad at Myroe. (Richard Donaghey).

An adult Little Gull was off Briggs Rocks. (Dermot Hughes).

The Spotted Redshank is still at Dundrum and a Great Northern Diver from the causeway. (Stuart Cossey).

4 Ring-necked Duck, 2male & 2 female, and 7 Scaup at Knockninny. 12 Scaup at Killalalard. Ring-billed Gull at the Round O. Co Fermanagh. (John Cusack).

At least two Bean Geese were amongst a flock of c. 120 Pinkfeet at Blanket Nook in Donegal. (Andrew McMillan).

A Little Gull was south of Garron Point on the Antrim coast. (Ivan Quail).

A leucistic Dunlin was at Whiteabbey. (Suzanne Belshaw).

Harlequin Duck, Andrew McMillan.


Harlequin Duck, Michael Latham.


Harlequin Duck, Gerry Bond.



Little Gull, Ivan Quail.



Harlequin Duck, Mervyn Guthrie.


Leucistic Dunlin, Suzanne Belshaw.



Bird News Friday 23rd January 2026

The drake Harlequin Duck remains at Curranport, Co Donegal (Ian Young)

A Great White Egret was seen in the Scarva area, from the train (Ian Enlander)

County Louth had 19 Twite at Gyles Quay. An Adult Yellow-legged Gull, Spotted Redshank & 5 Ruff were at Dundalk Docks (Hugh Delaney)

Harlequin Duck, Ian Young:



Bird News Thursday 22nd January 2026

 The two Black-throated Divers were still in Red Bay on the Antrim coast. (Martin Deehan).

The Harlequin Duck is still at Trá na gCloch in Donegal. (Ian Young).

60 Knot were at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve at high tide. (Derek Polley).

A Black-throated Diver was off Newcastle Harbour this afternoon. (Maurice McNeely, Andy Carden).

Bird News Wednesday 21st January 2026

Pinkfoot east of Reedy Flats and Great White Egret east of Emerson’s, Lough Neagh (Clifford Sharpe). 

2 drake Lesser Scaup and ringtail Hen Harrier at Oxford Island NNR (Ed O’Hara).

1st winter drake Harlequin still at Tra na gCloch, Donegal (Bird Info Svcs).