The Oriental Turtle Dove has been seen briefly in flight early this morning at Harmony Hill, Lisburn (Garry Wilkinson / Brian Carruthers). The bird was seen again at its favoured location at 11:45 (Stephen Dunbar) and again early afternoon (Mark Stewart). The bird was still present late afternoon (Niall Mulvenna / Stuart Cossey / Mark Getty). If visiting please park sensibly and do not obstruct drives. The bird favours the tall pines and is best viewed with a scope.
Two Great White Egret are at Portmore (Alan Dickson)
The two Russian White-fronts are still at Reedy Flats (John Coveney)
A juvenile Black-throated Diver was still in Red Bay along with a Sandwich Tern (a presumed migrant). Gaboly had a Great Skua and a Manx Shearwater (David Steele)
The adult Iceland Gull was in the gull roost at RSPB WoW this evening (Daniel Newton)
Oriental Turtle Dove, Mark Stewart:
Oriental Turtle Dove, Michael Latham:
Oriental Turtle Dove, Mark Stewart:
Iceland Gull, Daniel Newton:
The Oriental Turtle Dove was seen briefly in trees on Harmony Hill in Lisburn early this morning but not subsequently. (Seamus Enright). The Turtle Dove was then seen again in the same area early afternoon, in pine trees behind the side road at Harmony Hill. (Dave Fox). The bird was still present this evening. (Wilton Farrelly).
The Harlequin Duck and 2 Long-tailed Ducks were at Magheraroarty in Donegal. (Eric Randall).
The single Pinkfoot was with 50 Greylags in a field off the Buckshead Road at Nutgrove. There was no sign of the Russian Whitefronts. (David Nixon).
A Chough was at Copeland Bird Observatory.
A Great Spotted Woodpecker was at Castle Archdale Country Park in Fermanagh. (Sharon Spratt)
Oriental Turtle Dove, Victor Caschera.
Oriental Turtle Dove, David McCreedy:
A Oriental Turtle Dove was reported yesterday in Lisburn, in the Harmony Hill / Belsize Road area (per Chris Rankin) The bird has been looked for today but so far, without success. This would be a first record for Ireland.
The Lesser Yellowlegs was still on Rathlin (Ric Else)
A female Greater Scaup was at Oxford Island (Garry Armstrong)
The Harlequin Duck was again at Magheroarty (Robert Vaughan)
A Merlin was hunting pipits around the pier at Portballintrae (Simon Morton)
4 Snow Bunting were seen up Slieve Commedagh, the Mournes yesterday (per Stuart Cossey)
The adult Ring-billed Gull was again at the Round O, Enniskillen (Matthew Dean)
A Purple Sandpiper was at Macedon Point, Belfast Lough (Margaret Woodward)
Two Mediterranean Gulls were at WOW RSPB Belfast (Paul Hunter)
Oriental Turtle Dove (26th February):
.JPG)
4 Goosander were still at Lough Island Reavy, Co Down (Clive Mellon)
A Great White Egret was still at Portmore (Daniel Newton)
Two Little Gulls were at Church Island, Lough Beg (David Steele)
The Cattle Egret was again at Brankins Island Road, Lough Neagh (Richard Caves)
A Dark-bellied Brent was with the Brent Geese at Newcastle (Conor Roddy)
Sand Martins and Chiffchaff are now widely reported.
Just a reminder that we will not publish raptor sightings in potential breeding localities.
Cattle Egret, Richard Caves:
Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Conor Roddy:
The final NIOC public meeting of the Spring season will be held in The Lecture Theatre, Greenmount Resource Centre, CAFRE, on Wednesday 26th March 2025 at 7.30pm sharp.
The address is on the attached poster. It is the Work of N Ireland Bird Photographers Show, when all the entries to our Photographic Competition will be shown, with the Judges comments given on each image, and the presentation of the awards.
This is always a wonderful evening and we hope you can attend. Everyone is welcome so bring a friend!
At least 6 Crossbill were at Downhill Forrest (John Spottiswood)
The Ferruginous Duck was still at Ballysaggart Lough, Dungannon. (David Knight)
The Cattle Egret was at Brankins Island Road, near the Cattle Shed (Richard Caves)
Four Great Egret and three Sand Martin were at Portmore RSPB (Richard Gray)
A male Brambling was in a garden at Castlerock (Mervyn and Susanne Guthrie)
The drake Ring-necked Duck was still at the Lough Erne Resort (John Cusack)
Ferruginous Duck, David Knight:
Cattle Egret, Richard Caves:
The Lesser Yellowlegs is still present on Rathlin (Patrick Barton)
The Harlequin Duck was again at Magheroarty Pier (Conor Foley)
Two Tundra Bean Geese are still at Dunfanaghy. A Bittern and a Great White Egret were off Inch (Conor Foley)
A Mediterranean Gull was at Mosley Dam, Newtownabbey (Garry Wilkinson)
A pair of Great Spotted Woodpecker were visiting a property at Seaforde (Maurice McNeely)
Chiffchaff are now widely reported.
Lesser Yellowlegs, Patrick Barton:
With the beginning of the breeding season we will not be posting any sightings or pictures of our rare and scarce birds of prey at or near breeding sites.
5 Sand Martin were off the Croghan Hide, Oxford Island. A female Greater Scaup was also present. A Chiffchaff was singing at the Closet River (Garry Armstrong)
The drake Harlequin Duck is at Magheroarty Pier, Donegal (Searlas Anderson / Kevin McLaughlin)
The Ferruginous Duck is again at Ballysaggart Lough this morning, at the northern end (Wayne Greene)
The 2 Russian White-fronts and a Great White Egret are still at the east end of Reedy Flats. (Garry Armstrong)
5 Great White Egret and circa 15 Sand Martin were at The Watermill, Co Fermanagh (John Cusack / Colin Bell)
A Chiffchaff was singing along the Lagan towpath (Eric Randall)
A Drake Ring-necked Duck with a large Tufted flock at Lough Erne Hotel, Fermanagh (Wilton Farrelly)
A drake and female Ring-necked Duck were near Kilmore Jetty, Lisnaskea (Wilton Farrelly)
Lough Beg had over 100 Sand Martin and 2 Great Northern Dicer (David Steele)
A singing Chiffchaff and Grwat Spotted Woodpecker were at Ardress NT (Brian Nelson)
Harlequin Duck, Searlas Anderson:
