Bird News Monday 20th July 2026

Single Glossy Ibis again on shoreline of the small island at Long Point, Lough Beg…it’s an adult type in bright maroon breeding plumage therefore must be a new bird (flock of four seen recently were all dull 1st-summer types) (David Steele).

Clouded Yellow just south of Kearney yesterday by the rocky shore feeding on sea radish (Liam O’Hara).

Eclipse drake Pintail on the main lake at Castle Espie WWT (Jonathan Clark).

Crossbills at Gortin Glen Forest Park, Co Tyrone near the cafe/play park (Colin Bell).

Green Sandpiper and Whimbrel at Blackstaff Creek, Dundrum (Richard Caves).

Pintail, Jonathan Clark:

Green Sandpiper, Richard Caves:

Bird News Sunday 19th July 2026

Two Green Sandpiper and 8 Common Sandpiper were at the Blackstaff Creek, Dundrum (Dermot Hughes)

A Whimbrel was present with 128 curlews at high tide roost at Green Island, Inner Dundrum Bay this afternoon (Maurice McNeely)

Green Sandpiper, Richard Caves:

Bird News Saturday 18th July 2026

A juvenile Mediterranean Gull and 2 Common Sandpipers were at Lady Bay, Lough Neagh. (Garry Armstrong).

190+ Mediterranean Gulls at the south end Cloghy beach and about 20 more near Portavogie. 80% adults. (Dermot Hughes).

A Red Kite was over Culcavy outside Hillsborough. (Garry Armstrong).

An eagle species, probably White-tailed, with wing tags, was at the mouth of the River Maine, Lough Neagh. (Sam Andrews).

Bird News Friday 17th July 2026

2 Knots, 2 Sanderlings, singles of both Dunlin and Turnstone, 300 Redshanks, 10 Black-tailed Godwits, Greenshank and 5 Tufted Ducks Bann Estuary (John Spottiswood).

Pale phase Arctic Skua just west of Ramore Head at 5pm (Mel O’Hagan).

Roseate Tern NW of Letterkenny at Tramore Strand at 750pm (Rare Bird Alert).

Bird News Thursday 16th July 2026

Jenkin Forest, Co Fermanagh had good numbers of Crossbill, Great Spotted Woodpecker and a juvenile Cuckoo (Colin Bell)

Spotted Flycatchers were at Kiltariff Hall, Rathfriland. (Shelagh Henry)

Ruff, 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 3 Common Terns ringed at Dublin port, also 11 Teal ducklings (Derek Polley)

A Red Kite was in the Antrim Hills (Chris Hamilton)

A Common Sandpiper was at Lady Bay (Richard Caves)

Bird News Wednesday 15th July 2026

 An Osprey was at Castle Island hide at the Quoile this morning. (Harvey Hughes).

Five Whimbrel were at Dundrum Inner Bay South with further singles at Green Island and Ardilea. (David Nixon)

Osprey, Harvey Hughes.

Bird News Tuesday 14th July 2026

5 Greenshank at the Bann Estuary (John Spottiswood).

A Spotted Flycatcher at Davagh Forest, Cookstown, Co Tyrone (Godfrey McRoberts).

Glossy Ibis and a Ruff from Long Point, Lough Beg (Ivan Quail).

Spotted Flycatcher in Annahilt garden (Garry Wilkinson).

Bird News Monday 13th July 2026

A Wood Sandpiper was atLough Beg, at 08.30 feeding in a wet muddy area but 08.45 started calling then flew high south (David Steele)

Two Common Sandpiper were at Lady Bay (Michael Latham)

A juvenile Mediterranean Gull was at RSPB WoW. A second year was at Macedonian Point (Stuart McKee)

A Great Northern Diver was calling this afternoon, offshore from the Police Station at Newcastle (Ann-Marie Smyth)

A Quail was heard singing at a sensitive site in the Sperrins (Robert Vaughan)

Quail, Sperrins, Robert Vaughan:

Bird News Sunday 12th July 2026

A Pectoral Sandpiper is at the Bann Estuary by old wooden pier, also 2 Mediterranean Gulls and a juvenile Greenshank. The Pectoral Sandpiper is still present at 2.30. (John Spottiswood).

Yellowhammer, Michael Latham.

Bird News Saturday 11th July 2026

Common Sandpiper at Lady Bay (Garry Armstrong).

Best off Magilligan Point this afternoon a single Red-throated Diver (Aaron Long).

2 Red Kites over Bryansford (Joanne Mansell).

Group of 3 Mediterranean Gulls (juvenile, adult winter and second summer) flew north past Garron Point (from Galboly). Manx Shearwaters passing north at c. 1,000 per hour (David Steele).

2 Great Northern Divers off Newcastle this evening one in breeding plumage (Mel O’Hagan).

Mull Trip

There are 3 seats available for the boat trip from Ballycastle to Mull on Friday 17th July. Great opportunity to watch Sea Eagles being fed close to the boat. Contact Jim Wells on -07856235144 for full details.

Bird News Friday 10th July 2026

A Green Sandpiper and two Common Sandpiper were at Lady Bay, Lough Neagh (Garry Armstrong)

Two Reed Warbler were at the Quoile (Ann-Marie Smyth)

2 Mediterranean Gulls (Ad & 3rd cal yr) were at the mouth of the Dundrum Channel and a high count of around 300 Sandwich Terns (Stephen Foster)

A Ring-necked Parakeet was in a garden in Lurgan (David Cassells)

It may interest observers to know that there have been sightings of two migrant dragonfly species at Craigavon Lakes in recent days - Lesser Emperor and today Red-veined Darter. (Brian Nelson)

Reed Warbler, Ann-Marie Smyth:

Ring-necked Parakeet, David Cassells:

Bird News Thursday 9th July 2026

 A Spotted Flycatcher was at Greyabbey ruins. (Nathan Gilbert).