Bird News Wednesday 19th January

One of the Great White Egrets was still at Ballycarry Bridge in Larne Lough this morning. (Kevin Kirkham).

A Long-eared Owl was on Ravarnet Road outside Lisburn at 5.20am this morning. (Garry Wilkinson).

The four Snow Buntings were still at Brown's Bay on Islandmagee, at Skernaghan Point. (David Stirling)

The two Velvet Scoter and female Scaup were off Dargan, Belfast Lough (Stuart McKee)

An Iceland Gull was at the Bann Estuary.

The two Glossy Ibis were still in fields to the left of the viewing platform at Portmore Lough RSPB.

The Cattle Egret was at the Creagh and the Great White Egret behind the Nicholl Garage, Toome (Margaret Mackle)

Whooper Swans, Hillsborough Road, Moira, Juliet Fleming:

Snow Bunting, Browns Bay, Nigel Moore:

Bird News Tuesday 18th January

4 Snow Bunting are at Browns Bay, Islandmagee (Gerard McGeehan / Shirley Dunlop) Because of disturbance only one was still present this afternoon. (Kevin Kirkham).

One of the Glossy Ibis was still at Portmore Lough RSPB this morning. (Philip McHaffie & David Nixon).

The Black Redstart was still at Whitehead, a Slavonian Grebe was off Macedon Point and the two Velvet Scoters were still in Dargan Bay. (Mike McLaughlin).

Two Bramblings are visiting a garden in Antrim. (Mark Smyth).

Thanks to William Smiton for the picture of the Pintail and to Mike McLaughlin for the pictures of the Black Redstart and the Turnstone:

Bird News Monday 17th January

The two Velvet Scoters and a female  Scaup were still at Dargan Bay in Belfast Lough two Long-tailed Duck were off Macedon Point. (Bob Watts).

The Ring Ouzel still on the Ballard Rd.(Joe Lamont)

A Chiffchaff was calling at Stoneyford Reservoir but there was no sign of the Iceland Gull. (Bob Watts)

Another Chiffchaff was calling at D3 RSPB Belfast reserve.(John O'Boyle)

20 Whooper Swan where in a field west of A26 near Cloughmills,( Derek McClean).

The 7 White-fronted Geese were still around Larne Lough. (Bob Watts).

There were 44 Whooper Swans on Corbet Lough this morning. No sign of the Goosanders.( Mike McLaughlin)

The Black Redstart and 14 Twite where again present at Whitehead.(David McCreedy)

5 Snow Buntings were at Skernaghan Point on Islandmagee. (Brenda Campbell)

Our thanks to David McCreedy for the photo of the Black Redstart and to Brenda Campbell for the picture of the Snow Buntings:

Bird News Sunday 16th January

The Cattle Egret was still at the Creagh, Toome. A Great White Egret was in the flooded area behind the Nicholl Garage, Toome (Ivan Quail / Nicky Lynn) Both birds were still present this afternoon (Philip West)

The two Velvet Scoter are off Dargan and a Slavonian Grebe Was off Macedon Point, Belfast Lough. (Jeff Larkin). A female Scaup was also present (Stuart McKee)

The two Glossy Ibis were still at Portmore RSPB Reserve (Garry Armstrong)

A Short-eared Owl was at Portavogie (Richard Weyl)

A drake Ring-necked Duck was at Crom and a female just east of Derrylin, Co Fermanagh (John Cusack)

Around Larne lough there were 6 Greenland white fronted geese, the black redstart was still at Whithead between the slipway and club house and there were 10+ Twite at the boatyard (Michael Latham)

A Peregrine was at Portstewart (Seamus O'Hara)

24 Whooper Swans were with 122 Greylags at Downpatrick Roa, Ardglass. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was also at Strand Lough, Killough (Chris Murphy)

Two Brambling were visiting a garden in Ballymena (Jeff Larkin)

The Ring Ouzel was seen again at Ballard Road, Co Armagh.

Two Long-tailed Duck were seen off Macedon Pint, Belfast Lough, this afternoon (Stuart McKee)

A Bank of Scotland Bank Card has been found at Portmore Lough. If it is yours, please contact: 07889 57288

Glossy Ibis, Dakota Reid:

Greenland Whitefronts, Michael Latham:

Tree Sparrow, David Miller:

Bird News Saturday 15th January

The Ring Ouzel was again at Ballard Road, Lislea near Newry. (Ian Rippey).

A Whimbrel was with a flock of Curlews at Ballyquintin on the outer Ards. (Bob Watts).

Yesterday four Jack Snipe were on one Island and a flock of sixty Snipe on another island at the Lower Lough Erne Islands RSPB reserve in Fermanagh. (Brad Robson).

The Black Redstart is still at Ramore Head in Portrush. (Stephen Riddell).

The two Glossy Ibis are still at Portmore Lough RSPB. (Ivan Quail, Nicky Lynn).

The Spotted Redshank was at Moneycarragh high tide roost in Dundrum Inner Bay. (Andrew Crory).

The Iceland Gull was still at Stoneyford Reservoir and 21 Ruff were at Church Island, Lough Beg, viewed from Long Point. (Ivan Quail, Nicky Lynn).

A Dark-bellied Brent was at Ballyquintin. (Billy Miskelly).

2 Great White Egrets are in the south west corner of Lough Beg. (Ivan Quail, Nicky Lynn).

5 Goosander were still on Begney Lough outside Dromara. 3 Pinkfeet were with Greylags and Whooper Swans between Portmore and Lady Bay. (Joe Lamont).

7 Brambling, 15 Tree Sparrows, 25 Lesser Redpoll and a Stock Dove are visiting a garden in Richill. (Andrew Poots).

20 Whitefronts left Rathlin again this morning to fly to the mainland. (Hazel Watson,  Ric Else).

The Glaucous Gull was still at Burger King in Coleraine. (Donna Riddell).

24 Whooper Swans, 243 Greylag Geese and c.500 Skylark were at Downpatrick Road, Ardglass; Dundrum Bay and adjacent fields between Killough and Tyrella (c.3 miles) had: 450 Scoter, 11 Great Northern Divers, 4 Red-throated Divers, c. 1,000 Knot, c.800 Golden Plover, 180 Curlew, 400 Lapwing, 18 Snipe, 150 Sanderling, 1 Stock Dove, 140 Fieldfare, 20 Song Thrushes, 220 Skylarks, 21 Greenfinches, 10 Yellowhammers, 32 Reed Buntings, 200 Tree Sparrows, 300 Linnets, 5 Twite, 1 Redpoll, 150 Chaffinches and 5 pairs of Stonechats. (Chris Murphy).

2 male and at least 2 female Goosanders were seen late this afternoon from the Road Bridge in Randalstown, well beyond the Railway Viaduct on the River Maine. (Tom Ennis, Andrew Miller)

Bird News Friday 14th January

The Ring Ouzel was again showing around the red slurry tanker on Ballard Road, Co Armagh (Martin Deehan).

A Black Redstart is at Ramore Head in Portrush. (John Clarke).

Four Brambling are visiting a garden in Antrim (Mark Smyth)

The two Glossy Ibis were still at Portmore Lough RSPB this afternoon. (Martin Deehan).

4 Goosanders, 3 males and a red-head, were on Begney Lough outside Dromara this morning. 36 Stock Doves were in fields at Ballyrolly Road near Clough and another 5 Stock Doves were at Drumgooland. 64 Whooper Swans and 33 Greylags were at Nutgrove and the Spotted Redshank was in the channel running through Dundrum South Inner Bay. (David Nixon, John O'Boyle).

Six Mediterranean Gulls were at Ballyholme in Bangor. (James Andrew).

An Iceland Gull was at Stoneyford Reservoir. (Suzanne Belshaw).

Thanks to John Clarke for the picture of the Black Redstart, to Suzanne Belshaw for the picture of the Iceland Gull and to Juliet Fleming for the pictures of the Sanderling and the Ringed Plover:

Bird News Thursday 13th January

Two Bramblings, a male and a female, are visiting a garden in Ballymena. (Jeff Larkin)

The Ring Ouzel was still on Ballard Road around the red slurry tank this morning.

A female Brambling was visiting a garden in Lambeth, Lisburn.

A Raven flew over Cliftonville Avenue this morning (Ricky McQuillan)

20 Greenland Whitefronted Geese were seen flying from their Rathlin roost site this morning (Ric Else / Hazel Watson)

The Glaucous Gull was at the Bann estuary again, a Great Northern Diver was also present. (John Spottiswood).

16 Purple Sandpiper’s were amongst Turnstones and Sanderling near the Coastal Zone, Lansdown Crescent, Portrush this afternoon (Juliet Fleming)

The adult Med Gull was again at Loughshore today (Dakota Reid)

The two Glossy Ibis were still at Portmore Lough RSPB (Suzanne Belshaw)

This Little Auk was taken in to care on Tory this evening (Anton Meenan):

Bird News Wednesday 12th January

The Cattle Egret was still present near the Creagh outside Toomebridge. (Bob Watts).

The female Brambling was still visiting a garden near Magilligan. (Martin Deehan). Another Brambling was still visiting a garden in Antrim (Mark Smyth)

The two Glossy Ibis were still at Portmore Lough RSPB Reserve (Juliet Fleming \ David McCreedy)

A male Brambling is visiting a garden in Poleglass (Ivan Cullen).

20 Whooper Swans and 41 Canada Geese were in a field near Moorlough lake on the A34 outside Newtownbutler. (Colin Mayes).

The two Great White Egret were still at Ballycarry (Alastair McLean)

An unusal Herring, possible hybrid Glaucous Gull was at Corbally Reservoir (John Clarke)

The Black Redstart was still at Whitehead (Linda Thompson)

Great White Egret, Alastair McLean:

Glossy Ibis, David McCreedy:

Possible hybrid Gull, Corbally, John Clarke:

Glossy Ibis, Juliet Fleming:

Bird News Tuesday 11th January

The Glaucous Gull was still present in Mill Bay on Rathlin this morning but there was no sign of the Little Auk in the harbour. (Hazel Watson & Ric Else).

The Ring Ouzel was still at Ballard Road, Lislea outside Newry this afternoon. (John Spottiswood).

The Cattle Egret was seen again at The Creagh, Toomebridge (Andrew Crory) The bird was still present up to 4.00pm. (Shirley Dunlop & Gerard McGeehan, Adam McClure).

The two Glossy Ibis were still to the left of the viewing platform at Portmore Lough RSPB (Shirley Dunlop / Gerard McGeehan).

A female Goosander was on the river at Randalstown. (Tony Dodds).

Two Slavonian Grebes were off Macedon Point in Belfast Lough. (Stuart McKee).

The Black Redstart and the Twite flock were still at Whitehead. The Greenland White-fronted Geese were still around Larne Lough. (Cameron Moore, Philip McErlean).

Eighteen Stock Dove were in a field off the Ballyrolly Road near Clough in Co. Down. (David Nixon).

Six Goosanders, three males and three red heads, were at Corbet Lough outside Banbridge. (David McCreedy).

A presumed Glaucous Gull was at Corbally Reservoir, Portrush (John Clarke)

Thanks to Philip McErlean for the first picture of the Black Redstart, to Cameron Moore for the second Black Redstart picture and the pictures of the Twite and the White-fronted Goose, to Nigel Moore for the picture of the Glossy Ibis and to David McCready for the picture of the Goosanders:

Bird News Monday 10th January

A Little Auk is in Rathlin harbour, the bird was also present yesterday. (Hazel Watson & Ric Else).

A Cattle Egret was with cattle at Creagh, visible from the eastern off ramp, a female Goosander was at Ranalstown.(Dermot Hughes)

The Great Northern Diver was again off the breakwater at the rear of the Discovery Centre at Oxford Island. (Clifford Sharpe).

The Ring Ouzel was still along Ballard Road, Lislea near Newry. (John Spottiswood)

20+ Twite were on the shoreline near Kinnegar Sewage Works (D Smylie)

Two Glossy Ibis are at Portmore Lough RSPB, in fields well to the left of the viewing platform. The Marsh Harrier was also present over the reedbed. (Bob Watts).

6 Goosander were on Lough Corbet. (David Stirling)

Eleven Shoveler were at Hillsborough lake along with a Kingfisher. (Garry Wilkinson)

5 Twite where at Whitehead boatyard, but no sign of the Black Redstart. (Mike McLaughlin)

20+Red Kite were nr Ballyward Co,Down. (Ivan Cullen)

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

Our thanks to Wilf Swain for this photo of Long-tailed Tits.Also to Mike McLaughlin for the Twite.. Photo of the two Glossy Ibis sent in by Anne Keighley, bottom photo kindly sent in by Ric Else of the Little Auk seen on  Rathlin.  

Bird News Sunday 9th January

The Black Redstart, Twite flock and 3 Purple Sandpipers were still at Whitehead (Garry Armstrong)

The Ring Ouzel was still at Ballard Road, Co Armagh this morning (Ken Brewster)

An adult Mediterranean Gull was at Sandy Bay, Larne (Garry Armstrong)

A Little Gull was at the boathouse at Helen’s Bay, Belfast Lough at 10:50. One GWE was at Ballycarry Bridge at 9:30. (Kevin Kirkham)

A Glaucous Gull was on Rathlin (Ric Else \ Hazel Watson)

12 Purple Sandpiper were opposite Donaghadee Community Centre (Bob Watts)

One Goosander was at Randalstown (Stephen Riddell)

A female Marsh Harrier was on Lough Erne Fermanagh today (Brad Robson)

Glaucous Gull, Ric Else \ Hazel Watson:

Male Goosander, Stephen Riddell:

Bird News Saturday 8th January

The Ring Ouzel was still showing on Ballard Road, Co Armagh in the field with the red trailer and slurry tanker (Richard Hunter).

A single Great White Egret was at Ballycarry Bridge before flying towards Glynn, a Grey Plover was also present. A Slavonian Grebe was off Magheramourne railway halt. (Kevin Kirkham).

An adult Mediterranean Gull was at Sandy Bay in Larne. (Adam McClure).

The Black Redstart was still along Whitehead seafront. (Tony Dodds).

The male Goosander was still in Randalstown. (Richard Donaghey).

The Great Northern Diver is still off the Discovery Centre at Oxford Island. (Garry Armstrong).

70 Sanderling on the Barmouth pier, and a further 47 on Castlerock beach. (Richard Gray)

4 Brambling were visiting a garden close to Wellington College, south Belfast (Neil Kilpatrick)

Six Goosander were at Corbett Lough (Mike McLaughlin / Chris Rankin)

The Greenland White-fronts were still at Larne Lough (Shirley Dunlop / Gerard McGeehan)

A juvenile White-tailed Eagle, likely to be the bird that was on Rathlin, was seen in north Antrim today.

Two Purple Sandpipers were at Newcastle harbour, a Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver were with the Scoter flock in Dundrum Bay. (Michael Latham).

Thanks to Michael Latham for the pictures of the Purple Sandpiper and the Fieldfare, to Cecil Smyth for the picture of the Buzzard and to Nigel Moore for the picture of the Black Redstart: