Bird News Tuesday 3rd August

A Quail was calling from a crop field on Lomond Road on the way down to Myroe. (Oscar Campbell).

Myroe had 2 Peregrines and a juvenile Mediterranean Gull. Ballykelly Marsh had 8 adult, a 2nd year and a juvenile Mediterranean Gull, a Whimbrel and 3 Sanderling. (Oscar Campbell).

A juvenile Ruff and a summer plumaged Red-throated Diver were at Magilligan. (Oscar Campbell).

A Little Tern was at the Barmouth. (John Clarke).

The Glaucous Gull was still at the Burger King car park in Coleraine. (Oscar Campbell).

Bird News Monday 2nd August

 A Sanderling was with Dunlin at Kinnegar shore this morning. (Bob Watts).

The 1st summer Little Gull is still at Lough Beg, an eclipse male Garganey was in the south west corner. A Green Sandpiper was at Paddy's Dub. (David Steele).

A Roseate Tern was seen from the boat between Copeland Island and Bangor this afternoon. (Kevin Kirkham). 

Bird News Sunday 1st August

An Osprey was at Reedy Flats on the south shore of Lough Neagh, seen flying towards the Bann Foot, a Black-necked Grebe was also seen. (Oscar Campbell).

Yesterday a Roseate Tern was with Sandwich Terns in Dundrum Bay. 4 Common Scoter were along Murlough beach. (John Mathers).

4 Common Sandpipers were at Lady Bay, Lough Neagh,  there was no sign of the Green Sandpiper. (Ed O'Hara).

2 Greenshank were at Glynn in Larne Lough. (Dakota Reid).

5 Common Scoter were just off Seapark near Cultra in Belfast Lough. (Jennifer Martin).

Thanks to Dakota for the picture of the Greenshank:

Bird News Saturday 31st July

2 Little Tern are at the Barmouth (Theo Campbell).

A Common Sandpiper was on the pool at Kinnegar shore. (Bob Watts).

An adult Mediterranean Gull was at the East Strand Car Park, Portrush (Simon Morton)

A Sooty Shearwater was seen from the Larne - Cairnryan ferry (John Spottiswood)

Yesterday 3 Common Sandpipers were at Loughshore, Jordanstown, (Dakota Reid) and another was at Lady Bay, Lough Neagh. (Richard Caves).

Bloody Foreland in Donegal this morning had 2 Sooty Shearwaters, 435 Manx Shearwaters, a Bonxie, 2 Red-throated Diver, 21 Puffins and a juvenile Cuckoo. (Chris Murphy).

Thanks to Richard Caves and Dakota Reid for the pictures of the Common Sandpipers:

Richard Caves

Dakota Reid

 

Bird News Friday 30th July

A seawatch at Bloody Foreland, Co Donegal had a Cory's Shearwater, Balearic, 3 Bonxie, Arctic Skua and 637 Manx (Ralph Sheppard)

Yesterday, a significant summer count of 46 Whooper Swans were at Kinturk, Lough Neagh (Ciara Laverty)

A Green Sandpiper was this morning by the Blackstaff River, near the Blackstaff Road bridge. (Danny Bailie).

A single Brent Goose was on the shore at Ballykelly. (Martin Deehan).

Bird News Thursday 29th July

A Mediterranean Gull was at Ballymacormack Point, Groomsport. (James Andrew)

The Glaucous Gull was still at the Burger King in Coleraine (John Clarke)

Glaucous Gull, John Clarke:

Tree Sparrow, Lough Foyle, Lindsay Hodges:

You can see more pics of local birds at: http://nibirdpics.blogspot.com/

2021 BTO Local Events

Please see below a list of BTO events for 2021. If you are interested in any of the events, please contact Stephen Hewitt at: stephen.hewitt@bto.org

Bird News Wednesday 28th July

The female Montagu's Harrier was seen again on the 22nd July in the Antrim Hills (Jonny Rosborough)

Montagu's Harrier, Jonny Rosborough:

Sedge Warbler, Thomas Campbell:

Montagus Harrier spotted in Antrim Hills.

Last week a female Montagus Harrier was photographed in the Antrim Hills by Michael Latham, it is only the 5th record for Northern Ireland and the first female for the province.

  

Bird News Tuesday 27th July.

6+ Bar-tailed Godwit where at Wow reserve a Common Sand. a Snipe and 25+ Turnstone where at  Kinnegar Pools.(Bob Watts) Yesterday 15 Bar-tails in summer plumage and 4 in non breeding plumage where seen at the Wow reserve.(Tom Ennis/Andrew Miller)

A Red Kite flew over Hillsborough this afternoon.(Garry Wilkinson)  

Our thanks to Ian Enlander for the photo of these Common Terns taken at Whitehead. Also to Tim Jess for the Kingfisher.

Dear BTO NI Supporters

Events Programme

Please see an attached programme of upcoming training courses and other events. BTO courses are a great way of learning more about birds and how you can put your birding skills to good use locally in some enjoyable projects. The first of these events are two Wetland Bird Survey training courses at the end of August, so do book soon!

BTO NI Birdwatchers' Conference

I very much hope to be able to get back to the Lough Neagh Discovery Centre (LNDC) for the annual Birdwatchers' Conference in November. We've provisionally booked the Islandview Room as usual, and are very grateful for the cooperation and help of LNDC staff. A normal conference relies both on restrictions permitting and there being sufficient demand from supporters. With that in mind we'd be grateful if you could take the time to complete a short questionnaire on conference options at the following link: https://forms.gle/24EZwCcNhHsHS9Ah7. Please send in responses by 31st August, as we hope to make a final decision on the nature of the conference in early September.

Last Call for BBS Data

It looks like we've had a good year for Breeding Bird Survey coverage, but if you have any outstanding data to submit, please do so before 31st August. A tutorial video on submitting your data online can be viewed here. Thanks to all BBS surveyors and Regional Organisers for your fantastic work. 

Sign up for e-Newsletter

Finally, if you haven't already done so, please remember to sign up for our e-Newsletter so you continue to receive updates from BTO NI.

Best wishes,

Stephen

--

Stephen Hewitt

British Trust for Ornithology

Northern Ireland Officer

07784546403

Please sign up for the BTO NI e-Newsletter!

BTO Northern Ireland

@BTO_NIreland

Opinions expressed in this e-mail are not necessarily those of the BTO.

BTO staff are not authorised to enter into contracts via e-mail.

Bird News Monday 26th July

Three Green Sandpipers were on the River Main at Slaght, Ballymena (David Steele)

An adult Mediterranean Gull was in the East Strand Car Park, Portrush this morning (Stephen Riddell).

A 1st summer Little Gull was at Lough Beg this evening. (David Steele).

Mediterranean Gull, Portrush, Stephen Riddell:

Bird News Sunday 25th July

Two Whimbrel were roosting in Belfast Lough RSPB reserve at high tide. Three Common Sandpipers were at the pool at Kinnegar. Another Whimbrel was at Ballymacormack Point. (Garry Armstrong).

The Green Sandpiper was still at Lady Bay, Lough Neagh along with a Whimbrel and two Common Sandpipers. (Garry Armstrong).

A summer plumaged Mediterranean Gull and three Carrion Crow were at Glynn Station in Larne Lough. (Dakota Reid).

A Shoveler was an unusual record at Rue Point on Rathlin, also 60+ Sand Martin were at Ushet. (Ian Enlander).

Thanks to Tim Jess for the picture of the Kingfishers and to Dakota Reid for the picture of the Common Tern:

Bird News Saturday 24th July

The Green Sandpiper was still at Lady Bay, Lough Neagh this morning. (Garry Armstrong).

An adult Mediterranean Gull is at the Ecos Centre, Ballymena (Jeff Larkin)

Our thanks to Mark Weir for the photo of a Sparrowhawk and to Michael Latham for the picture of the Kestrel:. 

Green Sandpiper

Bird News Friday 23rd July

A Hobby was seen this evening at the Slievetrue Road, Carrickfergus (George Stewart)

The two Ruff were still at RSPB WoW and  4 Common Sandpiper were at Kinnegar Pools (Stuart McKee/Bob Watts)

A Balaeric Shearwater was seen from the Rathlin ferry this morning. (Ian Enlander)

A Red Kite at the junction of the Lisglass/Slievetrue road near Woodburn forest Carrickfergus.(George Stewart)

This afternoon a pale phase Arctic Skua flew over RSPB WoW (Tom Ennis)

Our thanks to Michael Henderson for this pic of a Reed Warbler.