Bird News Sunday 15th February 2026

Slavonian Grebe still on the south Balancing Lake, Craigavon (Garry Armstrong).

Common Sandpiper just east of Todd's Corner at Ardmore. (Garry Armstrong).

Great White Egret still off the Inch platform and the 2 Russian White-fronts in the field by the GAA pitch, Co Donegal (Searlas Anderson).

2 male Black Redstarts at Portavogie from New Quays PH car park (Daniel Newton / Aaron Long / Chris Veale et al).

White-tailed Eagle on Big Copeland (Richard Weyl).

Adult male Merlin at St John’s Point (Chris Murphy).

Garganey showing on the main lake at Portmore Lough (Garry Armstrong).

Harlequin still at Tra Na gCloch, Co Donegal (Michael O’Clery).

Approximately 30 Twite at Magilligan Point (John Clarke).

The adult Bonaparte’s Gull at the outfall at Larne (Nicky Lynn / Ivan Quail).

Merlin at Ballyquintin Point (Aaron Long / Daniel Newton).

Merlin at Reedy Flats thus afternoon (Michael Latham).

4 Great Northern Divers out on Lough Beg this afternoon…also Slavonian Grebe seen again (David Steele).

Black Redstart still at the mouth of the Shimna River, Newcastle (Liam O’Hara).

Slavonian Grebe, Steve Brennan:

Bonaparte’s Gull, Ivan Quail:

Black Redstart, Liam O’Hara:

Black Redstarts, Daniel Newton:

Bird News Saturday 14th February 2026

The Harlequin Duck was at Trá na gCloch in  Donegal again this morning. (Caleb Knight). The Pacific Diver was also present. (Aaron Long).

The Spotted Redshank is on the tidal pools at Castle Espie. (Dave Weir).

A White-tailed Eagle was seen over Down Yacht Club near Killyleagh. (Sorrel Lyall).

Two Russian White-fronts were with Greylags at the east end of Reedy Flats, a ringtail Hen Harrier and a Merlin were also seen. (Garry Armstrong, Ed O'Hara).

Two male Ring-necked Ducks were at Dunfanaghy New Lake in Donegal. (Michael O'Clery).

The adult Iceland Gull was at the outflow on Airport Road Shell Beach. (Tom Garner). The Iceland Gull was still at Kinnegar shore this afternoon. (Nathan Gilbert).

The male Black Redstart is still at Portavogie. (Tim Davis).

The Great White Egrets were off the platform at Inch in Donegal briefly and the 2 Russian White fronts are in the field below the GAA pitch, opposite Callaghan Tyres. (Derek Brennan).

A Great White Egret was at Portmore. (Leia Getty).

An immature White-tailed Eagle flew high north over Carnlough Bay. (David Steele).

A male Brambling was in a private garden in Keady. (H.Murpgy).

Lesser Yellowlegs and Black-throated Diver both still on Rathlin. (Ric Else).

Two Black-throated Divers offshore in Red Bay, distant today. (David Steele).

Male Brambling in a garden in Antrim. (Mark Smyth).

A female Ring-necked Duck was near Belle Isle on Upper Lough Erne. (John Cusack).

The Slavonian Grebe was still on the south Balancing Lake in Craigavon this afternoon. (Conor Roddy, Ed O'Hara).

Russian Whitefront, Garry Armstrong.

Slavonian Grebe, Conor Roddy.

Slavonian Grebe, Ed O'Hara.

Bird News Friday 13th February 2026

A Russian White-fronted Goose was with Greylags at Myroe (Ian Dickey)

A Common Crane has been reported in flight near Mount Stewart (Jasmijn Hofman, per eBird) Possibly the same bird, a Common Crane was seen circling over the north end of Ballylough, Castlewellan, Co Down at 3:25 (Chris Murphy) 

The Ferruginous Duck was back again at Ballysaggart Lough today. (James Organ)

The male Black Redstart was again at the Harbourside restaurant at Portavogie (Mike McLaughlin / David McCreedy)

The Harlequin Duck was again at the river outflow, Curranport, Donegal.

This evening the adult Iceland Gull came in to roost at RSPB WoW (Daniel Newton)

The Black Redstart is still at Whitehead Seafront near the slipway and the Greenland Whitefront is back at Steele’s Point, Islandmagee. (Cameron Moore)

A Purple Sandpiper was on Whitehead seafront (David Gillespie)

Russian White-fronted Goose, Ian Dickey:

Black Redstart, David McCreedy:

Bird News Thursday 12th February 2026

The Pacific Diver and Harlequin still present at Tra na gCloch, Co Donegal (Joseph Doolan).

Adult Iceland Gull at Belfast Lough RSPB this morning (Ronnie Doggart).

Slavonian Grebe still on Craigavon South Lake. Bird is in small bay opposite the entrance to the leisure centre. Also Great White Egret in flooded field close to the road at Closet Meadows (David McCreedy / Mike McLaughlin).

Black-throated Diver again off Rathlin with 3 Great Northern (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

Great Northern Diver off Browns Bay, Islandmagee (Roger Woodward).

Iceland Gull, Ronnie Doggart:

Slavonian Grebe & Great White Egret, David McCreedy:

Bird News Wednesday 11th February 2026

The Harlequin Duck is still at Trá na gCloch in Donegal. (Gerry Bond).

Ten Slavonian Grebes were on Lough Foyle, seen from Myroe. (Martin Deehan).

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

A Great White Egret was still at Inch in Donegal. (Gerry Bond).

Harlequin Duck, Gerry Bond.

Great White Egret, Gerry Bond.

Bird News Tuesday 10th February 2026

The drake Harlequin duck was off the outflow and the Pacific Diver distantly to the west from Trà na gCloch, Donegal this morning (Robert Vaughan / Richard Caves)

The Slavonian Grebe was still at Craigavon South Lake (Ed O’Hara)

Inch, Donegal had a Great White Egret and two Russian White-fronts this morning (Ciaran Cronin)

A Long-tailed Duck was at Glynn (Gerard McGeehan / Shirley Dunlop)

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

Harlequin Duck, Richard Caves:

Bird News Monday 9th February 2026

Pacific Diver from west side of bay and Harlequin from beach still off Tra na gCloch, Donegal (Mike Hoit).

Black Redstart still at mouth of Shimna River, Newcastle on rocks to right of pedestrian bridge (Steve Brennan).

A Great Spotted Woodpecker yesterday in Stormont Park near the Boardwalk (Donna Darlington).

Drake Ferruginous Duck still at Ballysaggart Lough this evening (Ciarin Cronin).

Harlequin, Richard Caves:

Black Redstart, Steve Brennan:

Bird News Sunday 8th February 2026

A Little Gull was off Kinnegar in Belfast Lough. A Slavonian Grebe and Great Northern Diver were also present. (Stuart Cossey).

The Black Redstart is still at the mouth of the Shimna river, Newcastle. (Chris Veale).

A Merlin along the road to Portrush by Juniper Hill caravan park. (Chris Hamilton).

The Harlequin Duck still in usual spot at Tra na gCloch, Co. Donegal. (Jeff Larkin). A Pacific Diver is just offshore at Tra na gCloch, with the Harlequin Duck (Jeff Larkin).

A Great White Egret was at Reedy Flats. (Michael Latham). Another Great White Egret was east of Emersons sand quay at Ardmore an a ringtail Hen Harrier at Reedy Flats. (Ed O'Hara).

Two Great White Egrets were at Portmore. (Ivan Quail, Nicky Lynn, Daniel Newton).

The adult Ring-billed Gull was still at the Round O in Enniskillen. (Colin Bell). The 1st winter Ring-billed Gull was also present. (Ronan Owens).

A White-tailed Eagle was in the Antrim Hills. (Kenny Moore).

The 2 Russian White-fronts were with 200+ Greylags in the field on left heading to Inch Reserve in Donegal. (Jeff Larkin).

Two male Brambling were in a garden in Antrim. (Mark Smyth)

15 Velvet Scoter far out off Lough Shore Park in Belfast Lough. (Stuart McKee).

The White-fronted Goose was with Greylags off the Portmuck Road, behind the farm at Portmuck Harbour.  A Red-throated Diver and 2 Great Northern Divers were off Muck Island. (Kevin Kirkham).

Two Pinkfeet were with Greylags in a pond along the road to Fair Head carpark, two more Pinkfeet were with Greylags nearby. A Red-throated Diver was in Red Bay. (Philip Johnson).

A Great White Egret this afternoon at Bunnahesco, Upper Lough Erne, Co Fermanagh. it was in a field at the waters edge, before flying to Robinsons Island out of view. (Colin Bell)

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming in Ormeau Park in Belfast this morning. (Jonathan Clark). 

A Slavonian Grebe was on the south Balancing Lake in Craigavon. (Colin Kennedy).

Great White Egret.

Robert Boyle

Robert Boyle

Michael Latham

Slavonian Grebe, Colin Kennedy.

Bird news Saturday, 7th February 2026

A pair of Slavonian Grebes were off Kinnegar from the Concentrix carpark ( Daniel Newton)

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

The Black Redstart was still at the Shimna River, Newcastle (Andrew Crory)

An adult little gull was at Briggs rocks County down (Richard Weyl)

A Slavonian Grebe is in Groomsport Bay (Katy Bell)

An adult Little Gull and a Mediterranean Gull were in flooded fields at Toome. A Great White Egret was behind Nicholl’s Garage (David Steele)

Three Great Northern Diver were off Runkerry and one off Portballintrae (Simon Morton)

The Harlequin Duck was still at Trá na gCloch today (Dakota Reid and Martin Clift). A diver was also seen and this is now believed to be a Pacific Diver.

A Slavonian Grebe, two Great Northern Divers and another three Great White Egrets were at Lough Beg (David Steele)

The two Ring-billed Gulls were at the Round O Enniskillen. Great White Egrets were at The Watermill and near Belle Isle. Three Ring necked Ducks were seen with two female off Drumcon Road and a drake near Belle Isle (John Cusack)

The Lesser Yellowlegs was still on Rathlin (Ric Else)

Two pairs of Long Eared Owl were at Ulster University (John Clarke).

The Ferruginous Duck was looked for today without success.

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was at Drumkeeragh Forest Park this morning (Sean Thompson)

Great White Egret, Inch, Gerry Bond:

Pacific Diver, Curranport, Co Donegal, Dakota Reid / Martin Clift:

Bird News Friday 6th February 2026

 The Bittern is still at Inch in Donegal. (Ray Glynn).

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

A male Goosander was on Lough Island Reavey. (Ewan McKenzie)

The adult and 1st winter Ring-billed Gulls were still at the Round "O" in Enniskillen. (Robert Vaughan).

The Ferruginous Duck was in the north east corner of Ballysaggart Lough. (Tom Kavanagh, Gary White).

The Whitefront is still with Greylags at Steele's Point on Islandmagee. The Purple Sandpiper was still at Whitehead seafront. (David Clarke, John Pyper, Cameron Moore).

Whitefront, Cameron Moore.

Bird News Thursday 5th February 2026

A Great White Egret was off the Platform Hide at Inch, Donegal (Searlas Anderson)

The Ferruginous Duck was present this morning in the north east corner of Ballysaggart Lough, Dungannon. It was later on the east side (David McCreedy / Mike McLaughlin / Dermot Hughes)

Three Great White Egrets, a Peregrine and a male Garganey (seen from the stables) were at Portmore Lough (Alan Dickson)

A first winter Ring-billed Gull was at the Round 'O', Enniskillen today along with the adult Ring-billed Gull. (Ronan Owens)

Bird News Wednesday 4th February 2026

 The Ferruginous Duck was back in the north east corner of Ballysaggart Lough this morning. (Neal Warnock).

The Bittern was seen briefly in flight from the causeway looking towards the platform at Inch in Donegal. A Great White Egret was in front of the platform and both Russian Whitefronts were in field opposite Calaghan Tyres first thing. (Robert Vaughan).

The Black Redstart was at the leeward side of the footbridge at the Shimna River in Newcastle this afternoon. (Maurice McNeely).

An adult Polish ringed Mediterranean Gull was at Antrim Marina today. Ringed as a chick in June 2022, previous sightings were on the Bann Estuary in July 2025 (John Clarke) and Southampton in March 2023. (Gareth Platt).

The Curlew Sandpiper was seen again at Myroe. (Birdguides).

A Whitefront was at Steele's Point on Islandmagee. (Cameron Moore).

Mediterranean Gull, Gareth Platt.

Great White Egret, Robert Boyle.