Bird News Friday 9th October 2026

The Lesser Yellowlegs was still present in front of the Viewing platform Inch Donegal (Theo Campbell / Chris Ingram)

A Great White Egret was at Rabbit Island, Upper Lough Erne (Colin Bell)

A Merlin was at Myroe (John Clarke, C Stewart, J McDowell)

A Peregrine was seen over Botanic Gardens, Belfast this morning (Shane Brighton)

The Chough (with the green ring) was seen again, this time at Tor Head (David Steele)

Seven Goosander were at Ballycarry (Cameron Moore)

A Grey Phalarope and two Twite at Ramore Head (David Steele)

A ring tail Hen Harrier was at Reedy Flat (John Lambe)

Merlin, John Clarke:

Goosanders, Cameron Moore:

Bird News Thursday 8th October 2026

Lesser Yellowlegs again from view point at Inch, Donegal (Searlas Anderson).

 Lapland Bunting again on track to Rocky Point, Malinmore (John O’Boyle).

Marsh Harrier at Portmore Lough (Stevie Brennan).

Flock of 7+ Lapland Buntings at East Light, Rathlin (Rice Else, Hazel Watson).

Turtle Dove at Ballquintin Farm. Also a Jack Snipe flew from hedge near car park (Ian Young). No further sign of dove mid afternoon in increasingly heavy rain though cattle in field so shoreline not searched thoroughly (David Stirling).

Pink-footed Goose at Quoile (Chris Murphy).

2 Orcas off Annalong this morning (Andrew Kearney on FB).

Turtle Dove, Ian Young:

Dark-bellied Brent Paired With Pale-bellied Brent

 David Nixon had a Dark-bellied Brent which was paired with a Pale-bellied Brent near Green Island in Dundrum Inner Bay. The pair were accompanied by three juveniles. This appears to be the first record of this pairing in Northern Ireland.

Bird News Wednesday 7th October 2026

 A Carrion Crow way at Ballycastle. (Tomás Hand).

Sea watching at Bloody Foreland in Donegal between 8.15 and 10.50 in a north west wind had 163 Manx Shearwaters, 59 Sooty Shearwaters, 1 Petrel species, 6 Great Skuas, 9 Arctic Skuas, 2 Pomarine Skuas, 1 adult Long-tailed Skua, 1 Sabines Gull, 33 Arctic Terns, 6 Great Northern Divers and 109 Barnacle Geese. (Chris Ingram).

A Merlin was at Portmore this morning. (Lucy Shilliday).

Whooper Swans were at Whitehouse Lagoon. (Gerard McGeehan).

A dark-bellied Brent was near Green Island in Dundrum Inner Bay, and was paired with a pale-bellied Brent and accompanied by 3 young. (David Nixon).

A Curlew Sandpiper was at Ballymacormack Point. (Ewan McKenzie).

A Lapland Bunting was at Malin More in Donegal. 

The Glossy Ibis was still at Castle Espie also a Common Sandpiper. (Derek Polley).

Merlin, Lucy Shilliday.

Dark-bellied Brent, David Nixon.

Bird News Tuesday 6th October 2026

The Red-breasted Flycatcher was again at Malinmore, Donegal (Theo Campbell)

Binevenagh had a high count of 26 Raven. 3 Kestrel were seen in the area along with parties of Crossbill (John Clarke)

The immature and tagged White-tailed Eagle was still around Church Island, Lough Beg (Rory Cummings)

3 Whooper Swans were on the main lake at Portmore RSPB. A Glossy Ibis (with white tag on upper left leg) was also present along with a ringtail Hen Harrier  this evening. (Ken Simpson)

A Pink-footed Goose and Slavonian Grebe were at Glynn (Gerard McGeehan / Shirley Dunlop)

Two Black Terns were still at the north end of Lough Beg (David Steele)

Two Osprey were at the end of Shore Road, Dundalk (Ryan Holgate)

Drake Common Scoters, Magilligan, David Hill:

Crossbill, John Clarke:

Bird News Monday 5th October 2026

Great White Egret at Copeland Bird Observatory potentially a site first (per David Stirling).

Glossy Ibis still at Castle Espie near main lake.

Untagged immature White-tailed Eagle and 2 winter plumaged Common Terns from boat north of Church Island, Lough Beg (Karl Hamilton, Dot Blakely).

2 Black Terns remaining at Lough Beg this afternoon but distant today at the north-end, also Wood Sandpiper and tagged White-tailed Eagle still about but no sign of the Lesser Yellowlegs (David Steele)

Red-breasted Flycatcher at Malinbeg, Donegal (Robert Vaughan).

Whimbrelnon Rathlin (Ric Else, Hazel Watson).

Grey Phalarope reported at Portaferry harbour wall (Conor McCoy).

Adult Black Tern off Carnalea this afternoon (Philip Watson).

Glossy Ibis, Jonny Clark:

Bird News Sunday 4th October 2026

The Lesser Yellowlegs was in front of McGraths at Inch in Donegal. (Searlas Anderson).

A Merlin was at Portmore. (Francis Price).

An Arctic Skua was off Copeland. (David Stirling).

A Merlin and 3 European Storm Petrels at St Johns Point. (Chris Veale).

A Mediterranean Gull was at Sandy Bay in Larne. (Michael Latham).

A Mediterranean Gull and a Whimbrel were at Groomsport. (Bob Watts).

A Great White Egret was on Big Copeland. (David Stirling).

The Osprey was seen again from the hide at the Quoile this afternoon. (Stephen Dunbar).

The juvenile Goosander and a Slavonian Grebe were at Glynn in Larne Lough. (Michael Latham, Ivan Quail, Nicky Lynn).

12 Great Northern Divers were on Lough Eske in Donegal, (Neil Torney).

Mediterranean Gull, Michael Latham.

Goosander, Michael Latham.

Blackcap, Alan Fitzsimmons.

Bird News Saturday 3rd October 2026

A Barred Warbler was at Runkerry. Also a late Willow Warbler and a Blackcap (Richard Donaghey).

A Slavonian Grebe was off Croaghan hide at Oxford Island. (Garry Armstrong).

A Lesser Yellowlegs is at Lough Beg…currently in the south-west corner…likely just in and sleeping. Also present a Little Stint, Wood and Common Sandpiper, Spotted Redshanko, 2 Black Terns, 6 Great White Egrets and an immature White-tailed Eagle tagged green on left and red on right (David Steele).

A Tree Pipit at Malinmore, Donegal (Chris Ingram).

Osprey at 2pm from the Steamboat Quay at the Quoile (Liam O’Hara).

Mediterranean Gull at the University of Coleraine this afternoon (John Clarke).

Barred Warbler, Richard Donaghey:

Willow Warbler, Richard Donaghey:

Lesser Yellowlegs, David Steele:

Little Stint, David Steele:

Osprey, Liam O’Hara:

Mediterranean Gull, John Clarke:

Bird News Friday 2nd October 2026

 A probable Rough-legged Buzzard flew in off the sea at Torr head before continuing south. (Ian Young).

The Chough that was on Copeland has returned to Rathlin. (Ric Else).

A Bittern was reported in flight at Clough. (Birdguides).

CommonScoter, Mel O'Hagan.

Bird News Thursday 1st October 2026

Bonaparte’s Gull on Ballygally beach (Michael Latham).

2 Red-throated Divers at Carnlough, one in summer plumage (Michael Latham).

Female Kestrel and Greenshank at Belfast Lough WoW Reserve also 20 Sandwich Terns at Kinnegar Shore (Derek Polley).

Swift species over Straidkilly nature reserve, headed west along with around 20 house martins. Very flappy flight compared to usual gliding style of swift (Ronald Surgenor).

5 Glossy Ibis at Malin Beg, Donegal (Billy Miskelly).

2 Juvenile Goosander at Glynn (Michael Latham).

Single Great White Egret at Inishcorkish Island viewed from Kilmore Quay, Co Fermanagh (Colin Bell).

A Ruff at Kirkiston (Richard Weyl).

Pectoral Sandpiper and Black Tern (both new birds) at Lough Beg this evening…also 5 Great White Egrets still about (David Steele).

Garden Warbler, 2 Blackcaps (m & f), 3 Pink-footed Geese and Chiffchaff the best today on Tory, Donegal (Paul Keating, Theo Campbell).

Adult male Hen Harrier and a Great Spotted Woodpecker continuing on Rathlin (Ric Else, Hazel Watson).

A Dark-bellied Brent Goose with the flock from Finlay’s, Nortg Strangford Lough. Also 20 Pintail from the Maltings (David Nixon).

Bonaparte’s Gull, Michael Latham:

Goosander with Red-breasted Merganser, Michael Latham:

Bird News Wednesday 30th September 2026

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was on Rathlin (Ric Else)

A Pied Flycatcher was on Tory (Anton Meenan)

Ballyquinton Point was quiet with only two Goldcrest. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was outside Newtownards (Bob Watts)

A Peregrine was at Inver Lough, Co Fermanagh (Colin Bell)

Bird News Tuesday 29th September 2026

 The Lesser Yellowlegs was off the viewing platform at Inch in Donegal this afternoon. (Derek Brennan).

Newcastle beach this evening had a first winter, second winter and an adult Mediterranean Gull as well as a Carrion Crow . (Mel O'Hagan).

A Merlin and a possible Pectoral Sandpiper were at Myroe. Two Arctic Skua, a Great Skua, Little Tern and Red-throated Diver were at Magilligan. (Garry Wilkinson, NIOC).

St Johns Point 1800-1900, south east  wind, 40 mph: approx. 50 Manx Shearwaters 300 Kittiwakes (25%juv), 100 Gannets, 150 auks mostly Razorbills, 10 Black Guillemots, one Arctic Skua. (Chris Murphy).

Lesser Yellowlegs, Derek Brennan.

Bird News Monday 28th September 2026

Juvenile Hen Harrier and Pectoral Sandpiper at Inch, Donegal (Chris Murphy et al).