Bird News Monday 2nd March 2026

6 Goosander (including 3 males) River Maine at Slaght nr. Ballymena early doors (David Steele).

Ringtail Hen Harrier hunting at Portmore Lough also 2 Great White Egrets. Also Cattle Egret behind stables (Nigel Moore).

Harlequin Duck and 4 Long-tailed Duck (2 males) east of Magheraroarty Pier, Co Donegal (Pat Pykett / L Feeney).

This afternoon off Cushendun a Great Northern Diver, on Glendun River a female Goosander (Patrick Barton).

A Chiffchaff along the River Inver in Larne near the graffiti murals this afternoon (Tim Davies).

2 Tundra Bean Geese Dunfanaghy New Lake with Barnacle Geese. Male and Female Ring-necked Duck and two pairs of Goosander at Lough Fern (Pat Pykett / L Feeney).

2 Russian White-fronted Geese still at Reedy Flats with the Whooper Swan & Greylag Geese flock (Ken Simpson).

Russian Whitefront, Ken Simpson:

Bird News Sunday 1st March 2026

2 Mediterranean Gulls still at Belfast Lough WoW Reserve (Leia Getty).

The Ferruginous Duck is still at the north end of Ballysaggart Lough. (Jeff Larkin).

11 Russian White-fronted Geese still at Farranfad Road, Nutgrove, Co. Down. Also 1 Pinkfoot and 40+ Greylag (Daniel Newton).

3 Great White Egrets and a single Cattle Egret still showing well from right of the viewing platform at RSPB Portmore. (Shane Brighton).

7 Twite north of Kearney but no sign of Water Pipit (Aaron Long).

Lesser Yellowlegs still on Rathlin also 20 Twite and 40+ Purple Sandpipers (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

Mediterranean Gull, Leia Getty:

Russian White-fronted, Pinkfoot & Greylag Geese, Daniel Newton:

Twite, Aaron Long:

Bird News Saturday 28th February 2026

9 Russian Whitefronts and 2 Pink feet were still present with the Whoopers at the Nutgrove Geese fields off Farranfad road (Aaron Long)

The Harlequin Duck is still at Magheroarty Pier. The Pacific Diver was at Curranport (Searlas Anderson)

Three Great White Egret, a Hen Harrier and the Cattle Egret were seen at Portmore this morning (Michael Latham / Gary Brown)

A pair of Mediterranean Gull were at RSPB WoW. (Daniel Newton)

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was at Lissue House, Lisburn (Andrew Upton)

An immature White-tailed Eagle was offshore from Galboly, soaring high over the sea in the North Channel. On plumage, a different (younger) bird to the one over Carnlough last week (David Steele)

Two Tundra Bean Geese, were with 40 Greenland Whitefrontss and 100 Barnacles north west of the New Lake, Dunfanaghy (Searlas Anderson / Kevin McLaughlin)

A male Black Redstart was still at The Quays, Portavogie (Derek Polley)

A Water Pipit was north of Kearney at https://maps.app.goo.gl/Xpm9bBmTfoog4G8SA?g_st=ic (Derek Polley)

A Mediterranean Gull was at Movanagher Canal outside Ballymoney (James Armour)

14 Purple Sandpiper and 2 Great Northern Diver were at Portrush (Juliet hen Spottiswood)

4 female type Ring-necked Ducks were on Lough Barry at the junction of Inishmore Road and Whilliter Road, in Co. Fermanagh. (Birdguides).

Hen Harrier, Michael Latham:

Bird News Friday 27th February 2026

A juvenile Black-throated Diver was seen from O’Kane’s lay-by, Red Bay, a new individual, others seen previously this winter were adult-types. (David Steele).

The 2 Russian White-fronts, 1 Pinkfoot and a Ruff were at the east end of Reedy Flats. (Clifford Sharpe, David McCready).

The Ferruginous Duck is still present on Ballysaggart Lough, at the north end of the lake. (Dave Fox).

The Harlequin Duck was at Magheroarty Pier in Donegal today, the bird was distant in the bay but flew in close and was chased by a Great Northern Diver, it flew round and landed on the pier. (John Clarke).

Harlequin Duck, John Clarke.

Boat Trip Talks.

Jim Wells will be giving a talk on the boat trips he organises to the Belfast RSPB group on Monday evening (2nd March). The venue is Cooke Centenary church hall off the Ormeau Road and the talk starts at 7.30pm. Contact the group or Jim on 07856235144 for more details.

Bird News Thursday 26th February 2026

Drake Goosander on the River Strule near Newtownstewart, viewed from main road from first lay-by heading towards Derry (Colin Bell).

Harlequin still in Co Donegal (per Joseph Doolan).

A single Pinkfoot at Annadorn near Seaforde with 40 Whooper, 6 Mute Swans and 21 Greylags but no Whitefronts (Maurice McNeely).

Adult Mediterranean Gull on fields by the A6 at Toome…bird with a full hood, so different to three seen on Sunday…appears to be inland passage of this species just now…(David Steele).

2 Long-tailed Ducks off Lough Shore (Gerard McGeehan).

Ferrugionous Duck still Ballysaggart Lough (David Knight).

Ferruginous Duck, David Knight:

Bird News Wednesday 25th February 2026

Ferruginous Duck showing south end Ballysaggart Lough ( Shane Brighton / Ernie Hunter).

Slavonian Grebe still on Craigavon South Balancing Lake (Shane Brighton).

Great White Egret in flooded fields across the road  from the garage where it was first reported from at Toome Bridge (Philip West).

Harlequin Duck still present and showing well at Tra na gCloch, Co Donegal also Pacific Diver present but distant. Also 2 Great Northern Divers (Mervyn Campbell).

Drake Goosander at Sion Mills River Walk at the weir near the CCTV station (Colin Bell).

Male Ring-necked Duck with the Tufted flock, Lough Beg Flock of 11 Glossy Ibis in flight over after sunset…not seen to settle but possibly roosted with Little Egrets; also a big arrival c.1,000 Black-tailed Godwits (David Steele).

Male Brambling back in Whitehead garden (Cameron Moore).

Late news from yesterday of a Barn Owl in the outskirts of Antrim (Mark Smyth).

Brambling, Cameron Moore:

Bird News Tuesday 24th February 2026

The Ferruginous Duck was again at the south end of Ballysaggart Lough, Dungannon (David McCreedy / Mike McLaughlin)

The Slavonian Grebe is still at Craigavon South Lake (Theo Campbell / Martin Deehan)

A partially leucistic Red Kite was at Kilcoo (Ewan McKenzie)

11 of the Russian Whitefronts and the single Pinkfoot, are still with Whoopers and Greylags at Nutgrove, Farranfad, east of Seaforde. (David Nixon)

Two Great White Egret were at Portmore RSPB this afternoon (Martin Deehan / Theo Campbell)

A Pink-footed Goose and Merlin were at Reedy Flats (Jim Wells / NIOC)

The Cattle Egret was with 3 Little Egret at Portmore (Jim Wells)

A Red Kite was at Coolkeeran road, Armoy, this afternoon. (Maria Mulholland)

This Little Auk was found on Tory Island, Anton Meenan:

Bird News Monday 23rd February 2026

A Great White Egret, Hen Harrier and the Cattle Egret were at Portmore RSPB (Juliet Fleming)

The 2 Russian White-fronted Geese amongst a huge flock of Greylags at the Reedy Flats area. A Great White Egret was at Ardmore point and another in the fields north of the Aghacommon Embankment Road at the western end. At least 6 presumed Russian White-fronted Geese were at Flatfields (Stephen Fyffe)

8 Pink-feet were with the whooper flock at the Tunny Cut, Portmore  this afternoon. (Dermott Hughes / John O'Boyle)

Two Mediterranean Gull were at RSPB WoW (Jake Grant)

Hen harrier, Juliet Fleming:

Russian White-fronted Goose, Flatfields, Stephen Fyffe:

Bird News Sunday 22nd February 2026

The Cattle Egret was still at Portmore and a Great White Egret near Lady's Bay. (Leia Getty).

The Slavonian Grebe is still on the south Balancing Lake in Craigavon. (Ed O'Hara).

A ringtail Hen Harrier was at Reedy Flats. (Chris Veale, Mervyn Heasley)

A flock of 30+ Purple Sandpipers flew from Skerries towards the Coastal Zone in Portrush. (Bob Watts).

A Little Gull was at Larne town station lagoon. (Ian Enlander).

The 2 Russian White-fronts were at the east end of Reedy Flats. A male Hen Harrier was also present. (Garry Armstrong).

The Harlequin Duck is still at Trá na gCloch in Donegal the Pacific Diver is also present. (Nathan Jones, Michael Latham).

The adult Ring-billed Gull was still at the Round O in Enniskillen. (Birdguides).

One female Ring-necked Duck was back at Knockninny, a male Ring-necked Duck was at Belle Isle. (John Cusack).

A female Ring-necked Duck was on Dunfanaghy New Lake. (Nathan Jones, Michael Latham).

Three adult Mediterranean Gulls with other gulls on flooded fields by the A6 at Toome, also 23 Ruff. Lough Beg had a Slavonian Grebe and at least two Great Northern Divers and good early spring count 84 Pintail. (David Steele).

Also at Lough Beg (Mullagh) a single Great White Egret, ringtail Hen Harrier and approx 200 Black-tailed Godwits. (Richard Gray).

A single Great White Egret at Nicholls Garage, Toome. In flooded field by the new Toome bridge. (Nathan Jones).

The Spotted Redshank was still at Castle Espie. (Birdguides).

Harlequin Duck, Michael Latham.

Bird News Saturday 21st February 2026

Chough over Ardglass Golf Course this morning (Chris Murphy).

Cattle Egret at Portmore Lough behind the stables, also Great White Egret (Daniel Newton).

2 Russian White-fronted geese, drake Ring Necked Duck, White-tailed Eagle and a Great White Egret at Inch, Co. Donegal (Alan O’Brien).

13 Russian White-fronted Geese and a single Pinkfoot at Nutgrove (Dave Weir).

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

2 Russian White-fronts are in the centre of Reedy Flats (Garry Armstrong).

50+ Purple Sandpipers Portrush Coastal Zone (Bob Watts).

Harlequin & Pacific Diver still at Tra na gCloch, Donegal (Derek Brennan).

Cattle Egret, Daniel Newton:

Russian White-fronted Goose, Derek Brennan:

 

Bird News Friday 20th February 2026

 The Slavonian Grebe is still on the south Balancing Lake at Craigavon. (Steven Fyffe).

One of the male Black Redstarts is still at Portavogie. (Michael Latham).

13 probable Russian-whitefronted Geese and a single Pinkfoot are with Whoopers and Greylags at Nutgrove (from Farranfad Road) near Seaforde. (David Nixon).

The Spotted Redshank is still at Dundrum Inner Bay south. (David Nixon).

The Harlequin Duck is showing again off Trá na gCloch, Co. Donegal. (Birdguides).

The two Russian White-fronts were still in fields opposite Burt GAA club near Inch in Donegal. (Michael Savage).

The Spotted Redshank was showing well at Castle Espie this morning. (Jonny Clark).

A Ruff is still in flooded fields north of Kirkistown. (Richard Weyl).

The Black Redstart was seen again in Whitehead. (Cameron Moore).

Russian White-fronts, Michael Savage.

Spotted Redshank, Jonny Clark.

Probable Russian White-fronts, David Clarke.

Black Redstart, Michael Latham.

Bird News Thursday 19th February 2026

The drake Harlequin Duck and the Pacific Diver were showing off Trá na gCloch, Co. Donegal (Alan O'Brien)

A drake and two female Ring Necked Ducks were at the west end of Dunfanaghy New Lake (Chris Ingram)

The Slavonian Grebe is still at the south Balancing Lake, Craigavon (Ed O’Hara)

A Slavonian Grebe was still at Groomsport (Dermott Hughes)

Two Red Kite were at Kilcoo, Co Down (Ewan McKenzie)

The Ferruginous Duck was still at Ballysaggart Lough, Dungannon (Michael Stinson)

Three Slavonian Grebes and a Greater Scaup were off the Limekiln hide at Castle Espie. (Peter Knight).

Ferruginous Duck, Michael Stinson:

Ring-billed Gull, Round O, Enniskillen from Monday, John Archer: