nibirds

Bird News Monday 31st August 2026

3 Curlew Sandpiper were off the Tready Hide at Inch. Another was off the viewing platform (Searlas Anderson)

The Osprey still at Lough Beg, opposite side of Longpoint (Jonny Rosborough)

A seawatch from Bloody Foreland, 630 to 1030 had 25 Corys Shearwater, 10 Great Skua, 1216 Manx Shearwater, 2 Pomarine Skua and 7 Sooty Shearwater. (Michael Thornton)

Lough Beg / The Bann today had an Osprey, 6 Glossy Ibis, 3 Green Sandpiper, 5 Great White Egret and Whooper Swans (Martin Deehan et al)

Fanad Head this morning from 6:45 to 10am had circa 25 Corys Shearwater, 6 Great Shearwater, 5Sooty Shearwater, a Storm Petrel, a Pomarine Skua, 3 Arctic Skua and 4 Bonxie (WF, SD, AL, JB)

The Wood Sandpiper and three Ruff were still at RSPB WoW (Alan Fitzsimmons)

Rocky Point, Donegal this morning had 9 Cory’s, 7 Sooty and 1 Bonxie. Malin beg “magic” garden, had a Wood Warbler, although elusive (Dermot Hughes / John O'Boyle)

An adult Iceland Gull was at Loughshore, Shore Road, Whiteabbey (Tony Dodds)

A Marsh Harrier and Hen Harrier were in the Antrim Hills (Ewan McKenzie)

Galboly this evening up to 20:15 had 152+ European Storm Petrels, all after 18:00 when the northwest breeze dropped out…most flying quickly north but a few groups pausing to feed quite close in with Manx Shearwaters; also seen, singles of Sooty Shearwater, Great Skua and Arctic Skua (David Steele)

Myroe had several Curlew sandpiper and at least 2 Little Stints (Ivan Quail / Nicky Lynn / John Clarke / Michael Latham)

Wood Sandpiper, Alan Fitzsimmons:

This interesting corvid has been around House of Vic-ryn, Moira Road, Lisburn it possibly shows some characteristics of House Crow:

Bird News Sunday 30th August 2026.

2 Curlew Sandpipers and 2 Ruff at Inch. and 2 Curlew Sadpipers and 3 Ruff at Blanket Nook. (Searlas Anderson).

The Osprey is still at north end of Lough Beg. (David Steele).

6 Brent Geese went past Glassagh Bay, Fanad Head in Donegal. (Wilton Farrelly).

A Wood Sandpiper was in front of the observation room at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve, 2 Ruff were also present. (Stuart Cossey). The Wood Sandpiper and 3 Ruff were still present this afternoon. (Bob Watts).

2 Little Stint and a Curlew Sandpiper were at Myroe. (Daniel Newton).

25 Brent were at island Hill in Strangford, also 2 Knot. (Gerard McGeehan).

The Osprey is still at the Quoile Hide. (Ethan McMillan, Michael Latham).

A Ruff was at the Bann Estuary. (John Spottiswood).

2 Curlew Sandpipers and a Ruff were at Inch in Donegal. (Kyle Martin)

Swifts were heard at Moseley Mill this morning. (Isaiah Davis).

Osprey, Michael Latham.

Bird News Saturday 29th August 2026

21 Ruff, single Curlew Sandpiper and Great White Egret off Long Point, Lough Beg (Ivan Quail).

Osprey at north end of Lough Beg this evening and 6 Great White Egrets (David Steele).

Adult and 2 juvenile Ruff at Belfast Lough WoW Reserve (Stuart McKee, Gerrard McGeehan).

Osprey still from Castle Island hide, Quoile (Ewan McKenzie).

Bird News Friday 28th August 2026

Two Ruff were at RSPB WoW this morning (Daniel Newton) Three Ruff (two juvenile and an adult) were present at lunchtime (Stuart McKee)

Four Spotted Flycatcher were at Augher River walk this morning (Colin Bell)

A Ruff was at Ladys Bay, Lough Neagh (Richard Caves)

An Osprey was seen flying down river over Steamboat Quay to Castle Island Hide, the Quoile at 2pm (Tim Davis) The bird was still present at 5:30pm (Laura Millar)

Juvenile Ruff, Richard Caves:

Bird News Thursday 27th August 2026

An Osprey was at Kilmore Quay Lower Lough Erne this morning, it flew south west behind Inishcorkish Island out of view. The Osprey returned to the area before flying off eastwards. (Colin Bell).

Two juvenile Curlew Sandpipers, a Stock Dove, two Wheatear, two Mediterranean Gulls and juvenile Peregrine were at Myroe. (Theo Campbell, Paul McSwiggin). One of the juvenile Curlew Sandpipers was still at Myroe this evening. (John Spottiswood).

On Arranmore in Donegal a juvenile Citrine Wagtail was at Poolawaddy ( NE corner ), flew towards Leabgarrow. (3rd Island record). (Andrew McMillan).

An Osprey and a Common Sandpiper are at the Barmouth hide. (Searlas Anderson).

Two Spotted Flycatchers were near the Discovery Centre at Oxford Island. (Ed O'Hara).

A Whimbrel and a Greenshank were the best at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve. (Derek Polley).

The Osprey and at least five Great Egrets still at Lough Beg however no sign of the Black Tern. There are also a few small waders about including four juvenile Sanderling. (David Steele).

The Chough is still at Torr Head. (Ivan Cullen).

A male Hen Harrier flew over Dungannon park being harassed by gulls. (David Shilliday).

A single Sooty Shearwater and 800 Manx Shearwaters past Galboly in a couple of hours this evening in nearly calm conditions. (David Steele).

A Swift was at Woodcroft, Ballymena this evening. (Richard Gray).

An Osprey was seen circling over Killyleagh road close to the bridge on the Quoile river today at 12:30.

Spotted Flycatcher, Ed O'Hara.

Osprey, Searlas Anderson.

Common Sandpiper, Searlas Anderson.

Bird News Wednesday 26th August 2026

Late news from yesterday of a single Swift over Hillsborough Lake (Garry Wilkinson).

Juvenile Black Tern, Lough Beg…covering a wide circuit over the main lake and a dozen juvenile Common Terns also present (David Steele).

Osprey still at the northern end of Lough Beg, perching in the same big willow tree (distant scope views from Long Point Wood). 6 Great White Egrets, one at Long Point, roosting with Little Egrets on the small wooded island, 4 south of Church Island and one at south end (David Steele).

Juvenile Grey Plover in the Bann Estuary (John Clarke).

Chough still at Torr Head; the same Manx bird which was on Rathlin in the spring (Ric Else, Hazel Watson).

Arctic Skua amongst large numbers of feeding Razorbill, Terns and Gannets close inshore at Carnalea (Richard Weyl).

Peregrine, Laura Rose:

Great White Egrets, David Steele:

Bird News Tuesday 25th August 2026

A ring-tail Hen Harrier was off the viewing platform at Inch, Donegal (Theo Campbell)

The Osprey was still at the Quoile this morning (David Stirling)

Two Green Sandpipers were at Blackstaff River and a Stock Dove at Ardilea, Dundrum Bay, this morning. The Osprey was in flight, at the Yacht club end of Quoile Pondage at lunchtime. (David Nixon / Philip McHaffie)

Bird News Monday 24th August 2026

An immature Marsh Harrier was at Starbog Road in the Antrim Hills moving north west. Same area as one seen 10 days ago. (Clive Mellon).

An Osprey was at the Quoile. (David Stirling). The Osprey is still present in front of the hide at the Quoile, it has a blue ring on its left leg. (Chris Murphy).

Bird News Sunday 23rd August 2026

Common Sandpiper at Traad Point. 12 adult Whooper Swan with one young south of Traad Point (Mark Smyth).

Marsh Harrier at Todd’s Corner, Ardmore. Single Ruff at the east end of Reedy Flats and 4 more Ruff at the west end (Garry Armstrong, Oscar Campbell).

3 Ruff at Lady Bay (David Clarke, John Pyper).

3 dark and a single phase Arctic Skuas chasing Sandwich Terns and at least 2 Little Gulls of which one an adult at Magilligan Point. Also porpoises and bottle nose dolphins (Michael Latham, Nathan Gilbert).

Osprey at Lough Beg 1220 perched up on a big willow tree at the north end, also Great White Egret (David Steele). Still at north end of Lough Beg this evening. Very distant but still viewable from Long Wood (Aaron Long, Daniel Newton, Ian Young).

Wheatear at Ramore Head (Chris Hamilton).

At least one Green Sandpiper still at Seagahan Dam Co Armagh still with Common Sandpiper (John Spottiswood).

Ruff, David Clarke:

Arctic Skua, Michael Latham:

Bird News Saturday 22nd August 2026

Magilligan had 2 adult Little Gulls, an Arctic Skua, Kestrel and 3 Common Scoter. The best at the Barmouth was a single Ruff and Whimbrel and an adult Med Gull.(Garry Armstrong / David Steele)

An Arctic Skua was at Briggs Rocks, Co Down this morning (Richard Weyl)

Two Red Kites were in the Antrim Hills. Also seen were a Hen Harrier, Kestrel, Wheatear and a high count of 48 Raven (Stephen Farquhar)

Kinnegar Shore had an adult Mediterranean Gull (Daniel Newton)

2 Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper were at Seagahan Resevoir, south of Markethill (Clifford Sharpe)

A Ruff was at Lady’s Bay, and a Common Sandpiper at Bartins Bay, Lough Neagh (Richard Caves)

Two Osprey were seen east of Emerson’s Sand-pit. A Garganey was at Reedy Flats (Oscar Campbell)

Ruff, Lady’s Bay, unfortunately with extensive blue green algae (Richard Caves)

Bird News Friday 21st August 2026

A juvenile female Peregrine and 3 Mediterranean Gulls were at Myroe. An adult Mediterranean Gull was at Donnybrewer, Lough Foyle. (Theo Campbell, Paul McSwiggin).

8 Ruff were at Myroe this morning. (James McDowell et al).

4 Mediterranean Gulls were at Ballykelly marsh, 2 adults, 1 juvenile and 1 sub adult, also a juvenile Peregrine. (David McCreedy, Clifford Sharpe, Mike McLaughlin).

A juvenile Ruff was at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve. (Stuart Cossey).

A blue Fulmar was off Melmore Head in Donegal this morning. (Oscar Campbell).

A juvenile Mediterranean Gull was at Lady Bay this evening. (Garry Armstrong).

A dark juvenile Arctic Skua was off Shell Pool, Castlerock this evening heading west. 4 adult Mediterranean Gulls and 2 Whimbrels the best at Bann Estuary this evening. (John Spottiswood).

A couple of hours from Galboly this evening had a single juvenile Great Skua, juvenile Arctic Skua and two Arctic Terns. (David Steele).

15 Mediterranean Gull were at Ratallagh shore between Portavogie and Cloughey. One was a Belgian ringed bird previously seen at Cloughey beach, another was a German ringed bird. (Graham McElwaine).

Three Mediterranean Gulls were at Carlingford Lough. A 3rd calendar bird feeding at Ballagan, 2nd calendar bird and 3rd calendar bird roosting at Mill Bay. (Stephen Foster).

2 Whimbrel and a Wheatear were at Killard Point. (Richard Caves).

Ruff, John Clarke.