Whale Watch Ireland 23rd May 2026

 Whale Watch Ireland 2026

Saturday 23rd May

5:00-7:00 PM

 

Irish Whale & Dolphin Group (IWDG) invites you to join us at a number of headlands or vantage points for Whale Watch Ireland 2026, Saturday 23rd May 5:00-7:00 PM. This annual event is free - no booking required.

 

While there are of course no guarantees of sightings, given reasonable weather you have a good chance of seeing some of the species that inhabit your local waters. Please dress appropriately for the weather conditions on the day + sensible footwear.

 

Please bring binoculars (and spotting scope), stories to share and your sense of humour.

 

Northern Ireland locations

 

Location	Meet at	Leader name	Phone	Email
Ramore Hd, Portrush	Portrush Coastal Zone	Rachele Kempston	078 05626074	rachele.kempston@iwdg.ie
Portmuck, Islandmagee	Car Park	Ian Enlander	078 49853549	ian.enlander1@hotmail.com
Bloody Bridge, Newcastle	Car park	Andy Carden	077 62019160	andycarden58@hotmail.com

 

Further details and list of all watch sites at https://iwdg.ie/whale-watch-ireland-2026/

See you there

IWDG

Bird News Wednesday 20th May 2026

The Pink-footed Goose was still with the Greylags at Glebe, Rathlin (Hazel Watson)

A Pectoral Sandpiper was with the large wader flock at the Bann Estuary (Matthew Tickner)

A White-tailed Eagle went over Derryadd, Lough Neagh at 3:45, heading west (Ed O’Hara)

Two Pomarine Skua were seen from the Belfast to Isle of Man ferry.

Pectoral Sandpiper, Matthew Tickner:

Bird News Tuesday 19th May 2026

'There are 4 seats available for the boat trip to Tory and Inishbofin this Saturday (23rd May). Great opportunity to see Corncrake, Chough and Puffins. Contact Jim Wells on 07856235144 for full details'.

White-tailed Eagle soaring over Derryadd Bay Lough Neagh. Looks like same bird at Oxford Island two days ago (Ed O’Hara).

Bird News Monday 18th May 2026

The Ruddy Shelduck was still at Long Point, Lough Beg. A Reed Warbler was also present (Dermot Hughes)

9 adult Mediterranean Gulls were at RSPB WoW (Bob Watts)

Three Reed Warbler were at Castle Espie this morning (Jonathan Clarke)

Reed Warbler, Jonathan Clarke:

Bird News Sunday 17th May 2026

Immature White-tailed Eagle at Oxford Island NNR (Gary Brown).

Cetti’s Warbler continuing at Lough Cowey (Daniel Barry).

Marsh Harrier at Portmore Lough (Michael Latham). 

3+ Purple Sandpipers on Rathlin still, Red Kite yesterday (Ric Else / Hazel Watson). 

20+ Whimbrel St John’s Point. Also 3+ presumed Greenland Wheatear Sheskinmore, Co Donegal (Sean Cole).

White-tailed Eagle, Gary Brown:

Purple Sandpipers, Ric Else:

Cuckoo, Paul Hunter:

Bird News Saturday 16th May 2026

Cetti’s Warbler calling at Lough Cowey, heard from the car park. Also at least 4 Reed Warbler (Wilton Farrelly / Philip West / Bob Watts).

An Arctic Tern was at RSPB WoW. A Reed Warbler was also off Hide 2 (Daniel Newton)

A Chough flew east over Kebble, Rathlin the first island record since 2018 (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

8 Arctic Tern were at Copeland (David Stirling)

The best at Barr Hall Bay / Ballyquinton was a Spotted Flycatcher, 7 Stock Dove, 8 Whimbrel. (Wilton Farrelly / Philip West / Bob Watts)

One Curlew Sandpiper was at the Bann Estuary. A Ruff was seen briefly (John Spottiswood)

Two Ring-necked Parakeets were seen at the Antrim Road Waterworks, Belfast (Derek Polley)

A visit today to Tory Island had 8 Corncrake and 5 Whimbrel(Robert Hughes)

The second year Bonapartes Gull was seen off the platform hide at Inch, Donegal (Derek Brennan)

Two Stock Dove were on Whitesides Road, Ballymena (Jonny Rosborough)

Chough, Ric Else / Hazel Watson:

Stock Dove, Jonny Rosborough:

Bird News Friday 15th May 2026

Yesterday the immature White-tailed Eagle and Pink-footed Goose remained on Rathlin (per Ric Else)

At the Rathlin Seabird Centre today, the White-tailed Eagle and two Great Skua were seen (Aidan Donohoe)

High wader counts included 320 Dunlins, 250 Sanderlings, 80 Ringed Plovers and 37 Whimbrel were at the Bann Estuary. (In butterfly news 4 Cryptic Wood Whites by the path to the hide). (John Spottiswood)

The Spoonbill, and a high count of 100 Black-tailed Godwits and two drake Pintail were at the Quoile. A Garganey was reported from there on the 12th. (Chris Murphy)

Roseate Tern at Belfast Lough WoW Reserve (Stuart Cossey).

A Glossy Ibis was at Portmore RSPB and a further 2 were seen flying over to the North West (Clive Mellon)

Bird News Thursday 14th May 2026

5 Purple Sandpipers continuing on Rathlin (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

2 Cetti's Warblers still singing either side of 11, Downpatrick Rd, Killough. Spoonbill feeding in front of Quoile hide. Looks like another no-show for breeding terns on Swan Is, Strangford Lough (Chris Murphy).

Single Arctic Tern at Belfast Lough WoW RSPB Reserve (Derek Polley). 4 pairs of Mediterranean Gulls (Jake Grant).

Spoonbill, Terry Hanna:

Bird News Wednesday 13th May 2026

Two dark phase Arctic Skua were at the Bann Estuary (John Clarke)

A Spotted Flycatcher was along the canal towpath, Portadown (Clifford Sharpe)

A Leaches Petrel went past Copeland BO (Thomas Miller)

An Osprey was at Strand Lough, Killough early afternoon  one was reported from the Quoile yesterday (Chis Murphy)

A seawatch from Fanad Head this morning for 90 minutes had 2 Arctic Skua and a Basking Shark (Jamie Bliss)

Greenland Wheatear, Bann Estuary, John Clarke:

Leaches Petrel, Thomas Miller:

Bird News Tuesday 12th May 2026

Yellow-legged Gull found by Robert Vaughan at the weekend continuing on Tory, Co Donegal also approximately 20 calling Corncrake (Anton Meenan).

Dotterel in the Mournes near Slieve Muck (per Katy Bell).

Corncrake, Anton Meenan:

Yellow-legged Gull, Anton Meenan:

Dotterel, per Katy Bell:

Bird News Monday 11th May 2026

The Bann Estuary still had 200 Whimbrel and a Pink-footed Goose (John Clarke)

The Chough was still present on Copeland (Thomas Miller)

Bird News Sunday 10th May 2026

White Stork flew over Downpatrick towards Tyrella at 8am (Ciara Lavery).

Ruddy Shelduck overhead outside Broughshane (Hugh Thurgate).

2 Wood Sandpipers at Portmore Lough (Michael Latham / Alan Dickson). Also a Marsh Harrier (Charlie MacFarlane). Adult Little Gull on the pools in front of the viewing platform quite possibly the Lady’s Bay bird (Chris Rankin).

Common Sandpiper at Sheep House pier, Rathlin (Patrick Barton). 2 Great Skua (Leia Getty).

Adult Little Gull at Lady’s Bay (Michael Latham).

Wood Sandpipers, Michael Latham:

Marsh Harriers, Michael Latham:

Little Gull, Michael Latham:

Bird News Saturday 9th May 2026

Yesterday there were at least 4 Corncrake (inc 3 calling males) on Rathlin (Ric Else)

Two Little Auk were on the sea with other auks on the way to Rathlin (Stuart Cossey)

An immature tagged (77) White-tailed Eagle was in the Antrim Hills (Michael Latham)

A male Whinchat was at Keeble, Rathlin (Ric Else / Hazel Watson)

A Little Gull and 8 Whimbrel were at Lady’s Bay, Lough Neagh (Mike McLaughlin / David McCreedy)

A Lesser Whitethroat was at the thatched house before Fanad Lighthouse (Michael O’Clery)

The Spoonbill was again at the Quoile. A late Pintail was also present (Mel O’Hagan / Shane Brighton / Nia Potapova)

A Barn Owl was in the Belfast Hills early morning (Ivan Cullen)

3 Whimbrel were at Carnlough (David Gillespie)

A White Stork was seen flying over the Quoile this morning (Natasha Reid)

A Garden Warner was seen and heard in Dromara (Justin Childs)

White-tailed Eagle, Michael Latham:

Turnstone, Robert Boyle:

White Stork, Natasha Reid: