nibirds

Bird News Sunday 16th December.

2 Velvet Scoter where off Glynn.(Neal Warnock)

A Black - throated Diver and 6 Slavonian Grebes where at Greyabbey Bay and another Black-throated Diver and Slav. Grebe where north of Horse Isalnd.(Richard Weyl)

72 Greylag Geese were with a Barnacle Goose at Islandmagee,6 Greenshank where at Lough Mourne.(Gerald McGeehan)

2 Long-tailed Duck off Giants Park, Dargan Bay.(Daniel Newton)

A Great Spotted Woodpecker and 2 Woodcock were at Oxford Island.(Ed O'Hara)

3 Purple Sandpiper where off the promenade at Portstewart. (John Spottiswood)

6 Twite where at the boatyard in Whitehead.(Paul McCullough)

12 + Brambling where seen in the Antrim Hills amongst a flock of Chaffinches. (Michael Latham)see pic below.

Murlough had 3 Knot, (one of the Knot is tagged, anyone who has info. please let us know), 500 Common Scoter, 15 Red-breasted Merganser and 6 Great Northern Diver.(Mike McLaughlin)

Bird News Friday 14th December

A mixed flock of Bar-tailed Godwits and Knot were at Ballykelly Bank in Lough Foyle, see picture below. (David Hill).

42 Whooper Swans were in a part flooded potato field near the junction of the Straid Rd with the Moycraig Rd near Ballintoy. (Patrick Barton).

Lough Island Reavy had a male Goosander (Jim Wells)

Bird News Thursday 13th December

A Hoopoe was in Donaghamore, Co Tyrone. The bird was last seen in the vicinity of St Patrick’s Graveyard (Stephen McNally)

An adult Iceland Gull came in to roost at Belfast WoW this evening. (Ric Else and Hazel Watson)

The Barnacle Goose at Islandmagee was ringed on Islay 2013. 5 Tree Sparrows were visiting a garden in Whitehead (Cameron Moore)

Whitehill Road, Aghagallon. Co Armagh had 350+ Whooper Swans with c70 Greylag Geese. Dundalk Harbour had a Spotted Redshank. (Michael Richardson & Fulton Somerville)

3 Goosander (1m, 2f) were at Meenatully Lough on the Pettigoe Plateau, Co Fermanagh on Tuesday 11th. Yesterday two Goosanader (1m 1f) were on a lough north of Lough Shivnagh on the Pettigo plateau, south Donegal yesterday (Fionnbarr Cross)

Hoopoe, Stephen McNally:

Spotted Redshank, Fulton Sommerville:

Barnacle Goose, Cameron Moore:

Bird News Wednesday 12th December

The only news so far is of a male Blackcap visiting a garden in Coleraine this morning. (Gus Bowden).

Bird News Tuesday 11th December

A 2nd winter Med Gull was at the Ecos Park this afternoon (Jeff Larkin)

WeBS Counter Needed

Shane Wolsey of BTO is looking for a volunteer WeBS (Wetland Bird Survey) counter for the Macedon Point to River Lagan section of Belfast Lough. It’s a great section – lots to count!

Counts are once a month on nominated days September – March. Counts are sent to Shane who will enter them online.

If you are willing and able to take this section on, please contact Shane Wolsey shane.wolsey@bto.org

Bird News Monday 10th December

A Short-eared Owl was at Myroe this morning. (Brian Halligan).

A Tree Sparrow and a male Brambling were in a garden on the Kilraughts Rd. Ballymoney (Derek McIntyre).

The Barnacle Goose is still at Islandmagee, it has coloured leg rings. The redhead Goosander is still at Ballycarry. (Cameron Moore).

A redhead Smew was at Shallow Flat near Derrytrasna on the south shore of Lough Neagh. (Richard Weyl).

Lower Lough Erne islands RSPB reserve today had 13 Little Egrets and a Great Spotted Woodpecker on an island near Castlecaldwell. (Amy Burns & Fionnbarr Cross)

Thanks to Cameron Moore for the picture of the Barnacle Goose:

Bird News Sunday 9th December

A Barnacle Goose was feeding with Greylags at Islandmagee and the female Goosander was still at Ballycarry Bridge (Cameron Moore)

18 Stock Doves were at The Cairn outside Aghalee today. (Dermot Hughes)

Several Twite were at Sandy Bay, Larne (Linda Thompson)

10 Purple Sandpiper were at Groomsport (George Henderson)

Purple Sandpipers were off the prom opposite Molly Browns in Portstewart. (John Spottiswood)

An adult Littke Gull was seen from the Rathlin Ferry (Patrick Barton) and a Red-throated Diver was at Ballycastle Strand (Michael Latham)

Thanks to Linda Thompson for this pic of one of the Twite:

Bird News Saturday 8th December

A solitary Pink-footed Goose was seen at Drains Bay just in front of Carnfunnock Country Park on the foreshore. (Ken McAuley)

The female Goosander was still present at Ballycarry.(Michael Latham).

A Chiffchaff was seen along the Newry Canal, just north of Carnbane.(Frank Carroll)

2 Pink-footed Geese were on the west side of upper Lough Erne, Co Fermanagh with Greylags and Whooper swans from Derrylin road this afternoon (Brad Robson)

Brian Halligan.

Bird News Friday 7th December

A female Goosander at Ballycarry bridge, Larne Lough. (Cameron Moore).

A Red-throated Diver flew into Belfast Lough this morning and was showing well offshore between Carnalea Golf Course and Crawfordsburn Country Park.(Ian McKee).

Thanks to Wilf Swain for the picture of the Turnstones:

Three Snow Buntings were at the pitch and putt course at Royal Portrush Golf Course (Colin Guy)

Thanks to Stephen Maxwell for this pic of a male Sparrowhawk: