nibirds
Report sightings to: Email nibirds@live.co.uk, Text: 07973 403 146 or 07870 863 782 or Twitter: @nibirds See local bird pics at: www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk
Bird News Saturday 14th February 2026
Bird News Friday 13th February 2026
A Russian White-fronted Goose was with Greylags at Myroe (Ian Dickey)
A Common Crane has been reported in flight near Mount Stewart (Jasmijn Hofman, per eBird) Possibly the same bird, a Common Crane was seen circling over the north end of Ballylough, Castlewellan, Co Down at 3:25 (Chris Murphy)
The Ferruginous Duck was back again at Ballysaggart Lough today. (James Organ)
The male Black Redstart was again at the Harbourside restaurant at Portavogie (Mike McLaughlin / David McCreedy)
The Harlequin Duck was again at the river outflow, Curranport, Donegal.
This evening the adult Iceland Gull came in to roost at RSPB WoW (Daniel Newton)
The Black Redstart is still at Whitehead Seafront near the slipway and the Greenland Whitefront is back at Steele’s Point, Islandmagee. (Cameron Moore)
A Purple Sandpiper was on Whitehead seafront (David Gillespie)
Russian White-fronted Goose, Ian Dickey:
Black Redstart, David McCreedy:
Bird News Thursday 12th February 2026
The Pacific Diver and Harlequin still present at Tra na gCloch, Co Donegal (Joseph Doolan).
Adult Iceland Gull at Belfast Lough RSPB this morning (Ronnie Doggart).
Slavonian Grebe still on Craigavon South Lake. Bird is in small bay opposite the entrance to the leisure centre. Also Great White Egret in flooded field close to the road at Closet Meadows (David McCreedy / Mike McLaughlin).
Black-throated Diver again off Rathlin with 3 Great Northern (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).
Great Northern Diver off Browns Bay, Islandmagee (Roger Woodward).
Iceland Gull, Ronnie Doggart:
Bird News Wednesday 11th February 2026
Bird News Tuesday 10th February 2026
The drake Harlequin duck was off the outflow and the Pacific Diver distantly to the west from Trà na gCloch, Donegal this morning (Robert Vaughan / Richard Caves)
The Slavonian Grebe was still at Craigavon South Lake (Ed O’Hara)
Inch, Donegal had a Great White Egret and two Russian White-fronts this morning (Ciaran Cronin)
A Long-tailed Duck was at Glynn (Gerard McGeehan / Shirley Dunlop)
A male Brambling was in a garden in Antrim (Mark Smyth)
Harlequin Duck, Richard Caves:
Bird News Monday 9th February 2026
Pacific Diver from west side of bay and Harlequin from beach still off Tra na gCloch, Donegal (Mike Hoit).
Black Redstart still at mouth of Shimna River, Newcastle on rocks to right of pedestrian bridge (Steve Brennan).
A Great Spotted Woodpecker yesterday in Stormont Park near the Boardwalk (Donna Darlington).
Drake Ferruginous Duck still at Ballysaggart Lough this evening (Ciarin Cronin).
Harlequin, Richard Caves:
Black Redstart, Steve Brennan:
Bird News Sunday 8th February 2026
Bird news Saturday, 7th February 2026
A pair of Slavonian Grebes were off Kinnegar from the Concentrix carpark ( Daniel Newton)
A male Brambling was in a garden in Antrim (Mark Smyth)
The Black Redstart was still at the Shimna River, Newcastle (Andrew Crory)
An adult little gull was at Briggs rocks County down (Richard Weyl)
A Slavonian Grebe is in Groomsport Bay (Katy Bell)
An adult Little Gull and a Mediterranean Gull were in flooded fields at Toome. A Great White Egret was behind Nicholl’s Garage (David Steele)
Three Great Northern Diver were off Runkerry and one off Portballintrae (Simon Morton)
The Harlequin Duck was still at Trá na gCloch today (Dakota Reid and Martin Clift). A diver was also seen and this is now believed to be a Pacific Diver.
A Slavonian Grebe, two Great Northern Divers and another three Great White Egrets were at Lough Beg (David Steele)
The two Ring-billed Gulls were at the Round O Enniskillen. Great White Egrets were at The Watermill and near Belle Isle. Three Ring necked Ducks were seen with two female off Drumcon Road and a drake near Belle Isle (John Cusack)
The Lesser Yellowlegs was still on Rathlin (Ric Else)
Two pairs of Long Eared Owl were at Ulster University (John Clarke).
The Ferruginous Duck was looked for today without success.
A Great Spotted Woodpecker was at Drumkeeragh Forest Park this morning (Sean Thompson)
Great White Egret, Inch, Gerry Bond:
Pacific Diver, Curranport, Co Donegal, Dakota Reid / Martin Clift:
Bird News Friday 6th February 2026
The Bittern is still at Inch in Donegal. (Ray Glynn).
The Harlequin Duck is still at Trá na Gloch in Donegal. (Birdguides).
A male Goosander was on Lough Island Reavey. (Ewan McKenzie)
The adult and 1st winter Ring-billed Gulls were still at the Round "O" in Enniskillen. (Robert Vaughan).
The Ferruginous Duck was in the north east corner of Ballysaggart Lough. (Tom Kavanagh, Gary White).
The Whitefront is still with Greylags at Steele's Point on Islandmagee. The Purple Sandpiper was still at Whitehead seafront. (David Clarke, John Pyper, Cameron Moore).
Whitefront, Cameron Moore.
Bird News Thursday 5th February 2026
A Great White Egret was off the Platform Hide at Inch, Donegal (Searlas Anderson)
The Ferruginous Duck was present this morning in the north east corner of Ballysaggart Lough, Dungannon. It was later on the east side (David McCreedy / Mike McLaughlin / Dermot Hughes)
Three Great White Egrets, a Peregrine and a male Garganey (seen from the stables) were at Portmore Lough (Alan Dickson)
A first winter Ring-billed Gull was at the Round 'O', Enniskillen today along with the adult Ring-billed Gull. (Ronan Owens)
Bird News Wednesday 4th February 2026
The Ferruginous Duck was back in the north east corner of Ballysaggart Lough this morning. (Neal Warnock).
The Bittern was seen briefly in flight from the causeway looking towards the platform at Inch in Donegal. A Great White Egret was in front of the platform and both Russian Whitefronts were in field opposite Calaghan Tyres first thing. (Robert Vaughan).
The Black Redstart was at the leeward side of the footbridge at the Shimna River in Newcastle this afternoon. (Maurice McNeely).
An adult Polish ringed Mediterranean Gull was at Antrim Marina today. Ringed as a chick in June 2022, previous sightings were on the Bann Estuary in July 2025 (John Clarke) and Southampton in March 2023. (Gareth Platt).
The Curlew Sandpiper was seen again at Myroe. (Birdguides).
A Whitefront was at Steele's Point on Islandmagee. (Cameron Moore).
Mediterranean Gull, Gareth Platt.
Great White Egret, Robert Boyle.
Bird News Tuesday 3rd February 2026
A Bittern was seen in flight off the Tready Hide, Inch, Donegal this morning (Chris Ingram)
A Red Kite was at Burnpipe Lane, Ballinahinch (Garry Wilkinson)
A Spotted Redshank was roosting at high tide at Castle Espie with 80 Redshank and 20 Greenshank (Chris Murphy)
A Curlew Sandpiper was in the channel at Myroe (John Clarke)
Curlew Sandpiper, John Clarke:















