American Pipit still on Rathlin (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).
Merlin and 3 Barnacle Geese at Myroe (Ian Dickey).
2 Mediterranean Gulls on the Crescent football pitches, Coleraine (John Clarke).
Bird News Tuesday 13th October 2026
The American Buff-bellied Pipit is still present on Rathlin this morning. (Ric Else).
The Glossy Ibis was seen again in flight at Castle Espie. (Birdguides).
An adult winter Bonapartes Gull was at Groomsport. (Hal McCullough).
8 Goosanders were at Larne Lough. (Cameron Moore).
A Great Skua was at Magilligan. (John Clarke).
A Twite was with a group of Linnets at Sandy Bay, Larne. At Glynn one Slavonian Grebe on the Lough and 2 Dippers showing well on the river. (Aaron Long et al).
A Great White Egret was west of Derrywarragh Island on Lough Neagh. (Ronan Owens).
American Buff-bellied Pipit, Daniel Newton.
Goosander, Cameron Moore.
Great Skua, John Clarke.
Bird News Monday 12th October 2026
An American Buff-bellied Pipit is on Rathlin (Ric Else / Hazel Watson). The bird was seen again this evening on the harbour beach. This is the fifth NI record.
Six Twite and a Grey Plover were also around Rathlin Harbour ;Ric Else / Hazel Watson)
The Great White Egret was just west of Emerson’s Sandpit, Lough Neagh (Mike McLaughlin / Clifford Sharp)
2 Goosander and a Slavonian Grebe were at Glynn. A total of 13 Goosander were at Ballycarry Bridge, 6 close in and fishing near the bridge and a further 7 inc a male were further out. (Garry Wilkinson)
An adult Mediterranean Gull was at Fisherman’s Pier, Carrickfergus and a Common Scoter was off Carrickfergus marina (Garry Wilkinson)
A Pectoral Sandpiper and Slavonian Grebe were at the south end of Lough Beg this morning along with 2 Great White Egrets. (Dermot Hughes and John O'Boyle)
Two Slavonian Grebe were off Loughshore, Belfast Lough (Gerard McGeehan)
There was no sign of any White-rumped Sandpipers at Church Island, Lough Beg this afternoon but Little Stint, two Grey Plovers and a juvenile Brent Goose were all new (David Steele)
A Spotted Redshank was at the Castle Espie saltmarsh (Brent Hide). Outside the reserve the Glossy Ibis flew into the high tide roost c. 4.30pm (Suzanne Belshaw, Geoff Newell)
The annual BTO NI conference is on the 7th November at Oxford Island. Details here: https://www.bto.org/our-work/events/bto-northern-ireland-birdwatchers-conference-2026
Buff-bellied Pipit, Ric Else / Hazel Watson:
Spotted Redshank, Suzanne Belshaw:
Bird News Sunday 11th October 2026
Buff-breasted Sandpiper in arable field immediately north of Kearney (Richard Weyl).
Black-necked Grebe and Great White Egret east of Emersons sand quay, Ardmore (Garry Armstrong).
Summer plumaged Black-throated Diver at Carnlough (Michael Latham).
Slavonian Grebe off Glynn (Michael Latham).
A Snow Bunting was on the beach at Magilligan Point and an adult Little Gull offshore (Jeff Larkin).
2 Goosanders from Ballycarry Bridge (Cameron Moore).
Hen Harrier at Reedy Flats (Stevie Brennan).
6 Lapland Buntings on Rathlin (Ric Else, Hazel Watson).
Black-throated Diver & Red-throated Diver, Michael Latham:
Hen Harrier, Stevie Brennan:
Bird News Saturday 10th October 2026
The Lesser Yellowlegs is still present from platform at Inch in Donegal (Martin Deehan/Theo Campbell). A Cattle Egret was also present. (John Cusack).
Two juvenile White-rumped Sandpipers are at Myroe on the muddy turf pools at north end. A Buff-breasted Sandpiper was also present, with the Golden Plover flock but flighty. (David Steele).
Five Goosanders were with 12 Whoopers at Ballycarry. (Gerard McGeehan).
Two Common Sandpipers were on the bank at the end of the runway opposite Victoria Park in Belfast Harbour Estate. (Dermot Hughes).
An Arctic Skua and a Black Tern were off Kinnegar shore. (Stuart Cossey).
At Magilligan Point two juvenile Sabine’s Gulls, two juvenile Little Gulls, two Black Terns, three Arctic Skuas and one Great Skua. (David Steele).
The Dark-bellied Brent with its Pale-bellied partner and three young are still near Green Island in Dundrum Inner Bay. (David Nixon).
The Glossy Ibis was still at Castle Espie, showing along the shore from the Brent hide. (Alan Fitzsimmons)
Bloody Foreland in Donegal between 8.15 and 12.15 had 187 Sooty Shearwaters, 1 Leach’s Petrel, 12 Great Skua, 1 Pomarine Skua, 9 Arctic Skua, 1 juvenile Long-tailed Skua, 15 Arctic Tern, 3 Little Auk, 3 Puffin, 13 Great Northern Diver, 1 Red-throated Diver, 307 Barnacles and 1 American Golden Plover. (Chris Ingram et al).
Two White-rumped Sandpipers were at Church Island, Lough Beg. (David Steele).
Melmore Head in Donegal between 11am to 6pm had 1220 Barnacle Geese, 38 Grey Phalarope, 4 Leach’s Petrel, 2 juvenile Sabine's Gulls, 1 Little Gull, 89 Sooty Shearwaters, 4 Long-tailed Skua (2 adult), 4 adult Pomarine Skuas, 15 Arctic Skuas, 9 GreatSkuas, 57 Arctic Terns. c2000 Kittiwake with an estimated 30 -40% juvenile. (Eric Randall).
Several Red-throated Divers were between Murlough and Newcastle. (Liam O'Hara)
White-rumped Sandpiper, David Steele.
Lesser Yellowlegs, Michael Latham.
Glossy Ibis, Alan Fitzsimmons.
Red-throated Diver, Liam O'Hara.
Bird News Friday 9th October 2026
The Lesser Yellowlegs was still present in front of the Viewing platform Inch Donegal (Theo Campbell / Chris Ingram)
A Great White Egret was at Rabbit Island, Upper Lough Erne (Colin Bell)
A Merlin was at Myroe (John Clarke, C Stewart, J McDowell)
A Peregrine was seen over Botanic Gardens, Belfast this morning (Shane Brighton)
The Chough (with the green ring) was seen again, this time at Tor Head (David Steele)
Seven Goosander were at Ballycarry (Cameron Moore)
A Grey Phalarope and two Twite at Ramore Head (David Steele)
A ring tail Hen Harrier was at Reedy Flat (John Lambe)
Merlin, John Clarke:
Goosanders, Cameron Moore:
Bird News Thursday 8th October 2026
Lesser Yellowlegs again from view point at Inch, Donegal (Searlas Anderson).
Lapland Bunting again on track to Rocky Point, Malinmore (John O’Boyle).
Marsh Harrier at Portmore Lough (Stevie Brennan).
Flock of 7+ Lapland Buntings at East Light, Rathlin (Rice Else, Hazel Watson).
Turtle Dove at Ballquintin Farm. Also a Jack Snipe flew from hedge near car park (Ian Young). No further sign of dove mid afternoon in increasingly heavy rain though cattle in field so shoreline not searched thoroughly (David Stirling).
Pink-footed Goose at Quoile (Chris Murphy).
2 Orcas off Annalong this morning (Andrew Kearney on FB).
Turtle Dove, Ian Young:
Dark-bellied Brent Paired With Pale-bellied Brent
David Nixon had a Dark-bellied Brent which was paired with a Pale-bellied Brent near Green Island in Dundrum Inner Bay. The pair were accompanied by three juveniles. This appears to be the first record of this pairing in Northern Ireland.
Bird News Wednesday 7th October 2026
A Carrion Crow way at Ballycastle. (Tomás Hand).
Sea watching at Bloody Foreland in Donegal between 8.15 and 10.50 in a north west wind had 163 Manx Shearwaters, 59 Sooty Shearwaters, 1 Petrel species, 6 Great Skuas, 9 Arctic Skuas, 2 Pomarine Skuas, 1 adult Long-tailed Skua, 1 Sabines Gull, 33 Arctic Terns, 6 Great Northern Divers and 109 Barnacle Geese. (Chris Ingram).
A Merlin was at Portmore this morning. (Lucy Shilliday).
Whooper Swans were at Whitehouse Lagoon. (Gerard McGeehan).
A dark-bellied Brent was near Green Island in Dundrum Inner Bay, and was paired with a pale-bellied Brent and accompanied by 3 young. (David Nixon).
A Curlew Sandpiper was at Ballymacormack Point. (Ewan McKenzie).
A Lapland Bunting was at Malin More in Donegal.
The Glossy Ibis was still at Castle Espie also a Common Sandpiper. (Derek Polley).
Merlin, Lucy Shilliday.
Dark-bellied Brent, David Nixon.
Bird News Tuesday 6th October 2026
The Red-breasted Flycatcher was again at Malinmore, Donegal (Theo Campbell)
Binevenagh had a high count of 26 Raven. 3 Kestrel were seen in the area along with parties of Crossbill (John Clarke)
The immature and tagged White-tailed Eagle was still around Church Island, Lough Beg (Rory Cummings)
3 Whooper Swans were on the main lake at Portmore RSPB. A Glossy Ibis (with white tag on upper left leg) was also present along with a ringtail Hen Harrier this evening. (Ken Simpson)
A Pink-footed Goose and Slavonian Grebe were at Glynn (Gerard McGeehan / Shirley Dunlop)
Two Black Terns were still at the north end of Lough Beg (David Steele)
Two Osprey were at the end of Shore Road, Dundalk (Ryan Holgate)
Drake Common Scoters, Magilligan, David Hill:
Crossbill, John Clarke:
Bird News Monday 5th October 2026
Great White Egret at Copeland Bird Observatory potentially a site first (per David Stirling).
Glossy Ibis still at Castle Espie near main lake.
Untagged immature White-tailed Eagle and 2 winter plumaged Common Terns from boat north of Church Island, Lough Beg (Karl Hamilton, Dot Blakely).
2 Black Terns remaining at Lough Beg this afternoon but distant today at the north-end, also Wood Sandpiper and tagged White-tailed Eagle still about but no sign of the Lesser Yellowlegs (David Steele)
Red-breasted Flycatcher at Malinbeg, Donegal (Robert Vaughan).
Whimbrelnon Rathlin (Ric Else, Hazel Watson).
Grey Phalarope reported at Portaferry harbour wall (Conor McCoy).
Adult Black Tern off Carnalea this afternoon (Philip Watson).
Glossy Ibis, Jonny Clark:
Bird News Sunday 4th October 2026
The Lesser Yellowlegs was in front of McGraths at Inch in Donegal. (Searlas Anderson).
A Merlin was at Portmore. (Francis Price).
An Arctic Skua was off Copeland. (David Stirling).
A Merlin and 3 European Storm Petrels at St Johns Point. (Chris Veale).
A Mediterranean Gull was at Sandy Bay in Larne. (Michael Latham).
A Mediterranean Gull and a Whimbrel were at Groomsport. (Bob Watts).
A Great White Egret was on Big Copeland. (David Stirling).
The Osprey was seen again from the hide at the Quoile this afternoon. (Stephen Dunbar).
The juvenile Goosander and a Slavonian Grebe were at Glynn in Larne Lough. (Michael Latham, Ivan Quail, Nicky Lynn).
12 Great Northern Divers were on Lough Eske in Donegal, (Neil Torney).
Mediterranean Gull, Michael Latham.
Goosander, Michael Latham.
Blackcap, Alan Fitzsimmons.
Bird News Saturday 3rd October 2026
A Barred Warbler was at Runkerry. Also a late Willow Warbler and a Blackcap (Richard Donaghey).
Lesser Yellowlegs, David Steele:
Little Stint, David Steele:
Mediterranean Gull, John Clarke:
A Slavonian Grebe was off Croaghan hide at Oxford Island. (Garry Armstrong).
A Lesser Yellowlegs is at Lough Beg…currently in the south-west corner…likely just in and sleeping. Also present a Little Stint, Wood and Common Sandpiper, Spotted Redshanko, 2 Black Terns, 6 Great White Egrets and an immature White-tailed Eagle tagged green on left and red on right (David Steele).
A Tree Pipit at Malinmore, Donegal (Chris Ingram).
Osprey at 2pm from the Steamboat Quay at the Quoile (Liam O’Hara).
Mediterranean Gull at the University of Coleraine this afternoon (John Clarke).
Barred Warbler, Richard Donaghey:
Willow Warbler, Richard Donaghey:
Osprey, Liam O’Hara:
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