Bird News Sunday 31st October

One of the Black Brant and a Dark Bellied Brent were south of the Floodgates, Strangford Lough (K Bennett, R McCullogh). Also 3 Little Egret in the area.
The Goosander was at Ballycastle.
2 Sandwich Tern were at Cloghy, on the Outer Ards. (K Bennet)
100 Whooper Swans were at Sion Mills
9 Little Egret were at Castle Espie

The dark juvenile Great Skua was still off Macedon Point (Stuart McKee).

A Merlin, 6 Whooper Swan, 100 Tree Sparrow and 300 Skylark were at Ballyquintin Point (Richard Weyl).

3 GN Diver were at Orlock Point (George Henderson) and a Grey Plover at Kearney Point (Gerard McGeehan).

Last night a Barn Owl was at Tobermore in Londonderry (David Morrow). The NIBA welcomes any reports of this species which we must be on the 

verge of loosing as a breeding bird.

The major birding news in Ireland was of the juvenile North American Hen Harrier seen today at Tacumshim. (www.irishbirding.com).

Long-tailed Tit, Castle Espie - Cecil Smyth