nibirds: Bird News Friday 17th February 2012

The owl found dead at Kennedy Way in Belfast and originally reported as a Short Eared Owl appears from photographs to be a Tawny Owl. There is currently no information on whether this was a wild bird or not.
The Red-necked Grebe and 5 Slavonian Grebes were in Herring Bay, Strangford Lough. At least 10 Slavonian Grebe and 2 Greenshank were in Greyabbey Bay South. The 4 Russian White-fronted Geese were still with Greylags in fields north of Greyabbey, by the A20. (Keith Bennett/Stuart McKee)
A male Ring Necked Duck was at Lough Money outside Downpatrick and a Jack Snipe was at nearby Castlemahon Mountain, grid reference J550466. (Richard Weyl).
3 Bewick Swans were with 50 Whoopers at Closet Bridge, Derrymacash on the south shore of Lough Neagh this afternoon. 5 Ruddy Duck, 4 male and a female were at Oxford Island. (Ed O'Hara).
An adult Yellow Legged Gull was at Whitehouse Lagoon. (Joe Lamont).
Around the Ards peninsula 2 Yellowhammer were at Ballystockart. Another 30/40 Yellowhammer were at Herring Bay. 2 Sandwich Tern and a 1st winter Iceland Gull were at Portaferry. Another 1st winter Iceland Gull was at Ballyquintin. The 2nd winter Ring Billed Gull was at Groomsport. (Dave Brooks).
The observers of a bird that they reported yesterday as a ring tailed Hen Harrier north of Greyabbey now believe that the bird was most likely the Rough Legged Buzzard that has previously been seen in the area. (Ron Price).

Thanks to Ed O'Hara, Christine Cassidy and Stephen Maxwell for today's pictures.