Bird News for Friday 17th August.

In Fermanagh an adult Osprey (probably a male as it had no breast band) was near Belcoo (David Steele).
Briggs Rocks near Groomsport had a Red-throated Diver, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, a Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Wheatear and a Purple Sandpiper (Colin Guy).
 5 Whimbrel flew east past Groomsport (George Gordon).
Yesterday a Little Egret was at Briggs Rocks before moving on the Sandy Bay at Orlock (Colin Guy).
Slightly further afield a sea-watch off  Melmore Co.Donegal this morning (in very sub-optimal conditions! 1045-1330): 1 Sooty Shearwater, 30 Manxies, 1 Bonxie, 2 Puffins, 4 Common Scoter. Also 3 Mediterranean Gulls at the estuary at Carrigart at 1000 with a fourth bird, a juvenile, on the sea off Ards Friary on 16th.(O.Campbell)

Our thanks to Stephen Maxwell for this image of a Common Sandpiper(above)and also to Alistair Prentice for this image of  a Redshank.