Bird News Monday 30th September

The Common Crane was still at Myroe this morning. (Birdguides) The Crane and the Pectoral Sandpiper were still present this afternoon. (Brendan and Rosemary Fulton / Pat Neavyn)

2 Curlew Sandpiper and 2 Ruff where at the RSPB Belfast Harbour Estate reserve. (P.West)

2 Little Auk were seen offshore along the  coastal path just west of Bangor. (Julian Greenwood)

4 Little Egret where at Murlough Bay Co.Down. (John Lander)

St John's Pt, 7am - 9am: c.5,000 seabirds north, mostly during first hour of light (c. 4,000) comprising Kittiwakes, Razorbills and Gannets and small numbers of Shags, Cormorants, Manx Sh'waters, Common and Black Guillemots and Sandwich Terns. Also ad. Med Gull, 1-2 ad. Little Gulls, 2 Bonxies, 1 Arctic Skua, 2 R-t Divers, and 1 Sparrowhawk. Also strong northward passage of  Kittiwakes and Razorbills later in day, between 5:30pm and 6pm.

Thanks to Mark Killops for this pic of a Little Grebe and Alistair Prentice for the Buzzard:

 

Myroe

Myroe was again the place to be today. It has for the last few years been the top autumn birding site in NI and today was excellent, with plenty of great birds. 

Birds seen included Common Crane, American Golden Plover, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Pink-footed Goose and Pectoral Sandpiper.

Thanks to Christine Cassidy for superb pics of some of these birds:

Bird News Sunday 29th September

A Crane is currently at the Roe Estuary (Myroe), Derry. Also 2 Pink-footed Geese at Roe estuary, 2 American Golden Plover with a large flock of European Golden Plover, and 3 Ruff on Myroe fields. (Keith Bennett)

A Sanderling was at Ballywalter Beach, Co Down (James Robinson)

10 Crossbill were at Gosford Forest, Co Armagh (Alistiar Prentice)

Three Jack Snipe and 4 Curlew Sandpiper were at RSPB Belfast Harbour reserve (Ed O'Hara)

At 4pm,a Pectoral Sandpiper was on the muddy pool on turf field at eastern end of Myroe also 2 Pink footed geese now in the stubble field (Jeff Larkin)

A Little Gull and 21 Pintail were at Lough Beg (David Steele)

A Red Kite was circling behind Tyrella Beach, Co Down; mobbed by Hoodies, Jackdaws and a Raven (Kevin Kirkham-Brown)

Two Buff-breasted Sandpipers were at Myroe this afternoon (Jeff Larkin)

A male Common Scoter, 3 Greenshank, juvenile Wheatear, 3 Little Egret and a Peregrine were at Ballycarry Bridge in Larne Lough (Cameron Moore)

16 Crossbills in Fews Forest near Newtownhamilton, Armagh (Dermot Hughes)

At Burial Island between 10 and 11.30 27 Red-throated Diver, 520 Manx shearwater and 4 Common Scoter (Richard Weyl)

Thanks to Keith Bennett for this distant digi-scoped shot of the Crane and to Alistair Prentice for the Crossbill. Also thanks to Dick Glasgow for the pic of the probable Greenland Wheatear and Ed O'Hara for the Snipe (top pic Jack and Common), second pic Jack Snipe and Cameron Moore for the Common Scoter:

Bird News Saturday 28th September

A Long-tailed Skua was seen of Burial Island Co.Down plus an Arctic Skua. A Merlin and a Chiffchaff where at Kearney (R.Weyl )

4 Curlew Sandpiper where at the RSPB Belfast Harbour Estate reserve. (Ed O'Hara)

7-8.30 am; St John's Point 5 Jay also 1 juv Little Gull, 3 R t Divers, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Grey Wagtail,  visible migration included around 100 Skylark and 50 Swallow.(Chris Murphy)

A Snow Bunting, 4 Wheatear and a White Wagtail were at Ramore Head (Matthew Tickner)

At Larne Lough a first-winter Mediterranean Gull, Whimbrel, Greenshank, Little Egret, Kingfisher and 17 Snipe were at Glynn (Stuart McKee).

Slightly further afield...Inch had a Little Stint, 1 Spotted Redshank, 6 Ruff.  Blanket Nook had 5 Curlew Sandpiper and a Yellow-browed Warbler at  Bloody Foreland. (Chris Ingram/Wilton Farrelly)

Our thanks for the pictures today from Ed O'Hara of  2 Curlew Sandpipers (the middle bird is a Dunlin) and  for the Wheatear. Also to Alistair Prentice for the Sandwich Tern. Bottom photo from Dick Glasgow of a Wren.

Bird News Friday 27th September

2 Curlew Sandpiper and 2 Ruff where at the RSPB Belfast Harbour Estate reserve. ( Tom Ennis / Gerald McGeehan ).

A Curlew Sandpiper was seen at Lady Bay Lough Neagh.(Birdguides).

A Kingfisher was in Carrickfergus marina this afternoon. (Roger Woodward).

A Carrion Crow was along the River Bann this afternoon, opposite the hide at the Barmouth. (John Clarke).

At Lough Foyle 3 Ruff, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Mediterranean Gull and 2,000 Linnet were at Donnybrewer (Matthew Tickner, Gareth Bareham). A Buff-breasted Sandpiper, 3 Ruff, 2 first-year Mediterranean Gull, a juvenile American Golden Plover and 4 Wheatear were at Myroe Levels (MT, GB, Stuart McKee). 2 Curlew Sandpiper were at Bann Estuary. There was a visible migration of hirundines there and a Chiffchaff was seen on the road down (SMcK).

St John's Point had strong, visible migration early this morning including 200 Swallows, 200 Skylarks, 100 Meadow Pipits, 150 Goldfinches and 130 Linnets, Siskin and Redpoll were heard. Also 2 Wheatears, 1Whitethroat, 6 Chiffchaffs, 3 Goldcrests. At sea were 1Pomarine Skua, 1 Arctic Skua and 5 Great Skuas, 1000 Kittiwakes, 250 Manx Shearwaters, 27 Red-throated Divers, 91 Shag, 38 Scoter, 2 Tufted Duck, 3 Wigeon, 27 Teal, 1Red-breasted Merganser, 20 Dunlin and 2 Purple Sandpipers. Killough Coastguard Station had a Chiffchaff. Ardglass Harbour had 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Goldcrests and 1Grey Wagtail. (Chris and Tim Murphy).

Thanks to Angus Kennedy for these pictures of a White Wagtail and a flock of Golden Plover taken at Kilclief in Strangford Lough.

 

Bird News Thursday 26th September

An American Golden Plover was at Myroe today (Birdguides)

A Wheatear at Slieve Beagh this afternoon. (Adam McClure)

11 Fieldfare were along the river Bann near Coleraine this morning (John Clarke)

A Little Stint, 6 Dunlin and 2 Peregrine were at Ballycarry Bridge in Larne Lough and a Whimbrel, Ruff and 2 Greenshank at Glynn (Cameron Moore)

Today at St Johns Point, Co Down, between 11:00 -12 noon: 2 Storm Petrels, 2 Bonxies, 19 Black Guillemots, 15 Snipe, 100 Swallows, 1 Sand Martin, all flying north at sea; also 12 Red-throated Divers flying south. Later,  between 17:15 and 17:45: ad Pom Skua, juv, Little Gull, Juv Arctic Tern, 8 Black Guillemots and 800 Kittiwakes, all flying north. Also 1 Wheatear. (Chris Murphy)

Yesterday 2 Med Gulls were at Browns Bay, Co Antrim (Cameron Moore)

Thanks to David Hill for this picture of a Bar-tailed Godwit and to Cameron Moore for the Med Gull:

Bird News Wednesday 25th September

A Yellow-browed Warbler is in the garden opposite Coastal Zone, Portrush (Matthew Tickner). There has been an influx of Yellow Browed's into GB so it is well worthwhile keeping an eye out for them in any coastal cover.

A Buff-breasted Sandpiper was still on the lawn fields at Myroe (Birdguides)

Nothing mega on Tory today. There was a single new Yellow Browed Warbler and a Pied Flycatcher (Davy Hunter).

2 first-winter Mediterranean Gulls were at Browns Bay on Island Magee (Cameron Moore).

On Monday a Little Gull and Pink-footed Goose were at Lough Beg (Matthew Tickner).

Thanks to today's photographers, to Dick Glasgow for the pictures of the Stonechat and the Buzzard, to David Hill for the picture of the juvenile Common Tern and to Alistair Prentice for the picture of the Wheatear.

 

 

 

 

Bird News Tuesday 24th September

On Sunday at Burial Island between 11.30 and 12.00 3 Great Skua and 10 Red-throated Diver. At Ballyquintin Point yesterday were a Whitethroat, a Whimbrel, 9 Red-throated Diver and 8 Scoter. (Richard Weyl)

Around Larne Lough 1 Little Stint a Sanderling,7 Dunlin, 3 Little Egret were at Ballycarry Bridge and 11 Greenshank, 5 Little Egret a Whimbrel and 7 Snipe at Glynn.(Cameron Moore)

A Ruff was at the Quiole pondage and yesterday a 1st winter Little Gull and ad Med Gull at Killough Harbour. (Tim Murphy)

The Ring-billed Gull has once again returned to East Strand car park in Portrush.(Colin Guy)

Slightly further afield...Tory Island had a good haul with 2 Yellow broweds, 2Turtle Doves a Rosefinch, 2 Garden Warblers, 2 Pied Flys, a Whitethroat, Blackcap and Chiffchaff. (Davy Hunter)

Much further afield.... For those of you who are just returning from the Wilson's Warbler on Dursey Island, stop, do a u-turn and head to Inishboffin Co Galway were an Eastern Kingbird has been found only the second ever to be seen in the Western Palearctic.   

If you are interested in photographing Hares, you may be interested in this event at Portmore:

http://www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/hare-photography-portmore.html?m=1

Thanks to Mark Killops for this wonderful pic of a Dunlin. Also to Colin Bell for this pic of a very friendly Coal Tit!

Bird News Monday 23rd September

A female Hen Harrier was seen at Portmore Lough today (3.15pm). (Ciara Laverty and Amy Burns)

The west side of Lough Neagh at Ballyronan had 1 Pink-footed Goose and Traad Point had 2 Common Tern and 7 Whoopers (Ian Enlander)

Unusually a Whooper Swan was amongst the Mute Swans at Belfast Waterworks on the Antrim Road (David Knight)

Two Bairds Sandpipers and 5 Curlew Sandpiper were at Blanketnook, Co Donegal (Chris Ingram)

Tory Island today had a Spotted Flycatcher, Whitethroat, Whinchat and one of the Rosefinch (Davy Hunter)

Thanks to Mrs L Green for this picture of a young Long-eared Owl, pictured outside Belfast about a month ago and to David Knight for the Whooper:  

Bird News Sunday 22nd September

Yesterday, a possible Broad-billed Sandpiper was at the Bann Estuary. The bird was seen briefly before being spooked by a Peregrine (Gerard McGeehan)

2 American Golden Plover a Dotterel and a Buff-breasted Sandpiper were at Myroe Co Londonderry.(Birdguides)

A Green Sandpiper was at Castle Island, Quoile, Co Down (Keith Bennett)

A Curlew Sandpiper was at the Floodgates, Newtownards (Philip West)

A Little Stint was at Ballyquinton Point (Wilton Farrelly)

4 Ruff were at the  RSPB Belfast Harbour estate.

4 Ruff were also present at Lady's Bay Lough Neagh and a Reed Warbler was at Oxford Island(Ed. O'Hara) You can see Ed's pictures of the birds below.

2 Wheatear a Whimbrel and 2 Red-throated Diver were at Orlock Point Co.Down ( James Robinson)

2 Jays were in Ormeau Park, Belfast.(Nuala Johnson)

Slightly further afield...Two juvenile Rosefinch were on Tory Island today (Davy Hunter) 

2 Baird's Sandpiper and 3 Curlew Sandpiper were at Blanket Nook Co.Donegal.(Birdguides)


Our thanks to Alan Gallagher for this photo of a Kingfisher. Also to Ed.O'Hara for the pictures of 3 Ruff and Reed Warbler.

If you have any sightings of rare or scarce birds, you can report them to nibirds@live.co.uk or text 07973 403146. 

Bird News Saturday 21st September

Yellow Wagtail was still showing on Kinnegar shore, it was on the shingle were the river meets the sea (Ian Graham).

A Curlew Sandpiper was at Newcastle, Co Down (Ed O'Hara)

2 Little Stint were with 40 Ringed Plover and 12 Turnstone at Killard Point (Dot Blakely)

Grey Point, Belfast Lough had an adult Med Gull, a light phase Arctic Skua and a Whìmbrel.

A Little Stint and 2 Ruff were at the Bann Estuary. 2 Med Gulls were at Myroe (Gerard McGeehan)

Thanks to Ed for the pictures of the Newcastle Curlew Sandpiper and Stephen Maxwell for the Black-tailed Godwit:

 

Bird News Friday 20th September

The Yellow Wagtail was still at Kinnegar Shore. (George Gordon).

A Barn Owl was seen early this morning near Kirkubbin. (Keith Bennett).

2 Red Kite were at Leitrim in Co. Down. (Ed O'Hara).

2 of the American Golden Plover, a Buff Breasted Sandpiper and a Ruff were at Myroe. (Seamus Feeney). An adult Dotterel was also present today. (BirdGuides).

For those interested in a mega twitch, a Wilsons Warbler, the third record for the WP has been found on Dursey Island. 

Thanks to all of today's photographers. The Yellow Wagtail is proving very popular, the first three pictures of it are from Stephen Maxwell, the fourth picture is from Anne Guichard and the fifth from Alan Gallagher. Alan has also sent the picture of the Pied Wagtail. The Red Kite and Sanderling pictures are from Ed O'Hara, the Little Gull pictures are from Cameron Moore and the Greylag Geese in flight are from Martina Boyle. You can see more NI bird pictures at www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bird News Thursday 19th September.

4 Ruff were at the RSPB Belfast Harbour Estate reserve.

1,000 Kittiwake, 100 Gannet, 100 Manx Shearwater, were all feeding in Dundrum Bay also one Red -throated Diver, 1 Merlin, 20 Golden Plover, 10 Skylark and a Wheatear .   Evening roost at Killough had 4 Little Egret a ad Med. Gull and 60 Sandwich Tern, earlier a Whimbrel was at Rossglass. (Chris Murphy)

The second winter Little Gull was seen again at Whitehead. Also present were 4 Red-throated Diver and a Great Northern Diver. 11 Greenshank and 2 Little Egret were at Glynn and 6 Little Egret and 2 Carrion Crow at Ballycarry Bridge (Cameron Moore)

An ad Little Gull was on Kinnegar shore.(Karly Hamilton)

Our thanks to Mervyn Campbell for the photo of the Turnstones. Also to Tom McCreery for the picture of the Robin.

Bird News Wednesday 18th September

The Yellow Wagtail was still at Kinnegar shore this evening, see picture below. (Ed O'Hara).

8 Arctic Tern flew north over Inishmacsaint, Lower Lough Erne, Co Fermanagh. (Brad Robson).

Seafront path this morning at Whitehead had 8 Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff and 1 Blackcap. (Ian Enlander).

 The 2 Buff-breasted Sandpiper were still at the lawn turf fields at Myroe Levels (with Golden Plover) until all were disturbed by a Peregrine (Garry Wilkinson).  

A juvenile Wheatear and second-winter Little Gull were at Whitehead (Cameron Moore).

Thanks to today's photographers, to Ed O'Hara for the picture of the Yellow Wagtail, to Cameron Moore for the pictures of the Little Gull, to Dick Glasgow for the picture of the Kestrel and to Grace Meenan for the picture of the juvenile Lapland Bunting taken in her garden on Tory Island. You can see more NI bird pictures at www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk