Bird News Monday 30th June

At Inner Dundrum Bay late this morning- was the adult Spoonbill, a Little Egret, a Common Sandpiper, at least 10 Whimbrel and 8 Greenshank (Fulton Somerville)

Our kind thanks to Neil Cartmill for the Buzzard. Also to Fulton Somerville for the Spoonbill and to Richard Hunter for the Spotted Flycatcher.

Boat  trip around Rathlin and the Gobbins.

The boat trips around Rathlin Island will commence again this Thursday(3rd July) Friday (4th) and Saturday(5th) The boat will leave Ballycastle at 4pm and the trip will last 3-4 hrs. The cost of the trip will be £30.00.

There is also trips available for parties of 8 or more at a time and date suits them.

Gobbins.

There is one more trip around the Gobbins next week, anyone interested let me know which day(Monday to Wednesday). If anyone interested on either trip contact  jimwells6@gmail.com   

Bird News Sunday 29th June

The Spotted Redshank and moulting male Ruff were at Paddy's Dub, Lough Beg and a female Ring-necked Duck at Mullagh (David Steele)

At Ballyboley a Red Grouse was near the car park at Killylane Reservoir (Mr McCutcheon)

Thanks to Cameron Moore for this Stonechat pic. You can see more pics at www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk 

Bird News Saturday 28th June

The Little Gull was still at Kinnegar Pool in Belfast Harbour Estate.

Thanks to today's photographers Dick Glasgow, Stephen Maxwell, Cameron Moore, Lilian Cummings and Angus Kennedy.

 Female Hen Harrier - Dick Glasgow

 Little Gull - Stephen Maxwell

 House Martin - Cameron Moore

Peregrine & Fulmar - Cameron Moore

Common Snipe - Lilian Cummings

Juvenile Raven - Angus Kennedy

Bird News Friday 27th June.

Two Med. Gulls were at the RSPB Belfast Harbour reserve. (Anne Guichard) see photo below 

The Spoonbill was still at the Quoile Pondage this evening (Tim Murphy)

A female Garganey was at Portmore Lough and a Kingfisher in the the river nearby. A first summer Little Gull was at Kinnegar Pool. (Stuart McKee) 

Med Gulls at the RSPB Belfast Harbour reserve - Anne Guichard

Long-eared Owl - John Clarke.

Hen Harrier - Dick Glasgow

Wild Inishowen

Wild Inishowen is a group of people dedicated to the conservation and preservation of the rich diversity of habitats and species that make up the Peninsula of Inishowen. Dermot McLaughlin is Chairman of Wild Inishowen, and has a long involvement with nature conservation, having been Senior Ranger in the Inishowen area for many years, District Conservation Officer to the Donegal Sligo Leitrim Zone and had responsibility for park management in Glenveagh National Park.

Wild Inishowen has just recently launched a new Facebook Page, www.facebook.com/wildinishowen

Bird News Thursday 26th June

The Osprey was still at Portmore Lough, in the dead tree opposite the viewing platform, 1.30pm. (Tim Murphy)

A Little Egret was in the south-west corner of Lough Beg. A Spotted Redshank and male Ruff were at Paddy's Dub and 100 Tree Sparrow at Mullagh (David Steele).

2 Mediterranean Gull (adult and first-year) were at Ballycarry Bridge in Larne Lough (Cameron Moore)

Thanks to Fionnbar Cross for the pic o the Fermanagh Manx Shearwater and Peter Casey for the injured Whooper at Portmore:

Bird News Wednesday 25th June

The immature Spoonbill was still at Ardilea early afternoon. However, almost certainly the same Spoonbill was in front of the hide at the Quoile pondage later on (Tim Murphy)

A Manx Shearwater was inland at the Black Lough, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, this is the first county record. (Brad Robson & Peter Taylor).

A Whimbrel, 2 Greenshank, a summer adult Mediterranean Gull, Arctic Tern and Common Terns were at Glynn in Larne Lough (Stuart McKee).

Thanks to Christine Cassidy for these Buzzard pictures.

Bird News Tuesday 24th June.

An Osprey was at the RSPB Portmore Lough reserve this morning.(Amy Burns) see photo below.

The Spoonbill still present at Ardilea this morning.(Frank Carroll)

Osprey - Anne Guichard.

Bird News Monday 23rd June

The immature Spoonbill is still at Ardilea. It's possibly a 2nd year bird (Tim Murphy)

A Hobby was seen over the Mournes at Silebt Valley yesterday (Mark Speers)

[See the pic below. Thanks to James O'Neill for highlighting that this Hobby is a different bird to the Murlough sighting]

A walk from Poyntzpass to Scarva produced the following singing males- 12 Sedge Warbler, 13 Blackcap, 12 Chiffchaff, 21 Willow Warbler & 6 Reed Bunting. A Kingfisher & a Spotter Flycatcher were also seen. (Fulton Simerville)

A female Great Spotted Woodpecker was at Delamont Country Park, Co Down, this morning. (Ron Price)

2 Little Gull and 2 Common Sandpiper were at Kinnegar Pool (Joe Lamont)

22 Common Scoter flew past  East Strand, Portrush (Colin Guy)

Thanks to Stephen Maxwell for this pic of a Reed Warbler at Lough Neagh and Mark Speers for the Hobby:

Bird News Sunday 22nd June

Yesterday a Hobby was seen at the east side of Murlough yesterday evening, it was catching male fox moths. A Cuckoo was also present. (James O'Neill)

A Common Sandpiper was seen along the Clanrye River/ Newry Estuary this morning (Frank Carroll)

A juvenile Spoonbill was seen this evening at Ardilea, Dundrum at 7pm. Also a Kingfisher and 4 Greenshank were present. (Phil Higginson / Tim Murphy)

Thanks to James O'Neill for the pic of the Hobby, Gary Wilkinson for the Great-spotted Woodpecker and Andrew Poots for the Spotted Flycatcher. You can see more bird pics at www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk

Brookborough Swift Colony Update

We previously posted an article about this Swift colony in Fermanagh. The  latest is that the three original pairs have all laid eggs. House Martins also moved in below box 1. This week two new pairs have settled into 3 and 6, making five pairs in total. On 18th June both chicks hatched in box 4. John Young.

Bird News Saturday 21st June. (Summer solstice)

Two Red Kite where south of Ballynahinch.(Andy Elliott)

Yellowhammer - Tom McCreery.

Buzzard - Dick Glasgow

Bird News Friday 20th June

A pair of Cuckoo was at Kirkiston race track (Francis Duffin).

Several Reed Warblers were calling in the reeds at Lough Cowey. (David McCormick).

Thanks to Ian Jackson for the Fulmar pictures, David Hill for the Common Tern pictures, Tom McCreery for the Yellowhammer picture and David McCormick for the Sandwich Tern picture.

Bird News Thursday 19th June

The pair of Garganey are still at Portmore. The Hobby was still at the Montaighs (Stuart McKee). You can see pics of these birds at www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk

Yesterday a Brent Goose was seen of the embankment at Newtownards (Angus Kennedy)

Thanks to Jane McLaughlin for this pic of a Jay and Lilian Cummings for the Swift:

Bird News Wednesday 18th June

The Hobby was still at Montiaghs Moss. (Sean Hennessy, Tom Ennis).

2 first-summer Little Gull were at Belfast Harbour and a Whimbrel at Glynn in Larne Lough. A Jay flew across the M5 at Glengormley (Stuart McKee).

Thanks to Dick Glasgow for the Pied Wagtail pictures and to Noeni Bryars for the Greenfinch and Bullfinch pictures.

Bird News Tuesday 17th June

A Bar-tailed Godwit was inland at the RSPB Lower Lough Erne islands reserve - possibly the 2nd county record with one last seen in 2000 (Brad Robson)

The Hobby was still present at Montiaghs Moss along with a Red Kite and a Buzzard (Anne Guichard)

Following disturbance from a private helicopter, it is believed that the Corncrake is no longer on Rathlin Island (RSPB NI)

Thanks to Karl Martin for this pic of a Common Tern at Portmore Lough and Anne Guichard for the Hobby. You can see more bird pics at www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk 

Bird News Monday 16th June

An adult Rose-coloured Starling has been visiting a garden in Carrickfergus (Jean Robson) see picture below, the photo was taken by the owners of the house.

A dark phase Arctic Skua and a Cuckoo were at Thompson's Island in Carlingford Lough. (Shane Wolsey)

The first summer Little Gull was at Kinnegar Pool (Stephen Maxwell)

On Rathlin, 5 Chough ( 2 adults and 3 juveniles) were on the cliff west of Ushet Lough. No sign of the Golden Eagle. 20 Puffins were at the East Light (Colin Guy)

Yesterday a Greenshank was in Killlough harbour and 2 Long-eared Owls in a Killough garden. (Chris & Tim Murphy)

Rock Pipit- Karl Martin.

Buzzard - Dick Glasgow.

Bird News Sunday 15th June

The Hobby was still present at Montiaghs Moss. (Garry Armstrong).

The drake Lesser Scaup and a male and female Ring-necked Duck were at the Mullagh, Lough Beg and a Green-winged Teal was at Paddy's Dubh. (David Steele)

A Golden Eagle was along the south cliffs of Rathlin Island (Steve Wing).

The Hobby at the Montiaghs:

Bird News Saturday 14th June

The first summer Little Gull was still at Kinnegar Pool, Belfast (Wilton Farrelly)

2 Roseate Terns, an adult and 2nd summer Mediterranean Gulls and 2 Bar-tailed Godwits were at Glynn Station (Neal Warnock)

A single Roseate Tern was at MIllisle Beach this afternoon. (David McCormick)

Thanks to Colin Bell for this pic of a Chough from St Johns Point, County Donegal:

Bird News Friday 13th June.

3 Twite where at Carrick-a rede.(Robert Scott)

Yesterday a Med Gull was at the RSPB Belfast Harbour estate reserve.(Anne Guichard)

Med Gull - Anne Guichard