Bird News Sunday 6th September

An adult Little Gull and an adult Mediterranean Gull were at Whitehead. Yesterday the White-tailed Eagle at Copeland was also seen in flight by a local farmer between Whitehead and the saltmines heading towards Ballycarry, so may still be in the area (Cameron Moore).

Inch, Co Donegal had 12 Ruff (Garry Armstrong) and a Merlin (Geoff Larkin)

Blanketnook had 2 Ruff (Wilton Farrelly) and an Iceland Gull (Jeff Larkin)

An adult American Golden Plover was at Myroe Levels along with 2 Little Stints (Garry Armstrong)

St John’s Pt: 42 Scoter (41 drakes, 1 duck), Red-throated Diver, 2  White Wagtails and 1 Wheatear; Coney Island and Killough Hbr: c.1,100 waders  incl. 3 Snipe, 5 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Whimbrel, 230 Redshank, 7 Greenshank, 180 Lapwing, 95 Ringed Plover, 140 Curlew, 120 Golden Plover, 48 Turnstone and 115 Oycs, also 1 Merlin, 2 White Wagtails, 27 Grey Heron and 7 Little Egrets. Strand Lough: Otter, Kingfisher and juv Spotted Redshank; Sheepland, Ardglass: 1 Merlin (Chris Murphy)

Over 1000 Brent Geese were at Islandhill, Strangford Lough (Gerard McGeehan) with smaller numbers been seen at a number of other locations.