Report sightings to: Email nibirds@live.co.uk, Text: 07973 403 146 or 07870 863 782 or Twitter: @nibirds See local bird pics at: www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk
Bird News Tuesday 31st May
There are four Ruff at RSPB Portmore Lough, two males in breeding plumage, and two females. There was also a Garganey. (Laura Smith)
A Kingfisher was seen at Knockbridge,nr Portadown on the Newry canal side.(Paul Allen)
Yesterday Padddy Dub Lough Beg had 1 Little Egret, 1 pair of Garganey, 2 male Shoveler, 3 Canada Geese, 23 Whooper Swans, 6 Ringed Plover, 4 Dunlin, 30+ Redshank and 20+ Lapwing (Godfrey McRoberts)
Bird News Monday 30th May
A Cuckoo was calling at Murlough this morning. (Joyce Millar)
Bird News Sunday 29th May
Bird News Friday 27th May
Bird News Thursday 26th May
Bird News Wednesday 25th May
A Spotted Flycatcher was seen in Derrymore Wood Bessbrook this morning. (Frank Carroll).
Thanks to Dougie Gamble for the picture of the Sanderling, to Annette Elkin for the picture of the Stonechat, to Andrew Pitt for the picture of the Scaup from Ballycastle marina and to Christine Cassidy for the picture of the Cuckoo.
Bird News Tuesday 24th May
A pair of Spotted Flycatchers was along the Riverside Walk, Ballynahinch this evening. (Ian Jackson).
A Short-eared Owl was hunting at Killard this evening, see picture below. (Angus Kennedy)
Thanks to today's photographers.
Short-eared Owl - Angus Kennedy |
Red Grouse Slieve Donard - Edward Cooper |
Reed Bunting - Tom's Pics |
Bird News Sunday 22nd May
Bird News Saturday 21st May
Bird News Friday 20th May
Two Spotted Flycatchers were at the walled garden, Scrabo Country Park (Harry Byron)
Thanks to Wilf Swain for the picture of the Buzzard.
Bird News Thursday 19th May
A Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen in flight within the Stormont estate.(Paul McCullough)
29 Knot (some in summer plumage), 50 Dunlin, 300 Black-tailed Godwit and 5 Gadwall were at Belfast Harbour Lagoon (Dot Blakely).
Bird News Wednesday 18th May
Unusually a drake Scaup was in Ballycastle Marina this evening (Colin Guy)
Talking Terns at Belfast Window on Wildlife (WOW)
Talking about Terns!
Come along to Belfast’s Window on Wildlife to learn about all things tern! Reserve warden Chris Sturgeon will give an insight into this special species, including why they choose to make their homes at Belfast Lough each year.
RSPB members free. Adults £4.
Booking is essential by emailing shelly.ovadia@rspb.org.uk or calling 028 9046 1458.
20 May 2016 7.30pm-8.30pm Belfast WOW,
100 Airport Road West,
Belfast Harbour Estate
Bird News Monday 16th May
Rathlin today had Whinchats, Whitethroats, Sedge Warbler, 2 Great Skua, a Corncrake heard calling around 3pm in front of Brockley Farm, and Garden Warbler heard singing from tree top near top of Kinramer Forest. (Patrick Barton & Michael Barton).
Thanks to Patrick Barton for the picture of the Whinchat and to Christine Cassidy for the picture of the Black Guillemot.
Bird News Sunday 15th May
Bird News Saturday 14th May
A White-tailed Eagle was seen over Murlough Bay Co.Antrim, resembled the bird seen on Rathlin over the last few weeks, highly likely same bird (Colin Guy)
Common Terns - Christine Cassidy. |
Bird News Friday 13th May
In Ballintoy this afternoon among the male Common Eider flock there was a bird that appeared to be of one of the American sub-species . It was identical in every way to the other eiders except the area of the head and nape that should have been pale green was totally rustic brown - there was the thin white line dividing the colouration on the nape / head as per our birds. (Colin Guy).see bottom pic.
Thanks to Stephen Maxwell for the pictures of the Cuckoo and Whitethroat taken at Murlough and to Linda Thompson for the picture of the Spotted Flycatchers.
Bird News Thursday 12th May
A summer plumaged Little Auk was seen alongside the boat on the Rathlin crossing. Rathlin itself was rather quiet but a female Whinchat ,Cuckoo, 2 Choughs and 2 Siskins were noted. Several Bottle Nosed Dolphins swam towards the boat exiting Ballycastle Harbour. (Colin Guy)
There were 7 Brent Geese at Reedy Flat today. (James O'Neill)
Bird News Wednesday 11th May
Bird News Tuesday 10th May
The Glossy Ibis was still at Portmore, a Spotted Redshank was also present. (Birdguides).
Bird News Monday 9th May
A Cuckoo was heard over the last 3 days at the White Hill, Cloughmore, Rostrevor - 2 Woodpeckers still drumming at separate locations on the White Hill again over the last 2 days.(Sean Tinnelly, Mark Cooper & David Cooper)
About 200 Whimbrel where in a field off the Brockagh Rd, Tamnaherin, SE of Eglinton Co L'derry.(Norma Percerval-Price)
Another Cuckoo was seen at at the crossroads in Clabby village (Colin Bell)
A pair of Spotted Flycatcher where in Tempo Park, Co Ferm.(Colin Bell)
34 Brent Geese where still at Dundrum Inner Bay as where 9 Whimbrel.(David Nixon)
Late news from yesterday at Paddy's Dub, Lough Beg: 1 Little Egret, 3 male Red breasted Merganser, 10 Wigeon ,1 Turnstone, 50 Ringed Plover 30 Lapwing, 50 Dunlin, 30 Black tailed Godwit, 20 Whimbrel, 30 Redshank 4 drumming Snipe, 1 male Greenland Wheatear and 2 White Wagtail. (Godfrey McRoberts)
4 Whimbrel & 2 Whitethroat were the best at St.Johns point this morning. (Richard Hunter)
Three White-billed Divers were at the east end of Tory Island this evening (Robert Vaughan)
and Sanderling. About a quarter of the Sanderling were coming into summer
plumage. 8 Whimbrel were also seen (Tom Ennis, Guy Hamilton)
Whinchat - Stephen Maxwell. |
Bird News Sunday 8th May
Good numbers of Whimbrel (80+), and Wheatear (15+) were at Lough Foyle polders (Donnybrewer/Longfield and Myroe) today. (Gareth Bareham)
A Whitethroat was at Whitehead. A Whinchat, Wheatear and a Cuckoo were at Glenwherry. An adult Med Gull and 3 Whimbrel were at Glynn (Gerard McGeehan, Shirley Dunlop)
A Corncrake was heard on Rathlin yesterday.
3 Cuckoo, Downings, Donegal (Christine Cassidy & Ray Brogan)
A Long-eared Owl was seen at Ballymoney Road, Helens Bay. (Richard Woods) Another was seen yesterday by the bend in Ballysallagh Road, Bangor (Richard Haydon)
A Cuckoo was at Leitrim Lodge near Rostrevor this afternoon.
At Floodgates/Patton’s Marsh there were 5 little Egret, 2 Sedge Warbler, a Wheatear, a pair of Stonechat and 40+ Common Tern. (Karl Martin)
RSPB Belfast WOW Reserve had 4 Med Gull and 2 Ruff (Stephen Maxwell)
It is now estimated that over 600 pairs of gulls are nesting on the roof of the Tesco distribution warehouse in Antrim. They are mainly Lesser Black Backs and Black-headed. (Mark Smyth)
An adult White-billed Diver was at the east end of Tory Island (Robert Vaughan)
Thanks to Stephen Maxwell for this pic of a Black-tailed Godwit and Christine Cassidy for the Cuckoo. You can see more bird pics at www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk :
Bird News Saturday 7th May
Bird News Friday 6th May
7 Light-bellied Brent Geese were over Lough Neagh, near Reas Wood, Antrim. (Dave Allen).
Yesterday a Wheatear was in a back garden in Larne. (David Gillespie).
Rathlin had a Cuckoo and approximately 25 White Wagtails. A summer plumaged Great Northern Diver was seen flying over the island. (Colin Guy).
Thanks to Christine Cassidy for the picture of the Sand Martin and to Gareth Platt for the picture of the odd couple Mediterranean Gull and Common Gull.
Bird News Thursday 5th May
Bird News Wednesday 4th May
An eagle species was at the cross roads between Dromara & Hillsborough, it flew parallel to the road for about 1.5 miles & then flew off in the Banbridge direction. This is most likely to have been a WTE (David Patterson).
A male Green-winged Teal was at Church Island, Lough Beg. Also Whimbrel migrating through - total 200+ were logged this evening. A male Ruff western shoreline and five Greenland-race Wheatears at Mullagh. A Little Egret was seen flying into trees on the western side of the Beg - breeding possible (would be first in the area if confirmed). (David Steele).
Bird News Tuesday 3rd May
Bird News Monday 2nd May
Bird News Sunday 1st May.
A Glaucous Gull was at Brigg's Rock this afternoon and seen again on Cockle Island this evening, (no sign of the two Little Gulls seen in morning) Colin Guy.
An almost full summer plumaged Great Northern Diver was at Glenarm Harbour, see picture below. (Kenny & Pauline Majury).
Great Northern Diver - Kenny&Pauline Majury |