Bird News Friday 30th June

3 Common Sandpiper, 100+Black-tailed Godwits where at Dargan Bay Belfast.(Micheal Latham)

Grey Herons - Wilfred Swain.

Bird News Thursday 29th June

645 Black Tailed Godwit, 5 Common Sandpipers, 8 Curlew and a Dunlin were at Dargan Bay, Belfast Lough (Adam McClure)

Two Whimbrel and a Common Sandpiper were on the North Down coastal path (Ronald Surgenor)

Don't forget that you can see more local bird pics at: http://nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk/

Thanks to Thomas Campbell for this pic of a Buzzard:

Bird News Wednesday 28th June

Rue Point, Rathlin Island this morning had a Little Gull, 1 Arctic Tern, 1 Arctic Skua (different bird to yesterday), 2 Great Skuas plus a Wigeon on Ushet Lough. (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

A Spotted Flycatcher was at the Cromore Estate, Portstewart. (Sean Hickey).

Thanks to Thomas Campbell for the picture of the Lapwing and to Paul Allen for the picture of the Buzzard.

 

 

 

 

 

Bird News Tuesday 27th June

A Balearic Shearwater was seen from the Rathlin Ferry this morning, in with feeding Manx, Auks and Kittiwakes. (Matthew Tickner)

Thanks to Thomas Campbell for this pic of a Kingfisher and David Hill for the juvenile Wheatear:

Bird News Monday 26th June.

An Arctic Skua was chasing Kittiwakes distantly from the West Light this afternoon.
Yesterday 5 Great Skuas were flying around together over Kebble (Ric Else / Hazel Watson)

Bid News Sunday 25th June

The Little Ringed Plover was still in the south west corner of Lough Beg this evening (David Steele)

A Kingfisher and a Dipper were in Dromore Park, Dromore this morning. (Chris Rankin).

Thanks to Christine Beggs for the picture of the female Eider and to Wilf Swain for the picture of the Stonechat.

 

 

Bird News Saturday 24th June

Two adult Mediterranean Gulls were at Kilhorne Bay immediately south of Annalong this morning. (Richard Gray).

Thanks to Michael Latham for the picture of the Whinchat from Glendun, to William Smiton for the picture of the Sparrowhawk and to Thoams Campbell for the pictures of the Spotted Flycatcher and the Skylark:

Bird News Friday 23rd June

An adult male Little Ringed Plover was at Lough Beg in the southwest corner, showing well on the muddy area (David Steele)

6 Little Egrets have been feeding at the Floodgates, Newtownards (Tony Steed).

A 2nd year Glaucous Gull flew past Ramore Head in Portrush. (Colin Guy).

A Long-eared Owl was hunting around the Cultra Folk and Transport Museum this evening. (John Edwards)

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was at Castle Archdale Country Park, Co Fermanagh today (Brad Robson)

Thanks to Wilf Swain for the picture of a Curlew.

 

Bird News Thursday 22nd June

At least 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers were in Grogey Forest, nr Brookeborough, Co. Fermanagh (Clive Mellon)

A pair of Spotted Flycatchers were near the children's play park at the Stormont Estate (Harry Byron)

The Bann Estuary had a sizeable flock of 120 Bar-tailed Godwits, all birds in non-breeding plumage; also present 2 Greenshank. Longfield Point area held 7 singing male Reed Buntings. (Hill Dick/Peter Robinson)

You can share bird news and pics with other birders by sending to nibirds@live.co.uk

Thanks to Wilf Swain for this pic of Oystercatchers in flight:

Bird News Wednesday 21st June

On Rathlin both Little Gulls were still at Rue Point this afternoon. Three Knots were also present. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

A Common Sandpiper was at Kinnegar Pools this evening. (Daniel Newton).

2 or 3 singing Garden Warblers were at Doohat Community Woodland (NT) near Newtownbutler, Co.Fermanagh. Blackcaps are abundant in the area. (Dermot Hughes)

Thanks to Ric for this picture of one of the Little Gulls and to Bill Guiller for the picture of the Common Sandpiper.

 

 

Birds of the Western Palearctic

A local birder has a full set of 9 volumes of Birds of the Western Palearctic for sale. All in very good condition with original dust covers.

If you are interested please contact the blog and we will pass on your details.

Bird News Tuesday 20th June

The Bonapartes Gull was at the Bann Estuary, early afternoon, off the Hide (Colin Guy)

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was in Cairn Wood, Co Down (Wilton Farrelly)

4 Greenshank were at Lower Lough Erne Islands RSPB Reserve Fermanagh (Brad Robson)

Thanks to Wilf Swain for this pic of a feeding Grey Heron:

Bird News Monday 19th June

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was on a telegraph pole near Lough Aghery, Annahilt this evening. (Gerard McLaughlin)

Two Spotted Flycatchers were in Antrim Castle Gardens today (Lilian Cummings)

Thanks to Ian Jackson for this pic of a Swift:

Boat Trip Tomorrow

There will be a boat trip along the North Coast and around Rathlin on Tuesday (20th), departing Cushendall, focussing on the wildlife along the coast. Please ring 07856235144 for more information.

BirdNews Sunday 18th June

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was at Brackagh Bog nature reserve near Portadown this morning. (Karen Elliott).

A pair of Cuckoo was still at Lough Fea (Shane McGarvey).

A juvenile Sabine's Gull was reported from Blanket Nook in Donegal. (Birdguides)

Two Storm Petrel were seen from a boat off Cushendall (Wilton Farrelly)

5 Whooper Swans were at the Bann Estuary (Gerard McGeehan / Shirley Dunlop).

A pair of Cuckoo were at the Altarichard Road this evening, and a Red Squirrel this morning. ( Sean Hickey)

Thanks to John Moore for the pictures of the Linnet and the Sand Martin.

Bird News Saturday 17th June

Two Great Spotted Woodpeckers were in a garden in Drumaness, Co Down (M Bailie)

Ailsa Craig Boat Trip

The weather forecast for Sunday is very good. There will be a boat trip to Ailsa Craig from Cushendall. If you are interested in going on it, please contact 07856235144 for details. 

Bird News Friday 16th June

A first summer Bonapartes Gull has been reported from the River Bann at the Barmouth (Bird Ireland)

A Roseate Tern was at Belfast Lough RSPB WOW Reserve this morning. (Daniel Newton).

Two immature (2CY) Little Gulls with about 300 (mostly immature) Kittiwakes and a Sandwich Tern at Rue Point, Rathlin this morning. (Ric Else).

A Grasshopper Warbler was reeling from the top of bracken in the area between the railway path, the beach and the stream at Runkerry on the north coast. (Angus Kennedy).

A small flock of Crossbills was just north of Plumbridge and another flock with Siskens near Cranagh in Co. Tyrone. (Garry Wilkinson)

Thanks to Ric Else for these pictures of the Little Gulls.

Bird News Thursday 15th June

The Wood Sandpiper was still showing off Hide 2 at RSPB WOW this morning (Derek Polley)

A female Great Spotted Woodpecker was in a garden near Drumaness this morning. (M Bailie)

A Long-eared Owl was showing well in Warrenpoint Park yesterday evening (Jen Lynch)

Wood Sandpiper - Ronald Surgenor

Wood Sandpiper - Stuart McKee.

Bird News Wednesday 14th June

The Wood Sandpiper was still showing off Hide 2 at RSPB WOW this morning (Daniel Newton). The bird was still present at 6pm (Ronald Surgenor).

Two Spotted Flycatchers were at Kilroot Graveyard.(Paul Bagnall).

Thanks to Ronald Surgenor for these pictures of the Wood Sandpiper, to Tony Donaldson for the picture of the Yellowhammer and to Ian Enlander for the picture of the Eider:

 

 

 

 

Bird News Tuesday 13th June

A 2nd year Little Gull was at the seafront at Whitehead this morning (Ian Enlander)

A Wood Sandpiper was seen at RSPB WoW reserve, the bird was still present this evening. (Daniel Newton / Ronald Surgenor)

At the Quoile Pondage a Raven and a Buzzard were along the road and 25 Black-tailed Godwits off the hide. (Spencer & Joan Marshall).

Two Great Spotted Woodpeckers were along the Riverside Walk in Ballynahinch. (Ian Jackson)

Thanks to Christine Cunningham for the pictures of the Sandwich Tern and the Stonechat and to Wilf Swain for the picture of the Buzzard.

 

 

Whitehead Peregrines

Bird News Monday 12th June.

Two dark phase Arctic Skua where north of Islandmagee.(Kerry Leonard)

Grey Heron - Wilfred Swain.

Bird News Sunday 11th June

A Wood Warbler was still at Craigagh Wood, Cushendun. Two Whinchat were in the Antrim Hills (Daniel Newton)

At least 5 Mediterranean Gulls were at RSPB WoW (Paul Harvey)

Two Great Spotted Woodpecker were behind the sawmill on the Duffryn estate, Bangor Marty McClenaghan and Ronnie Snoddy)

A Stock Dove was at Kinnegar (Stuart McKee)

A pair of Cuckoo were at Lough Fea (Shane McGarvey)

Bird News Saturday 10th June

An Osprey (with a blue ring) has been seen every night since Wednesday hunting along the shore line of the NW corner of Lough Neagh (Ciaran Burns).

A Whimbrel was at RSPB WoW, Belfast (Daniel Newton).

This Reed Warbler was at Oxford Island this morning and thanks to Thomas Campbell for the pictures of the Red Kite and the Meadow Pipit.

 

 

 

Bird News Friday 9th June

A Quail was singing at the south-west corner of Lough Beg about 1530, in the grassy field between the farm and the marshy area. Also a late whimbrel and an Osprey out on the Beg. (David Steele)

An unseasonal Glaucous Gull and a Red-throated Diver were at the Gobbins, Islandmagee today. (Kerry Leonard)

A Cuckoo was calling this morning in Slieve Gullion Forest Park, Co, Armagh (Frank Carroll)

On Tory Island, a 1st sum Iceland Gull was in The harbour & a Canada Goose on the eastern lake (John Coveney)

Thanks to John Coveney for this pic of the Iceland Gull:

 

Brd News Thursday 8th June

A 2nd year Little Gull was with feeding Kittiwakes from the Rathlin ferry this afternoon.(Ric Else & Hazel Watson)

Bird News Wednesday 7th June

A Turtle Dove was seen today at the top of Warren Road, Donaghadee (Patrick Smyth)

2 Wood Warbler & a Great Spotted Woodpecker were at Craigagh Wood, Cushendun today. (Richard Hunter / Ronald Surgenor)

There was no sign of the Quail at Dunseverick (Richard Hunter)

Thanks to David Hill for this pic of a Sedge Warbler and Ronald surgenor for the Wood Warbler:

Sedge Warbler, David Hill:

Wood Warbler, Ronald Surgenor:

Bird News Tuesday 6th June.

A Spotted Flycatcher was on the foot bridge over the canal in front of the Scarva Tea Rooms this afternoon.(Karen Elliott).

A Wood Warbler was heard in Cregagh Wood, one or possibly two Great Spotted Woodpeckers were seen. (Gerard McGeehan).

Bird News Monday 5th June

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen near the Tesco Distribution Centre, Antrim (Davy Hunter).

The Quail was still calling at Dunseverick at 6pm this evening. A late Whimbrel was also seen. (Colin Guy).

Thanks to James McQueen for the picture of the Long-tailed Tit.

Bird News Sunday 4th June

A Quail was calling at 2pm in the field next to Dunseverick Castle car park  (Colin Guy)

The Drake Garganey was still at the Ecosystem Centre (Daniel Newton)

Two Wood Warblers were at Craigagh Wood (Garry Armstrong)

A male Ruff in breeding plumage was in the SW corner of Lough Beg (Richard Hunter / David Steele)

A Red Kite at Waringsford this afternoon (Chris and Amanda Rankin)

A dark-morph Arctic Skua was harassing Terns off Ballymacormack Point, Co. Down, also just offshore was a 1st summer Great Northern Diver while 3 Whimbrel were at the pool there. (Jeff Larkin)

A Spotted Flycatcher and 4 Cuckoo were in the Antrim Hills (Gerard McGeehan / Shirley Dunlop)

Thanks to Christine Beggs for this pic of a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers at Whitehead:

Bird News Saturday 3rd June.

No fresh news so far to-day.

Bird News Friday 2nd June

An Osprey was over Lough Neagh at circa 12pm today. It was seen from Oxford Island, out over the lough, circling quite high on thermals. (Davy Hunter).

A summer plumaged Little Stint was in the south west corner of Lough Beg this evening. (David Steel).

A single Light-bellied Brent is still in Dundrum South Inner Bay. (David Nixon).

On Rathlin the Corncrake was still calling today. Also seen were two late Whimbrels and three Sanderlings yesterday. There was also a report from a visitor of a male Common Redstart this morning. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

Thanks to David Hill for the picture of the Chiffchaff.

Bird News Thursday 1st June

A Spoonbill was at Lady Bay near Portmore Lough RSPB at 12.25pm. (Nigel Moore).

A pair of Stock Dove were seen at Kinnegar shore this morning (Daniel Newton)

A singing Wood Warbler was seen at 7am this morning at Cregagh Wood near Cushendun (Patrick Burton)

A Cuckoo was calling at the top of the Knowehead Road, Broughshane (Julian Leslie)

Thanks to Nigel Moore for these pictures of the Spoonbill.