Bird News Friday 31st May

A drake Garganey is at the Belfast WOW Reserve (Jeff Larkin).

The male Garganey seen again today at the southwest corner of Lough Beg and an inland Kittiwake was also seen. (David Steele).

An Osprey was at Copeland Bird Observatory today. (Copeland Bird Observatory).

The Lesser Yellowlegs was not present at Castle Espie today.

Thanks to Daniel Newton for the picture of the Garganey at Belfast WOW:

Kestrel Talk

Bird News Thursday 30th May

A Lesser Yellowlegs is at Castle Espie (Fiona Walton). The bird was present to at least 5pm. The bird frequents the centre freshwater lagoon. For hours of opening, see: https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/castle-espie

Jonathan Clark:

Mike Walton:

Wilton Farrelly:

Bird News Wednesday 29th May

A Common Quail was singing at Kebble, Rathlin this afternoon. (Ric Else / Hazel Watson)

Two Reed Warbler were at Oxford Island (Dot Blakely)

A male Great Spotted Woodpecker was in a garden in Bryansford (Eric and Joanne Mansell)

Bird News Tuesday 28th May

This morning an Osprey was in flight over Dundrum Inner Bay South. It flew off southwards. (Danny Bailie)

Yesterday evening a Cuckoo was calling at the base of Carn Tochair in the townland Slaughtneil near Maghera. (Julie Tolerton).

A Cuckoo was seen at midday today at Murlough, Co.Down. (Ian McKee).

A 1st year Glaucous Gull was at Ramore Head. (Colin Guy).

Bird News Monday 27th May

The Glossy Ibis was seen at Portmore Lough this morning. (Cheryl & Jim McKeown)

The Cuckoo was still at Capanagh (Kenny Moore)

An adult Little Gull and the Glossy Ibis were seen from the viewing platform at Portmore Lough RSPB Reserve this afternoon (Brad Robson)

A Wood Sandpiper was in the southwest corner of Lough Beg, present for 40 minutes, calling and singing then flew off at 1640. (David Steele)



Our thanks to Michael Latham for the photo of a Spotted Flycatcher. 

Bird News Sunday 26th May

Late News for yesterday was that the Glossy Ibis was still at Portmore in the afternoon (Linda Thompson). The bird was still present this morning along with an Osprey (Mark and Karen Elliott)

The Capanagh area had Spotted Flycatchers, Whinchats and a Cuckoo (Michael Latham)

Glossy Ibis, Mark Elliott:

Spotted Flycatcher, Michael Latham:

Bird News Saturday 25th May

The Glossy Ibis was showing again at Portmore Lough this morning (Kevin Kirkham).

A Cuckoo was on Rathlin, see picture below. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

A Bonxie was also on Rathlin today, see picture below. (Stephen Dunbar).

A Red Kite was over the M1 between Belfast and Moira. (Daniel Moore).

Thanks to Stephen Dunbar for the pictures of the Puffin and the Great Skua, to Ric Else for the picture of the Cuckoo and to Wilf Swain for the picture of the House Martin:

Bird News Friday 24th May

The Glossy Ibis was still at Portmore Lough RSPB Reserve this morning (Richard Hunter) The Ibis was still present this evening and a drake Garganey was also present. (Michael Latham)

A Red Kite was over the M1 at the Oxford Island junction. (Colin Mayes).

A pair of Common Crossbills were an unusual sight at the Ecos Park. (Jeff Larkin)

A drake Garganey was at the south west corner of Lough Beg (Richard Hunter)

4 Crossbill were in Randalstown forest this evening. (Richard Hunter)

Our thanks to David Hunter for the pic of the Swallow, to Michael Latham for the pictures of the Glossy Ibis and the Garganey and to Thomas Campbell for the pictures of the Kestrel, Skylark and Meadow Pipit:

Escaped Harris Hawk

An escaped Harris Hawk has been seen in a garden near Killinchy, see picture below. (Andrew Gault).

Bird News Thursday 23rd May

The Glossy Ibis is still at Portmore Lough RSPB this evening. (Kevin Kirkham-Brown).

A Ruff was at Belfast WOW reserve this morning and Common Tern numbers are around the 230 mark with display and mating etc. 4 Mediterranean Gulls were also seen. (Derek Polley).

A Great Spotted Woodpecker has been visiting a garden in Ballynahinch over the past few days, see picture below. (Ian Jackson).

Thanks to Ian Jackson for the picture of the Great Spotted Woodpecker, to Wilf Swain for the picture of the Meadow Pipit and to Jeff Silvers for the picture of the Eider:

Bird News Wednesday 22nd May

The Glossy Ibis was still at Portmore Lough RSPB Reserve early evening (Daniel Newton)

Two Cuckoo were calling this evening at Capanagh (Paul and Cara Mulvenna)

Two Turnstone and Whimbrel were at Lower Lough Erne today (Brad Robson)

Glossy Ibis, Daniel Newton:

Bird News Tuesday 21st May

The Glossy Ibis was still at Portmore RSPB this morning. (Robert Hughes). The Ibis was still present on the pools below the viewing platform this evening. (Paul, Cara & Niall Mulvenna).

A Red Kite was seen again near Donaghcloney. (Paul Allen).

A male Great Spotted Woodpecker was coming to peanut feeders in a garden near Scarva (Linda Whitten)

A Cuckoo was calling at Benone (Martin Deehan).

Thanks to Niall & Cara Mulvenna for the picture of Glossy Ibis, to Ginny McKee for the pictures of the Great Northern Divers and Black Guillemot, to David Hunter for the picture of the Sedge Warbler, to Kevin Kirkham-Brown for the picture of the Common Gull with ring 2BAJ and to Paul Allen for the video of the Red Kite:

https://youtu.be/ZfilCukuUWc

Bird News Monday 20th May

A Glossy Ibis was at Portmore Lough this morning. It was in the pools below the viewing platform but is moving around the reserve a lot. (per Laura Smith). The Glossy Ibis was still present this evening on the scrape along with two Garganey (James O’Neill)

A Common Sandpiper was on Rathlin (Kevin Kirkham)

There will be a boat trip from Ballycastle to Jura on Wednesday (22nd May) to find Sea Eagles. Contact Jim Wells on 07856235144 for more details.

Whinchat, Capanagh, Michael Latham:

Little Grebe, Thomas Campbell:

Bird News Sunday 19th May

Two summer plumaged Great Northern Divers were displaying at Glenarm. (Ginny McKee)

A Cuckoo was calling this morning at Magilligan (Paula Campbell)

32 Swifts were at Prehen Park, Derry (Christine Cassidy).

A first year Iceland Gull was at the Barmouth this morning then on the sea, Castlerock (John Spottiswood)

Several Whinchats and two Cuckoos were at Capanagh (Daniel Newton).

Thanks to William Smiton for the photo of the Sedge Warbler and to Daniel Newton for the Whinchat.

Bird News Saturday 18th May.

A Wood Warbler was in song Tollymore Forest Park, near Mountain activity centre (Gregory Moorehead)

3 Cuckoo were on Kanes Hill, Carnalbanagh.(Gareth Platt)

There was no sign of the Cattle Egret on Rathlin today. A Tree Pipit was at Kebble (Ric Else). Another Tree Pipit was at Ushet Port, a Common Redpoll and a Pink-footed Goose were also seen (Neal Warnock).

Our thanks to Gareth for this pic of a Cuckoo, to Thomas Campbell for this superb flight shot of a Swallow and to Ric Else for the Cattle Egret shot from yesterday.

Bird News Friday 17th May

The Cattle Egret was seen again on Rathlin, also 7 Crossbill and a Cuckoo. (Ric Else).

Inland ad. Kittiwake in Black headed Gull colony on Lower Erne islands RSPB reserve.(Brad Robson).

Capanagh had plenty of Whinchat and a Cuckoo this evening.(Michael Latham) 

Our thanks to Brad Robson for the Kittwake amongst the Black-headed Gulls and finally to Michael Latham  for the Whinchat. 

Bird News Thursday 16th May

A Cattle Egret was found on Rathlin Island this evening near the Hostel (Ric Else, Hazel Watson et al). This is the first island record. A Marsh Harrier, 4 Crossbills, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a male Ruff and a Black Redstart were also on Rathlin today (Ric Else/Hazel Watson).

Two spotted flycatchers where at the walled garden Scrabo country park today (Harry Byron)

Thanks to Ric and Hazel for the photos from Rathlin.

Bird News Wednesday 15th May

Two Bee-eaters were at Ballyquintin Point this morning (David Thompson).

A Tree Pipit was this morning at The Gobbins. (Kerry Leonard)

A Great Spotted Woodpecker flew across the M1 near junction 10 (Daniel Newton).

A high count of 200 Dunlin and 2 Sanderling and a Knot were at Mill Bay on Rathlin (Ric Else/Hazel Watson).

Unusually, a Dunlin was at Park Lake, Hillsborough (Dougie Gamble).

A Cuckoo was calling at Woodburn Forest (George Stewart).

A Cuckoo and 4 Crossbills were at Foglish Road, Fivemiletown (Colin Bell).

Thanks to Dougie Gamble for the photo of the Dunlin and to Wilfred Swain for the Buzzard.

Bird News Tuesday 14th May

2 Spotted Flycatcher seen this morning along the Newry Canal just north of Carnbane. (Frank Carroll).

Thanks to Christine Cassidy and Lindsay Hodges for the photo of a Great Skua on Rathlin.

Bird News Monday 13th May

A Tree Pipit was at Kinramer, Rathlin Island a Spotted Flycatcher also seen.(Ric Else/ Hazel Watson)

Our thanks to Christine Cassidy for the pic of the Ringed Plover and to David Hunter for the photo of the Magpie 

Bird News Sunday 12th May

 A juv Gull photographed at Millquater Bay Strangford Lough on Friday with a leg ring reading X86A, has been confirmed as a Caspian Gull, the bird was ringed in Germany and it is only the third time ever that a ringed Caspian Gull has been spotted in Northern Ireland, (the first being a bird ringed in Poland) the bird was seen  by Graham McElwaine, our thanks to Gareth Platt for the info.
(As well as the Polish bird there was a ringed Caspian Gull at Ormeau Park in Belfast in 2012. It only came to light from BTO ringing reports and was also published in Irish Birds.)
 .
A Spotted Flycatcher was at the NT The Argory (Karen Elliott)

Several Whinchat and a Cuckoo where seen in the hills above Cushendun.(Michael Latham). A Cuckoo was also heard in the glenwherry valley this morning (Kenny Moore)

Our thanks to  Michael Latham for the Whinchat and to Paul Allen for the Red Kite 

Bird News Saturday 11th May

Two Marsh Harriers were at Portmore Lough RSPB Reserve (Robert Hughes).

A Grey Plover was on Rathlin (Ric Else/Hazel Watson). This appears to be the first documented record on the island since 1961. Five Pink-footed Geese were also seen.

Two Common Sandpipers and three singing Reed Warblers were at Kinnegar Pools (Clive Mellon).

Thanks to Thomas Campbell for the photo of a Whinchat and to Ric Else/Hazel Watson for the Grey Plover.

Bird News Friday 10th May.

2 Common Cuckoo and 6 Whitethroat where at Peatlands Park.(Ed O'Hara)

Murlough Nature Reserve has 2 Cuckoos (Liz McShane)

Whitethroat - Ed O'Hara