Bird News Saturday 30th April

A drake Garganey remains at Portmore RSPB. The Glossy Ibis was also still present  (Daniel Newton).

A Dark-bellied Brent was with Brent Geese on Rathlin this morning. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

50 Whimbrel were in fields at Ardmore on the south shore of Lough Neagh. (Garry Armstrong).

The Crossbills are still in Christie Park in Coleraine. (Stephen Riddell).

A Blue-headed Yellow Wagtail is at West Town, Tory Island (Graham Clarke)

A Black-necked Grebe was at the Ardmore Rd junction Lough Neagh. Nearby 2 Scaup were at Ardmore Point and 36 Whimbrel by the road (John Spottiswood)

Thanks to Donna Riddell for the picture of the Crossbill:

Bird News Friday 29th April

Three Whimbrel, a Common Tern and a Greenshank were on Larne Lough at Islandmagee. (Kevin Kirkham).

Four Crossbills are feeding in Pine trees in Christie Park in Coleraine. (Richard Donaghey).

Approximately 40 Whimbrel were at the Barmouth. (Kevin Kirkham).

Six Swifts were over Antrim this evening. (Mark Smyth, David Foster, Paul Murphy).

Thanks to Juliet Fleming for the picture of the Common Tern:

Wheatear, Antrim Hills:

Bird News Thursday 28th April

 A Tree Pipit was on the coastal path between Kilroot and Whitehead. (Kevin Kirkham).

A male Garganey was at Portmore Lough RSPB this morning. (Dakota Reid).

A Cuckoo was at Killunaght outside Dungiven this morning. (Marian O'Hara).

Belfast Lough RSPB WOW reserve had a Ruff, a Common Sandpiper, 14 Whimbrel, 5 Common Tern, 14 Sandwich Tern and at least 8 Mediterranean Gulls. (Derek Polley) An Arctic Tern was also present. (Kevin Kirkham).

80 Whimbrel were off the hide at the Barmouth and another 25 in fields near Articlave. (John Spottiswood).

A Cuckoo was calling at Lough Fea also Red Grouse and Wheatear in the area. (Shane McGarvey).

Three Common Sandpipers and five Barnacle Geese were at Loughbrickland. (Mike McLaughlin).

Thanks to Stephen Maxwell for the picture of the Mediterranean Gull, to Alastair McLean for the picture of the Siskin, to Mike McLaughlin for the pictures of the Common Sandpiper and the Barnacle Geese and to Derek Polley for the second Common Sandpiper picture:

Bird News Wednesday 27th April

The Glaucous Gull was still at Burger King in Coleraine. (Joe Lamont).

Dundrum South Inner Bay was quiet with only 12 Whimbrel and 3 Common Sandpipers. Brent numbers are still very low (David Nixon)

A Common Sandpiper and 3 Common Terns were at Portstewart promenade (Kevin Kirkham)

Black-tailed Godwits, Terry Hanna:

Goldcrest, Lindsay Hodges:

For more pictures of local birds see: http://nibirdpics.blogspot.com/

Bird News Tuesday 26th April

 The Glossy Ibis and two Garganey were at Portmore Lough RSPB reserve. (Dermot Hughes).

The Glaucous Gull was still at Burger King in Coleraine. 80 Whimbrel were at the Bann Estuary and another 45 Whimbrel were at Portstewart. (John Clarke).

Thanks to Juliet Fleming for the pictures of the Wheatear, the Stonechat and the Whimbrels with a single Bar-tailed Godwit and to Tim Jess for the picture of the Yellowhammer:

Bird News Monday 25th April

4 Egyptian Geese are on Lower Lough Erne Islands RSPB Reserve this morning (Brad Robson)

A Cuckoo was calling from Belvoir Park Forest, Belfast, around 3pm this afternoon - heard by 2 people in Moreland's Meadow. (Philip McErlean)

A White-tailed Eagle was seen to fly from Ballywalter out to sea yesterday (Clark and Norma Groves)

16 Whimbrel were close to Dunseverick Harbour this afternoon (Juliet Fleming)

A Cuckoo was calling in Glendun this morning. (Jimmy Christie)

Two Cuckoo were on Copeland today, one of which was ringed (Chris Acheson)

Cuckoo, Chris Acheson:

Mediterranean Gull, Stephen Maxwell:

Black-tailed Godwit, Stephen Maxwell:

Bird News Sunday 24th April

A Ring Ouzel was at Kebble on Rathlin, this may be a different bird to the one seen there previously. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

A Dark-bellied Brent was at Glynn (Stuart McKee)

A Whimbrel was at Port Muck, Islandmagee (Kevin Kirkham)

Blacker’s Rock, Lough Neagh, Co. Tyrone today had 28 Whimbrel and. Reed Warbler (Godfrey McRoberts)

Swallows, House Martins, Whitethroats and Sedge Warblers are now widely reported.

Grasshopper Warbler, Donna Riddell:

Ring Ouzel, Ric Else \ Hazel Watson:

Red Grouse, Tony Dodds:

Bird News Saturday 23rd April

At least 20 White Wagtails were still at Reedy Flats on the south shore of Lough Neagh. (Garry Armstrong).

A single Whooper Swan is still at Corbet Lough outside Banbridge. (Mike McLaughlin).

3 Wheatears, a male and 2 females, were in a field at Carmean, Magherafelt. (Godfrey McRoberts).

A Common Sandpiper was at Kinnegar Pool this evening. (Michael Latham).

Thanks to Mike McLaughlin for the picture of the Whooper Swan, to Terry Hanna for the picture of the Willow Warbler, to Guy Hamilton for the pictures of the Black Guillemot and the Rock Pipit and to Wilf Swain for the picture of the Meadow Pipit:

Bird News Friday 22nd April

 A Cuckoo, 6 Whimbrel and 3 Wheatear were at Ballymccormack Point. (James Andrew).

At least two Corncrakes are calling on Rathlin. (Kevin Kirkham).

A Common Sandpiper was at Kinnegar pool and a Ruff and Mediterranean Gull were at Belfast Lough RSPB WOW reserve. (Daniel Newton).

10 Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Whimbrel and 8 Bar-tailed Godwits we’re at RSPB WoW (Tom Ennis)

One of the Little Gulls was at Lough Mourne, Carrickfergus (Dakota Reid)

A Carrion Crow was seen in Moygashel (David Shilliday)

Thanks to Dick Glasgow for the picture of the Wheatear, to Ian Jackson for the pictures of the Dipper and the Rock Pipit and to Julie Silvers for the picture of the Chiffchaff:

Bird News Thursday 21st April

Two Corncrake are calling on Rathlin (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

The Glossy Ibis and three of the Barnacle Geese were still at Portmore Lough RSPB reserve. (Richard Hunter/Juliet Fleming)

10 Mediterranean Gulls, a male (a new bird) and a female Ruff were at RSPB WoW (Tom Ennis)

Thanks to Michael Latham for the picture of the Wheatear:

Bird News Wednesday 20th April

Three Cuckoo were calling at Castle Archdale, Co Fermanagh this morning. (John Anderson)

The Glossy Ibis and four Barnacle Geese were still at Portmore Lough RSPB this morning. (Stephen Riddell).

A very credible report of a Crane which was seen on Monday, it flew from Oxford Island direction towards the Bann / Gilford.

20 Whimbrel and 30 Black-tailed Godwits were at Lady Bay, lough Neagh this morning. (Richard Caves).

A Purple Sandpiper was at Whitehead this afternoon (Ian Enlander)

The two Little Gulls, Wheatear, White Wagtail, two Med Gulls and three Whimbrel were at Lough Mourne (Stuart McKee)

A Swift was at Shaws Bridge this afternoon. (Sam Thomas)

A Golden Eagle was seen in County Antrim (Don Scott)

5 Whimbrel and 2 Common Tern were at RSPB WoW (Tony Dodds)

A probable White-billed Diver was between Melmore Head and Fanad this afternoon. 20+ Great Northern Diver are also in the area (Eric Randall)

2 Twite were again at Castlerock golf course this evening plus a Wheatear and 22 White Wagtails at the base of the pier (John Spottiswood)

Swallows, Grasshopper Warblers and Sedge Warblers are now been widely reported.

Jay, Juliet Fleming:

Wheatear, John Mason:

Bird News Tuesday 19th April

A Whitethroat was at Benone this morning (Stephen Riddell) Another Whitethroat was along the Dundrum coastal path yesterday. (Ian Young).

A Golden Eagle was seen soaring in Co. Antrim this morning. (Ronald Surgenor).

20 Whimbrel were at the Bann estuary and the Glaucous  Gull was still at Burger King in Coleraine.  (John Clarke).

The two Little Gulls were still at Lough Mourne, nine Whimbrel were also present. (Stuart McKee/Joe Lamont).

Six Whimbrel flew over Belfast Harbour Estate behind RSPB WOW reserve. (Daniel Newton).

The Glossy Ibis was still at Portmore Lough RSPB. 

A White-tailed Eagle flew over Ballyliffin Golf Course near Malin Head in Donegal this morning. (James Clancy).

A flock of ten Whimbrel and twenty Black-tailed Godwits were at Lady Bay on Lough Neagh. Four Barnacle Geese were at Portmore Lough RSPB. (Richard Caves).

A male Ring-necked Duck was with the Tufted Duck flock at the south end of Lough Beg. A Knot, thirteen White Wagtails and Two Greenland type Wheatear were at Mullagh. (David Steele).

Whimbrel, Richard Caves:

Wheatear, Dick Glasgow

Bird News Monday 18th April

Rathlin this morning had two Tree Pipits, a female Ring Ouzel, Grasshopper Warbler, two Twite and three Fieldfares. A third Tree Pipit was at Kebble. Four Fieldfares and a Redwing also passed through the Island.  (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

A large flock of at least 40 White Wagtails and a single Wheatear were at Reedy Flats. (Ed O'Hara,  Garry Armstrong).

The Barnacle Goose and the Glossy Ibis were both still at Portmore Lough RSPB this morning. (Nigel Moore).

Belfast Lough RSPB WOW reserve had the two Ruff, at least six adult Mediterranean Gulls, seven winter plumaged Knot and two Sandwich Terns. (Garry Armstrong).

Five Whimbrel and a Wheatear were at Kearney this afternoon. (David Clarke).

A Great Northern Diver was behind the Aquarium in Portrush, four Common Terns were also present. (Greg Heaney).

A Cuckoo was calling this evening near Washingbay, Co.Tyrone. (M.McAliskey)

Two White Wagtails, two Whimbrel, two pairs of Wheatear and at least fifty Brent Geese were along Millin Bay coastal path. (Caroline Boyle).

Male Ruff RSPB WOW Reserve

Grasshopper Warbler - Lindsay Hodges

Whimbrel - David Clarke

Wheatear - Ed O'Hara

Tree Pipit - Ric Else

Ring Ouzel - Ric Else

Tree Pipit - Ric Else

Bird News Sunday 17th April

A Barnacle Goose and two Whimbrel were at Portmore Lough RSPB. (Ed O'Hara).

Reedy Flats had at least 25 White Wagtails and 2 Whimbrel with 250 each of Black-tailed Godwit and Golden Plover. (Garry Armstrong). Three Wheatear were also present. (Ed O'Hara).

The Glossy Ibis is still at Portmore Lough RSPB. (Comghal McQuillan).

Nine Whimbrel were with 70 Black-tailed Godwits at Lady Bay, Lough Neagh. (Garry Armstrong).

On the outer Ards two singing Reed Warblers were at Lough Cowey and 24 Whimbrel were at Ballyquintan Point. (Richard Weyl).

Two Whimbrel were at Killard this afternoon. (Richard Caves)

White Wagtail Reedy Flats.

Chiffchaff - Terry Hanna

Whimbrel - Richard Caves

Bird News Saturday 16th April

The two Little Gulls were still at Lough Mourne. (Richard Hunter). Two Mediterranean Gulls were also present (Ian Enlander)

Both Sedge and Reed Warblers have returned to Oxford Island. (Ed O'Hara).

At least 10 White Wagtails and 2 Wheatear were at Reedy Flats. (Garry Armstrong, Ed O'Hara).

A Crossbill and Twite were on Rathlin this morning (Kevin Kirkham)

Seven Wheatear and two Swallow were at St John's Point. Killard had4 Willow Warblers,  Sand Martin's and Swallows. (Bob Watts).

6 Whimbrel were at Dundrum Inner Bay south at the high tide roost. Several Yellowhammers were five miles north of Portaferry. (Michael Latham).

6 Red-throated Divers were at Magilligan. (John Clarke).

A White Wagtail was at Portballintrae this morning. (Donna Riddell).

Thanks to Ed O'Hara for the pictures of the Reed Warbler and the Common Tern, to Michael Latham for the pictures of the Whimbrel and the Yellowhammer, to John Mason for the picture of the Wheatear and to Donna Riddell for the pictures of the Willow Warbler and the White Wagtail: