Bird News Tuesday 31st May

There is no sign of the Pectoral Sandpiper at Portmore so far this morning but the 1st year Little Gull is present. (Ed O'Hara).

A Little Ringed Plover was at Paddy's Dub this tea time however it flew off at 17:25. A Wood Sandpiper was in the southwest corner of Lough Beg. (David Steele)

A distant record shot of the Little Ringed Plover, David Steele:

You can see more pictures of local birds at: http://nibirdpics.blogspot.com/

Bird News Monday 30th May

A Pectoral Sandpiper was on the pools below the viewing platform at Portmore Lough RSPB this afternoon. (John O'Boyle).

Dunlin, Mike McLaughlin:

Swallow, Juliet Fleming:

Bird News Sunday 29th May

The two Marsh Harriers were still at Portmore Lough RSPB. (Kevin Kirkham).

Ballypatrick Forest had at least 3 Cuckoo's and 7 Crossbill. (Paul & Niall Mulvenna).

A late Brent Goose was at Kinnegar shore in Belfast Lough. (Wilton Farrelly).

80 Sanderling were at Kearney on the outer Ards. (Richard Weyl).

Bird News Saturday 28th May

There are at least two female type Marsh Harriers at RSPB Portmore this morning (Stephen Riddell / Niall and Paul Mulvenna / Michael Latham)

Four calling Corncrake were heard on Rathlin today (Ric Else / Hazel Watson)

Marsh Harriers, Michael Latham:

Bird News Friday 27th May

A 2nd calendar year Iceland Gull flew south over Lower Lough Erne in Fermanagh this morning. (Brad Robson).

An immature White-tailed Eagle was at Blanketnook, Co Donegal (Graham Mitchell)

Bird News Thursday 26th May

The Glossy Ibis and Marsh Harrier were seen again at Portmore Lough this morning. (Brian Murphy) The Marsh Harrier was still showing well this evening and the Little Gull was very close to the platform at Portmore (Michael Latham).

An Arctic Tern was seen at RSPB WoW (Derek Polley)

Marsh Harrier, Gregory Heaney:

Little Gull, Michael Latham:

Bird News Wednesday 25th May

The Glossy Ibis was seen at Portmore Lough RSPB throughout the day (Juliet Fleming, Tom Ennis). The first Summer Little Gull and a Marsh Harrier were also showing at Portmore RSPB (Tom Ennis)

Thanks to Nigel Moore for this update on the Osprey which was at Portmore yesterday: “On closer examination of the photos taken of the Osprey at RSPB Portmore Lough, yesterday, a Blue Darvic ring was identified and the following information relating to the bird has been received from Joanna Dailey.

Blue 210 is the eldest of three chicks hatched in 2020 on Nest 4 in Kielder Forest. There are 7 active nests in the Forest - all from natural recolonisation since 2009. Her father is a 2011 hatched osprey from a nest near Loch Lomond. He has colour ring Blue 69. His mate is unringed.

The attached photo shows her at ringing, showing the plumage development. The youngest chick died after two days of storms. It was almost a month old and it is rare to lose ones that age, so very sad. Sibling 211 was seen in Cornwall and Wales earlier this month. To have both youngsters safely back to the UK as 2 year olds is excellent news.”

Blue 210:

Glossy Ibis, Juliet Fleming:

Bird News Tuesday 24th May

 An Osprey was at Portmore Lough RSPB this morning. The Little Gull, Glossy Ibis and Marsh Harrier were also present. (Mike McLaughlin).

The American Wigeon was still at Lough Beg were it was paired with a female Eurasian Wigeon. (Brian McCloskey).

Thanks to Nigel Moore for the picture of the Portmore Osprey, to Alastair McLean for the picture of the Black-tailed Godwit and to Terry Hanna for the picture of the Stonechat:

Bird News Monday 23rd May

The Glossy Ibis remains at Portmore Lough RSPB (Richard Caves)

The drake American Wigeon was just north of Church Island, Lough Beg, early evening (Ian Young)

Glossy Ibis, Richard Caves:

Bird News Sunday 22nd May

A Marsh Harrier was at Lough Cowey on the outer Ards this morning. (Richard Weyl).

A drake Garganey was seen off Church Bay, Lough Beg (Ivan Quail)

The Glossy Ibis was still at RSPB Portmore. A 2nd cy Little Gull as also present (John Spottiswood)

Four Spotted Flycatcher were at Gortin, Co Tyrone (Lindsay Hodges)

Little Gull, Portmore, John Spottiswood:

Reed Warbler, Danny Gibson:

More pics of local birds are at: http://nibirdpics.blogspot.com/

Bird News Saturday 21st May

The Glossy Ibis and the Garganey were both still on the pools below the viewing platform at Portmore Lough RSPB. (Garry Armstrong).

At least two Spotted Flycatchers were in Kelly's Wood at St John's Point. (Michael Latham).

Six Crossbills were around the Bog Garden area of Peatlands Park this morning. (Juliet Fleming).

Glossy Ibis Portmore

Spotted Flycatcher - Michael Latham

Crossbill - Juliet Fleming

Meadow Pipit - Terry Hanna

Bird News Friday 20th May

2 Spotted Flycatchers and a Whitethroat were at St Johns Point this morning. (Mike McLaughlin)

A Great Skua was on the road just south of Ballygally before flying off (Andrew Crory)

Sedge Warbler, Christine Cunningham:

Bird News Thursday 19th May

 The male American Wigeon was to the south of Church Island at Lough Beg before flying distantly to the east side. (Bob Watts).

Thanks to Juliet Fleming for the picture of the Grey Wagtail, to Stephen Maxwell for the first picture of the Mediterranean Gull and to Derek Polley for the Common Tern and the sec0nd Mediterranean Gull picture:

BTO Wild Weekend - Update

 

To book, visit: https://www.bto.org/community/events/202206-bto-nis-wild-weekend

Bird News Wednesday 18th May

The male American Wigeon was still present this evening at Lough Beg, on the shoreline at Church Bay. (David Steele)

Good numbers of Manx Shearwater were in the channel behind RSPB WoW, Belfast Lough (Michael Latham)

American Wigeon, David Steele:

Manx Shearwaters, Michael Latham:

Bird News Tuesday 17th May

An Arctic Skua was at St. John's Point  and 2 more were off Killard, all pale phase. 3 Whimbrel we're also at Killard. (Dermott Hughes)

Reed Warbler, Lindsay Hodges:

You can see more local bird pictures at: http://nibirdpics.blogspot.com/  We have now passed 8000 posts on that Blog, with over 10,000 pictures to date. thanks to everyone who has contributed.

Bird News Monday 16th May

 A Golden Oriole was at Kelly's Wood, St John's Point this morning. (Chris Murphy). As at 6pm, the bird has not been seen again. 

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was visiting a feeder in a garden in Killinchy. (Cheryl Thompson).

15 Crossbill were at Peatlands Park and a ringed Reed Warbler at Oxford Island, (Ashleigh Brown).

Thanks to Ashleigh Brown for the pictures of the Reed Warbler and the Crossbills and to Cheryl Thompson for the picture of the Great Spotted Woodpecker:

Bird News Sunday 15th May

A Wood Warbler was on Rathlin this morning. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

Yesterday 8 Common Crossbills were in Peatlands Park feeding in pines not far from the Bog Garden area. Young birds present and being fed by adult male. (Ciara Laverty) At least 5 birds are still present this morning. (Bob Watts).

The Glossy Ibis and the Garganey are both still at Portmore Lough RSPB. (Chris Murphy).

Two Spotted Flycatchers were near Magherally Church outside Banbridge. (Mike McLaughlin)

A drake American Wigeon was 500 metres south of Church Island at Lough Beg this evening, 50 Whooper Swans were also present. Two pairs of Whoopers and 3 Turnstones were along the north shore of Lough Neagh. (Chris Murphy).

Thanks to Ciara Laverty for the picture of the Crossbills, to Richard Caves for the pictures of the Glossy Ibis, to Wilf Swain for the pictures of the Wheatear and to Mike McLaughlin for the pictures of the Yellowhammer, Treecreeper and Spotted Flycatcher:

Bird News Saturday 14th May

A Whinchat was seen last night at the Floodgates, Newtownards.

A Spotted Flycatcher was at Knock Bridge, Portadown (Zach Prentice)

Two Greenland Wheatear were at the Floodgates, Newtownards (Bob Watts)

A Greenland Wheatear was at Reedy Flats on the south shore of Lough Neagh. (Ed O'Hara).

Thanks to Wilf Swain for the picture of the Blackcap and to Christine Cunningham for the picture of the Stonechat:

Irish Rare and Scarce Bird News Group Phonescoping Competition

 

You can find more details of the competition at: https://irishrareandscarcebirdnews.blogspot.com/2022/04/phoneskope-competition.html?m=1

Bird News Friday 13th May

 Two Arctic Skuas, a Red-throated Diver and two Puffins passed St John's Point this morning. A Spotted Flycatcher was at Kelly's Wood. (Chris Murphy).

A Spotted Flycatcher was at Magherally Church outside Banbridge. (Mike McLaughlin).

A late Redwing was Castle Archdale woods in Fermanagh. (M Duffy)

A Curlew Sandpiper was at the Bann Estuary. (Dean Jones).

Thanks to Tom McDonnell for the picture of the Great Skua, to Mike McLaughlin for the picture of the Spotted Flycatcher, to David Clarke for the picture of the Whitethroat and to Stephen Maxwell for the picture of the Little Egret:

 

Bird News Thursday 12th May

The Lesser Yellowlegs was still at the Mullagh, Lough Beg (David McCreedy / Mike McLaughlin)

This afternoon, five young Raven were on the Scottish Provident Building in Belfast City Centre (Jim Wells)

Three Great northern Divers flew west at a notable height over Lower Lough Erne Islands RSPB Reserve this morning Fermanagh (Brad Robson)

Lesser Yellowlegs, David McCreedy:

You can see more pictures of local birds at: http://nibirdpics.blogspot.com/

Bird News Wednesday 11th March

A drake Garganey is at Belfast WOW Reserve (Jeff Larkin). The bird was still present this eveing. (Wilton Farrelly).

The Lesser Yellowlegs is still at Mullagh, Lough Beg. (Bob Watts).

Yesterday and today, a Cuckoo was calling at Peatlands Park. (Pete Sutton).

A Glaucous Gull was in the harbour on Rathlin this morning. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

A White Wagtail was at Port Muck on Islandmagee this afternoon. (Kevin Kirkham).

27 Whimbrel were on rocks off Dunseverick harbour this afternoon. (Juliet Fleming).

An Iceland Gull was on the shore beside the river at Glenarm. (Ronnie Doggart).

Thanks to Jonathan Cooke for the picture of the Wheatear, to Ronnie Doggart for the picture of the Iceland Gull and to Ric Else for the picture of the Glaucous Gull: