Bird News Sunday 31st December

Just 4 Waxwings were at the pumping station at Ballycarry Bridge in Larne Lough this morning. (Kevin Kirkham).

A sub adult Iceland Gull was at the Round O in Enniskillen. (Aaron Long).

Three Great White Egrets were at Portmore Lough RSPB reserve. (Ed O'Hara).

A single Great White Egret was at Reedy Flats. (Mark Killops).

The Great Northern Diver was still in Portrush Harbour. (Chris Hamilton).

The Long-tailed Duck was still at Todds Corner, Ardmore and a Great Northern Diver was off the breakwater behind the Discovery Centre at Oxford Island. (Garry Armstrong).

A Slavonian Grebe was off Glynn in Larne Lough. (Michael Latham).

Five Pinkfeet were with Whoopers and Greylags at Flatfields between Lisburn and Moira. (Garry Armstrong).

A Red Kite was in the Antrim hills. (Catherine McAuley).

About 40 Waxwings were just outside Mullaghboy on Islandmagee. (Stephen Dunbar).

The male Ring-necked Duck was still on Mill Lough outside Enniskillen. (Aaron Long).

The Bonaparte's Gull was at Ballygally this afternoon. (Andrew Crutchley).

Twenty Waxwings were at Millbay Road on Islandmagee, at the S bend with lots of gates before the black and white farm, shortly before the T junction, by a lane with a tall hedge. (Timothy Davis).

A pair of Goosander were at the west end of Loughisland Reavy, 30 Sanderling and 3 Great Northern Diver were at Tyrella. (Chris Murphy).

4 Twite were by the boatyard at Whitehead and a Red-throated Diver in the bay by the first stretch of the Blackhead path. (Timothy Davis).

Ring-necked Duck, Aaron Long.



Red Kite, Catherine McAuley.






Bird News Saturday 30th December

Late news from yesterday of an adult Glaucous Gull Enniskillen (RBA). 

Also from yesterday 2 Ring-necked Duck, the adult drake plus anew 1st winter at Mill Lough, near Enniskillen (Graham Mitchell).

Approximately 30 Waxwings Millbay Road, Islandmagee (Michael Latham).

About 100 Waxwings just over the bridge at Ballycarry and near Lough Road/Avenue near water treatment works (Stephen Dunbar/Linda Thompson).

Brambling in a Bangor garden (David Miller).

10+ Purple Sandpipers at Groomsport this afternoon (Tom Ennis).

Waxwing, Michael Latham, Linda Thompson:





Brambling, David Miller:




Bird News Friday 29th December

The Waxwings are still around Ballycarry Bridge in Larne Lough this morning. (Jonathan Cooke). At least 40 birds were present. (Guy Hamilton, Tom Ennis).

A Great White Egret is at Ardmore on the south shore of Lough Neagh. (Ed O'Hara).

Four Great White Egrets were at Portmore Lough RSPB reserve. (Michael Latham).

A male Goosander was at Glynn in Larne Lough. (Aaron Long).

The Long-tailed Duck is still at the Quoile this afternoon. (David Stirling).

At least 35 Waxwings are at Millbay Road on Islandmagee. (Andrew Crutchley). At least 100 Waxwings were on Lough Road on Islandmagee. (Linda Thompson).

Five Long-tailed Ducks, two males and three females, are still at Lough Beg today. (David Steele).

A Great-spotted Woodpecker and several Yellowhammers were at Billy Neill Country Park. (Rufus Singh Avinash)

The hybrid Ring-billed x Common Gull, a Carrion Crow and 20 Purple Sandpipers were at Millisle. Three Carrion Crows and a Carrion x Hooded hybrid were at Kinnegar shore. (Jeff Higgott).

Waxwing, Guy Hamilton


Great-spotted Woodpecker & Yellowhammer, Rufus Singh Avinash




Waxwings, Linda Thompson



Carrion Crow, Jeff Higgott



Bird News Thursday 28th December

Circa 100 Waxwings were at the sub-station at Ballycarry Bridge at 10:30 (Kevin Kirkham). About 15 - 20 birds were present between 2 - 3pm (Philip West / Chris Murphy/ Niall Mulvenna)

The Long-tailed Duck was still at Steamboat Quay, the Quoile, at 1:45 (Timothy Davis)

At least one Twite at Whitehead Boatyard (Chris Murphy)

Three Great White Egret were still at Portmore Lough RSPB reserve.

The Spotted Redshank was in Dundrum South Inner Bay. Two Dark-bellied Brent (adult and juvenile, but not together) were feeding in fields around the bay, with the Brent flock. (David Nixon)

The juvenile Great Northern Diver remains in Portrush Harbour. (Aaron Long)

Waxwing, Ballycarry, Niall Mulvenna:

Great Northern Diver, Aaron Long:


You can see more local bird pics at: https://nibirdpics.blogspot.com/

Bird News Wednesday 27th December

4 Waxwings at Tready car park, Inch Lake, Co Donegal (Chris Ingram).

Drake Ring-necked Duck still at Mill Lough, Enniskillen 1145 also a hybrid drake Ring-necked Duck x Tufted Duck hybrid (Gavin Thomas).

1st winter Iceland Gull briefly tucking into bread at the Round O, Enniskillen (Gavin Thomas).

6 Pink-footed Geese with the Greylags at Longlands Road, Comber (Wilton Farrelly).

Approximately 170 Waxwings still along low Road, Ballystrudder, Islandmagee but flighty and moving up to higher ground (Richard Gray). Still c130 on road down to Portmuck 1330 (Stephen Dunbar).

About 50 Waxwings around Ballycarry Bridge predominately in the tree by the power station (Rufus Singh).

Putative Scandinavian Rock Pipit (littoralis) in the harbour, Rathlin (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

Great White Egret at Portmore Lough RSPB from the viewing platform (Gavin Thomas).

Possible Scandanavian Rock Pipit, Ric Else:



Bird News Tuesday 26th December

Yesterday 6 Waxwings were at Lynn Hall in Bangor. (Stephen Dunbar).

At least 4 Great White Egrets were at Portmore Lough RSPB reserve this morning. (Garry Armstrong).

Approximately 100 Waxwings were at the top of the Portmuck Road on Islandmagee. (Jonathan Cooke).

20+ Purple Sandpipers were at the coastal zone in Portrush. (Michael Latham).

The Long-tailed Duck is still at the Quoile this morning. (Mike McLaughlin, David McCreedy).

The Short-eared Owl is still at Divis above Belfast. (Wilton Farrelly).

Two Black-throated Diver along with Great Northern and Red-throated Diver were in Carnlough Bay.(Richard Gray).

4 Slavonian Grebes and a male Greater Scaup were off Macedon Point in Belfast Lough. (Gerard McGeehan, Shirley Dunlop).

At least 60 Waxwings were in Hawthorn hedges by the A36 Larne - Ballymena road at Glenwherry this afternoon, sadly several birds had been struck and killed by passing traffic. (David Steele).

Approximately 200 Waxwings were near Ballystrudder on the right going down towards Ballycarry Bridge. (Timothy Davis).

An adult Mediterranean Gull was at Kinnegar shore. (Jeff Higgott).

A Short-eared Owl was hunting at Slievenacloy this morning. (David Gotto).

Please note Island Road Lower (Ballycarry Bridge), will be closed for the day on 2 January 2024.

Long-tailed Duck, Mike McLaughlin


Waxwings, Jonathan Cooke


Short-eared Owl, David Gotto



Bird News Monday 25th December

The Long-tailed Duck was again at Steamboat Quay this morning (Brian Murphy / Juliet Fleming)

A Great White Egret was near the shore of Lough Neagh at Derryinver, west of Reedy Flat (Ian Rippey)

The Blog team would like to wish everyone a Happy Christmas. (Garry, Bob & Wilton)

Long-tailed Duck, Juliet Fleming:



Bird News Sunday 24th December

2 Twite with 8 Linnet and a Skylark at Whitehead Boatyard (Michael Latham).

The 1st winter (probable female) Long-tailed Duck still between second car park and Steamboat Quay, Quoile River (David Stirling/Chris Murphy).

Twite, Michael Latham:




Bird News Saturday 23rd December

Three Great White Egrets were at Portmore Lough this morning (Michael Latham)

A Great Northern Diver was at Carnlough (Aaron Long)

An adult Mediterranean Gull was at Kinnegar Shore (Wilton Farrelly)

The first winter Long-tailed Duck was still at Steamboat Quay, The Quoile (Clifford Sharpe)

A tame Pink-footed Goose was at Waterfoot car park (Aaron Long)

The Bonaparte’s Gull was seen again today on Rathlin (Ric Else)

Great White Egret, Michael Latham:

Bird News Friday 22nd December

 The Long-tailed Duck is still at the Quoile Pondage outside Downpatrick. (Aaron Long).

A Great White Egret is at Reedy Flats. (Ed O'Hara)

At least 3 Twite were at Whitehead seafront. (Ian Enlander).

An adult Mediterranean Gull and 5 Sandwich Terns were in Killyleagh Harbour this afternoon and a 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull was at nearby Nicky's Point. (David Nixon)

A Great Northern Diver was off Ballygally. (Jeff Higgott).

Long-tailed Duck, Aaron Long.



Twite, Ian Enlander


Long-tailed Duck, Michael Latham



Twite, Jeff Higgott


Goldcrest, Juliet Fleming


Long-tailed Duck, Garry Wilkinson


Long-tailed Duck, John Mason





Bird News Thursday 21st December

Drake Long-tailed Duck still showing very well along Steamboat Quay at Quoile Pondage (David Stirling).

Waxwing at Belfast Lough WoW RSPB Reserve just to the left of the main centre (Ian Proctor).

2 Sandwich Terns between Strangford and Kilclief (Jeff Higgott).

Long-tailed Duck, Jeff Higgott & David Stirling:





Waxwing, Stephen Maxwell & Ian Proctor:







Bird News Wednesday 20th December

The first winter Bonaparte’s Gull was seen again in the harbour, Rathlin. A first winter Little Gull was also present (Ric Else)

There were still approx 100 Waxwings on Burstin Brae Road, Larne (Kenny Moore)

A drake Long-tailed Duck is at the Quoile (David Stirling)

Bonaparte's Gull, Rathlin, Ric Else:

Bird News Tuesday 19th December

 About 100 Waxwing were in trees along Burstin Brae Road, near the junction with the Ballytober Road, Larne. A Great Northern Diver was at Carnfunock Bay. (Dave Weir).

The adult Ring-billed x Common Gull hybrid and a Carrion Crow were at Millisle. (Jeff Higgott).

There were still a few Waxwings at Hegarty's Corner outside Castlerock this morning. (David Hill).

Three Long-eared Owls and four Woodcock were at the University of Ulster in Coleraine. (John Clarke).

Waxwing, Mike McLaughlin


Ring-billed x Common Gull hybrid, Jeff Higgott


Carrion Crow, Jeff Higgott


Redwing, David Hill


Waxwings, David Hill



Fieldfare, David Hill



Bird News Monday 18th December

Mobile flock of around 15 Waxwings at Hegarty’s Corner, Castlerock at 1130 (Rosie Kane).

A ringtail Hen Harrier and a flock of 10 Twite at Long Point Wood, Lough Beg (Maria Mulholland).

Merlin at Ballintoy Harbour and 8 Purple Sandpipers at Sandy Bay (Patrick Barton).

A Great Northern Diver at Moyola Waterfoot, Lough Neagh at noon (Ciara Laverty).

A Great Northern Diver near Ram’s Bay, Lough Neagh (Emma Mulholland & Ruan McCready).

Female Brambling with the Chaffinch flock in the stubble field at Union Locks near the towpath just over the bridge heading towards Lisburn (Garry Wilkinson).

Great White Egret at The Ramper, Strangford Lough (Hugh Murtagh).

One Dark-bellied with Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Myroe this afternoon (Matthew Tickner).

Long-eared Owl, John Clarke:



Bird News Sunday 17th December

The female Marsh Harrier was at Portmore Lough. Four Great White Egret were also seen (Ryan Holgate / Seamus O’Hara)

The Long-tailed Duck and a Merlin were at Todd’s Corner, Lough Neagh (Garry Armstrong)

There was no sign of the Grey Phalarope at Portmuck this morning (Michael Latham)

At least 30 - 40 Waxwing were at Ballycraigy Road, Larne (Stephen Dunbar / Linda Thompson)

Glynn had a Slavonian Grebe. 5 Twite wee at Whitehead (Gerard McGeehan / Shirley Dunlop)

The Great Spotted Woodpeckers were showing again at RSPB WoW (Daniel Newton)

Waxwings, Linda Thompson:

Bird News Saturday 16th December

A Great White Egret and a female Marsh Harrier were at Oxford Island. (Garry Armstrong, Ed O’Hara).

A female Marsh Harrier and 5 Great White Egrets were at Portmore Lough RSPB reserve. (Wilton Farrelly).

The Spotted Redshank is still in Dundrum Inner Bay. (Daniel Newton).

A male and female type Velvet Scoter were on the Holywood side of Belfast Lough near channel marker 11. (Dermot Hughes).

A Grey Phalarope was at Portmuck on Islandmagee. (Brenda Campbell)

A Brambling was in a garden in Whitehead. (Cameron Moore).

Two Twite were with Linnets at Whitehead. (Aaron Long).

Two Great White Egrets and a Red-throated Diver were at Glynn. (Alan Webster).

A flock of 70+ Waxwings are still on Ballycraigy Road in Larne. (Rufus Singh Avinash) 

A Great Northern Diver was in Portrush harbour. (Juliet Fleming).

Around 50 Purple Sandpipers were on the rocks around Ramore Head in Portrush. (John Clarke)

Flatfield outside Lisburn had 8 Pinkfeet, a single Barnacle Goose and 50 Whoopers with the Greylag flock. (Jeff Higgott).

Grey Phalarope, Brenda Campbell


Brambling, Cameron Moore


Waxwings, Rufus Singh Avinash


Velvet Scoter, Daniel Newton


Great Northern Diver, Juliet Fleming


Grey Phalarope, Aaron Long