Bird News Sunday 1st January

Late news from yesterday of a drake Ring-necked Duck still 3 miles south of Enniskillen at Mill Lough.

The Marsh Harrier and the Barnacle Goose were at Portmore Lough RSPB reserve. (Alan Dickson, Ed O'Hara, Garry Armstrong).

The Long-tailed Duck is still off the Amici restaurant (Donna Riddell).

Arctic Redpoll feeding at top end of field 100m left or original location (field with bonfire in it). Flock is ranging over a large area and appeared for ten minutes late morning (Richard Hunter). The bird was seen again in the bonfire field this afternoon. (Garry Wilkinson, Derek Brennan, Theo Campbell).

Black Redstart still at Newcastle Harbour (Daniel Newton).

12 Goosander Lough Island Reevy (4m, 8f) (Daniel Newton).

The Black Redstart and five Twite were at Whitehead and the redhead Goosander and a Slavonian  Grebe were at Glynn in Larne Lough. (Shirley Dunlop, Gerard McGeehan)

The ringtail Hen Harrier was seen again at Portmore Lough RSPB. (Ed O'Hara).

The Bonaparte's Gull was still at Ballygally (Michael Latham / Dave Craig). The Black Redstart, 7 Twite and a Purple Sandpiper were at Whitehead and 2 Brambling in the Antrim hills. (Michael Latham).

At least 4 quite probably more Brambling with a large flock of Chaffinch along the Clandeyboye Way by Blackwood Golf Course. (James Andrew).

18 Crossbills were in Spruce trees 1km east of Killylane reservoir. (Paul Tout).

At least 8 Purple Sandpipers on the rocks beside the Belfast end of the pond between Whiteabbey and Hazelbank Park. (Tim Davis).

The juvenile Iceland Gull was still at Enniskillen dump today. (Ronan Owens).

We wish everyone a happy new year and thank all contributors for their news and photographs over the last year.

Thanks to Derek Brennan for the pictures of the Arctic Redpoll and to Michael Latham for the pictures of the Bonaparte's Gull, Brambling and Twite: