Bird News Tuesday 28th February

A Chiffchaff is visiting a garden in Coleraine (James McDowell)

The drake Smew is still at Gawleys Gate, Lough Neagh this morning (Derek Polley) The Smew was still present this afternoon behind the Gate Inn (Gayle and Garry Wilkinson)

2 Great-Spotted Woodpecker were drumming at Slieve Gullion forest park, Co Armagh this morning. (Frank Carroll)

Six Russian White-fronts and two Barnacle Geese were at Reedy Flats, Lough Neagh (Derek Polley)

A flock of Crossbills were at Jenkin Forest in Fermanagh this afternoon. (Colin Bell).

Chiffchaff, James McDowell:

Bird News Monday 27th February

 The Glaucous Gull is still at Burger King in Coleraine. (Stephen Riddell).

The Ring-necked Duck was still in the Closet River at Oxford Island this afternoon. (Richard Caves).

The Ring-billed Gull was still at the Round "O" in Enniskillen. (Chris Murphy).

Three Grey Plovers are at Killard. (David Stirling).

Thanks to Thomas Campbell for the pictures of the Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sparrowhawk and Jay, to Stephen Riddell for the picture of the Glaucous Gull and to Richard Caves for the pictures of the Ring-necked Duck:

Bird News Sunday 26th February

Drake Ring-necked Duck again Closet River, Oxford Island (Garry Armstrong). Still present 1525 (Daniel Newton).

The Waxwing trio remain in Ward Park, Bangor (Aaron Long)

Black-necked Grebe at Reedy Flats in full summer plumage may be different to the recent birds (Garry Armstrong). Also a Merlin present (Ryan Holgate).

Common Sandpiper and three Grey Plover at Killard (David Stirling).

The drake Smew at Gawley’s Gate still (Garry Armstrong).

Black Redstart again near the Rangers Supporters Club, Whitehead.Also the Spotted Redshank still distantly No of Ballycarry Bridge (Jeff Larkin).

Green-winged Teal still off Glynn station, Larne Lough, also redhead Goosander and adult Mediterranean Gull (Jeff Larkin, F. Buchanan & William Smitton).

An adult Mediterranean Gull along the seafront at Whiteabbey and two Purple Sandpipers amongst the Turnstone (Emma Mulholland).

Golden Eagle over Rathlin this afternoon (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

A Great Spotted Woodpecker at Barnett’s Demesne (Ricky McQuillan).

Two Black-throated Divers at Carnlough with a dead Great Northern Diver washed up on the beach (Shirley Dunlop).

Ring-necked Duck, Daniel Newton:

Green-winged Teal, William Smiton:

Merlin, Ryan Holgate:

Golden Eagle, Hazel Watson:

Bird News Saturday 25th February

 A Mediterranean Gull at Belfast Lough WoW, also a Raven nearby (Daniel Newton).

The Green-winged Teal still this morning at Glynn (Michael Latham).

The Green-winged Teal also remains at Inch, Co Donegal (IRSBN).

Three Waxwings still at Ward Park, Bangor (Ronald Surgenor).

Long-tailed Duck from the promenade at Portstewart (Donna Riddell).

One Purple Sandpiper still at Whitehead (Michael Latham).

Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming in Gosford in the small copse in the deer park (John Anderson).

Two Great White Egrets at the Mullagh, Lough Beg (Richard Gray).

The Spotted Redshank was again at Ballycarry Bridge (Cameron Moore).

Drake Smew remains at Gawley;s Gate, Lough Neagh (Richard Caves0.

Green-winged Teal, Michael Latham:

Long-tailed Duck, Donna Riddell:

Purple Sandpiper, Michael Latham:

Bird News Friday 24th February

The Green-winged Teal is still at Glynn this morning (Stephen Riddell)

The Bonaparte's Gull is back at Ballygally,  dip-feeding along the surf. A singing Crossbill was at Capanagh. (Dermot Hughes)

The Green-winged Teal was still viewable off the platform at Inch, Donegal (Derek Brennan)

The Waxwings are still in Ward Park, Bangor (Chris Hamilton)

The Black Redstart is still in Newcastle Harbour (Ed O’Hara)

The Black Redstart is still at St John’s Lighthouse (David Stirling)

An immature tagged White-tailed Eagle is at Lough Beg this evening; red tag left wing, purple tag on right (David Steele)

The drake Smew is still at Gawley’s Gate (Richard Caves / Steven Fyffe)

Green-winged Teal, Stephen Riddell:

Waxwing, Chris Hamilton:

Black Redstart, Ed O’Hara:

Bonaparte’s Gull, Daniel Newton:

Smew, Richard Caves:

Black Redstart, David Stirling:

Bird News Thursday 23rd February

A Long-eared Owl flew over the Larchfield Estate just before dawn (Garry Wilkinson).

Three Waxwings remain at Ward Park, Bangor. Also five Purple Sandpipers at the Long Hole and a Chiffchaff flitting about the Botanic station platform (Garry Wilkinson).

A pair of Crossbills at Woodburn Forest (Tony Dodds).

The Common Sandpiper is still in Derry at the small estuary near Sainsburys (John Spottiswood).

Green-winged Teal again at Inch, Co Donegal viewed from viewing platform this afternoon (Derek Brennan).

A Black-throated Diver was off Millisle this morning (Phillip Watson).

The drake Smew remains at Gawley’s Gate, Lough Neagh (William Smiton).

The Green-winged Teal is still at Glynn. Also two Great White Egret remain at Lough Beg (Margaret Adamson).

At Owenreagh Hill, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, two Red Grouse and Jack Snipe (Godfrey McRoberts).

A female Goosander a few hundred yards down from the Randalstown weir (John McClean).

Thanks to Garry Wilkinson for the Waxwing & Purple Sandpiper and to William Smiton for the Smew with Goldeneye photos:

Bird News Wednesday 22nd February

The drake Green-winged Teal is still at Glynn (Nigel Moore)

The drake Smew was still off Gawleys Gate, Lough Neagh (John McClean, Richard Caves, Ed O’Hara).

An adult Mediterranean Gull was on the raft at RSPB WoW this morning (Bob Watts)

The three Waxwing were still in Ward Park, Bangor (Martin Deehan)

Three 2nd year Mediterranean Gulls were at the east end of Ballyholme Beach, Bangor (Ian Enlander)

Two Goosander were seen at Randalstown Weir (Martin Deehan)

A Red Kite was seen attacking a Buzzard in the Antrim Hills (Sandra MacDowell)

Thanks to Sandra MacDowell for the Red Kite attacking Buzzard and to Ed O’Hara for the Smew photos:

Bird News Tuesday 21st February

 At least one Green Sandpiper is still along the River Main at Slaght near Ballymena. (David Steele).

The drake Smew is still at Gawley's Gate, Lough Neagh. (David Clarke).

The Green-winged Teal is still at Glynn in Larne Lough. (Cameron Moore)

The Long-tailed Duck is still off Portstewart. (Richard Donaghey).

The three Waxwings are still around Ward Park in Bangor. (Bob Watts, William Smiton).

The seven Russian Whitefronts, two Barnacles and a Merlin were still at Reedy Flats, Lough Neagh. (Ed O'Hara).

The Ring-billed Gull was still at the Round "O" in Enniskillen. (Ronan Owens).

Four Great White Egrets were at the south end of Lough Beg this evening. (David Steele).

Two Slavonian Grebes were off Glynn in Larne Lough. (Shirley Dunlop, Gerard McGeehan).

Thanks to David Clarke for the picture of the Smew, to Cameron Moore for the picture of the Green-winged Teal and to William Smiton for the pictures of the Waxwings:

Bird News Monday 20th February

Drake Green-winged Teal at Glynn (Brian Halliday, Cameron Moore, Ryan Armstrong).

Three Waxwings still Ward Park feeding in the Rowan near the library (Ian Young, Juliet Fleming, Alastair McLean et al).

The drake Smew is still at Gawley’s Gate (Richard Caves, Nigel Moore).

The Black Redstart remains at St John’s Lighthouse but highly elusive (David Stirling).

A small group of Chough seen at Five Fingers Strand car park, Inishowen Peninsula, Co Donegal (Sarah McCann).

Three Great White Egrets at Lough Beg with good spring counts of 20 Ruff, 92 Pintail and 170 Shoveler (David Steele).

A male Hen Harrier at Brockagh Road, Tempo, Co Fermanagh (Colin Bell).

Thanks to Brian Halligan and Ryan Armstrong for the Green-winged Teal, to Juliet Fleming and Alastair McLean for the Waxwing and to Richard Caves & Nigel Moore for the Smew:

Bird News Sunday 19th February

The three Waxwings are still at Ward Park, Bangor, behind the library (Aaron Long \ John Thompson)

The drake Smew is still at Reedy Flats, Lough Neagh (Wilton Farrelly). A second drake Smew was also seen at Gawley's Gate, Lough Neagh (Ed O’Hara / Comghal McQuillan)

The two Black-necked Grebes are off the car park at  the centre of Ardmore, drifting east (Joe Devlin)

The Green-winged Teal was still  at the south end of Lough Beg (Shirley Dunlop / Gerard McGeehan)

A red-head Goosander was at Randalstown this afternoon (Stephen Riddell)

The Great White Egret and seven Ruff were at Lough Beg. (Gerard McGeehan, Shirley Dunlop).

Water Rail, Scarva, Mark Elliott:

Black-necked Grebes, Wilton Farrelly:

Goosander, Stephen Riddell:

Waxwing, Rhona Bell

Waxwing, Rhona Bell

Smew, Ed O'Hara

Rathlin Bird Report 2021-2022

 

The Rathlin Bird Report 2021–2022 is now available and free to download at https://rathlinstickybeak.wordpress.com/2023/02/18/rathlin-bird-report-2021-2022/

Regular readers will know that it has been two years since the last Rathlin Bird Report, so here you'll find details for all the bird species recorded on Rathlin in 2022, plus notable sightings and occurrences from 2021. Although we really had intended to keep it brief this time, we actually found there was more than ever to write about! So we've also included special sections on bird flu reaching the seabird colony, the island's secretive wintering flock of Greenland White-fronted Geese, an investigation into an intriguing Yellow Wagtail, our experiences of seawatching from various parts of the island, and lots more.

Ric Else and Hazel Watson

Bird News Saturday 18th February

The three Waxwing are still at Ward Park, Bangor (Michael Latham). The birds were still present at the rear of the library at 2.30pm. (Nigel Moore).

The two Black-necked Grebes are still at the east end of Reedy Flats. The seven Russian Whitefronts and a Barnacle were also present. (Daniel Newton, Michael Latham).

The adult Ring-billed Gull was still at the Round O in Enniskillen. (Ronan Owens).

The Black Redstart was at the harbour in Newcastle and  the Spotted Redshank is still at Dundrum.  (Ed O'Hara).

A Great Northern Diver was near the hide at the Barmouth. (John Clarke).

The Spotted Redshank was still at Ballycarry Bridge in Larne Lough this morning. (Cameron Moore).

The male Smew was at Gawley's Gate, Lough Neagh. (Richard Caves).

Thanks to Michael Latham for the picture of the Waxwings and to Richard Caves and Michael Latham for the pictures of the Smew and to Michael Latham for the picture of the Black-necked Grebes:

Richard Caves

Richard Caves

Michael Latham

Michael Latham