Last chance to book - booking closes on Sunday 4th June so don't miss out!
To book, use the link below:
https://www.bto.org/community/events/202306-bto-nis-wild-weekend-2023?dm_i=1L9X,8A9EV,3DBWHR,Y24FH,1
The male Ruff is still at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW Reserve this morning (Daniel Newton).
Cuckoo calling on Rathlin (Viviana Biazzo).
Common Tern, Alastair McLean:
Red-breasted Merganser, Jason Bain:
A Stock Dove at Cleggan on Rathlin is a late spring record (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).
A male Ruff is at RSPB WoW (Stephen Farquhar).
Reed Warbler still singing at Castleroe Riverside Park, Coleraine (John Spottiswood).
Several Cuckoos in the Antrim Hills (Michael Latham).
Cuckoos, Michael Latham:
The Wood Sandpiper remains at Glebe Lough, Rathlin (Ric Else / Hazel Watson)
Yesterday a Cuckoo was heard at Bonds Glen, Claudy (per Stephen Davis)
Circa 20 calling male Corncrake are reported on Tory this spring. (Anton Meenan)
The Golden Eagle was again half way between Annahilt and Ballynahinch, over fields that were recently cut, being mobbed by corvids (Garry Wilkinson)
A Reed Warbler was singing at Castleroe, Coleraine (John Clarke)
Cuckoo, Antrim Glens, Mike McLaughlin:
Cuckoo, Jason Bain:
You can see more pictures of local birds at: http://nibirdpics.blogspot.com/
A Wood Sandpiper on Rathlin this afternoon at Glebe Lough, just the second island record (last in 2009). Also a Bar-tailed Godwit this morning which was the first record this year (Hazel Watson / Ric Else).
A male Whinchat in the Antrim Hills near Carnalbanagh (David Clarke).
Whinchat, David Clarke (photographed from the car):
The Golden Eagle reported yesterday between Anahilt and Ballinahinch was seen again this morning, been mobbed by a Buzzard (Greg Heaney)
A Cuckoo was calling in Drumkeeragh Forest this morning (Terry Hanna)
Yesterday a Great Spotted Woodpecker was visiting a private garden in Rathfriland (Chris Veale)
Late news of an Osprey seen at Potterswall dam in Antrim seen yesterday by local fishermen (per Richard Hunter)
An Osprey was at Seagahan Dam, Co Armagh this morning per local anglers (John Anderson).
Blackcap, Terry Hanna:
Adult or subadult Golden Eagle near Ballynahinch en route from Anahilt (Greg Heaney).
Curlew Sandpiper with Dunlin and other small waders in the Bann Estuary this afternoon (John Clarke).
Curlew Sandpiper, John Clarke:
A Barn Owl flew across the road near Ballynahinch over the Ballynahinch to Lisburn Road at 1am this morning caught on the dashcam footage (Paul Mulvenna).
An Osprey over Lough Beg heading towards the Bann Estuary (Gerard McGeehan / Shirley Dunlop).
Whinchat and Yellowhammer on Rathlin (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).
Cuckoos were reported today in Capanagh and Glencairn.
Black Guillemot, Jason Bain:
Stonechat, Jason Bain:
2 Barnacle Geese (these are likely to be feral) at Portmore Lough but no sign of the Montagu’s Harrier (Robbie Hughes).
Belated news of an immature and wing-tagged White-tailed Eagle on Rathlin yesterday (Una Bryce & Stewart Geddes via Ric Else).
A Cuckoo performed at Carradore Castles this morning (Brian Redpath).
Great Spotted Woodpecker, Donna Riddell:
Join us on Saturday 10th June at the Lough Neagh Discovery Centre and Oxford Island National Nature Reserve for a wonderful day of birding activities.
View the full programme and book your place https://bto-enews.org/1L9X-8A9EV-3DBWHR-552U1Y-1/c.aspx
Yesterday the Montagu's Harrier was seen hunting near the runways at Belfast International Airport. (Robin Kitchen).
An Osprey was on Rathlin this morning. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).
A Cuckoo was calling on Cavehill near Belfast Castle. (Stuart McKee).
Two Cuckoo's were at the east end of Reedy Flats. (John Lambe).
Two male Garganey and a 1st year Little Gull were at Lough Beg this evening. (David Steele).
A late Whooper Swan was at the Bann estuary this evening. (John Spottiswood).
Thanks to Ric Else for the pictures of the Osprey:
Raptor Persecution UK:
POLICE IN BALLYMENA APPEAL FOR INFORMATION FOLLOWING DISCOVERY OF TWO WHITE-TAILED EAGLES
Police are investigating the circumstances following the discovery of two dead white-tailed eagles, in the Glenhead Road area of Ballymena on Monday, 15th May.
Police Service of Northern Ireland Lead for Rural and Wildlife Crime, Superintendent McDowell said: “A report was made to police shortly before 2pm on Monday , after the discovery of two white-tailed eagles found beside one another.
“The birds had no obvious signs of injury and suspicions have been raised given the unlikely position where they were found.
“An investigation has now commenced, with a post-mortem examination due to be carried out to determine the cause of death“.
The white-tailed eagle is the UK’s largest native bird of prey, with a vast wing span of up to 2.5 metres, and are an incredibly beautiful species, which makes the discovery of these dead birds very distressing.
In particular, we are aware one of the birds was born in Norway and brought as a chick to be released in the lower Shannon estuary in 2022.
Following the launch of Op Subrision last week, our dedicated policing operation to combat rural and wildlife crime, we want the public to be reassured, we take all wildlife crime extremely seriously and are committed to investigating all instances of wildlife crime which are reported to police.
If you have any information that can help with our investigation, please contact police on the non-emergency number 101 and quote 1906 16/05/23.
Alternatively, you can submit a report online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/ .
You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online.
The Northern Ireland Raptor Study Group has also issued a press release, as follows:
YOUNG WHITE-TAILED EAGLES FOUND DEAD IN COUNTRY ANTRIM
Two White-tailed eagles have been found dead lying side by side in the Glenwherry area of Co. Antrim on Monday the 15th of May 2023. Both birds were immature eagles, not yet of breeding age. One of them was a bird released in the Lower Shannon Estuary in August 2022 by National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) as part of the reintroduction programme, having been collected from Norway during 2022. The second bird was an unmarked immature bird of unknown origin, likely from Scotland or Ireland. They were found only a few metres apart and appeared to have died in recent days.
Once relatively common on many mountainous and coastal areas White-tailed eagles were celebrated and revered for centuries. However attitudes towards birds of prey changed from admiration to hatred and intolerance by the 17th century and systematic killing, along with widespread habitat change, led to the extinction of White-tailed eagles from the island of Ireland in 1912. Thanks to reintroduction efforts the first successful breeding White-tailed eagles in over 100 years produced a single chick in 2013. These eagles take 4-5 years to reach maturity and typically only produce 1-2 chicks per year. This means that the population remains extremely vulnerable. The loss of these two young birds is a real blow to the recovery of the population in the UK and Ireland.
Birds of prey, which are essential in balancing a healthy ecosystem, continue to be been illegally targeted to such an extent some areas are at risk of losing their natural top predators again. Some of the toxins used to poison birds of prey are banned substances and are extremely dangerous, not only to wildlife but also livestock, pets and people.
Dr Eimear Rooney of the Northern Ireland Raptor Study Group (NIRSG) stated:
“Finding such magnificent birds dead is just heart-breaking and we sincerely hope that they are not poisoned or illegally killed although the circumstances of finding two birds dead beside each other is highly irregular and suspicious and they have been collected by the PSNI for post-mortem to establish the cause of death”.
Eimear continued: “I would like to commend the PSNI on their rapid response and recovery of the two birds for testing. The reality is that often these birds are found in remote areas and we rely on information from the public and landowners to understand the circumstances which led to the death of these birds.”
If any member of the public has any suspicions, information, photographs or dash cam footage or knows of illegal or unusual activity or people in the Glenwherry region, (including Starbog Road, Shillanavogy Road, Glenhead Road, Drumcrow Road, or Glenview Road), please report these to the PSNI on 101 or online https://www.psni.police.uk/report, or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Please refer to the crime reference number 1096 of the 15-5-23.
Any photographs of these birds would also be very helpful to help establish their whereabouts over recent days and these can be sent to NIRSG.
The Lesser Yellowlegs is still present at Inch in Donegal this morning. (Birdguides).
Police are investigating what appears to be the suspicious deaths of two White-tailed Eagles in the Glenhead Road area of Ballymena, see details below.
A 2nd year Little Gull was at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve this morning. (Daniel Newton).
A Lesser Yellowlegs was off the viewing platform at Inch in Donegal. (Derek Brennan).
The Montagu's Harrier showed well again this morning at Portmore. (Brian Redpath). The bird was still present between 7.45 and 8.45 this evening, seen from Boghead Bridge Road. (Garry Wilkinson).
An Iceland Gull was over Strand Road Marina in Derry. (Michael Savage).
Thanks to Derek Brennan for the picture of the Lesser Yellowlegs and to Brian Redpath for the pictures of the Montagu's Harrier:
The Osprey was at Woodburn Reservoirs again at 7am. Flew in from the south west then hunting over middle reservoir, got a fish and flew off north. (Ian Enlander).
The Montagu's Harrier was seen again at Portmore this morning to the south of the Equestrian Centre. (Nigel Moore)
Thanks to Ian Enlander for the picture of the Osprey and to Paul Hunter for the picture of the Cuckoo:
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Montagu’s Harrier again at Portmore Lough between horse paddocks and Boghead Bridge Road 1050 onwards (Martin Deehan / Chris Veale / Ryan Holgate). 2 Barnacle Geese from viewing platform (Martin Deehan).
One Osprey again at Woodburn Reservoir sitting in a tree towards the wind turbines at 1520 (Martin Deehan). Seen to catch fish and flew from Middle to Upper Reservoir 1550-1605 then south (Tim Davis). The bird was also seen at 5:45pm (Margaret McLachlan)
Montagu’s Harrier, Brian Redpath:
Corncrake, Rathlin Island, Tom McDonnell:
The Montagu's Harrier was seen again at Portmore at 12.30. (Bill Guiller). The bird was still present after 1.00pm. (Guy Hamilton, Tom Ennis, Aaron Long).
Two Ospreys are at Woodburn Dams, Carrickfergus. (Alan Webster). At least one of the Ospreys was still present this evening. (Daniel Newton).
Thanks to Bill Guiller for the pictures of the Montagu's Harrier and to Ian Proctor for the pictures of the Osprey:
Adult Montagu’s Harrier still Portmore Lough near paddock area until 1020 then flew towards Lough Neagh and no further sign by 1330 (Ian Proctor / Seamus Feeney). Seen distantly from horse paddocks 1715-30 but not subsequently. On view again 2000 (Peter Doyle).
Spotted Flycatcher at Benone (Richard Donaghey).
White-tailed Eagle this evening north of Knockninny (Richard Weyl).
An Arctic Tern, 100+ Common Terns and 7 Mediterranean Gulls at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW Reserve (Derek Polley).
Montagu’s Harrier, Ian Proctor:
