Bird News Thursday 31st October

Snow Bunting at Ramore Head (Tom Garner). 60 Twite near car park (Robert Plant).

Adult and 1st winter Little Gulls at Magilligan Point this morning (Stephen Riddell).

Great White Egret and Merlin at Reedy Flats this morning (David McCreedy).

Barnacle Goose of unknown origin amongst the Brent Geese at Strangford Lough at Castle Espie WWT (Jonathan Clark).

Slavonian Grebe off Macedon Point (Aaron Long).

2 White-rumped Sandpipers still at Lough Beg near Church Island also 3 drake Ring-necked Ducks and 9 Whitefronts flew south (David Steel).

Pinkfoot still on Rathlin (Nathanael Poffley).

Snow Bunting, Robert Plant:

Twite, Robert Plant:

Barnacle Goose, Jonathan Clark:

Slavonian Grebe, Aaron Long:

Bird News Wednesday 30th October

A Red-necked Grebe was off Macedon Point, about 4:00 pm with the tide well out and it was feeding and moving gradually towards Loughshore Park (Stuart McKee)

The two Black-throated Diver were still at Carnlough (Ian Dickey)

Yesterday 3 Snow Bunting were seen on Slieve Croob (per Aaron Long)

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen off the Belmont Road, Belfast (Philip West)

6 Snow Buntings were on Ramore Head, Portrush (John Clarke)

A male snow bunting on the summit of Slieve Commedagh this morning. (Dan Baillie)

Two juvenile White-rumped Sandpipers were at Lough Beg this afternoon, with the plover flock in the Church Island area. Two male Ring-necked Ducks and six Pinkfeet were also seen. (David Steele)

Snow Bunting, Ramore, John Clarke:

Yellowhammers, Bushmills, Robert Plant:

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

Many thanks to everyone who shares local bird sightings, news and pictures.

Bird News Tuesday 29th October 2024

Two Slavonian Grebes and two Sandwich Terns were off Macedon Point in Belfast Lough, a Whooper flew north up the Lough. (Kevin Kirkham). 

More than 40 Twite were near Ramore Head in Portrush this morning. (Juliet Fleming).

A female Merlin was hunting at Ballywildrick near Articlave. (John Spottiswood).

Two Great Skuas were chasing gulls off Whitehead, a Great Northern Diver was also present. (Kevin Kirkham).

Two Black-throated Divers, a Great Northern Diver and a Red-throated Diver and two Whoopers were off Carnlough. (Mike McLaughlin, David McCreedy).

A pair of Snow Buntings were on the pathway at Slieve Croob in Co. Down. (Ann-Marie Smyth).

Twelve Twite were at the plover roost outside Portstewart. (John Clarke).

A 2nd year Mediterranean Gull and an adult Little Gull were on Rathlin. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

Snow Buntings, Ann-Marie Smyth.

Twite, John Clarke.

Red-throated Divers & Twite, Juliet Fleming.

Bird News Monday 28th October

Common Sandpiper at Stoneyford Res (Chris Murphy).

Female/immature Goosander still at Corbet Lough also a Red Kite (David McCreedy).

2 Ruff on the Bann Estuary (James McDowell).

Bonaparte’s Gull still at Drains Bay this afternoon. Also 2 Mediterranean Gulls including one ringed in Poland in  2014 (Stephen Riddell).

Bonaparte’s Gull, Stephen Riddell:

Mediterranean Gull, Stephen Riddell:

Bird News Sunday 27th October

The Rough-legged Buzzard has been refound this morning by Aaron Long / Mel O’Hagan and Sean Gibson, just south of Glenarm. At 9:35 the bird had drifted south of Ballygalley (Ivan Quail)

At 9:55 the bird headed south east out over the sea. (Brian McCloskey). It is worthwhile checking Islandmagee for it. As of 11:50, the bird has not been seen again today. However it is felt that it could still be in the Islandmagee \ Whitehead area.

Rough-legged Buzzard, Aaron Long:

Rough-legged Buzzard, Ivan Quail:

A Gyr Falcon (of likely captive origin?) was seen on the road at Glenwherry, near Ballymena, this morning (per Dennis Weir)

A Great Egret was at Paddys Dubh, and 4 Pinkfeet and 3 flyover Greenland White-fronts at Church Island, Lough Beg. A further 2 Great Egrets were at the Mullagh along with a Cattle Egret at the Cormorant roost (Richard Gray)

Two Black-throated Divers were still off Carnlough (Aaron Long)

A Red Kite was just north of the Rathfriland exit on the A1 (Mark Stewart)

The Bonaparte’s Gull was at Drains Bay at 12:45 (Aaron Long)

The Slavonian Grebe was off Glynn (Aaron Long)

Mediteranean Gulls were widely reported today at Drains Bay, Killard, Millisle and Cloghey.

Bird News Saturday 26th October

A Rough-legged Buzzard has been filmed on the east coast, between Glenarm and Waterfoot (Tim Wright):

The Cattle Egret is still with the cattle in the field opposite the end of the breakwater at Kinnegoe Marina, Oxford Island. (Garry Armstrong).

The Greenland Whitefronts were on the fields at Myroe before flying out onto Lough Foyle. (John Spratt).

A Red Kite was in the Antrim hills. (Michael Latham).

A female or immature Goosander was at Corbett Lough outside Banbridge. (David McCreedy).

Two Greenland Whitefronts flew over Ballyquintan Point, two Grey Plovers were also present. A summer plumaged Great Northern Diver flew over Bar Hall Bay. A Greenland Wheatear was on the beach before Kearney. Seven Mediterranean Gulls and six Sandwich Terns were at the south end of Cloughey beach. (Bob Watts).

A Slavonian Grebe was off Glynn. (Michael Latham).

Turnstone, Rod Gillan.

Bar-tailed Godwit, Gerry Bond.

Greenshank, Gerry Bond.

Knot, Gerry Bond.

Bird News Friday 25th October

Barred Warbler still present and showing well at Malinbeg, Co Donegal (Theo Campbell / Chris Ingram). 

11 Greenland Whitefronts Myroe then flew to Roe Estuary (John Clarke). Also Merlin (Donna Riddell).

Great Spotted Woodpecker at Knockbracken Allotments (Aaron Long).

The juvenile Dotterel remains on Cooley Peninsula, Co Louth along track to monument on peak to left of the one with cross and close to the fence line (David McCreedy).

Injured Short-eared Owl with a broken wing, Merlin and Brambling on Rathlin (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

Large numbers of Redwing arriving this evening, especially along the North Coast.

Dotterel, Mike McLaughlin:

Merlin, Donna Riddell:

Bird News Thursday 24th October

The Dotterel was still showing on the Cooley Penisula, Co Louth at https://maps.app.goo.gl/njUvgWpp5QrxdKmv7

(Bob Watts)

The Cattle Egret is still with the cows in the field opposite the breakwater at Kinnegoe Marina. (Juliet Fleming)

Yesterday a Yellow-browed Warbler was ringed on Copeland BO (per Chris Acheson)

Cattle Egret, Juliet Fleming:

Yellow-browed Warbler, per Chris Acheson:

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Bird News Wednesday 23rd October

 A single Slavonian Grebe was off Kinnegar shore in Belfast Lough, a Raven and several Sandwich Terns were also present. (Kevin Kirkham).

The Lesser Scaup and 2 Ring-necked Ducks were still at Lough Beg this afternoon. A flock of 14 Greenland Whitefronts flew south. (David Steele).

A 1st winter Little Gull was at Magilligan. (Stephen Riddell).

The Cattle Egret was still in the field opposite the end of the breakwater at Kinnegoe Marina, Oxford Island. (Richard Caves).

A female Lesser Scaup was at Ballycarry Bridge in Larne Lough before flying off towards Whitehead. (Cameron Moore).

Female Lesser Scaup, Cameron Moore.

Cattle Egret, Richard Caves.

Twite, Juliet Fleming.

Purple Sandpipers, Juliet Fleming.

Bird News Tuesday 22nd October

Drake Lesser Scaup and 2 drake Ring-necked Ducks at Lough Beg this afternoon. Also 6 Great White Egret and 7 Greater Scaup (2 drakes and 5 females) (David Steele).

Todd’s Canada Goose in amongst c300 Barnacle Geese at Shalwy, Kilcar, Co Donegal (Theo Campbell / Chris Ingram). 

Barred Warbler in the Magic Garden, Malinbeg, Co Donegal (Theo Campbell / Chris Ingram et al).

Cattle Egret still at Oxford Island NNR from outer marina with cattle at 1205 (Garry Wilkinson).

58 Purple Sandpipers Coastal Zone, Portrush (Jules Fleming).

3 Twite near Ramore Head (Jules Fleming).

No sign of the American Golden Plover in the Portstewart Strand Golden Plover flock at 5pm (Tom Garner).

At St John’s Point this morning 2 Merlin, 3 Great Northern Divers and 5 Red-throated Divers (Chris Murphy).

3 Pink-footed Geese at Island Hill, Comber this evening (Chris Murphy).

2 Slavonian Grebes off Macedon Point at 4pm (Stuart McKee).

Great White Egret still at Portmore Lough RSPB (Richard Caves).

Adult Little Gull and 1w Mediterranean Gull at Ballynagard, Co Derry (Hazel Watson).

Great White Egret and Greenland Wheatear on Rathlin (Hazel Watson).

Great White Egret, Richard Caves:

Bird News Monday 21st October

Yellow-browed Warbler in neighbour’s Antrim garden (Richard Hunter). 

American Golden Plover adult in moult at Portstewart Strand (John Clarke).

Cattle Egret still at Oxford Island NNR (Ed O’Hara, Clifford Sharpe).

Summer-plumaged Great Northern Diver and 300+ Common Scoter at Dundrum Bay (Dave Weir).

2 adult Mediterranean Gulls, Pink-footed Goose and male Hen Harrier on Rathlin (Ric Else).

Yellow-browed Warbler, Richard Hunter:

American Golden Plover, John Clarke:

 

Bird News Sunday 20th October

The Black Tern was at Portmore RSPB this morning. A Marsh Harrier was also there early afternoon. (Michael Latham)

A Carrion Crow and 4 Ring-necked Parakeets were at Belfast Waterworks this morning. (Shawn Waddoups)

A Marsh Harrier was at the west end of Reedy Flats (Ed O’Hara)

A Black-throated Diver was still at Carnlough (Daniel Newton)

A Wheatear was on Greencastle Beach, Co Down (John Spottiswood). Another was at Seahill, Holywood (Ronald Surgenor)

4 Mediterranean Gulls were on Rathlin (Ric Else)

Black Tern, Portmore, Richard Maxwell:

Black Tern Portmore, Michael Latham:

Bird News Saturday 19th October

A Brambling and the 2 Great White Egrets were on Rathlin. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

The Cattle Egret is still in the field opposite the end of the breakwater at Kinnegoe Marina at Oxford Island. (Garry Armstrong, Ed O’Hara).

A partial summer plumaged Red-throated Diver was off Kinnegar shore in Belfast Lough. (Daniel Newton).

3 Pinkfeet were still with Whoopers in fields along Longlands Road, Comber. (Dave Weir).

2 Black-throated Diver and a Great Northern Diver were at Carnlough. (Michael Latham, Aaron Long).

There was no sign of the Snow Bunting on Ramore Head but about 25 Twite were present but disturbed by walkers. (John Clarke).

2 Slavonian Grebes were off Glynn in Larne Lough. An adult Iceland Gull was south of Ballycarry Bridge. (Kevin Kirkham).

A Slavonian Grebe was on Lough Money at midday today. (Dan Bailie).

2 Arctic Terns, an adult and a juvenile, were on the Barmouth pier at Castlerock, 4 Long-tailed Ducks flew east offshore. (Richard Gray).

The 2 Pinkfeet were still in the stubble field north of Kearney,  the best at Ballyquitan was a Merlin and 2 Swallows. (Wilton Farrelly).

Black-throated Divers, Ian Dickey.

Kingfisher, Rod Gillan.

Bird News Friday 18th October

The Cattle Egret and Great White Egret were still present in Kinnegoe Bay at Oxford Island (Ed O'Hara)

Two 1cy Mediterranean Gulls were on Rathlin (Nathaniel Poffley)

6 Mediterranean Gulls were at Kerrykeel, Donegal (Ralph Shepperd)

White-tailed Eagle, Inch, Donegal, Christine Cunningham:

This leucistic Magpie was at Toombridge, Henry Doherty:

Bird News Thursday 17th October

Bonaparte’s Gull at Ballygally foreshore 1pm (Ian Young).

Snow Bunting still at Ramore Head (John Clarke / Chris Hamilton).

Yellow-browed Warbler on Tory (Anton Meenan). 

2 Black-throated Diver still at Carnlough this morning (Stephen Riddell).

Drake Ring-necked Duck at Lough Swilly at Inch Island Lake, Co Donegal from Tready Hide (RBA).

Little Gull and the long-staying Whimbrel in Church Bay, Rathlin. Also a late Greenland Wheatear, Merlin and 2 Great White Egrets on Kebble Lough (Nathanael Poffley / Ric Else).

3 Slavonian Grebes off Macedon Point (Stuart McKee).

2 Yellow-browed Warblers at Malinmore, Co Donegal (Andy Ellard)

Snow Bunting, John Clarke:

Yellow-browed Warbler, Anton Meenan.

Little Gull, Ric Else.