Bird News Friday 31st October 2025

No sign of the juvenile Night Heron this morning at Ardilea (Sean Gibson / Aaron Long). Negative early afternoon (Stuart Cossey).

The Harlequin is still north of Port Arthur Beach, Donegal (Stuart McKee).

Brambling at Oxford Island NNR (Stevie Brennan).

Female Marsh Harrier from the Castle Island Hide, Quoile (Ewan McKenzie).

Female Hen Harrier at Portmore Lough (Jim Wells).

Great White Egret at Lough Beg (Jim Wells).

Long-tailed Duck with merganser at Green Island, Dundrum (Stuart Cossey).

15 Pinkfeet with Whooper Swans by the A6 at Toome (David Steele).

Pinkfoot and 3 White-Rumped Sandpipers at Myroe (Jonny Rosborough / Mervyn Campbell).

4 White-rumped Sandpipers at Myroe in drainage ditch; 3adults and a juvenile (Patrick Barton).

Great Spotted Woodpecker at Castlewellan Forest Park (Anne-Marie Smyth).

Brambling, Stevie Brennan:

Bird News Thursday 30th October 2025

The juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron was still around the pond along the coastal path at Ardilea. (David Stirling). The bird was still showing up to midday. (Richard Caves, David Nixon).

Three Pomarine Skuas went south past St John's Point at 2.30 this afternoon. (Chris Murphy).

The male Goosander was at the Inver River in Larne Lough. (Cameron Moore).

Yesterday the two White-rumped Sandpipers were still in the channel at Myroe. (Birdguides).

Black-crowned Night Heron, Richard Caves.

Goosander, Cameron Moore.

Bird News Wednesday 29th October 2025

A Pallas’s Warbler was trapped and ringed at Runkerry this morning (Richard Donaghey)

The Bonapartes Gull is still in the harbour and the Lesser Yellowlegs on the Rue, Rathlin (Hazel Watson / Ric Else)

A Glossy Ibis was at Donnybrewer (Steve Fyffe)

Two Bean Geese were with Barnacles / Greylags, Dooey, west Donegal (Freddy Huggard)

A Great White Egret was in the flooded area behind the sand dunes at Falcarragh (Derek Charles)

6 Ruff and a Merlin were at Inch, Co Donegal (Theo Campbell)

The Harlequin Duck was still north of Port Arthur Beach, Donegal (Chris O’Sullivan)

A flock of 20 Twite were at Ramore Head (Jonny Rosborough)

The Black-crowned Night Heron was seen again at the south end of the pond at Ardilea, Co Down (Andrew Crory)

Pallas’s Warbler, Richard Donaghey:

Glossy Ibis, Steven Fyffe:

Black-crowned Night Heron from Monday afternoon, Liam O’Hara:

Bird News Tuesday 28th October 2025

No sign of juvenile Night Heron at Ardilea from sunrise to 1045 (Aaron Long / Chris Murphy). Nor 1445-1730 (Bob Watts).

Adult White-rumped Sandpiper still in the drainage channel at the Roe Estuary end of Myroe (John Spottiswood).

The Lesser Yellowlegs and Bonaparte’s Gull remain on Rathlin at Rue Lighthouse and Mill Bay (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

Harlequin still north of Port Arthur Beach, Donegal (Adrian).

A Snow Bunting at Portstewart Golf Club (Abraham Varghese).

Great White Egret Inishkeeragh Lower Lough Erne (Derek Charles).

Iceland Gull, Ric Else:

Lesser Yellowlegs, Ric Else:

Snow Bunting, Abraham Varghese:

Bird News Monday 27th October 2025

 A juvenile Night Heron was in the small pond viewable from the coastal footpath at Ardilea. (Chris Murphy).  https://goo.gl/maps/YpcHLqgU6KfWCWJ56?g_st=am 

8 Purple Sandpipers were beside the Coastal Zone in Portrush this morning. (Chris Rankin).

The Harlequin Duck was seen again north of Port Arthur beach in Donegal. (Luke Gerarty).

A Slavonian Grebe was in Kinnegoe Bay at Oxford Island, a Great White Egret Flew over the bay. (Ed O'Hara).

The adult White-rumped Sandpiper was still in the channel at Myroe this morning. (Chris Rankin). This afternoon 3 White-rumped Sandpipers were in the channel. (Jonny Rosborough).

A male Goosander was near the mouth of the Inver River in Larne. (Jimmy Christie).

A juvenile Iceland Gull was in Rathlin harbour. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

A ringtail Hen Harrier was between Armoy and Stranocum. (Johnny Moore).

The Slavonian Grebe and Spotted Redshank both remaining at Lough Beg, also two ringtail Hen Harriers, a juvenile and an adult-type female, eleven Ruff and two Great White Egrets. (David Steele).

Near Inch in Donegal a number of the Taiga Bean Geese are in fields between the R238 and R239, viewable from the latter, from a lane with a NAS Scaffolding sign. (Jeff Larkin).

A Siberian Chiffchaff was heard in Killough. (Chris Murphy).

3 Slavonian Grebes were ff Macedon Point in Belfast Lough. (Mel O'Hagan).

On Saturday a Brambling was at Oxford Island. (Glen Calvert).

2 Red-throated Divers were off the harbour wall in Newcastle this afternoon. (Richard Caves).

Slavonian Grebe, Ed O'Hara.

Goosander, Linda Thompson.

Brambling, Glen Calvert.

Red-throated Diver, Richard Caves.

Bird News Sunday 26th October 2025

Nine Taiga Bean Geese were seen at Inch Levels at 7:20am before flying (Bob Watts)  The birds were subsequently just west of Burt GAA club at 10:30 (Bob Watts)

A Marsh Harrier was at Portmore RSPB (Ryan Holgate)

A Dark-bellied Brent was at Ballykelly (David Steele)

Myroe south end has a juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper in the channel, 35 Twite and a Pink-footed Goose. The adult White-rumped Sandpiper was in the northern end. (Stuart McKee / David Steele / Garry Armstrong / Wilton Farrelly)

The Snow Bunting was still at the summit of Divis Mountain (Sean Gibson)

A Snow Bunting was at Ramore Head (Stephen Riddell)

The Lesser Yellowlegs was at Lurgan Green, Louth (Chris Veale)

Seven Pink-footed Geese flew past Ramore Head (Simon Morton)

An adult Little Gull was off Magilligan (Stuart McKee)

The Lesser Yellowlegs and two Long-tailed Duck were on Rathlin (Ric Else / Hazel Watson)

An adult American Golden Plover was with circa 2000 Golden Plover at Myroe (Garry Armstrong)

A White-rumped Sandpiper and two juvenile Curlew Sandpiper were at the Bann Estuary (Dean Jones)

The immature drake Harlequin Duck was still as Glassagh Upper, north west Donegal (Fran O’Connell)

A drake Ring-necked Duck and a Long-tailed Duck were on Lough Fern, Co Donegal (Jamie Bliss)

The adult Bonaparte’s Gull was still on Rathlin (Ric Else)

An adult Little Gull was at Kinnegar shore (Stephen Farquhar)

Snow Bunting, Ramore, Stephen Riddell:

Lesser Yellowlegs, Rathlin, Hazel Watson:

White-rumped Sandpiper, Stuart McKee:

Bird News Saturday 25th October 2025

Lesser Yellowlegs on Rathlin at the Rue Point Lighthouse. 2 Pinkfeet, 12 Barnacle Geese but no sign of either Bonaparte’s Gull nor Little Stint (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

2 Whooper Swans north over Belvoir. Also at least 1 Stock Dove with roaming flock of Woodpigeon (Stuart Cossey).

The Harlequin remains at the north end of Port Arthur Beach, Donegal (Ian Stevenson).

Ringtail Hen Harrier and 2 Great White Egrets Portmore Lough (Garry Armstrong).

2 White-rumped Sandpipers at Myroe Levels (Bob Watts / Michael Latham).

Dead Barn Owl on the M1 hard shoulder at the Moira roundabout (Suzanne Belshaw).

9+ Taiga Bean Geese at Inch, Donegal perhaps as many as 11 (Sean Gibson et al).

Snow Bunting still Divis (Birdguides).

Lesser Yellowlegs, Ric Else:

White-rumped Sandpiper, Michael Latham:

Bird News Friday 24th October 2025

 The Bonaparte's Gull and the Little Stint are still on Rathlin this morning. A Mediterranean Gull, a Purple Sandpiper, six Twite and a Wheatear were also present with several flocks of Whooper Swans moving through. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

Two Great White Egrets were off Croaghan Hide and a juvenile Marsh Harrier in Kinnegoe Bay at Oxford Island. (Ed O'Hara).

The Harlequin Duck was present again this morning at the north end of Port Arthur beach in Donegal. (Birdguides).

Two Mediterranean Gulls and a Carrion Crow were at Belfast Waterworks. (Stuart McKee).

Nine Taiga Bean Geese were still at Inch in Donegal. (Theo Campbell).

The White-rumped Sandpiper was still off the hide at the Bann Estuary, a Merlin was also present and a Snow Bunting flew over. (John Spottiswood).

A Great Northern Diver and two Mediterranean Gulls were at Kinnegar shore in Belfast Lough. (Stuart Cossey).

A Waxwing was reported on Tory in Donegal. (Birdguides).

Two Chiffchaffs were at Peatlands Park. (Garry Wilkinson).

At least one of the White-rumped Sandpipers was still at Myroe this morning. (Mervyn Guthrie).

White-rumped Sandpiper, Mervyn Guthrie.

Harlequin Duck, Jamie Bliss.

BTO NI Birdwatchers Conference

Last chance to book for the BTO Northern Ireland Birdwatchers' Conference!

Booking closes this Sunday 26th October.

Saturday 1st November 2025 

At the Lough Neagh Discovery Centre, near Craigavon, Co. Armagh

See the programme and book your ticket: bit.ly/BTOConferenceNI25

Discover bird conservation stories, hear tales from researchers in the field and find out more about the birdlife of Northern Ireland and beyond!

As well as bird-related talks, there is the chance to enjoy either birdwatching at Oxford Island Nature Reserve guided by BTO staff, an indoor waders workshop or a birdwatching walk for young people.

Bird News Thursday 23rd October 2025

The Little Stint remains at Mill Bay, Rathlin. A Mediterranean Gull was also present along with the Bonapartes Gull. There has been no sign of the Rough Legged Buzzard (Ric Else / Hazel Watson / Dean Jones)

A female Greater Scaup was on the main lake at Castle Espie WWT (Jonathan Clark)

Myroe has three White-Rumped Sandpipers and the Pectoral Sandpiper this morning (Mervyn Campbell)

The Harlequin Duck was still at Glashagh Upper, Donegal (John O’Boyle / Dermot Hughes)

The hybrid Ring-billed Gull was at Millisle. Kearney had 2 Pink-footed Geese and a Chiffchaff. (Richard Weyl)

9 Taiga Bean Geese are still at Inch Levels (Derek Brennan et al). Please do not disturb the geese and watch / photograph from distance. This behaviour below is not acceptable:

A Yellow-browed Warbler was on Tory (Daniel Moloney)

11 Twite were at Kearney village (David McCreedy / Mike McLaughlin)

A Long-eared Owl was near Larchfield (Garry Wilkinson)

A Great White Egret was seen in flight on Castle Island Road near the Quoile  4 Whoopers were also seen (Anne-Marie Smyth)

A juvenile Hen Harrier was at Black Head (Philip McErlean)

A male Hen Harrier was at Davagh Forest, Cookstown (Godfrey McRoberts)

Two Taiga Bean Geese and two Pink-footed Geese were with Greylag flocks at Dooey, Lettermacaward, north of Glenties (Dermot Hughes / John O'Boyle)

Greater Scaup, Jonathan Clark:

Taiga Bean Goose, Derek Brennan:

Hen Harrier, Philip McErlean:

Bird News Wednesday 22nd October 2025

2+ White-rumped Sandpipers still Myroe Levels in drainage channel also a Pectoral Sandpiper (John Spottiswood / Ian Dickey). 3 White-rumped Sandpipers and 7 Pinkfeet (Ian Thomson).

Bonaparte’s Gull and Little Stint still present at Mill Bay on Rathlin. Also Crossbill, Mediterranean Gulls and 2 Hen Harriers (David Morrow / Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

Harlequin still present on rocks off Port Arthur Bay with red in flanks and face markings appearing indicating a young male (John Cozens / Robert Vaughan).

Malinbeg, Donegal this morning:  2 Cattle Egrets (local man said the egrets had been around for at least a week) and 2 Blackcap (Dermot Hughes / John O’Boyle).

1st cy Ring-necked Duck Inch, Donegal (Theo Campbell / Philip McSwiggan). 2 Taiga Bean Geese with Greylags (John Spottiswood).

Hen Harrier, Great White Egret, Black Tern and Arctic Tern at Oxford Island (Ed O’Hara / Clifford Sharpe).

Chiffchaff Bar Hall Bay. 5+ Mediterranean Gulls Millin Bay. Merlin Kearney. 2 Mediterranean Gulls Cloughy S Beach though high tide so low gull numbers and no sign of Bonaparte’s Gull (Bob Watts).

Adult Yellow-legged Gull among 300 gulls in freshly ploughed field along minor road from Comber/Ards dual carriageway to Scrabo tower (Anthony McGeehan).

Adult winter and 1st winter Mediterranean Gulls at Belfast Waterworks (Stuart McKee).

2-5 Red Grouse at Murley Mountain, Fivemiletown, Co Tyrone at dusk (Colin Bell).

Pectoral Sandpiper, Ian Dickey:

Harlequin, Robert Vaughan:

Bonaparte’s Gull, Ric Else:

Little Stint, Ric Else:

Mediterranean Gull, Stuart McKee:

Bird News Tuesday 21st October 2025

 A Little Stint is in Mill Bay on Rathlin. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

One of the Taiga Bean Geese is still with Greylags at Inch in Donegal. Another 7 Taiga Beans have dropped into Inch. (Brian McCloskey).

A juvenile American Golden Plover, 3 White-rumped Sandpipers and the Glossy Ibis were at Myroe. (Ian Dickey). A Curlew Sandpiper was also present. (David Hill).

The Harlequin Duck is still off the north end of Port Arthur beach in Donegal. (Birdguides).

The Black Tern and juvenile Arctic Tern are still in Kinnegoe Bay at Oxford Island. (Ed O'Hara).

The Rough-legged Buzzard is still near Kinramer on Rathlin today. (Bob Watts).

An adult Bonaparte's Gull was at Mill Bay on Rathlin. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

15 Pinkfeet were on the fields at Lough Beg. (David Steele).

In Donegal Malinbeg had a male Blackcap; Malinmore had a Golden Eagle, Spotted Flycatcher, 4 Blackcaps, 1 Chiffchaff, quite a few Redwing and a Fieldfare; the path to Rocky Point had a Snow Bunting; a 45 minute seawatch had 4 Sooty Shearwaters 10+ Manx Shearwaters 3 Arctic Skua and100+ Kittiwakes. (Dermot Hughes)

2 Goosanders were at Glynn, 16 Pinkfeet were at Larne Lough, a Barnacle Goose was at Church Bay and 2 Curlew Sandpipers were with 70+ Dunlin at Ballycarry Bridge. (Cameron Moore).

American Golden Plover, Ian Dickey.

Black Tern, Ed O'Hara.

G|oosanders, Cameron Moore.

Glossy Ibis, David Hill.

White-rumped Sandpiper, David Hill.

Curlew Sandpiper, David Hill.

Bird News Monday 20th October 2025

The Rough-legged Buzzard is still on Rathlin this morning (Stuart McKee). It is worth noting that some consider this bird to be more likely a Rough-legged Hawk.

A Brambling was heard on Copeland (Kevin Rice)

The Harlequin Duck has again been seen at north west Donegal at: https://maps.app.goo.gl/fRRctwTuFychXnSj9?g_st=ipc (Clive Mellon)

A Black Tern and an Arctic Tern were at Kinnego Bay, Oxford Island (Ed O’Hara)

A Bean Goose and a Pink-footed Goose were with Greylags at East Town, Tory (Davy Hunter)

A Great White Egret was seen at the Quoile (Kevin Kirkham / Chris Murphy)

Seven Pink-feet were with Whoopers in the fields off the A6, Toome (David Steele)

A flock of seven Taiga Bean Geese were at Inch, Co Donegal (Derek Brennan)

A Snow Bunting was on the top of Divis mountain (Stuart Cossey)

A Siberian Chiffchaff was at Runkerry this afternoon (Matthew Tickner)

Lough Beg had a single Pectoral Sandpiper, Slavonian Grebe and a Curlew Sandpiper (David Steele)

Rough Legged Buzzard, Rathlin (Stuart McKee):

Black Tern, Ed O’Hara:

Taiga Bean Geese, Inch, Derek Brennan:

Bird News Sunday 19th October 2025

Yesterday a Red Kite was at Lisinaw near Derryboye. (Hugh Thurgate).

The Black Tern is still in Kinnegoe Bay at Oxford Island. (Garry Armstrong, Ed O'Hara).

The Bonaparte’s Gull is still at Cloughy Bay and 8 Barnacle Geese, a Chiffchaff and a Whimbrel at Kearney. (Richard Weyl).

Curlew Sandpiper and White-rumped Sandpiper from the hide at the Bann Estuary. (John Spottiswood).

A Great White Egret was at Oxford Island. (Jeff Larkin).

Bonaparte's Gull, Stuart McKee.

Bird News Saturday 18th October 2025

8 Barnacle Geese in fields north of Kearney also Chiffchaff. 3 Mediterranean Gulls in area (Garry Armstrong / Stuart McKee / David Steele).

Raddes Warbler at Kinramer, Rathlin seen briefly but flew into thick bramble and again briefly mid afternoon (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

Rough-legged Buzzard over Kinramer, Rathlin early afternoon; the Neararctic race sanctijohannis (Rough-legged Hawk) has been mooted (Ric Else /Hazel Watson).

2 Chiffchaffs Bar Hall Bay (Bob Watts / David Stirling).

Merlin Ballyquintin Farm (Bob Watts).

3 White-rumped Sandpipers and Goossy Ibis at Myroe (Donna Riddell).

16 Pinkfeet and a Barnacle Goose at Larne Lough (Cameron Moore).

Great White Egret and 17 Whooper Swans at Quoile also Chiffchaff (Chris & Doris Murphy / Kevin Kirkham). 2 Great White Egret early evening (Dennis Weir).

Adult winter Bonaparte’s Gull with a limp likely returning bird (Dennis Weir), also 35+ Mediterranean Gulls Cloughey S Beach (Garry Armstrong et al).

Male Ruff Tullyhill, Kilclief (Chris Murphy).

Black Tern is still in Kinnegoe Bay at Oxford Island (Ed O'Hara).

3 White-rumped Sandpipers, 13 Ruff, 11 Barnacle Geese and White-tailed Eagle at Inch, Donegal (Matthew Tickner).

Radde’s Warbler, Ric Else:

Rough-legged Buzzard, Ric Else.

Bird News Friday 17th October 2025

Three White-rumped Sandpipers were along the channel at Myroe (Mervyn Campbell / Ian Dickey)

The Black Tern was still in Kinnegoe Bay, Oxford Island (Clifford Sharpe / Ed O’Hara)

A Great White Egret was at the Quoile (Dermot Hughes)

40 Barnacle Geese went past Ramore Head this morning. A Wheatear was also present (Matthew Tickner)

An American Golden Plover was off the Tready Hide, Inch (Derek Brennan)

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was in Woodbourne Forest, Carrickfergus (George Stewart)

Ballyquinton had 7 Pink-footed Geese and 2 Mediterranean Gull. Barr Hall Bay had 2 Chiffchaff and a Blackcap  34 Mediterranean Gull were at Cloughy Bay (Richard Weyl)

At least one Pectoral Sandpiper, Little Stint and Slavonian Grebe were at Lough Beg (David Steele)

A male Hen Harrier was at Minerstown (Edward Carson)

American Golden Plover (with Golden Plover), Derek Brennan:

Black Tern, David Hunter: