Bird News Friday 31st January 2025

 The Avocet is still at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve this morning. (Amy Minnis).

A female Brambling and an escaped Zebra Finch are visiting a garden outside Hillsborough. (Garry Wilkinson).

The Red-crested Pochard is still on Lurgan Park Lake. (Tony Dodds).

A female type Black Redstart wad by the prom in Portstewart. On rocks and wall by bandstand. (John Spottiswood).

The Ring-necked Duck is still at Corbally Reservoir outside Portrush. (Juliet Fleming).

A Crossbill was at Springwell Forest. (David Hill).

3 Red-throated and 2 Great Northern Divers were between Garron Point and Galbolly. (Richard Caves).

Avocet, Amy Minnis.

Black Redstart, Stephen Riddell.

Crossbill, David Hill.

Great Northern Diver, Richard Caves.

Bird News Thursday 30th January 2025

The Avocet remains at Belfast WoW Reserve (Chris Hamilton).

Single Green Sandpiper at Corbet Lake (David McCreedy).

Great White Egret on Croaghan Island at Oxford Island NNR (Ed O’Hara).

White-tailed Eagle over Rathlin (Patricia Currie / Hazel Watson).

Drake Red-crested Pochard on Lurgan Park Lake since at least 17th January viewable from outside site currently closed due to storm damage (David Knight).

3 Great Northern Divers Carnlough and another off Garron Point but no sign of White-billed Diver between here and Galboly (Richard Caves).

Barn Owl low over lower part of Windyhill Road near Limavady at 7pm (John Spottiswood).

Male and female Great Spotted Woodpeckers in garden near Hillsborough (Garry Wilkinson).

White-tailed Eagle, Hazel Watson:

Red-crested Pochard, David Knight:

Friday Boat Trip

 There are two seats available for the boat trip from Portstewart to the Bar Mouth and Lough Foyle this Friday. Weather conditions are predicted to be excellent.

Contact Jim Wells on 07856235144 for more details.

Bird News Wednesday 29th January 2025

The White-billed Diver was on the Antrim coast again at Galboly, just offshore from the long lay-by 1.2 miles north of Garron Point, last seen at 13.40. (David Steele).

 The Avocet is still at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve this morning. (Laura Kerr).

A 1st winter Little Gull was feeding over a ploughed field opposite The Hollow Road west of Aghalee up to 2.45 at least. (Dermot Hughes, John O'Boyle).

A Great White Egret was at Portmore Lough RSPB. (Sean Gibson).

An Iceland Gull was reported at Ballycastle Harbour. 

The wintering Whimbrel was still on Rathlin today. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

A Sandwich Tern was on Millisle beach. 

White-billed Diver, David Steele.

Avocet, Laura Kerr.

Avocet, Juliet Fleming.

Bird News Tuesday 28th January 2025

A flock of circa 20 Twite were at Ramore Head, Portrush (Rod Gillan)

An adult Ring-billed Gull was at the Round O, Enniskillen (Ronan Owens)

An Avocet was at RSPB WoW reserve today.

A Great White Egret was still at Inch, Donegal (Chris Ingram)

Twite, Portrush, Rod Gillan:

Bird News Monday 27th January 2025

Black-throated Diver at Portmuck, also 14 Red-throated Divers (Ian Enlander).

Possible Viking Gull (Glaucous x Herring Gull) at Portstewart (Stephen Riddell)

Great White Egret at 430pm in fields across from Ballymena Rugby Club (Ian Millar).

The overwintering Whimbrel again on Rathlin (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

A Barn Owl at Tamary Hill near Rathfriland this evening (John Barry).

Possible Viking Gull, Stephen Riddell:

Bird News Sunday 26th January 2025

A Water Pipit was in a ploughed field on the road down to Reedy Flats. (Garry Armstrong, Ed O’Hara).

5 Great Northern Divers and a Little Gull were off Rossglass. One of the Swallows was still in Killough. (Kevin Kirkham).

Blackcaps are now being widely reported in gardens including in Killough, (Chris Murphy), and in Ravenhill in Belfast. (Elaine Huey).

Water Pipit, Ed O'Hara.

Female Blackcap, Rod Gillan.

Pintail, Paul Hunter.

Great Spotted Woodpecker, Cecil Smyth.

Bird News Saturday 25th January 2025

One of the Black Redstarts was on the beach at Killough (David Stirling \ Michael Latham)

A Merlin was at RSPB Portmore (Leia Getty)

Another Black Redstart is at Larne Harbour. It’s at the back gates on the Chaine Memorial Road (Gary Brown)

A Black-throated Diver was off Newcastle Harbour (Michael Latham)

Two Green Sandpiper were at Myroe (Gerry Bond)

Black Redstart, Michael Latham:

Two Green Sandpiper, Myroe, Gerry Bond:

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

Bird News Friday 24th January 2025

Probable sinensis Cormorant yesterday at lower pond Waterworks, Belfast (Stuart McKee). 

A Brambling with Chaffinches below feeders in a garden near Hillsborough (Garry Wilkinson).

Bird initially thought to be a probable Glaucous Gull was reidentified as a leucistic Great Black-backed Gull at Ardglass (David Stirling).

A juvenile Yellow-legged Gull at the roost at Belfast Lough WoW this evening (Stuart Cossey).

Probable sinensis Cormorant, Stuart McKee:

Glaucous Gull, David Stirling:

Bird News Thursday 23rd January 2025

A female Blackcap visiting a garden in west Belfast. (John O'Boyle)

A female Great Spotted Woodpecker is visiting a garden outside Hillsborough. (Garry Wilkinson).

Bird News Wednesday 22nd January 2025

35-40 Twite were at Ramore Head this morning (John Clarke)

A male Hen Harrier was seen near Rasharkin, Co Antrim this afternoon (Peter McAllister)

A Grey Phalarope was at Rathlin Harbour early evening (Ric Else)

Three Goosander were on Lough Island Reavy (Chris Acheson)

Bird News Tuesday 21st January 2025

Single White-tailed Eagle and Great White Egret at Inch, Co Donegal (Jim Wells).

2 Pink-footed Geese still at Craigantlet with Greylag flock (Sean Gibson).

Spotted Redshank at Inner Dundrum Bay associating with Greenshank and several Redshank (Chris Acheson).

Bird News Monday 20th January 2025

2 Black Redstarts still at Killough on beach (David Stirling).

Pair of Goosander Lough Island Reavy from the pub car park in Kilcoo (David Stirling).

3 Goosander reported yesterday close inshore at Kinnegar (Tom Trouton).

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

Slavonian Grebe off Kinnegar this afternoon (Ed O’Hara).

Redshank & Dunlin, Rod Gillan:

Golden Plover, Richard Caves:

Bird News Sunday 19th January 2025

A Glaucous Gull was at Portstewart Head this morning. (Stephen Riddell).

Both Black Redstarts were on the beach at Killough this morning. (David Stirling)

ThefemaleRing-necked Duck was still on Corbally Reservoir outside Portrush. (Michael Latham).

A Great White Egret was to the east of Emerson's sandquay at Ardmore, Lough Neagh. (Garry Armstrong).

A male Lesser Scaup was on Mill Lough, Bellinaleck, Co. Fermanagh. (Wilton Farrelly).

A Continental Cormorant at the south end of Lough Beg…already in breeding plumage with a full white ‘bonnet’. Also four Great Egrets and 24 Ruff. (David Steele).

A 1st winter Little Gull was at Portmore. (Conor McCoy). The Great White Egret was also present. (Andrew Upton).

The Green Sandpiper was still at Clea Lakes. (Hugh Thurgate).

14 Carrion Crows, 7 hybrid grey crows, 91 Hooded Crows and 3 Rooks from Castle Island hide, Quoile Pondage; also c.200 Greylags, c. 200 Dunlin, 16 Pintail, Woodcock and Water Rail. (Chris Murphy, Doris Noe).

The male and female Goosanders were still off Glynn in Larne Lough. (Dakota Reid)

Lesser Scaup, Wilton Farrelly.

Ring-necked Duck, Michael Latham.

Goosanders, Dakota Reid.

Bird News Saturday 18th January 2025

The Avocet was not seen today.

The female Ring-necked Duck was still at Corbally Reservoir, Portrush (Martin Deehan)

A Merlin was the best at Portmore (Nathan Gilbert)

A first winter Iceland Gull is at Kerrykeel, Co Donegal (Derek Brennan)

Two Black Redstarts are still in Killough (Chris Murphy)

A Green Sandpiper was at Clea Lakes (Hugh Thurgate)

Red-throated Divers, Carnlough, Michael Latham:

Yellowhammer, Inch, Donegal, Christine Cunningham:

Bird News Friday 17th January 2025

 The Avocet is still at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve this morning. (Phillip McHaffie). The bird was still present this afternoon. (Katy Bell).

A Black-throated Diver was still off Carnlough and 2 Goosanders were at the Randalstown River. (Chris Hamilton).

There are now 2 Black Redstarts around Killough pier and Ropewalk. (John Scovell, Chris Murphy).

The Ring-necked Duck is still at Corbally Reservoir outside Portrush. (John Clarke).

Great Spotted Woodpeckers are still at Rowallane Gardens outside Saintfield, inside the Pleasure Grounds and in the woods outside to the west across the Listooder Road. (Tim Davis).

Avocet, Rod Gillan.

Bird News Thursday 16th January 2025

3 Goosander (male and 2 female) on River Maine at Slaght near Ballymena (David Steele).

Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming in Ormeau Park, Belfast this morning (Ben Dilworth).

Avocet still at Belfast Lough WoW RSPB Reserve (David Stirling / Derek Polley).

Chiffchaff along the railway line near the University of Coleraine (John Clarke).

Black Redstart along quay at Ropewalk, Killough (Anne Feltham). Merlin also in harbour (David Stirling).

Drake Ring-necked Duck again Knockninny, Derrylin, Co Fermanagh (Ronan Owens).

Bird News Wednesday 15th January 2025

The Avocet was still at RSPB WoW this morning (Kenneth Brewster). It was still present early afternoon (Theo Campbell).

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was at Rowallane (Tim Davis)

A Chiffchaff was at the Discovery Centre, Oxford Island (Ed O'Hara)

Avocet, Paul Hunter:

Chiffchaff, Ed O'Hara:

NIRSG Conference 2025 - Booking now open

We are delighted to announce that booking is now open for the NIRSG Conference 2025, which will be held on Saturday 22nd February at the Killyhevlin Hotel, Enniskillen. 

We have an exciting lineup of speakers covering local, national and international raptor ecology and conservation, including Dr Allan Mee speaking on his work with White-tailed Eagles, Dr Shane McPherson speaking about his work with Crowned Eagles and David Anderson speaking about his work with Ospreys. It is set to be a great day. 

 The conference fee is £30 and can be booked through the following link https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/NCN94MQWRHKEE or by scanning the QR code below, also see flyer attached.

 

After booking please contact me via email (raptorofficerni@gmail.com) to confirm your booking and provide any details of dietary requirements. 

We look forward to seeing you there,

Dr. Eimear Rooney, 

Raptor Officer, 

NI Northern Ireland Raptor Study Group

Bird News Tuesday 14th January 2025

An Avocet is at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve. (Brian Douglas).

The Iceland Gull was still at Carnfunnock. (Mervyn Campbell).

A Peregrine and the Brambling were at Oxford Island. (Ed O'Hara).

The Great White Egret, a Peregrine and a Merlin were at Reedy Flats. (Ed O'Hara).

The 2 White-tailed Eagles were still at Inch in Donegal this morning. (David Hill). 

The White-billed Diver may have ben seen again today at Carnlough, 2 Black-throated Divers and a Great Northern Diver were also present. (Stuart McKee).

A single Twite was on the Esplanade at Hollywood. (Tony Ridgeway).

Brambling, Ed O'Hara.

Great Spotted Woodpecker, Ed O'Hara.

White-tailed Eagles, David Hill.

Avocet, Lilian Ferguson.

Bird News Monday 13th January 2025

The male Brambling is back at a private garden, Ballynahatty Road,  Belfast. (Dave Allen)

Two White-tailed Eagles and the Great White Egret are still at Inch, Co Donegal (Theo Campbell / Chris Ingram)

The Brambling was still at Oxford Island. There was no sign of the Lesser Scaup (Ed O’Hara)

Four Mediterranean Gull were at Cloughy Beach, Co Down (Ronan Owens)

A Red-throated Diver was in Dargan Bay (Steven Farquhar)

Golden Plover, Rod Gillan:

Bird News Sunday 12th January 2025

Drake Lesser Scaup still off Croaghan Hide at Oxford Island NNR, also 6 Greater Scaup (Garry Armstrong).

4+ Great Spotted Woodpeckers Rowallane (Kevin O’Grady).

Merlin at Myroe, also 30 Yellowhammer (Martin Deehan).

2 Slavonian Grebes Macedon looking towards Giants Park (Stuart McKee).

2 each of Black-throated & Great Northern Divers, also Red-throated Diver and 6 Common Scoter off Carnlough (Gerard   McGeehan / Shirley Dunlop).

Green Sandpiper most days for last month near Diamond Road, Dromore (Chris Rankin).

Dipper, Michael Latham:

Linnet, William Smiton:

Bird News Saturday 11th January 2025

A male Goosander was at the back of the Discovery Centre at Oxford Island, a male Lesser Scaup and a hybrid resembling a Lesser Scaup were off the Croaghan hide. (Garry Armstrong, Ed O’Hara, Clifford Sharpe).

A Red-throated Diver and 2 Scaup were off Kinnegar shore in Belfast Lough. (Stuart Cossey).

The Great White Egret was still at Portmore Lough RSPB. (Michael Latham).

A Slavonian Grebe was off Ballymacran bank in Lough Foyle. (Steven Farquhar)

Water Rail, Ryan Holgate.