nibirds

Bird News Monday 1st September 2025

The Spoonbill is still at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve this morning along with 10 Ruff. (Joe Sweeney, Missy Zepeda).

Two Swifts were over the M2 between Antrim and Belfast. (Alan Fitzsimmons).

Yesterday a Swift was over Galgorm in Ballymena. (Richard Gray).

A Swift was over Ballygally on the Antrim coast this afternoon. (Paula Campbell).

There was no sign of the Pectoral Sandpiper at Lady Bay, 2 Ruff were at Portmore. (Sean Gibson).

Garron Point for a couple of hours this evening in moderate southwesterlies had a single Great Skua and 60+ Storm Petrels, the ‘Stormies’ mostly heading north offshore, one every couple of minutes or so, a few lingering, also Brent Geese on the move, total 150 flew south. (David Steele)

Bird News Sunday 31st August 2025

2 Ospreys still at the Bann Estuary (Garry Armstrong et al).

Greenish Warbler still on Tory, Donegal for 3rd day (Anton Meenan).

Spoonbill and several Ruff still at Belfast Lough WoW Reserve (Daniel Newton). Also Peregrine there (Michael Latham / Derek Polley)

St John’s seawatch 0830-1030 produced Storm Petrel, 3 Great Northern Diver, 3 Common Scoter (Chris Veale).

7+ Arctic Skuas (3+ pale, 4+ dark), Great Northern Diver Magilligan Point (Garry Armstrong / Wilton Farrelly / Bob Watts / Philip West / Daniel Newton / Sean Gibson).

2 Curlew Sandpiper, 10+ Mediterranean Gulls at Myroe. c60 Brent Geese, Ruff and Whimbrel at Ballykelly (Garry Armstrong, Daniel Newton et al).

Green Sandpiper Shaws Bridge, Co Armagh (Joe Devlin).

Garron Point from 1250-1850 in strong southerlies had one Leach’s Petrel, four Storm Petrels, one Sooty, 5,000+ Manx, five Arctic Skuas, four Arctic Terns, five Common Terns, 54 Sandwich Terns and 35 Brent Geese (David Steele)

This evening, the Pectoral Sandpiper and 25 Ruff were at Lady Bay (John Cusack)

Swifts at Castlerock, over M2 and 2 at Ballykelly (Bob Watts et al).

First summer Mediterranean Gull, Antrim Marina, Gareth Platt:

Spoonbill, Michael Latham:

Bird News Saturday 30th August 2025

7 Brent Geese over Kinnegar (Stuart Cossey).

The Little Ringed Plover is still at Belfast Lough RSPB (Michael Latham). Also juvenile Peregrine caught a Dunlin and flew off (Leia Getty). Little Stint still present at rear of reserve, also Spoonbill still and 2 Whimbrel (Kevin Kirkham). 2 Little Stints late afternoon (Leia Getty).

The Greenish Warbler is present for its second day on Tory, Co Donegal (Anton Meenan).

Tree Pipit mid morning over fields, White Wagtail Bar Hall Bay also Whimbrel at Ballyquintin Point. Whimbrel Kearney (Bob Watts).

Pectoral Sandpiper still Lady Bay with 8 Ruff (Garry Armstrong).

Osprey on the Bann Estuary (Mark McCullough). 2 Osprey this evening , Ruff, Mediterranean Gull, 2 Arctic Terns (John Spottiswood / Alwyn).

Pectoral Sandpiper, Michael Latham:

Little Stints, Leia Getty:

Bird News Friday 29th August 2025

The Spoonbill and at least 18 Ruff were at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve this morning. (Daniel Newton). A Little Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper were also present. (Stephen Riddell). Also a single Whimbrel present. (Stuart McKee). A Peregrine was present this afternoon. (Leia Getty).

A Red Grouse and a Wheatear were at Fardross Mountain in Co. Tyrone. (Colin Bell).

A Little Stint was at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve this afternoon. (Daniel Newton).

At least 12 Ruff at Lady Bay, the Pectoral Sandpiper was not seen but may have been present this morning. (Jim Wells).

The Pectoral Sandpiper was still at Lady Bay this afternoon. (Richard Caves).

An Osprey was off the hide at the Barmouth, an Arctic Skua was present this afternoon. (John Spottiswood).

Ramore Head between 2-4pm had 2 Great Shearwaters, 1 Little Egret, 1 Puffin and 2 Bonxie. (Dennis Weir).

A three hour sea watch from Fanad Head this afternoon produced 4 Wilson’s Petrel, 6 Sabines Gulls, 1 Long Tailed Skua, 2 Arctic Skuas, 4 Bonxies, 1 Great Shearwater and 4 Sooty Shearwaters. (Wilton Farrelly/ Jamie Bliss).

A seawatch at Glencolmcille, Donegal from 10.30 to 3 o’clock had 50 Sabines Gulls, 3 Long Tail Skuas, a Pomarine Skua, 3 Great Skuas, 15 Great Shearwaters, 11 Sooty Shearwaters. (Gerard McGeehan, Anthony McGeehan).

Ruff, Gerry Bond.

Knot, Gerry Bond.

Bird News Thursday 28th August 2025

No sign yet of the Temmicks Stint today (Sean Gibson et al)

Two Whimbrel and 10 Ruff were the best at RSPB WoW, early morning (Daniel Newton)

A Marsh Harrier was at Portmore Lough RSPB early morning (Sean Gibson)

10 Ruff, a Little Ringed Plover and a Common Sandpiper were at RSPB WoW (Derek Polley)

14 Ruff, 2 Curlew Sandpiper are at Inch, Donegal. 2 Little Stint are at Blanketnook (Chris Ingram)

The Pectoral Sandpiper and 15 Ruff were at Lady Bay (Richard Caves)

Swifts are still been reported.

Pectoral Sandpiper, Richard Caves:

Little Ringed Plover, Stuart McKee:

BTO NI Birdwatchers’ Conference

Saturday 1st November 2025

We're back at the wonderful Lough Neagh Discovery Centre for the BTO NI annual conference! Join us for a day of bird-related talks, birdwatching, and socialising at Oxford Island Nature Reserve, near Craigavon.

With talks on NI's rare breeding birds, Red-necked Phalarope Conservation in Co. Mayo, bioacoustic monitoring of seabirds, NI's Whooper Swans, and more. Come along to hear about bird research, monitoring, and conservation work happening in Northern Ireland and beyond.

Tickets are £25, or £10 for a young person's or low-income ticket, and includes tea/coffee and lunch.

Find more details and book your place here: https://www.bto.org/our-work/events/bto-northern-ireland-birdwatchers-conference-2025

Bird News Wednesday 27th August 2025

8 Ruff at Belfast Lough (Jake Grant). 10 Ruff, 2 Whimbrel early afternoon (Stuart McKee / Bob Watts).

2 late Swifts near Ballymac on the Lisburn/ Dundrod Road (Richard Gray).

Pectoral Sandpiper still present with 12+ Ruff at Lady Bay (Tom Garner).

2 Green Sandpipers and 22 Ruff at Lough Beg also a late Swift (David Steele).

Temminck’s Stint this evening at Portmore Lough (Sean Gibson).

Temminck’s Stint: Aaron Long:

Pectoral Sandpiper, Paul Hunter:

Bird News Tuesday 26th August 2025

The Pectoral Sandpiper and 8 Ruff were still at Lady Bay, Lough Neagh. (Tony Dodds). The bird was still present this afternoon. (Juliet Fleming)

In Donegal Inch had a Marsh Harrier and 13 Ruff and Blanket Nook had 2 Little Stint and 4 Ruff. (Theo Campbell, Chris Ingram).

The Pectoral Sandpiper and 10 Ruff were still at Lady Bay this evening, a female Hen Harrier was over Ballyvannon Road. (Sean Gibson).

Two Osprey still at Bann with Peregrine and four Ruff. Two dark morph Artic Skua and a Wheatear at Magiligan. (Garry Wilkinson, NIOC).

Between 30 and 40 Mediterranean Gulls were at Ratallagh shore between Cloughy and Portavogie. (Graham McElwaine).

Pectoral Sandpiper, Juliet Fleming.

Bird News Monday 25th August 2025

The female Garganey is still preset on the main lake, Castle Espie (Jonny Clark)

11 Ruff are at Inch, Co Donegal (Chris Ingram)

The Pectoral Sandpiper at Lady Bay has been identified from photographs as present on Thursday 21st August (Richard Caves / Oscar Campbell). The bird was still present today (Richard Caves \ Sean Gibson)

An Osprey and 3 Ruff were at the Bann Estuary. An Arctic Skua was off Portstewart (Stephen Riddell)

An Osprey was seen at Oxford Island at 11am (Colin Kennedy)

4 Bonxie were at Kilclief (Tim Davis)

The Spoonbill and a Ruff were at the Quoile (Aaron Long)

A seawatch at St John’s Point, Co Down between 3:30 and 5:30, had an Arctic Skua and a Storm Petrel (Aaron Long)

Garganey, Castle Espie, Jonny Clark:

Pectoral Sandpiper, Richard Caves:

Osprey, Colin Kennedy:

Bird News Sunday 24th August 2025

Juvenile Long-tailed Skua and adult Arctic Skua with 100s of Kittiwake and terns at Killard Point by 7am (Stuart Cossey).

Pectoral Sandpiper still at Lady Bay with 8 Ruff. (Dermot Hughes / Gerard McGeehan/ Comghal McQuillan).

Nearby Marsh Harrier at Portmore Lough which was still present this evening (Dermot Hughes / Ken Simpson / Charlie MacFarlane).

Ringtail Hen Harrier at Reedy Flats (Garry Armstrong).

Juvenile Little Ringed Plover, 9 Ruff and Common Sandpiper at Belfast Lough (Stuart McKee).

Red Kite in the Antrim Hills (Michael Latham).

Osprey still Bann Estuary (per John Clarke / Karl Martin)

Adult Little Gull at Cloghfin Port, north of Black Head, Islandmagee this evening (Ian Enlander).

Marsh Harrier and Red Kite at Inch, Co Donegal (Michael Savage).

Osprey, Karl Martin:

Pectoral Sandpiper, Comghal McQuillan and Richard Caves:

Bird News Saturday 23rd August 2025

The Pectoral Sandpiper was still at Lady Bay along with 10 Ruff. (Michael Latham). The bird was still present this afternoon. (Richard Caves, Nigel Moore, Chris Veale).

A ringtail Hen Harrier was at Portmore. (Michael Latham).

2 Curlew Sandpipers were off the hide at the Barmouth, an Osprey was also present. (John Clarke).

A juvenile Corncrake was in a garden in Cookstown yesterday.

An Osprey was over Strangford. (Stuart Cossey).

Pectoral Sandpiper.

Michael Latham

Nigel Moore

Richard Caves

Bird News Friday 22nd August 2025

RSPB WoW had the Little Ringed Plover and 6 Ruff. Kinnegar has a Whimbrel and White Wagtail (Stuart Cossey) Later in the afternoon, two Little Ringed Plover and the Spoonbill were present (Gerard McGeehan). There are also increasing numbers of Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwits (Tom Ennis / Laura Kerr)

There are now 3 Osprey at the Barmouth, mid morning (Ian Mercer)

The Spoonbill is back at the Quoile (Dermot Hughes) An Osprey was also seen later early afternoon (Dan Baillie)

25 Ruff were at Lady Bay (Chris Hamilton)

Early evening a Pectoral Sandpiper was with the Ruff, at Lady Bay It subsequently flew towards Portmore RSPB (Garry Armstrong)

Two Sooty Shearwaters, Balearic Shearwater, four Storm Petrels, four Arctic Skuas and two Arctic Terns amongst other seabirds off Galboly / Garron Point this evening (David Steele)

A Whale watching trip out of Killybegs late afternoon had 1 Great and 2 Arctic Skuas, 6 Sooties and 4 Storm Petrel. Also seen were 2 Fin Whale, at least one Humpback and several Minke (Derek Brennan)

Pectoral Sandpiper, Garry Armstrong: