Bird News Thursday 19th September.

4 Ruff were at the RSPB Belfast Harbour Estate reserve.

1,000 Kittiwake, 100 Gannet, 100 Manx Shearwater, were all feeding in Dundrum Bay also one Red -throated Diver, 1 Merlin, 20 Golden Plover, 10 Skylark and a Wheatear .   Evening roost at Killough had 4 Little Egret a ad Med. Gull and 60 Sandwich Tern, earlier a Whimbrel was at Rossglass. (Chris Murphy)

The second winter Little Gull was seen again at Whitehead. Also present were 4 Red-throated Diver and a Great Northern Diver. 11 Greenshank and 2 Little Egret were at Glynn and 6 Little Egret and 2 Carrion Crow at Ballycarry Bridge (Cameron Moore)

An ad Little Gull was on Kinnegar shore.(Karly Hamilton)

Our thanks to Mervyn Campbell for the photo of the Turnstones. Also to Tom McCreery for the picture of the Robin.

Bird News Wednesday 18th September

The Yellow Wagtail was still at Kinnegar shore this evening, see picture below. (Ed O'Hara).

8 Arctic Tern flew north over Inishmacsaint, Lower Lough Erne, Co Fermanagh. (Brad Robson).

Seafront path this morning at Whitehead had 8 Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff and 1 Blackcap. (Ian Enlander).

 The 2 Buff-breasted Sandpiper were still at the lawn turf fields at Myroe Levels (with Golden Plover) until all were disturbed by a Peregrine (Garry Wilkinson).  

A juvenile Wheatear and second-winter Little Gull were at Whitehead (Cameron Moore).

Thanks to today's photographers, to Ed O'Hara for the picture of the Yellow Wagtail, to Cameron Moore for the pictures of the Little Gull, to Dick Glasgow for the picture of the Kestrel and to Grace Meenan for the picture of the juvenile Lapland Bunting taken in her garden on Tory Island. You can see more NI bird pictures at www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk

 

 

 

 

Bird News Tuesday 17th September

A Yellow Wagtail was showing well at Kinnegar shore at 2pm (David Nixon/Phillip McHaffie)

3 Ruff were at the RSPB Belfast Harbour Estate reserve.

St John's Point between 10.00-10.30 had 3 Red-throated Diver, 1 Purple Sandpiper, 400Kittiwake, 1 Stock Dove, 100 Swallow a Sand Martin with a strong noticeable movement of Meadow Pipit. Killough Harbour this evening had 24 Grey Heron, 4 Little Egret, 8 Sandwich Tern and 2 Red-breasted Mergansers.(Chris Murphy)

At Lough Beg a late Swift was at Mullagh and 9 Pink-footed Geese were seen flying south.(David Steele)


 Our thanks to Alan Gallagher for pics of the Yellow Wagtail: Also to David Hill for the Curlew Sandpiper and Dunlin.(The Curlew Sandpiper is the bottom right hand bird)

Bird News Monday 16th September

A seawatch at Ramore Head, Portrush today produced a Sooty Shearwater, a juvenile Sabine's Gull and 150 Brent Geese. (Tom Ennis/Ray Bennett).

At Myroe at least 3 of the American Golden Plover and a Curlew Sandpiper were still present. (Tom Ennis/ Ray Bennett).

Ramore this morning from 0700 hrs to 1030 hrs had at least 10 Sooty Shearwaters,4 Great Northern Divers, about 60 Teal, 20 Tufted Duck, 30 Wigeon, 3 Great Skua, 3 Arctic Skuas, 100 Brent Geese.
A  further seawatch at Ramore between 1800 – 1900 hrs produced 1 adult Sabine’s Gull, 2 Great Skua, 1 Great Northern Diver, and 1 Red-throated Diver. (Colin Guy/Davy Hunter)

 

St John's Point between 7:30- 8am had 1 Eider, 10 Red-throated Divers, 1 Great Northern Diver, 12 Brent Geese. Killough Harbour had 30 Brent Geese, the first of the autumn. Ballykelly, Lough Foyle had 100 Skylarks, and a Wheatear. Only 1 of the adult American Golden Plover was seen among 455 Golden Plover in the ploughed field at Myroe. also seen were 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls, 20 Dunlin, 11 Ringed Plover, 2 Sanderling, 1 Curlew Sandpiper on the lawn fields but there was no sign of the Buff-breasted Sandpiper. At Magiligan Point were 1 Arctic Skua, 8 Arctic Terns, 10 Manx Shearwaters, 20 Sanderling, 2 Wheatears, 95 Golden Plover, and a Buzzard. (Chris Murphy).

A Sooty Shearwater, 5 Arctic Skua, 2 Red-throated Diver and 247 Pale-bellied Brent were off Whitehead (Gerard McGeehan). 

2 Mediterranean Gull (second-winter and first-winter) were at Portmuck on Island Magee. A second-winter Mediterranean Gull was at Ballycarry Bridge (Cameron Moore).   

2 adult Mediterranean Gull, an Arctic Skua and Red-throated Diver were at Grey Point (George Gordon).

Melmore Head in Donegal in 9 hours had 700 Sooty Shearwater, 5 Leach's Petrel, 5 Sabine's Gulls, 71 Great Skua, 14 Arctic Skua, 2 Pomarine Skua, 95 Arctic Terns, 10 Brent Geese, 4 Red-throated Diver, a Great Northern Diver and a Black-throated Diver. (Eric Randall/Alan Gillespie).

20+ Mistle Thrush were feeding in a field near Cushendall. (John McKillop).

Thanks to Alistair Prentice for the picture of the Sparrowhawk with Swallow in attendance and for the picture of the Bullfinch.

   

 

Bird News Sunday 15th September

5 American Golden Plover and a Dotterel are still present at Myroe levels. They were in a ploughed field although distant at times making viewing challenging. A Buff-breasted Sandpiper and a Curlew Sandpiper were in a lawn field to the left of the railway crossing. (Phillip West)

A juvenile Wilson's Phalarope was seen again south of Church Island, Lough Beg. It was present from 12.00-1.30 (Ciarán Burns)

A Curlew Sandpiper and a Spotted Redshank were at the RSPB Belfast Harbour Estate reserve. (Birdguides)

2000+Kittiwake,500 Gannet, 300 Manx Shearwater, 1000+Razorbill, 5 Arctic Skua, 1 Pomarine Skua and a Great Skua were seen off a sea-watch at Blackhead Co.Antrim. This afternoon a Black Tern was also seen from same location. The whale washed up at Red Bay Co. Antrim yesterday was a nine metre Sei whale. (Ian Enlander)

A sea-watch from Ramore Head, Portrush between 15.30 - 18.15 produced 4 Great Skua, 3 Pomarine Skua, 3 Sooty Shearwater and 50-100 Arctic Tern.(Keith Bennett)

2 Pomarine Skua was seen off Burial Island Co.Down and 2 Arctic Skua and a White Wagtail at Orlock Point.(Richard Weyl)

A Black Tern flew past Groomsport.(George Gordon)

A dark phase Arctic Skua was seen of Murlough Co. Down this evening 15  Sanderling were on the beach.(Garry Wilkinson)

An ad. Med. Gull was seen in flight at Ardarawood, Comber.(Chris Shaw)

Slightly further afield... Melmore Head Co Donegal in a 3 hr sea-watch this afternoon produced 2500 Sooty Shearwater, 1 Grey Phalarope, 2 Leach's Petrel, 13 Great Skua, 5 Pomarine Skua, 1 Arctic Skua and 60 Arctic Tern.(Eric Randall/ Allen Gillespie)

To-morrow could be very interesting for sea-watching with very strong NW winds forecast, so if your free get yourself to a headland like Ramore Head in Portrush, or Malin Head, Melmore Head, Fanad all in Co.Donegal.  Should be lots of birds passing.

Our thanks to Stephen Maxwell for the pics of the Ruff (top) and the Redshank. Also to Alistair Prentice for the Willow Warbler and Ian Graham for the Buff-breasted Sandpiper from Myroe Levels.

Bird News Saturday 14th September

Myroe is the place to be. 5 American Golden Plovers (Bird Guides), 2 Buff-breasted Sandpipers and a Dotterel were all present (Garry Armstrong / Ed O'Hara).

A Curlew Sandpiper and 3 Ruff were at the RSPB Belfast Harbour reserve.(James Robinson)

A Spotted Redshank was on the Bann estuary, on the banks opposite the hide. (John Clarke)

A juvenile Curlew Sandpiper, 4 Ruff and 11 White Wagtail and a Greenland Whitefront were at Inch, Co Donegal (Brad Robson).

An Arctic Skua was in Lough Swilly in Co. Donegal. (Brian Hegarty).

A Kingfisher was at Kinnegar Pond and Lagoon at 6.15 this evening. (Gilly Irwin).

A juvenile Curlew Sandpiper was seen south of Church Island, Lough Beg. (Ciaran Burns).

A Ruff was in the Carrigs River were it joins Dundrum Inner Bay this afternoon. (Angus Kennedy).
 

Thanks to today's photographers, to Nick Gibson for the picture of a Greenshank, to Alistair Prentice for the picture of this Goldcrest, not an easy bird to photograph, to Angus Kennedy for the pictures of the Ruff, to Brian Hegarty for the picture of the Arctic Skua and to Tom McCreery for the picture of the kingfisher. You can see more NI bird pictures at www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk 

 

 

 

 

 

Bird News Friday 13th September

25 Whooper Swans just flew over Prehen Park, Waterside, Londonderry heading in the direction of Inch Wildlife Reserve, Inishowen, Co Donegal. (Christine Cassidy).

A Little Gull and a dark phase Arctic Skua were at Kinnegar Shore, Belfast. (Wilton Farrelly).

A Little Stint was at RSPB Harbour Reserve this morning. (Chris Surgeon).

 2 Little Stint, a Curlew Sandpiper and 2 Ruff were at Belfast Harbour Lagoon (Gerard McGeehan).

150 Pale-bellied Brent flew over Bangor Marina where 2 Mediterranean Gull (adult and first-winter) were present (Sean Minns).

 2 juvenile Curlew Sandpipers were at Ardilea,  Dundrum Inner Bay North, this morning. (David Nixon/Philip McHaffie).

Whitehead had a Greenland Wheatear and 30 Sandwich Terns with 500+ Brent Geese flying past towards Co. Down. (Ian Enlander).

Thanks to Alistair Prentice for this picture of a Grey Heron.

 

Bird News Thursday 12th September.

3 Little Stint and 2 Curlew Sandpiper were at the RSPB Belfast Harbour reserve.

30+ Whimbrel were on the Lough shore at Kinnegar. (Chris Henry)

Our  thanks to Alistair Prentice for this pic. of roosting Sanderling

Bird News Wednesday 11th September

3 Little Stint, 2 Curlew Sandpiper and 4 Ruff were at Belfast Harbour Lagoon (Gerard McGeehan/Neal Warnock).

At Strangford Lough 2 Little Egret, 15 Pale-bellied Brent, 50 Teal and 50 Mallard were feeding along the shore opposite Nendrum (Chris Acheson).

3 Wheatear were in Newcastle, several more were at Murlough and on the road to St John's Point. (Alistair Prentice).

Eric Randall is planning a seawatch on Sunday afternoon / Monday at Melmore Head, Co Donegal. He can accommodate a couple of birders. If you would like to join him, please drop us an email at nibirds@live.co.uk and we will put you in touch with Eric. 

Thanks to Alistair Prentice for the picture of a Wheatear and to Tom McCreery for the picture of the Kingfisher.

 

Bird News Tuesday 10th September

3 Avocets  are at Knockinelder Beach, Co Down. (still there at 7:10pm) This is the beach just south of Kearney. They were feeding along the shoreline. They were found by  Keith Bennett who has suggested they were three young males - male on beak and cap, young on worn brownish coverts. 

A juvenile Curlew Sandpiper was at Ardilea in Co Down, Red Kite and Kingfisher seen too. (David Nixon and Clifford Sharpe)

At Larne Lough a Carrion Crow, 4 Greenshank and an adult Mediterranean Gull were at Ballycarry Bridge. There was no sign of the 2 Spotted Redshank although they were there yesterday (Cameron Moore)

A Kingfisher was at Carrickfergus Harbour near the castle (Paul McCullough)

Thanks to Keith for the digi scope pics of the Avocets:

Bird News Monday 9th September

A Wood Sandpiper and 2 Little Stint have been seen at the RSPB Belfast Harbour reserve (Chris Sturgeon)

3 Black Tern were amongst a mixed flock of around 250 Common/Arctic and Sandwich Tern at Briggs Rocks Co.Down(Colin Guy)

A Whimbrel and 5 Twite were at Groomsport and 2 Common Sandpiper a Whimbrel and a Wheatear were at Briggs Rocks.(Margaret Adamson)

Last night a Barn Owl was seen on the Strangford Rd in Ardglass.(Declan Clarke)

Tory Island had a Common Rosefinch beside the football pitch, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Pied Flycatcher (Chris Ingram)

Thanks to Stephen Maxwell for this fine image of a Ruff taken at the RSPB Belfast Harbour reserve, also to  Alistiar Prentice for this pic of a Bullfinch:

Bird News Sunday 8th September

A juvenile Wilson's Phalarope was seen from 1.30pm today until 2.10pm. It was seen south of the bay beside Church Island, Lough Beg. (Ciarán Burns)

The 2 Spotted Redshank were together at Ballycarry Bridge. Blackhead had 100+ Meadow Pipit and 1000+  Razorbill with 100's Gannet/Kittiwake/Manxies all feeding over a wide area around the mouth of Belfast Lough. 8 Harbour Porpoise also present. Portmuck had 2 Red-throated Diver and 2 Harbour Porpoise (Ian Enlander)

1 Manx Shearwater was at Reas Wood,Lough Neagh this morning. (Gary Brown)

A Whimbrel and pale phase Arctic Skua were at Orlock, Co. Down, this morning. 450 Common/Sandwich Terns were between Donaghadee and Bangor (James Robinson)

Between 09:45 to 11:15 this morning there was a fall of c.50 Wheatears, including 35 in one field. Also noted: 2 Stonechats, 1 White Wagtail, 5 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Chiffchaffs, 1 Blackcap and 1Whitethroat. (Chris Murphy).

Cushendall Beach at 3pm had 1 Kingfisher, 1 Whimbrel, 26 Ringed Plover, 5 Dunlin, 11 Common Gull, 1 Grey Heron. (John McKillop)

Tory Island had a Turtle Dove, Lesser Whitethroat, Jack Snipe, Whinchat, Robin, 3 Willow Warblers, a Pomarine Skua, Great Skua, Whooper Swan, 4 Reed Buntings and 35 Tree Sparrows (Chris Ingram).

At Belfast Lough RSPB reserve were 3 Ruff, 2 Little Stint and a Curlew Sandpiper. (Ed O'Hara).

 A Little Stint was at Anne's Point and 5 Curlew Sandpiper at the north end of Strangford Lough. An Arctic Skua and 8 Red-throated Diver were at Burial Island between 3.30 and 5.00. (Richard Weyl).

A Purple Sandpiper was with Turnstone and Ringed Plover at the high tide roost along Seacliff Road in Bangor (Margaret Adamson).  

An Arctic Skua and 2 Red-throated Diver were at Groomsport (George Gordon).

Thanks to today's photographers, to Gary Brown for the pictures of the inland Manx Shearwater, to Ciaran Burns for the pictures of the juvenile Wilson's Phalarope, to Ed O'Hara for the pictures of the Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper and Ruff and to Dick Glasgow for the pictures of the Willow Warbler and the Buzzard. You can see more NI bird pictures at www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bird News Saturday 7th September

A Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Little Stint, 2 Ruff and a Sanderling were at RSPB Belfast Harbour Reserve (Chris Surgeon/James Robinson).

4 Arctic skuas, 1 Great Skua, 2 Ruff, 25 Brent Geese and a juvenile Sabine's Gull were at Magilligan. The Sabine's Gull was landing on the beach with terns occasionally giving great views. (Neal Warnock).

A seawatch at Ramore between 2.00 and 4.00pm produced 4 Great Skua, 1 Pomarine Skua, 2 Great Northern Diver and 2 Leach's Petrel. (Neal Warnock).

A Brent Goose was in Landsdowne carpark in Portrush, 2 Arctic Skua were also seen. (John Clarke/ Ken Perry).

 Ballymacormick Point had  a Pomarine Skua, 4 Arctic Skua, 5 Red-throated Diver and a Common Scoter. (Richard Weyl).
 

2 Spotted Redshank, 6 Greenshank, 7 Little Egret, 3 Sanderling, a Little Stint and a Carrion Crow were at Ballycarry, Larne Lough (Cameron Moore/ Ian Enlander/ Ivan Quail/Nicky Lynn).

9 Sooty Shearwater and a Balearic Shearwater went north-west at Copeland Bird Observatory. A Great Skua, Arctic Skua and 1,200 Manx Shearwater went south-east. 2 Willow Warbler were the only passerines of note (David Galbraith).

A 3 hour seawatch on Tory Island in Donegal in very poor conditions had 49 Sooty Shearwaters, 100 Manx Shearwaters and a Storm Petrel, also on the island were a juvenile Ruff and 2 White Wagtail. (Brad Robson).

7 Little Egret and 17 Grey Heron were in a field near the Downshire bridge entrance to Murlough NNR. There were approximately 70 Black-tailed Godwits and 3 Little Egrets where the Carrigs River enters Dundrum Inner Bay. (Angus Kennedy).

Thanks to today's photographers, to Cameron Moore for the pictures of the Spotted Redshank and the Sanderling, to John Clarke for the picture of the Brent Goose, to Angus Kennedy for the picture of the Black-tailed Godwits and to Christine Cunnungham for the pictures of the Oystercatcher and the Curlew.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bird News Friday 6th September.

A Dotterel was at Myroe Levels this evening (Birdguides)

4 Fieldfare were at Upperlands, Co Londonderry (David Morrow) 

5 Ruff were at the RSPB Belfast Harbour Estate, with a high count of 130 Dunlin.(T.Ennis)

The Snowy Owl was still on Aranmore (Irish Birding)

Our thanks to Christine Cassidy for the Wheatear photo.

Bird News Thursday 5th September.

2 Little Stint, a Curlew Sandpiper, 400 Oystercatcher, 40/50 Dunlin and a Black Tern were at Belfast Harbour Lagoon (Andy Elliott).

Earlier at the RSPB Belfast Harbour Estate was one of the Black Terns and  a stoat was also present. (Jim McKeown) An adult Little Gull was also subsequently reported from the reserve.

2 Curlew Sandpipers were at the Bann Estuary (Hill Dick / Peter Robinson)

Yesterday at The Mullagh, Lough Beg, between 18:20 and 18:50 highlights included an Osprey, a pair of Whoopers with one cygnet, a Wood Sandpiper, 30 Black-tailed Godwits, 50 Lapwing, 20 Curlew, 8 Snipe, Kestrel, 2 Kingfishers and 20 Tree Sparrows. (Chris Murphy)

A Greenland White-fronted Goose and 2 Ruff were at Inch, Co Donegal (Chris Ingram)

Our thanks as always to Alistair Prentice for this Kingfisher shot and Christine Cassidy for the Sanderling:

Bird News Wednesday 4th September

A juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper was seen from the hide at Inch, Co Donegal (Chris Ingram)

A Little Gull was at Derrytrasna, Lough Neagh, Co. Armagh (David Knight)

A pale phase adult Arctic Skua was harassing terns at Kinnegar shore (Stuart McKee)

Slieve Beagh Summit nr Fivemiletown, Co Tyrone had 2 Red Grouse (Colin Bell)

Thanks to Tony Donaldson for this pic of a Spotted Flycatcher and David Knight for the Little Gull: