Bird News Friday 7th February 2025

 An adult Iceland Gull was foraging behind an arriving ferry in Belfast Lough. (Stuart Cossey).

The Red-crested Pochard is still at Lurgan Park Lake. (David McCreedy).

A possible Golden Eagle was seen flying over Ballyboley Forest this morning. (Roger Woodward).

The male Ring-necked Duck was still off Long Point at Lough Beg. (David Steele).

A Mediterranean Gull was on Kinnegar shore in Belfast Lough. (Daniel Newton).

Red-crested Pochard, Ed O'Hara.

Red-crested Pochard, David McCreedy.

Ring-necked Duck, David Steele.

Mediterranean Gull, Daniel Newton.

Bird News Thursday 6th February 2025

Black Redstart still at Portstewart Bandstand but mobile (Robert Plant). 

Drake Smew still at Todd’s Corner, Lough Neagh and the drake Red-crested Pochard at Lurgan Park Lake (Robert Hughes).

30+ Twite still at Ramore Head (Stephen Riddell).

50+ Purple Sandpipers around the Coastal Zone, Portrush (Jules Fleming).

Twite, Stephen Riddell:

Smew, Richard Caves:

Purple Sandpiper, Juliet Fleming:

Bird News Wednesday 5th February 2025

 The male Red-crested Pochard is still on Lurgan Park Lake. (Ed O'Hara).

The male Smew is still at Todd's Corner, Ardmore on the south shore of Lough Neagh. (David McCreedy).

The Black Redstart was still at Portstewart Promenade this morning. (Stephen Riddell). The bird was still present this afternoon. (Rod Gillan).

50+ Yellowhammers were at Myroe, there was no sign of the Green Sandpipers. (Martin Deehan).

The female Ring-necked Duck is still at Corbally Reservoir outside Portrush. (Stephen Riddell).

An adult Little Gull was feeding with other gulls offshore in Red Bay on the Antrim coast, 22 Red-throated Divers and 3 Great Northern Divers were also present. (David Steele).

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was in a garden in Gilford. (Joel McKee).

The Black Redstart was still at Killough Quay this afternoon. (Richard Caves).

Black Redstart, Stephen Riddell.

Ring-necked Duck, Stephen Riddell.

Black Redstart, Rod Gillan.

Red-crested Pochard, Paul Hilton.

Black Redstart, Richard Caves,

Bird News Tuesday 4th February 2025

The drake Smew was again at the west end of Ardmore Road, on the southern side of Lough Neagh (Sean Gibson \ Richard Caves)

35 - 40 Purple Sandpiper were at Ballintoy, adjacent to the rental cottages (Mervyn Campbell)

The Black Redstart was again at Portstewart Bandstand (Nigel Moore)

22 Purple Sandpiper were at Donaghadee, approximately 100m south of the harbour (Ian Enlander)

The two Green Sandpiper were still at Myroe. Crossbill were also present at Springwell Forest. (Stephen Riddell)

The drake Red-crested Pochard was still at Lurgan Park. The park is now open again. (Jim Wells \ David Knight)

Purple Sandpiper, Ian Enlander:

Black Redstart, David Hill:

Stephen Riddell, Green Sandpipers:

Smew, Richard Caves:

Red-crested Pochard, David Knight:

Bird News Monday 3rd February 2025

The Smew was again at Todd’s Corner, Lough Neagh. A Jack Snipe was also seen (Nathan Gilbert)

Bird News Sunday 2nd February 2025

Avocet still at Belfast Lough WoW late morning (Brian Hegarty).

Adult Ring-billed Gull still at the Round O, Enniskillen (Aaron Long / Mel O’Hagan).

Drake Smew at Ardmore shore, Lough Neagh west of Emerson’s sandpit (Joe Devlin). At Todds Corner 320pm (Nigel Moore).

4th winter Kumlein’s Gull at Ballyhooriskey Pier, Fanad Head, Co Donegal (presumed same bird as at Keadue Bridge yesterday) (Wilton Farrelly).

Close drake Goosander at Glynn (Robert McDowell).

Great Spotted Woodpeckers drumming in Hillsborough grounds and in garden between there and Moira (Juliet Fleming).

Kumlein’s Gull, Wilton Farrelly:

Great Spotted Woodpecker, Juliet Fleming:

Bird News Saturday 1st February 2025

The Red-crested Pochard was still at Lurgan Lake (Michael Latham)

The Black Redstart was again around Portstewart Bandstand this morning (Martin Deehan)

The Avocet is still at RSPB WoW (Daniel Newton)

The Great White Egret was still at Portmore Lough (Daniel Newton)

An adult Kumliens Gull was at Keadue Bridge, Rossnakill, Donegal (Wilton Farrelly)

The female Ring-necked Duck is still at Corbally, Portrush (Stuart McKee)

The hybrid Ring-billed x Common Gull was again at the pool at Millisle (George Gordon)

Two Pink-footed Geese were still in the Holywood Hills (Aaron Long)

The immature White-tailed Eagle was seen again on Rathlin this morning (Ric Else)

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

Red Kites were seen at Dundrum (Stuart Cossey) and the Antrim Hills (Stephen Farquhar)

A Black-throated Diver was east off Glenarriff (Steven Farquhar)

A Great White Egret and Merlin were at Reedy Flats (Michael Latham)

A Black Redstart was still at the bottom of Quay Lane, Killough (Chris Murphy)

Yesterday a Velvet Scoter was in Lough Foyle.

Black Redstart, Juliet Feming:

Female Ring Necked Duck, Juliet Fleming:

Merlin, Michael Latham:

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: