6 late Black-tailed Godwit were in the Newry Estuary this morning (Frank Carroll)
A Corncrake has been calling for the last 4/5 nights a few km east of Eglish in Tyrone (Joe McGrath).
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| Peregrine, Co. Fermanagh - Ed o'Hara |
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| Swallow - George McKee |
Bird News for Thurs. 9th June
Two 1st sum.Little Gull were at Portmore Lough RSPB Reserve.(B.Robson)
6 late Black-tailed Godwit were in the Newry Estuary this morning (Frank Carroll)
A Corncrake has been calling for the last 4/5 nights a few km east of Eglish in Tyrone (Joe McGrath).
6 late Black-tailed Godwit were in the Newry Estuary this morning (Frank Carroll)
A Corncrake has been calling for the last 4/5 nights a few km east of Eglish in Tyrone (Joe McGrath).
Bird News Wednesday 8th June
A male Dressers Eider (North American dresseri race of Common Eider ) was at Isle of Doagh on the Inishowen Peninsula in Co. Donegal, this may be the bird first seen off Fanad two winters ago. (Irish Birding).
Bird News Tue 7th June
A White-tailed Eagle has been present for a few days now along Bishop's Road at Downhill - seen from Gortmore Viewpoint (Alan Davis).
The Wood Warbler still present in Slieve Gullion Forest Park. A Cuckoo was also heard calling. (Joe Devlin \ Frank Carroll)
A Reed Warbler was opposite the second entrance to B&Q along Airport Road West in Belfast and a Reed Bunting catching Common Blue butterflies (Dermot Hughes)
Two little gulls were at Portmore Lough today (James Robinson)
A Cuckoo was heard calling at Crom (Stephen Scarlett)
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| Wood Warbler - Joe Devlin |
Rathlin Island
Whilst there are no Corncrakes this year, this is the perfect time to visit Rathlin Island. The seabird colony is at its most active and you also have a good chance of seeing Chough (whilst they do not seem to have bred this year, they are present). For more information see:
http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/r/rathlin/
http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/r/rathlin/
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| Puffin - Andy Hay |
Bird News Monday 6th June
The Wood Warbler was giving good views at Hawthorn Hill, Slieve Gullion Forest Park. (Frank Carroll)
Around Cushendall Beach are a good range of species including Whitethroat, Spotted Flycatcher, Sandwich Terns, Linnet, Ringed Plover and Curlew (John McKillop)
A Buzzard was at Stoney Road, Belfast (Stephen Maxwell)
Around Cushendall Beach are a good range of species including Whitethroat, Spotted Flycatcher, Sandwich Terns, Linnet, Ringed Plover and Curlew (John McKillop)
A Buzzard was at Stoney Road, Belfast (Stephen Maxwell)
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| Stonechat (juvenile & male) - George McKee |
Bird News for Sunday 5th June
A Wood Warbler was at Hawthorn Hill, Slieve Gullion (David Knight). 3 Great Skua, 3 Puffin and 2 Fulmar were at Kearney Point. A strong passage of auks, Manx Shearwater and Kittiwake was also noted (Keith Bennett). Last night a Long-eared Owl was hunting at Galgorm Castle (Richard Gray)
An adult Curlew Sandpiper was on the Lawn Fields at Myroe. Co.Londonderry.
A Reed Warbler was singing at Kinnegar Pools, Belfast (Wilton Farrelly)
A Reed Warbler was singing at Kinnegar Pools, Belfast (Wilton Farrelly)
Thanks to Steven Eachus and Stephen Maxwell for the Red Kite and Cuckoo pictures below:
Red Kite - Steven Eachus
Cuckoo, Murlough - Stephen Maxwell
Les Jones - Exhibition @ Castle Espie
A reminder that 'Perspective' - a stunning exhibition of 'scapes' by local artist Les Jones commences tomorrow for two weeks at Castle Espie:
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| Slemish - Les Jones |
Bird News Saturday 4th June
A female Marsh Harrier was in South Antrim (Bill Guiller)
A Garganey and a Ruff were at the SW corner of Lough Beg (David Steele)
Two Cuckoo were at Peatlands Park (Ed O'Hara)
A Spotted Flycatcher was at Kelly's Wood, St. Johns Point and a Cuckoo was at Murlough (Keith Bennett)
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| Marsh Harrier - Bill Guiller |
Two Cuckoo were at Peatlands Park (Ed O'Hara)
A Spotted Flycatcher was at Kelly's Wood, St. Johns Point and a Cuckoo was at Murlough (Keith Bennett)
Bird News for Friday 3rd June
A Cuckoo, Spotted Flycatcher, Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Blackcap, Bullfinch and Reed Bunting were at Lough Fea (Derek Polley).
A dark morph Arctic Skua, 12 Sanderling and 3 Porpoise were at St John's
Point. A Chiffchaff was at Kelly's Wood but there was no sign of the unstreaked acrocephalus warbler seen there yesterday. A Whimbrel was at Killough and another 3 Whimbrel at Coney Island. 2 Great Skua, a dark morph Arctic Skua, 500 Manx Shearwater, an Eider, Stonechat and 3 Porpoise were at Sheepland (Chris Murphy).
Yesterday 2 LE Owl were hunting at 10.30pm in fields near the farm entrance to Larchfield Estate near Hillsborough. A Barn Owl was in the same area a few nights ago (Garry Wilkinson).
A Cuckoo was at Coney Island (Chris Murphy) and another Cuckoo at Murlough NNR (Mrs Erskine).
Thanks to Craig Nash who kindly sent in this wonderful photo of a Buzzard seen around Strandford to-day. Bird News Thursday 2nd June
A probable Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, a
pair of Bullfinch and a Snipe were at Kelly's Wood. A Cuckoo was nearby at
St John's Point close to the lighthouse (Chris and Tim Murphy).
Thanks to Ed O'Hara and Bill Guiller for todays pictures:
Cormorant and Large Eel, Kinnegoe Bay, Oxford Island - Ed O'Hara
Jackdaw, Oxford Island - Ed O'Hara
Pied Wagtail - Bill Guiller
pair of Bullfinch and a Snipe were at Kelly's Wood. A Cuckoo was nearby at
St John's Point close to the lighthouse (Chris and Tim Murphy).
Thanks to Ed O'Hara and Bill Guiller for todays pictures:
Cormorant and Large Eel, Kinnegoe Bay, Oxford Island - Ed O'Hara
Jackdaw, Oxford Island - Ed O'Hara
Pied Wagtail - Bill Guiller Bird News Wednesday 1st June
Yesterday an inland Turnstone and 2 White Wagtail were at Lower Lough Erne Islands RSPB Reserve (Brad Robson).
Thanks to Ed O'Hara for this cracking shot of a male Reed Bunting.
Male Reed Bunting, Kinnegoe Bay, Oxford Island - Ed O'Hara
Thanks to Ed O'Hara for this cracking shot of a male Reed Bunting.
Male Reed Bunting, Kinnegoe Bay, Oxford Island - Ed O'HaraBird News for Tues. 31st May.
Thanks to Ed.O'Hara who kindly sent in this wonderful photo of a Spotted Flycatcher collecting nest material.A Cuckoo and 30 Tree Sparrow were at Portmore Lough RSPB Reserve.
Avocets - Roe Estuary
Two Avocets were seen last night at 6pm at the Roe Estuary. They were found by Raymond Fulton and were beside the the railway bridge where the River Roe joins Lough Foyle. If viewing \ photographing the birds, please be careful not to disturb them.
Bird News Monday 30th May
Yesterday a dark sub-adult Arctic Skua, Red-throated Diver and 20 Sanderling were at Kearney/Knockinelder (Keith Bennett).
On 28th the severe weather brought a sub-adult Gannet inland to the River Derg and Killeter in Tyrone (Ralph Sheppard).Perhaps the same bird was found injured yesterday inland in Strabane (Irish Birding)
4 Little Egret were at Killyleagh, Co Down (Paul Scott)
9 pairs of Red Kite are known to have nested this year in Northern Ireland.
Two Sanderling in near breeding plumage were at Killard (Craig Nash)
Up to 14 Blackcap have been singing along the Comber Greenway between Knock and Dundonald (Stephen Maxwell \ W Farrelly)
On 28th the severe weather brought a sub-adult Gannet inland to the River Derg and Killeter in Tyrone (Ralph Sheppard).Perhaps the same bird was found injured yesterday inland in Strabane (Irish Birding)
4 Little Egret were at Killyleagh, Co Down (Paul Scott)
9 pairs of Red Kite are known to have nested this year in Northern Ireland.
Two Sanderling in near breeding plumage were at Killard (Craig Nash)
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| Sanderling, May - Craig Nash |
Up to 14 Blackcap have been singing along the Comber Greenway between Knock and Dundonald (Stephen Maxwell \ W Farrelly)
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| Blackcap, Comber Greenway - Stephen Maxwell |
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| Jay, Cairn Wood, Newtownards, County Down - George McKee |
Bird News Sunday 29th May
A Great Skua was at Runkerry near Giant's Causeway and hundreds of Manx Shearwater were
at Ramore Head (Colin Guy).
Two Arctic Skua - light and dark morph - were at Burial Island (Richard Weyl).
Three Whooper Swan were at Lower Lough Erne, Co. Fermanagh. (Irish Birding).
The Iceland Gull was still at Drains Bay (Neal Warnock)
A Pomarine Skua was at Portrush. (Irish Birding).
A Grasshopper Warbler was giving excellent views at Round Lake, Fivemiletown, Co.Tyrone. (Colin Bell).
at Ramore Head (Colin Guy).
Two Arctic Skua - light and dark morph - were at Burial Island (Richard Weyl).
Three Whooper Swan were at Lower Lough Erne, Co. Fermanagh. (Irish Birding).
The Iceland Gull was still at Drains Bay (Neal Warnock)
A Pomarine Skua was at Portrush. (Irish Birding).
A Grasshopper Warbler was giving excellent views at Round Lake, Fivemiletown, Co.Tyrone. (Colin Bell).
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| Wheatear - Bill Guiller |
Bird News Saturday 28th May
An unseasonal first winter Iceland Gull was at Drains Bay, Co. Antrim, at the Black Arch outflow. (Neal Warnock):
The drake Ring-necked Duck was at Lough Money Co. Down
Kearney Point had 5 Storm Petrel, a Brent Goose, 2 Whimbrel and an Arctic and a Great Skua (Keith Bennett)
2 male Garganey were at Lough Beg and 69 Dunlin in the southwest corner. 12 Arctic Tern were over the Beg - there has been a good passage of Arctic Tern there this spring (David Steele).
A dark morph Arctic Skua was on the water at Burial Island and a RT Diver at Portavogie. A Whimbrel and Sanderling were just north of Ballyhalbert and 2 Reed Warbler at Ballyfinragh Lough (Richard Weyl).
3 first summer Arctic Tern and 20 Turnstone were at Cockle Island in Groomsport (George Gordon).
3 pairs of Spotted Flycatchers were in the wooded area at the Ballymena end of Cargan, Antrim. One pair was feeding young (Dermot Hughes)
A Velvet Scoter was seen on Wednesday at Portstewart Harbour, Co. Antrim (Harry McMahon)
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| Iceland Gull, Drains Bay - Neal Warnock |
Kearney Point had 5 Storm Petrel, a Brent Goose, 2 Whimbrel and an Arctic and a Great Skua (Keith Bennett)
2 male Garganey were at Lough Beg and 69 Dunlin in the southwest corner. 12 Arctic Tern were over the Beg - there has been a good passage of Arctic Tern there this spring (David Steele).
A dark morph Arctic Skua was on the water at Burial Island and a RT Diver at Portavogie. A Whimbrel and Sanderling were just north of Ballyhalbert and 2 Reed Warbler at Ballyfinragh Lough (Richard Weyl).
3 first summer Arctic Tern and 20 Turnstone were at Cockle Island in Groomsport (George Gordon).
3 pairs of Spotted Flycatchers were in the wooded area at the Ballymena end of Cargan, Antrim. One pair was feeding young (Dermot Hughes)
A Velvet Scoter was seen on Wednesday at Portstewart Harbour, Co. Antrim (Harry McMahon)
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| Black-headed Gull - David Hill |
Corncrake
Despite efforts by many, it looks as though there may again be no breeding Corncrake in NI this year. Bird numbers in Scotland continue to rise and numbers in Donegal have thankfully increased this year with 91 calling birds heard. The main locations in Donegal for hearing them are Tory Island, Inishowen and Fanad. Seeing them is difficult but many thanks to Grace Meehan for the photo below of a bird in her garden at East Town, Tory Island:
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| Corncrake, Tory Island - Grace Meehan |
Recent Copeland Birds
Many thanks to Neville McKee for these recent pictures from Copeland:
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| Garden Warbler - Neville McKee |
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| Manx Shearwater, remains after being eaten by an Otter - Neville McKee |
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| Spotted Flycatcher - Neville McKee |
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| Whitethroat - Neville McKee |
Gannet - A non breeding summer visitor
Gannet is a non breeding summer visitor to Northern Ireland. Is it the most common summer bird that is a non breeder? Colonies from where birds around our coast come from will include Ailsa Craig, St. Kilda and the Saltees. During the recent stormy weather, Craig Nash took this excellent shot of a bird feeding in Strangford Narrows:
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| Gannet - Craig Nash |
Bird News for Thursday 26th May
Thanks to Ian Jackson who kindly sent in these lovely photo's of a Spotted Flycatcher in Ballynahinch to-day. Unfortunately a bird that over the last few decades has shown a massive decline, a bird that we where all familiar with when growing up, you could easily go the whole summer now without seeing one.
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