Bird News Tuesday 20th November

A loose flock of 15 Waxwings were around Galwally Park, Ormeau Road - swooping about and catching flies. Also 4 Redwings in Cherryvale Park, one of which was singing (Dermot Hughes)

At least one of the juvenile American Golden Plover was with 300 Golden Plover at Myroe Levels. A mixed flock of 200 Linnet and Twite were also present and 3 Slavonian Grebe - 2 of them in flight - were offshore. 6 Waxwing were in flight along Lomond Road (Stuart McKee)

3 Carrion Crow were at Groomsport and yesterday a Twite was on the beach just to the east of Bangor Marina (Anthony McGeehan)

The Black throated Diver was showing well off Groomsport harbour (G. Gordon/I. Graham)

Waxwings were seen at the Albert Bridge in Belfast today (number unspecified)

Thanks to Alan Gallagher for this great shot of a Kingfisher regurgitating a pellet. You can see more pics at www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk

Bird News for Monday 19th November.

The Buff-bellied Pipit was still west of Tyrella beach at J458354. A Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 200 Sanderling and 300 Golden Plover were in the area and 12 Twite were in an adjacent field east of there (Clifford Sharpe, Stuart McKee).

A male Ring Ouzel was seen at Crawfordsburn.(Carol Rowney)


A Brambling was in a garden at Belgravia Road in Bangor (Michael Richardson).

The Black-throated Diver was still showing well off Groomsport Harbour. It is feeding between there and Briggs to the east but returns regularly to area off the harbour (George Gordon).

About a dozen Waxwings were at the tramway car park, Bushmills (John Wilkinson)

Six Waxwing were feeding on Rowan berries this afternoon on the Greystone Road in Antrim(D.Hunter)
 At least 5 Jack Snipe were at Carn Hill, Monkstown along with 30 Snipe.(D.Hughes)
An eagle sized bird of prey was seen yesterday at Roselawn near Belfast (David Alistair)

Our thanks to Tom McCreery for this wonderful image of a Redwing.

Buff-bellied Pipits

Whilst observing 'the Buff-bellied Pipit' at Tyrella this morning, a second bird was picked up. It was difficult to keep both birds in the same view or continually be aware of their location but the picture below of the two birds was eventually managed by Garry Armstrong. The  first picture was taken by Ian Graham, pictures 2&3 were taken by Gary Armstrong, pictures 1&2 show the same bird while the third picture seems to show a more streaked bird. For there to be two birds together (potentially NI's third and fourth records) is amazing to say the least. (Philip West, Ian Graham, Garry Armstrong)

Bird News Sunday 18th November

The Buff-bellied Pipit was at Corbetts Beach, west of Tyrella, Co Down (Philip West / Ed O'Hara et al). However later, whilst observing 'the bird', it was briefly joined by a very similar pipit. There was slightly more streaking on the belly of this second bird and the consensus of a number of the observers is that there are now likely to be two Buff-bellied Pipits - however unprobable that scenario sounds!

Four American Golden Plover were at Myroe Levels, an adult and 3 juveniles.

25 Waxwings were on the Donaghadee Rd (just off the Bangor Ring road on the D'dee side) this pm (James Robinson)

A Waxwing was at Derrytrasna (Noel Austin)

A pink-footed goose with whoopers on field west of Toomebridge (Keith Bennett)

2 Yellowhammers and 4 Little Egret were at Pattons Marsh, Newtownards (Samuel Scott)

A Female Great Spotted Woodpecker was visiting a garden at Bright, near Killough since at least 17th Nov (Jack Rae)

At Island Magee a Common Scoter was at Mill Bay and a Great Northern Diver and 3 Red-throated Diver at Brown's Bay (Cameron Moore)

18 Waxwing were feeding on honeysuckle berries at Larne Harbour (Roger Ford-Hutchinson)

A Twite and 6 Long-tailed Duck (four of them male) were at Fisherman's Pier in Carrickfergus (Gerard McGeehan).

10 Waxwing were at Kenvarra Park in Coleraine (Lowell Mills).

A Black-throated Diver and the adult Ring-billed Gull were at Groomsport (George Gordon).

12 Canada Geese and 3 Raven were at Portaferry (Mark Smyth).

Yesterday 30 Waxwing were at Leyland Road beside the caravan park in Ballycastle (Colin Guy)

Thanks to Ed for the pic below of the Buff-bellied Pipit and Noel for the Waxwing pic. You can see more pics at www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk

Waxwings

A lot more birds were seen today (see previous post). Keep a look out for these charasmatic birds at a berry bush near you!
Thanks to Allen Gillespie for the top pic and Christine Cassidy for the bottom pic.

Waxwing - Allen Gillespie

Waxwing - Christine Cassidy

Bird News Saturday 17th November

The Buff-bellied Pipit was still on Corbett's Beach, Tyrella by the stream.

Buff-bellied Pipit : Stuart McKee

70 plus Waxwings were today moving between the Millfield Castlecourt entrance and Carrick Hill, Belfast (Allen Gillespie)

7 Waxwings were on the road down to Mc Fartland's Bank, Inch this morning, (Christine Cassidy & Theo Campbell)

11 Waxwing flew over Shimna Close in Cregagh Estate in Belfast this morning (John Pyper).

A male Brambling was in a garden in Whitehead and 6 Little Egret at Ballycarry Bridge in Larne Lough (Cameron Moore).

An escaped Harris' Hawk was at Antrim Road Waterworks in Belfast and (unusually for the site) 4 Teal were there (Larry Toal)

The Ring-billed Gull was still at Groomsport (George Gordon)

10 Waxwing were at Tollymore Forest Park, in the car park today.

At Kirkcubbin a Black-throated Diver and an adult med gull. Another ad med gull was at Horse Island. At Greyabbey Bay were 5 Slavonian grebes (Richard Weyl)

Kinnegar Shore had 1 Carrion Crow and at the M1 Moira, there was a Merlin. Diamond Lane, Aghagallon had 85 Whoopers and 3 Greylag (Ed O'Hara)

Thanks to Zach McCreery for the picture of the Fieldfare below. You can see further pics at www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk

Bird News Friday 16th November

The Buff -bellied Pipit was still at Tyrella, feeding with 4 Meadow Pipits on the tide-line c. 200 m west of stream from 3:45 to 4:00 when flushed by walker.(C.Murphy)

Our thanks to Chris for the picture of the Buff-bellied Pipit.

A Little Egret was at Whitehouse Lagoon this morning.(J.McKeown)
Today at Ballymacormick Point, Bangor, we saw, alongside 7 Herons, 2 Little Egrets. Moving on to Groomsport lagoon there was another Little Egret, 2 Carrion Crow and 3 Reed Bunting.

WWT Castle Espie had a late Swallow over the limestone lake, 2 Twite by wader marsh and a Kingfisher showing well in various locations today

 On the subject of late Swallows, in 1981 one was recorded on the 7th December and I personally remember one on Rathlin Island on the 27th February(don't know if this bird overwintered or was extremely early.) Ian Graham.

A winter flock of winter thrushes at Barnish Road nr. Tardree contained 136 Fieldfare and 12 Redwing.(B.Campbell/R.Bennett)

 

Late news for yesterday.
At Caledon, Co.Armagh. A Pink-footed Goose was with Greylag and Whooper - see pic below (Joe Shannon)
A Snow Bunting was at Runkerry Head, 1 Swallow flying in from sea at Dunserverick (could some of these sightings be Barn Swallows post USA Hurricane Sandy!) a Great Northern Diver at Ballintoy and the Glaucous Gull still at Ballycastle - photo below (Colin Guy)

Bird News Thursday 15th November

The Buff-bellied Pipit was at Tyrella from 3:30 to 4:00 when it departed with other pipits, possibly to roost. (Chris Murphy).

50 Waxwings were at Strahack, Inch Island, Co Donega.l (Boyd Bryce).

An unidentified warbler (sp unconfirmed, but suspected Chiffchaff) was in the ECOS center in Ballymena today. The bird was among a group of common passerines in the trees bordering the ECOS walkway bridge. (John McKillop).

A Little Egret was at the RSPB Belfast Harbour Reserve. (Jim McKeown).

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen this morning in a garden of a house at Old Church Lane, Aghalee, Co Antrim. (Shaun Cleland).

30 Waxwing stopped briefly along Windmill Road at Aghnaleck near Hillsborough before flying off south (Garry Wilkinson).    

10 Waxwing and a female Brambling spent 15 minutes in a garden in Dunmurry (Chris Acheson).    

2 male Long-tailed Duck were off Carrickfergus and 5 Whooper Swan were also seen (Gerard McGeehan).    

40 Fieldfare flew west at Strandtown Primary School in East Belfast and 40 Curlew were feeding there (David Clarke).   

A Black-throated Diver and Carrion Crow were at Groomsport (George Gordon).      

A Barn Owl was hunting over a stubble field 4 miles from Armagh.

If you have any bird news, please report to us at nibirds@live.co.uk.

Thanks to Cecil Smyth for todays pictures of a Fieldfare and a Redwing, and to Stephen Maxwell for the pictures of the Brent Geese and the Turnstones.

 

 

 

Bird News Wednesday 14th November

The Buff-bellied Pipit has been seen again at Tyrella this morning (see previous post). It was showing between Ballykinlar and Tyrella at 'Corbetts Beach'.

7 Waxwing were this morning at Strahack, Inch Island, Co Donegal. (Boyd Bryce).      

The female Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen near Limavady again today, see pictures below. (Chris Colhoun).          

Between 07.45 and 08.15 this morning at Whitehead 41 Red-throated Divers and 3 Great Northern Divers flew into Belfast Lough. (Ian Enlander).        

A late Swallow was at Sandy Bay, Larne this afternoon. (Adam McClure).       

A Gyr Falcon was on the Gateside Road outside Coleraine today, probably the same bird from around the coast a few weeks ago, see picture below. (John Clarke).         

At Island Magee the male Long-tailed Duck and 3 Common Scoter were at Mill Bay (Cameron Moore).       

2 Whooper Swan were in a field 2 miles from Donaghadee on the high road to Bangor (Francis Duffin).        

As well as the Buff-bellied Pipit up to 500 Sanderling were seen in flight and a Red Kite was at Tyrella (Garry Wilkinson, George Gordon).   

An overnight roost of seafowl off Blanket Nook, Lough Swilly included: 60 Red-throated Divers, 30 Great Northern Divers, 301 Great Crested Grebes, 9 Slavonian Grebres, 139 Red-breasted Mergansers, c. 100 Common Scoter, 32 Black Guillemots, 4 Little Grebe, 1 Goldeneye. Elsewhere at Blanket Nook: 3 Scaup, 2 PintaiI, 39 Little Grebe, 1 Peregrine, 6 Yellowhammer, 2 Water Rail and an Ottter. Inch Levels had 40 Pinkfeet, 1 Barnacle, 1 Brent among c. 1,000 Greylags and 1,000 Whoopers. Inch Lake had 1 Green-winged Teal, 68 Little Grebe and 1Slavonian Grebe. 12 Waxwing were by the River Faughan at Drumahoe, Co L'derry (Chris and Tim Murphy, Mark Wotham).

Our thanks to todays photographers, Chris Colhoun for the female Great Spotted Woodpecker, Ed O'Hara for another picture of one of the Snow Buntings from Ballintoy, John Clarke for the Gyr Falcon at Coleraine and Stephen Maxwell for the Red-breasted Merganser from Belfast Lough. You can see more NI bird pictures at www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk
 

 

 

 

 

 

Bird News Tuesday 13th November

A Buff-bellied Pipit was at Tyrella today,pictures taken by finder. (Dermot Hughes)

 

 

 

 

The directions below.

 From Tyrella Beach, car park, go west along the beach, past the coastguard house and across the next bay to the rocks. There's a big stream in the corner of the next beach after the rocks, and it was between the stream and the rocks, feeding on the high tide debris. There's a big blue bus in the field behind, so you shouldn't miss that. The grid ref is J458354.

Two flocks of Waxwings containing c.50 birds were around Whitepark Bay near Ballycastle this morning. Over 1000 Waxwing were seen on Sunday at Kyle of Lochalsh on the west coast of Scotland so hopefully good numbers will spread southwards soon!

The Snow Bunting flock at Ballintoy harbour has raising to 8 birds, this is a golden opportunity to see these stunning birds at close quarters.(James Crozier)

31 Red-throated Diver passed Whitehead this morning.(I. Enlander)

40+Fieldfare were off the Tildarg Rd Ballyclare to-day at the Loonburn junction.(B.Campbell).

At Island Magee a Long-tailed Duck and Common Scoter were at Mill Bay. A Red-throated Diver was at Brown's Bay (Cameron Moore).

12/15 Purple Sandpiper were west of Pickie in Bangor (Derek Polley)

A Ring-billed Gull was reported from Whitehouse Lagoon.

sinensis Cormorant

Many thanks to an eagle eyed Seamus Enright and an 'Anon' contributor for sending in comments about the Cormorant photograph from David Hill, published the 26th October: http://nibirds.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/bird-news-friday-26th-october.html

The nominate sub-species of Cormorant, carbo, breeds in Britain and Ireland. The continental sub-species sinensis is a known migrant and has bred recently in Britain as its range seems to be expanding. The yellow-orange area of skin at the base of the lower mandible, the gular pouch, is generally a different shape in the two subspecies and this angle of the gular pouch is regarded by most as a reliable character for assigning the majority of birds to a particular subspecies. The angle is much greater in sinensis.

The pictures of the bird previously published and taken by David (below) were at Blanketnook, Co. Donegal. In the pictures below, it can clearly be seen that the gular angle is quite wide and sweeps back.

Paul Kelly (Irish Bird Images - http://www.irishbirdimages.com/ ) has, below, an excellent photograph of a carbo and a sinensis together at Tacumshin last month. The sinensis bird is the one to the right and the contrast in the gular angle is clear in this photograph:

Chasing a 'sinensis' Cormorant is probably low on many birders to do lists. However a little more knowledge or awareness can make our hobby more interesting. Please feel free to comment or indeed correct us on the above. Many thanks again to Seamus and 'Anon'. Also remember, there is probably Northern Ireland's first Double-crested Cormorant somewhere out there......

Bird News Monday 12th November

At least two Snow Bunting were still at Ballintoy (Paul Scott)

The adult Ring-billed Gull was at Groomsport (George Gordon)

Thanks to Jeff Larkin for this pic of one of the Ballintoy Snow Bunts.

Local Events

Following the successful BTO conference, two forthcoming events that may be of interest to local birders are:

Belfast Lough RSPB Reserve - 'Belfast Harbour Reserve's Arctic Connections' - talk by Dr. Kendrew Colhoun, RSPB on Monday 12th November at 7:30 pm, Kendrew traces the story of the epic migrations of the birds that divide their time between the Belfast Harbour Reserve and the Arctic. In doing so, he will look at examples like Turnstone, Brent Geese, Arctic Terns, Sanderling, Purple Sandpipers and Whooper Swans.

On Tuesday 27th November at 7:30, Copeland Bird Observatory are hosting a winter meeting featuring 'Plovers in Exile' about the St Helena Wirebird and a talk on the 'Mystery of Bird Navigation'. The event is at the Ulster Museum, Stranmillis.

Bird News Sunday 11th November

An interesting Pipit, probably a Water Pipit or possibly a Buff-bellied Pipit was close to the river emerging onto the beach at the corner of the third beach west of Tyrella, Co Down, where they do the horse jumping (GR J458354). Two Swallow were also at Minerstown (Dermot Hughes)

A Cattle Egret is on private land at Strabane this morning for its 10th day.

A female Great Spotted Woodpecker was in a garden outside Limavady (David McCool). See David's picture below.

14 Little Egret were at the Comber Estuary this morning.
A Little Egret was on the main lake at Castle Espie (Jim McKeown) 307 Whoopers wee also on the Estuary.

2 Waxwings were along the A2 at Drumnadreagh, Larne (Neal Warnock)

4 Snow Buntings were at Balintoy (Paul Scott)

The 3rd Winter Glaucous Gull was back today at Ballycastle (Colin Guy)

A Kingfisher was at the Quoile (Castle Island) an adult Med Gull at Marlfield Bay (Strangford Lough); 5 Great-northern Diver at Monaghan Bank (Kircubbin). Also unusually 12 Canada Geese at Lough Cowey (Keith Bennett)

60 Tree Sparrows were in a private garden at Richhill, Co Armagh - see pic below (Andrew Poots)

2 female Goosander were on Lough Island Reevy, near Castlewellan & 20 Crossbill were at Tollymore Mountain Centre this afternoon (Adam McClure)

55 Gadwall were at the lake at Mount Stewart (Andrew Upton).

5 Swallow, 2 Little Egret and several Carrion Crow were at Groomsport (Warren Fowles).

30 Snow Bunting were at Glendun (Larry Toal)

47 Sanderling and 4 Ringed Plover were at the outflow by Runkerry Bridge in Portballintrae and 2 Twite along the cliff path (Lowell Mills)

300 Fieldfare, 50 Redwing and several hundred Woodpigeon were along Lomond Road at Myroe (Stuart McKee).

2 Brambling were at the north end of Cushendun beach (Jeff Larkin)

Yesterday a Waxwing was at Castle Espie.

Many thanks to all for sharing their sightings.

Thanks to Stephen Maxwell for the pic of a Little Egret in flight, Andrew Poots for the Tree Sparrows, Dick Glasgow for the Waxwing (Bushmills on Friday) and David McCool for the Great Spotted Woodpecker. You can see more bird pics at www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk

Bird News Saturday 10th November

A juvenile American Golden Plover was this morning at Balls Point, Limavady. Also 8 Waxwings were 200m down the drive.

A juvenile Long-tailed Duck was at Ardmore Point, Lough Neagh. 2 Ruddy Ducks were at Portmore, a White-fronted Goose was at Diamond Lane nearby. (Neal Warnock).

A 1st year Mediterranean Gull was at Ganaway Bay and 100 Whooper Swans were 1 kilometre north of Kirkistown Race Track. (Richard Weyl).

A Brambling was in a garden in Gilnahirk this afternoon. (Ron Price).

A Cedar Waxwing was seen for 10 minutes this morning at Belmullet, by Dave Suddaby.

Thanks to todays photographers, Ed O'Hara for the picture of the Ardmore Point Long-tailed Duck, Zach McCreery for the female Bullfinch, Mark Killops for the Oystercatcher, Noel Austin for the pictures of the female Blackbird and the Great Tit having a picnic at Oxford Island, Christine Cassidy for the picture of the Brent Geese, and Stephen Maxwell for the picture of the Little Egret taken at Castle Espie.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bird News Friday 9th November

The blue phase Snow Goose has returned to Lough MacNean, Co Fermanagh (Brad Robson / A Brady)

Two Waxwing were at Bushmills Distillery (Dick Glasgow)

A Red-crested Pochard was today in Kinnego Bay, Oxford Island (Stephen Hewitt)

14 Common Scoter were at Glenarm Bay. 50 Fieldfare were south of Capanagh and 2 Buzzard and 7 Little Egret at Glynn (Gerard McGeehan).

A Little Egret and a Whimbrel were at Ballymacormick Lagoon near Groomsport (Colin Guy).

159 Whooper Swan were in the fields between Islandhill and Newtownards (Norma Price).

Our thanks to Noel Austin for this shot of a Siskin.

 

A nice shot of the Surf Scoter from Mark Killops, no news to-day if the bird is still present.

 

Barnacles from Malin Head to-day, our thanks to Christine Cassidy for providing the photo. 

Bird News Thursday 8th November

Near Millisle 15 - 20 Waxwing were at Ballywhiskin. They landed briefly in a tree, then flew over road at 10:21.

28 Snipe & a Ring-billed Gull were at RSPB Harbour Reserve, Belfast (Jim McKeown)

The third winter Ring-billed Gull was at Groomsport (George Gordon)

Three Little Egrets were on the shore at the floodgates in Newtownards (Stuart McQueen)

In Ormeau Park this morning were 2 Brambling, 40 Chaffinch, 12 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Jays and a Raven (Dermot Hughes)

The Little Egret was still feeding around Brigg’s Rocks,a 3rd Winter Iceland Gull seen flying along the shore at Ballyhalbert. 15 Whooper Swans were in a field at Kearney (Colin Guy)

3 late Swallow were in Ballycastle.

Yesterday a Snow Goose was with Greenland Whitefronts at Sheskinmore Co Donegal.

On Saturday 10 November at 2pm, Castle Espie Gallery will be opening the doors to the exhibition ‘Still Waters’. This is the inspired title of an exhibition by Belfast artist Rosie McClelland. The exhibition will run from Saturday 10 November to Sunday 2 December 2012, the gallery is open 7 days a week from 10am with free entry.

Thanks to Mark Killops for the Snow Bunting pic and to Tom McCreery for the Blackbird pic. You can see more pictures from local birders at www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk

Bird News Wednesday 7th November

The Surf Scoter was still at Carnlough Harbour - see picture below (Mark Killops)

The two American Golden Plovers were with 2000 Golden Plover at Myroe Levels - see picture below (Stuart McKee)

5 Waxwings were reported today from Castle Espie and 100 Whoopers were there yesterday.

A Little Egret was feeding on the shore at Brigg’s Rocks this morning (Colin Guy)
There was also a Little Egret beside the River Lagan near Wolfenden’s Bridge, Lambeg (Robert Scott)