Bird News Saturday 5th August

A moulting adult Little Gull was at Ardmore, east of Emerson's sandpit. A high count of 2000+ Sand Martin were at Corkey Point (Garry Armstrong)

This morning a female/juvenile Hen Harrier was in flight over the Sheeplands coastal path between Ballyhornan and Ardglass (Danny Bailie)

A female Hen Harrier was quartering at Tully Rd between Killeter and Laghy in Co. Donegal today. (Michael Holgate)

Bird News Friday 4th August

A moulting Red-throated Diver was off the Coast Road in Larne, present since yesterday. Three Crossbills were at Capanagh this evening (Jason Bain).

Thanks to Jason for the pictures of the Red-throated Diver and the Crossbill  and to Thomas Campbell for the picture of the Curlew.

 

 

 

 

Bird News Thursday 3rd August

Yesterday a Little Stint was among a group of Dunlin at the RSPB WOW reserve in Belfast yesterday at around 4.40pm. (Dave Peers)

WOW Belfast reserve had...1 Common Sandpiper 1 Ruff 1 Sanderling 16 Dunlin 1 Buzzard 1 Raven 600+ Blackwits with a lot of orange plumaged birds presumably returning from Iceland. (Derek Polley) .


Thanks to Rod Gillan for this picture of Sanderling.

Bird News Wednesday 2nd August

Late news from yesterday was of a Great Skua off the East lighthouse on Rathlin. (Chris Rankin).

The Spotted Redshank has completed a month at Bann Estuary.... good views today. Also present c100 Sandwich Terns, 20 of which were juveniles (Hill Dick/Peter Robinson).

Also yesterday on Rathlin there were 3 Greenshanks and 19 Curlews at Rue. Today there were 6 Turnstones, 8 Dunlins (including our first juv of the year) and a Sanderling in Mill Bay.  (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

Thanks to Cameron Moore for the pictures of this ringed Common Tern from Whitehead, yellow ring on right leg and a metal ring on the left leg.

Bird News Tuesday 1st August

Kinnegar this morning had a Ruff, 2 Knot, 4 Common Sandpiper and a Greenshank (Daniel Newton).

46 Curlew were on the shore off Myroe. Yesterday 2 Little Egret were with 18 Grey Heron at Toome (Shane McGarvey).

A hybrid Carrion x Hooded Crow was at Wallace Park in Lisburn. (Suzanne Belshaw).

The Bann Estuary had 2 Whimbrel, 30 Sandwich Terns, a mix of adult and juveniles, 75 Dunlin and a Sanderling. (Tom Ennis & Tony Dodds).

The Osprey was back at lower Lough Macnean this morning reported by local landowner (per Brad Robson).

An adult winter Little Gull and four summer plumage Knot were at Belfast Harbour Lagoon (Stuart McKee).

Thanks to Suzanne for the picture of the hybrid Crow and to Wilf Swain for the picture of the Buzzard.

Bird News Monday 31st July.

WOW Belfast Reserve had...Dunlin 50 +; mostly/all adults. Ruffs 2, adults out of breeding plumage. Knots 3, summer plumage adults. Common Sandpiper 3. (Raymond Bennett, Carol Gillespie and Tom Ennis) .

The adult Mediterranean Gull was still at East Strand Car Park, Portrush, see picture below. (Colin Guy).

Bird News Sunday 30th July

Two Ruff were with a flock of Black-tailed Godwits to the east of Emerson's sandpit at Ardmore on the south shore of Lough Neagh before being flushed by a Sparrowhawk. (Garry Armstrong).

A Common Sandpiper was at the Bog Meadows in Belfast. (Pearse Hall).

Thanks to Wilf Swain for the picture of the Willow Warbler and to Pearse Hall for the picture of the Common Sandpiper.

Bird News Saturday 29th July

The Forster's Tern was at Soldiers Point, Co Louth and then flew towards the docks c13:40. Also present was a 3rd year Yellow Legged Gull (Brad Robson).

At Oxford Island this morning several Reed Warblers were showing occasionally in the reed bed around Kinnegoe Hide and a Whooper Swan was off Croaghan Hide. (Garry Armstrong).

Thanks to Thomas Campbell for the pictures of the Sedge Warbler and the Stonechat.

Bird News Friday 28th July

An ad. Med Gull was at East Strand car park Portrush.(John Clarke) see pic below

 

And thanks to Wilf Swain for the pictures of the Little Egrets.

 

 

Bird News Thursday 27th July

The Ruddy Shelduck was still in the southwest corner of Lough Beg this evening. It is un-ringed and very wary, though does show fairly noticeable wear / abrasion of the primaries. (David Steele).

An adult summer plumaged Sanderling was at Belfast Lough RSPB reserve, two summer plumaged Knot were at Kinnegar Pool and yesterday four Whimbrel were  at Kinnegar Shore. (Stuart McKee).

Thanks to Stuart for these pictures of the Knot.

Saving Lough Beg Campaign Event

 

 



The appeal hearing will be held in the Royal Courts of Justice, Belfast on 11 August, at 10.30 am. The Court of Appeal intends to announce its decision on the day, almost 12 months after proceedings began. The hearing is open to the public and anyone interested in the case is very welcome. The legal challenge relates to an alleged breach of Article 6 of the Habitats Directive by the Department for Infrastructure in choosing to route part of the A6 upgrade through the wetlands and swanfields of Lough Beg. A successful outcome is necessary for the lasting preservation of Lough Beg and the protection of 1,000s of migrartory waterbirds. The action is self-funded with help from family, friends and supporters. Saturday's fund-raising event promises to be a memorable night for everyone who cares about inheritance - cultural and natural - especially the world’s great wetlands which Lough Beg, a Ramsar site since 1976, surely is. Let’s fill the Crescent Arts Centre with birders and conservationists on Saturday, and follow it up in court.

Chris Murphy

Bird News Wednesday 26th July

Kinnegar pool this evening had a Little Egret, 2 Common Sandpipers and a Greenshank. (Michael Latham).

20 Bar-tailed Godwits were at Belfast Lough RSPB reserve this afternoon. (Wallis Jefferson).

Thanks to Wilf Swain for the picture of the Sparrowhawk.

Warbler ID

This Warbler was seen and photographed on a yacht off Dunany Point, Dundalk yesterday. The pictures seem to indicate a Vireo species or a Sedge Warbler? Any feedback is welcome. (per Paul McCullough)

Thanks to all for the feedback and the consensus seems to be that this is a Sedge Warbler.

Bird News Tuesday 25th July

An Osprey was seen flying east towards Garvagh, from Keady mountain this afternoon (Jimmy Clancy).

Dundrum Inner Bay north had 20 Little Egrets and 3 Greenshank. (Spencer & Joan Marshall).

Nine Little Egrets at the high tide roost at Paton's Marsh in Newtownards. A further nine were seen at the end of the wall past the WWT works. A Wheatear and a Skylark were also seen. There were also three Brent Geese at the marsh. (Angus Kennedy).

A Little Egret was with 30 Grey Heron at Toome Eel Fishery (Sean McGarvey).

Thanks to Lilian Cummings for the picture of the Whitethroat.

Bird News Monday 24th July.

On Rathlin today a dark phase Arctic Skua was harassing gulls at Ushet lough. 11 Wheatears and 5 Whimbrel were at Rue Point.(Colin Guy)

Late news yesterday of a Common Crane in a field on the left between Maghera park and ride on
Glenshane Road and Knockloughrim.(Craig Nash).


Also from yesterday... WOW reserve in Belfast had 5 Common Sands. 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 3 Med Gull. 4 Yellowhammer and 9 Greenshank where seen on the Ballydrain Rd Co Down.(Gerard McGeehan/Shirley Dunlop)

Photographed at Antrim Marina today by Gareth Platt this Lesser Black - backed Gull was ringed as a 1st calendar year male at Langvannet in Norway - 30th September 2016.  It went to southern Morocco for it's summer holidays when spotted at Sidi R'bat, on April 18th 2017. Just shows how some birds travel around.

Ailsa Craig Boat Trip

There will another boat trip to Ailsa Craig this Tuesday - July 25th. The weather is to be good that day, but goes downhill from Wednesday on.

Tens of thousands of Gannets, Slow Worms, seals and great walking conditions are guaranteed. To book this trip, contact Jim Wells on 07856235144 

Bird News Sunday 23rd July

Yesterday a Reed Warbler was outside the hide at the Quoile Pondage, see picture below. (Stan Davidson).

A Ruff, Little Egret and 2 Common Sandpipers were at Belfast Lough RSPB Reserve this afternoon. (Kevin Kirkham-Brown).

Several Common Sandpipers were at Whitehead. (Michael Latham).

The Forsters Tern was still at Soldiers Point in Co. Louth this morning. (Daniel Newton).

An Osprey was at Lough Beg this evening. (Gary Cunningham)

Reed Warblers were also around Kinnegoe Hide at Oxford Island. (David Hill).

A pale phase Arctic Skua was off the Gobbins this afternoon. (Richard Woods).

Thanks to Stan Davidson for the picture of the Reed Warbler, to Michael Latham for the picture of the Common Sandpiper and to David Hill for the picture of the Sedge Warbler.

 

 

 

 

Bird News Saturday 22nd July.

7 Common Sandpiper where along the Newry canal (Frank Carroll)

A Whimbrel was at Ballyhornan Co Down and 13 Common Scoter flying south at  St.John's Point (Brad Robson)

Common Sandpiper - Stuart McKee

Bird News Friday 21st July

No news of the Bonaparte's Gull today

A Little Tern was with Common Terns at Lady Bay (Brankin's Island Rd) this afternoon, see pictures below. Also one Dunlin and one Oystercatcher. (Suzanne Belshaw).

The Spotted Redshank, well into moult and looking patchy, was at Bann Estuary; also present 1 Greenshank, 3 Common Sandpipers, 25 Sanderling, 1 Snipe, 39 Bar-tailed Godwits and 4 Black-tailed Godwits. (Hill Dick/Peter Robinson)

Late news for yesterday was that an Osprey was at the south end of Lough Melvin, Co Leitrim (D Stinson).

Also yesterday 4 Common Sandpiper, 1 Little Egret and 3 Mediterranean Gulls were at Belfast Lough RSPB reserve. (Derek Polley)

Thanks to Suzanne Belshaw for the pictures of the Little Tern and to William Smiton for the picture of the Whinchat.

 

 

Bird News Thursday 20th July

An adult Bonaparte's Gull was at Whitehead seafront this morning, however a Peregrine came through the area and scattered everything, the Bonaparte's was looked for this afternoon but no joy, 4 Med Gulls where also present.(Cameron Moore)

The Spotted Redshank was still at the Bann Estuary.(Colin Guy)

A Ruddy Shelduck (of unknown source) and a juvenile Cuckoo were in the south-west corner of Lough Beg (Jeff Larkin) see Jeff's pics below.
A female Garganey joined the Shelduck this evening at the Beg.(Davy Steele)