Upcoming Boat Trips

 Andrew Johnston is running boat trips with good birding opportunities from the north coast.

The next two with availability are Colonsay from Ballycastle (Sat 14 May) and Inishtrahull from Portstewart (Sun 22 May).

If you are interested you can contact Andrew on 07738 239653.

Bird News Tuesday 10th May

The Lesser Yellowlegs is still at Mullagh, Lough Beg. Also present are a pair of Garganey, a White Wagtail and a singing Reed Warbler. (David Steele)

A Cuckoo was heard calling at Sharvogues Bog outside Randalstown. (Norman Allison)

Bird News Monday 9th May

 Yesterday evening two Cuckoos were calling at Davagh Forest, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone. (Godfrey McRoberts).

Thanks to David Steele for the picture of the Lesser Yellowlegs at Lough Beg over the weekend:

Bird News Sunday 8th May

The Lesser Yellowlegs was still at the Mullagh, Lough Beg (Gerard McGeehan)

An adult Mediterranean Gull was in a field with some Black-headedGulls on Whinney Hill, Craigantlet (Simon Morton)

A single Crossbill and two Cuckoo,  Glenhead Road. (Walter and Chris Veale)

8 Whimbrel wre at Bartins Bay, Lough Neagh (Richard Caves) 

Yesterday a male Redsrart was at Kilfeaghan Car Park Amenity Area (North off the A2 between Rostrevor and Kilkeel) in the scrubby trees on the stream just below the ford (John Brehcist)

There are 4 seats available on the boat trip from Ballycastle to Iona and Staffa on Monday 30th May. Please contact Jim Wells on 07856235144 for full details.

Whimbrel, Richard Caves:

Bird News Saturday 7th May

At least 6 Mediterranean Gulls were at RSPB WoW this morning (Philip West)

A Garden Warbler and 102 Whimbrel are at the Lough Erne Hotel Resort (Brad Robson)

A Spotted Flycatcher was along the Newry Canal this morning just north of Carnbane. (Frank Carroll)

The Lesser Yellowlegs is still at Mullagh, Lough Beg. A male Ruff and a male Garganey were on the west shore of Lough Beg.  (David Steele).

A Red Kite and two Yellowhammers were near Jerrettspass, Co. Armagh. (Joe Devlin)

A Common Sandpiper was at Duncan’s Lake, Lisburn (Suzanne Belshaw)

A Cuckoo was in the Antrim Hills along with good numbers of Wheatears and Grasshopper Warblers (Michael Latham)

The Glossy Ibis was still at Portmore (Richard Caves)

8 Whimbrel and a Carrion Crow were at Browns Bay, Islandmagee (David Gillespie)

A Garganey was on Tory Island (Anton Meenan). 12 Corncrake were also heard (Brian McCloskey)

Glossy Ibis, Richard Caves:

Common Sandpiper, Suzanne Belshaw:

Bird News Friday 6th May

The Glossy Ibis and a drake Garganey are still at RSPB Portmore (Neal Warnock)

A Lesser Yellowlegs is at Mullagh, Lough Beg this afternoon. Also present were 85 Whimbrel, 2 male Garganey and 14 White Wagtails.  (David Steele).

Two Cuckoos were calling around the Binevenagh wood this morning. (Lindsay Hodges)

A Red Kite was in the Dundrum area. (Wilf Swain).

Thanks to Lindsay Hodges for the pictures of the Wheatear and the Treecreeper, to Mike McLaughlin for the picture of the Jay and to Terry Hanna for the picture of the Sand Martin:

Bird News Thursday 5th May

Two Garden Warbler were at Florencecourt Forest, Co Fermanagh (Stephen Hewitt)

Eight Mediterranean Gulls were at Belfast Lough RSPB WOW reserve where Common Tern numbers are starting to build up. (Derek Polley).

Thanks to Stephen Maxwell for the pictures of the Mediterranean Gull and the Black-tailed Godwit and to Terry Hanna for the picture of the hybrid Carrion x Hooded Crow:

BTO's Wild Weekend

 

Link: https://www.bto.org/community/events/202206-bto-nis-wild-weekend

Bird News Wednesday 4th May

A Roseate Tern was with five Common Terns at Lagan Weir in Belfast. (Paul McCullough).

At least one drake Garganey was still at RSPB Portmore this morning. The Glossy Ibis was there this afternoon. (Dakota Reid)

Three Cuckoo’s were at Murlough, Co Down this morning (Kevin Maguire). Another Cuckoo was at Starbog Road, Co Antrim (Brian Murphy)

Three Ring-necked Parakeets were at Belfast Waterworks. Please be careful with phones \ optics in the area as there has been an incidence of theft today.

Thanks to John Mason for the picture of the Whimbrel:

Ring-necked Parakeet, Belfast:

Cuckoo, Kevin Maguire:

Bird News Tuesday 3rd May

A summer plumaged Spotted Redshank was on the western shoreline of Lough Beg this evening, also a total 0f 180 Whimbrel migrating through, 3 Garganey(2male/1 fem) were seen again.(David Steele)

A Red Kite was seen on the Dromore Road just outside Ballynahinch(Gregory Heaney)

North Down coastal path today had a Wheatear along the path/rocks. 2 Purple Sandpipers at Carnalea. 8 Turnstone on seaweed at Smelt Mill Bay.(Derek Polley)

Three Parakeet in the Waterworks. Not sure if one is a newly arrived young, but doesn't seem to have the longer tail of the adults (Ricky McQuillan)

7 Whimbrel at Bartins Bay, Lough Neagh at lunchtime today. Also the Glossy Ibis at Portmore late morning.(Richard Caves)

Our thanks to Richard Caves for the photo off 3 Whimbrel. 

Bird News Monday 2nd May.

A Cuckoo was at Murlough this morning. (Mike McLaughlin).

Another Cuckoo was at Cappanagh. Kenneth Brewster).

12 Whimbrel were at the east end of Ardmore. 25 White Wagtails were in a field at Reedy Flats on the south shore of Lough Neagh. (Ed O'Hara, Garry Armstrong).

3 Garganey, 2 males and a female, were at Lough Beg. Also present were the 1st year Little Gull, 40 Whimbrel, 2 Common Sandpiper and 2 White Wagtails. (David Steele).

House Martins, Swallows and Swift are now widely reported.

The Glossy Ibis and 2 male Garganey were on the pools below the viewing platform at Portmore Lough RSPB. (Michael Latham).

4 Common Sandpipers were seen at the lowest lake area within Banagher Glen. (Lindsay Hodges).

A Corncrake was calling on Rathlin, a Great Skua and 2 Twite were near the seabird centre. (Gregory Heaney)

The Glaucous Gull was still at the Burger King Car Park. Coleraine. (Aaron and Rachel Veale)

Thanks to Lindsay Hodges for the picture of the Common Sandpiper:

Garganey, Michael Latham:

Fulmar, Gregory Heaney:

Glaucous Gull, Aaron & Rachel Veale:

Bird News Sunday 1st May

70 Whimbrel were near Derrytrasna on the Charlestown Road (Chris, Ethan and Walter Veale). 30 Whimbrel were also at Park's Corner at the east end of Ardmore, 6 were in flight off Ardmore Road carpark and 26+ along the shoreline at Lough Lane, Charlestown. (Clifford Sharpe).

Two Swift were at Chapel Street in Cookstown. A Cuckoo and a Grasshopper Warbler were calling at Lough Fea. (Tony McCormick).

A 1st year Little Gull and 30 Whimbrel were at Lough Beg this morning. (David Steele).

An Osprey flew over Dundrum Inner Bay south heading towards Newcastle. (Dan Baillie).

Along the Newry Canal was a Common Sandpiper and three Swift above town centre in Portadown (Zach Prentice)

A Cuckoo was calling in Ormeau Park, Belfast (John Coveney).

The Glossy Ibis and the Garganey were both still on the pools below the viewing platform at Portmore Lough RSPB. 60 Whimbrel were at Lady Bay. (Garry Armstrong).

A Mediterranean Gull was off Glynn station in Larne Lough. (David Craig).

Thanks to William Smiton for the picture of the Willow Warbler:

Bird News Saturday 30th April

A drake Garganey remains at Portmore RSPB. The Glossy Ibis was also still present  (Daniel Newton).

A Dark-bellied Brent was with Brent Geese on Rathlin this morning. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

50 Whimbrel were in fields at Ardmore on the south shore of Lough Neagh. (Garry Armstrong).

The Crossbills are still in Christie Park in Coleraine. (Stephen Riddell).

A Blue-headed Yellow Wagtail is at West Town, Tory Island (Graham Clarke)

A Black-necked Grebe was at the Ardmore Rd junction Lough Neagh. Nearby 2 Scaup were at Ardmore Point and 36 Whimbrel by the road (John Spottiswood)

Thanks to Donna Riddell for the picture of the Crossbill:

Bird News Friday 29th April

Three Whimbrel, a Common Tern and a Greenshank were on Larne Lough at Islandmagee. (Kevin Kirkham).

Four Crossbills are feeding in Pine trees in Christie Park in Coleraine. (Richard Donaghey).

Approximately 40 Whimbrel were at the Barmouth. (Kevin Kirkham).

Six Swifts were over Antrim this evening. (Mark Smyth, David Foster, Paul Murphy).

Thanks to Juliet Fleming for the picture of the Common Tern:

Wheatear, Antrim Hills:

Bird News Thursday 28th April

 A Tree Pipit was on the coastal path between Kilroot and Whitehead. (Kevin Kirkham).

A male Garganey was at Portmore Lough RSPB this morning. (Dakota Reid).

A Cuckoo was at Killunaght outside Dungiven this morning. (Marian O'Hara).

Belfast Lough RSPB WOW reserve had a Ruff, a Common Sandpiper, 14 Whimbrel, 5 Common Tern, 14 Sandwich Tern and at least 8 Mediterranean Gulls. (Derek Polley) An Arctic Tern was also present. (Kevin Kirkham).

80 Whimbrel were off the hide at the Barmouth and another 25 in fields near Articlave. (John Spottiswood).

A Cuckoo was calling at Lough Fea also Red Grouse and Wheatear in the area. (Shane McGarvey).

Three Common Sandpipers and five Barnacle Geese were at Loughbrickland. (Mike McLaughlin).

Thanks to Stephen Maxwell for the picture of the Mediterranean Gull, to Alastair McLean for the picture of the Siskin, to Mike McLaughlin for the pictures of the Common Sandpiper and the Barnacle Geese and to Derek Polley for the second Common Sandpiper picture:

Bird News Wednesday 27th April

The Glaucous Gull was still at Burger King in Coleraine. (Joe Lamont).

Dundrum South Inner Bay was quiet with only 12 Whimbrel and 3 Common Sandpipers. Brent numbers are still very low (David Nixon)

A Common Sandpiper and 3 Common Terns were at Portstewart promenade (Kevin Kirkham)

Black-tailed Godwits, Terry Hanna:

Goldcrest, Lindsay Hodges:

For more pictures of local birds see: http://nibirdpics.blogspot.com/

Bird News Tuesday 26th April

 The Glossy Ibis and two Garganey were at Portmore Lough RSPB reserve. (Dermot Hughes).

The Glaucous Gull was still at Burger King in Coleraine. 80 Whimbrel were at the Bann Estuary and another 45 Whimbrel were at Portstewart. (John Clarke).

Thanks to Juliet Fleming for the pictures of the Wheatear, the Stonechat and the Whimbrels with a single Bar-tailed Godwit and to Tim Jess for the picture of the Yellowhammer:

Bird News Monday 25th April

4 Egyptian Geese are on Lower Lough Erne Islands RSPB Reserve this morning (Brad Robson)

A Cuckoo was calling from Belvoir Park Forest, Belfast, around 3pm this afternoon - heard by 2 people in Moreland's Meadow. (Philip McErlean)

A White-tailed Eagle was seen to fly from Ballywalter out to sea yesterday (Clark and Norma Groves)

16 Whimbrel were close to Dunseverick Harbour this afternoon (Juliet Fleming)

A Cuckoo was calling in Glendun this morning. (Jimmy Christie)

Two Cuckoo were on Copeland today, one of which was ringed (Chris Acheson)

Cuckoo, Chris Acheson:

Mediterranean Gull, Stephen Maxwell:

Black-tailed Godwit, Stephen Maxwell:

Bird News Sunday 24th April

A Ring Ouzel was at Kebble on Rathlin, this may be a different bird to the one seen there previously. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

A Dark-bellied Brent was at Glynn (Stuart McKee)

A Whimbrel was at Port Muck, Islandmagee (Kevin Kirkham)

Blacker’s Rock, Lough Neagh, Co. Tyrone today had 28 Whimbrel and. Reed Warbler (Godfrey McRoberts)

Swallows, House Martins, Whitethroats and Sedge Warblers are now widely reported.

Grasshopper Warbler, Donna Riddell:

Ring Ouzel, Ric Else \ Hazel Watson:

Red Grouse, Tony Dodds:

Bird News Saturday 23rd April

At least 20 White Wagtails were still at Reedy Flats on the south shore of Lough Neagh. (Garry Armstrong).

A single Whooper Swan is still at Corbet Lough outside Banbridge. (Mike McLaughlin).

3 Wheatears, a male and 2 females, were in a field at Carmean, Magherafelt. (Godfrey McRoberts).

A Common Sandpiper was at Kinnegar Pool this evening. (Michael Latham).

Thanks to Mike McLaughlin for the picture of the Whooper Swan, to Terry Hanna for the picture of the Willow Warbler, to Guy Hamilton for the pictures of the Black Guillemot and the Rock Pipit and to Wilf Swain for the picture of the Meadow Pipit: