Bird News Thursday 30th July 2026

 The Osprey was still at the Bann Estuary this morning. (James McDowell, Searlas Anderson).

Last night a Quail was singing in fields behind Burnfoot near Inch in Donegal. (Derek Brennan).

A Red Kite flew over the A8 outside Ballyclare this morning. (Jemma Davies).

A Red Kite was on Colin Mountain (Belfast hills) at 10 15 this morning (Ivan Cullen).

A seawatch from Rocky Point in Donegal this morning, 8.20-10.50am, wind West F3-4, had 126 Cory's Shearwaters, 1 Sooty Shearwater, 1 pale phase Pomarine Skua. Manx Shearwaters passing at roughly 1200/ hour. (John O'Boyle).

Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve had 4 Common Sandpipers, 3 Knot and 640+ Black-tailed Godwits. (Derek Polley).

A male Harrier species flew from the Saintfield direction over Carryduff this morning. (Philip West).

Osprey, Searlas Anderson.

Bird News Wednesday 29th July 2026

 Long-eared Owl in Larne garden (Peter McCausland).

Long-eared Owl, Peter McCausland:

Osprey, James McDowell:

Bird News Tuesday 28th July 2026

An Osprey was at the Bann Estuary this morning (Stephen Riddell)

A Common Sandpiper was at RSPB WoW (Bob Watts)

A Little Stint was at the Bann Estuary this afternoon (Gerard McGeehan)

A Spotted Flycatcher was at Ballypatrick Forest (Tomás Hand)

Twelve Ruff and five juvenile Greenshank were at Church Island, Lough Beg. Earlier at Banagher Forest West Gate, eight Crossbills and a juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker were seen (David Steele)

Osprey, James McDowell:

Bird News Monday 27th July 2026

 Yesterday evening an Osprey was at the Bann Estuary. (James McDowell).

An Osprey flew south over Castle Espie this morning. (Jonny Clarke).

A Sooty Shearwater flew north west off Rathlin this morning. (Ric Else, Hazel Watson).

The Osprey was seen again at the Bann Estuary today. (Pat Hull, John Spottiswood).

The Quail is still calling from the wheat field opposite the big house on the road out to Ballyquintin Point. (Bob Watts).

Stock Doves were at Ringdufferin, Islandmore on Strangford Lough and Clea Lough. (Hugh Thurgate).

A single female Mandarin Duck was at Lough Beg this evening, thefirst observation of the species since last August which suggests arriving to complete post-breeding moulting. (David Steele).

Osprey, Jonny Clarke.

Bird News Sunday 26th July 2026

Bloody Foreland, Donegal in WNW5 6.30-9.30: 1585 Manx Shearwater, 10 Sooty Shearwater, 1 Cory’s Shearwater, 100 Fulmar, 1 Bonxie, 30 Kittiwake, 5 Sandwuch Tern, 15 Arctic Tern, 1 Great Northern Diver, 23 Whimbrel (Chris Ingram).

8 Ruff, 6 Greenshank, female type Goldeneye from Long Point, Lough Beg (Richard Gray).

Juvenile Mediterranean Gull and Sanderling at Belfast Lough WoW Reserve (Daniel Newton).

Whimbrel at Ballyquintin Point yesterday (Mo Rainey).

2nd cy Mediterranean Gull and Whimbrel at Bann Estuary (John Spottiswood).

Quail calling from wheat field opposite the big house on road out to Ballyquintin Point (Dermot Hughes / Michael Latham).

Fanad Head, Donegal 0720-1445: single Pomarine, Arctic and Great Skuas, 2 Great and 15 Sooty Shearwaters, Blue Fulmar (Stephen Dunbar).

Adult Puffin found dead yesterday near the entrance to Turnley’s Estate, north of Carnlough (Keith Glasgow).

Cuckoo, Ian Dickey:

Bird News Saturday 25th July 2026

A Quail was calling in the Sperrins, close to the private site where one was reported previously (Jamie Bliss)

The best in a one hour sea watch from Fanad Head, Donegal this morning were six Sooty Shearwater. (Wilton Farrelly)

Two Green Sandpiper and two Common Sandpiper were at the Blackstaff River, Dundrum (Michael Latham)

A Long-eared Owl was around the Barmouth hide today (Dylan Thomas)

A juvenile Mediterranean Gull was in Church Bay, Rathlin. A Sooty Shearwater was also seen. (Ric Else)

Green Sandpipers, Michael Latham:

Phone pic of the Barmouth Long-eared Owl, Dylan Thomas:

Bird News Friday 24th July 2026

An adult Mediterranean Gull was in the East Strand carpark in Portrush. (Stephen Riddell).

Mediterranean Gull, Stephen Riddell.

Bird News Thursday 23rd July 2026

15 Mediterranean Gulls at Ballykelly this morning (Stephen Riddell).

2 Common Sandpipers, Arctic Tern, Sandwich Tern fledgling and 2 Common Terns ringed at Dublin Port in June 2024 (Derek Polley). Also this evening Ruff, juvenile Mediterranean Gull, 2 Knot, 3 Redshank, 89 Curlew, 693 Black-tailed Godwit. All RSPB WoW. (Stuart McKee, Daniel Newton).

Red Kites at Shillanavogy, Co Antrim and over a housing estate at Ryan Park just north of Roselawn (Hugh Thurgate).

Sanderling, John Clarke:

Bird News Wednesday 22nd July 2026

A Quail was calling today on the Ards peninsula off the Ballyquinton Road, Portaferry (Hugh Thurgate, Jim McNair)

A dark morph Arctic Skua was off the West Light, Rathlin (James Crymble)

Another Quail was in the Craigantlet Hills (Stuart Cossey)

Bird News Tuesday 21st July 2026

 Crossbills are widespread  and numerous today at Jenkin Forest, Co Fermanagh. (Colin Bell).

A Common Sandpiper is at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve. (Chris Hamilton).

A family  of Spotted Flycatchers were in Drumkeeragh Forest, Co.Down. (Dermot Hughes).

Bird News Monday 20th July 2026

Single Glossy Ibis again on shoreline of the small island at Long Point, Lough Beg…it’s an adult type in bright maroon breeding plumage therefore must be a new bird (flock of four seen recently were all dull 1st-summer types) (David Steele).

Clouded Yellow just south of Kearney yesterday by the rocky shore feeding on sea radish (Liam O’Hara).

Eclipse drake Pintail on the main lake at Castle Espie WWT (Jonathan Clark).

Crossbills at Gortin Glen Forest Park, Co Tyrone near the cafe/play park (Colin Bell).

Common Sandpiper and Whimbrel at Blackstaff Creek, Dundrum (Richard Caves).

Pintail, Jonathan Clark:

Common Sandpiper, Richard Caves:

Bird News Sunday 19th July 2026

Two Green Sandpiper and 8 Common Sandpiper were at the Blackstaff Creek, Dundrum (Dermot Hughes)

A Whimbrel was present with 128 curlews at high tide roost at Green Island, Inner Dundrum Bay this afternoon (Maurice McNeely)

Common Sandpiper, Richard Caves:

Bird News Saturday 18th July 2026

A juvenile Mediterranean Gull and 2 Common Sandpipers were at Lady Bay, Lough Neagh. (Garry Armstrong).

190+ Mediterranean Gulls at the south end Cloghy beach and about 20 more near Portavogie. 80% adults. (Dermot Hughes).

A Red Kite was over Culcavy outside Hillsborough. (Garry Armstrong).

An eagle species, probably White-tailed, with wing tags, was at the mouth of the River Maine, Lough Neagh. (Sam Andrews).

Bird News Friday 17th July 2026

2 Knots, 2 Sanderlings, singles of both Dunlin and Turnstone, 300 Redshanks, 10 Black-tailed Godwits, Greenshank and 5 Tufted Ducks Bann Estuary (John Spottiswood).

Pale phase Arctic Skua just west of Ramore Head at 5pm (Mel O’Hagan).

Roseate Tern NW of Letterkenny at Tramore Strand at 750pm (Rare Bird Alert).

Bird News Thursday 16th July 2026

Jenkin Forest, Co Fermanagh had good numbers of Crossbill, Great Spotted Woodpecker and a juvenile Cuckoo (Colin Bell)

Spotted Flycatchers were at Kiltariff Hall, Rathfriland. (Shelagh Henry)

Ruff, 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 3 Common Terns ringed at Dublin port, also 11 Teal ducklings (Derek Polley)

A Red Kite was in the Antrim Hills (Chris Hamilton)

A Common Sandpiper was at Lady Bay (Richard Caves)

Bird News Wednesday 15th July 2026

 An Osprey was at Castle Island hide at the Quoile this morning. (Harvey Hughes).

Five Whimbrel were at Dundrum Inner Bay South with further singles at Green Island and Ardilea. (David Nixon)

Osprey, Harvey Hughes.

Bird News Tuesday 14th July 2026

5 Greenshank at the Bann Estuary (John Spottiswood).

A Spotted Flycatcher at Davagh Forest, Cookstown, Co Tyrone (Godfrey McRoberts).

Glossy Ibis and a Ruff from Long Point, Lough Beg (Ivan Quail).

Spotted Flycatcher in Annahilt garden (Garry Wilkinson).

Bird News Monday 13th July 2026

A Wood Sandpiper was atLough Beg, at 08.30 feeding in a wet muddy area but 08.45 started calling then flew high south (David Steele)

Two Common Sandpiper were at Lady Bay (Michael Latham)

A juvenile Mediterranean Gull was at RSPB WoW. A second year was at Macedonian Point (Stuart McKee)

A Great Northern Diver was calling this afternoon, offshore from the Police Station at Newcastle (Ann-Marie Smyth)

A Quail was heard singing at a sensitive site in the Sperrins (Robert Vaughan)

Quail, Sperrins, Robert Vaughan:

Bird News Sunday 12th July 2026

A Pectoral Sandpiper is at the Bann Estuary by old wooden pier, also 2 Mediterranean Gulls and a juvenile Greenshank. The Pectoral Sandpiper is still present at 2.30. (John Spottiswood).

Yellowhammer, Michael Latham.

Bird News Saturday 11th July 2026

Common Sandpiper at Lady Bay (Garry Armstrong).

Best off Magilligan Point this afternoon a single Red-throated Diver (Aaron Long).

2 Red Kites over Bryansford (Joanne Mansell).

Group of 3 Mediterranean Gulls (juvenile, adult winter and second summer) flew north past Garron Point (from Galboly). Manx Shearwaters passing north at c. 1,000 per hour (David Steele).

2 Great Northern Divers off Newcastle this evening one in breeding plumage (Mel O’Hagan).