nibirds

Bird News Saturday 20th June

A first year Little Gull was at Dundrum South Inner Bay this afternoon before flying off towards Newcastle. (David Nixon)

4 Crossbill at crocknagrally trail nr Fivemiletown this morning (Colin Bell)

An adult Med Gull and 2 Spotted Flycatcher were at Glynn (Gerard McGeehan)

2 Great Spotted Woodpecker were in the woods below Silent Valley Dam (Richard Gray)

An immature Great Northern Diver flew south past Brigg’s Rocks today. A Whimbrel and 6 Turnstone were on the shore. A summer plumaged Sanderling was at Sandy Bay, Larne (Colin Guy)

Two pairs of Spotted Flycatchers were in a garden at Armoy (Chris Easton)

You can report rare and scarce bird news to us via email: nibirds@live.co.uk text 07973403146 Twitter @nibirds or Flightline: 02891467408

Thanks to David Nixon for the pic of the Little Gull and Chris Easton for the Spotted Flycatcher:

Bird News Friday 19th June.

2 Spotted Flycatchers where beside the riverfoot bridge at the school in Comber.(Harry Byron)

Ringed Plovers - Jeff Silvers.

Bird News Thursday 18th June

At least 2 Spotted Flycatcher were at Slieve Gullion Forest Park, Co Armagh this morning (Frank Carroll)

Thanks to David Hill for this pic of a Dunlin at Myroe:

Bird News Wednesday 17th June

A Roseate Tern was briefly off Glynn tonight. A 1st sum Little Gull was there last night. (Neal Warnock)

Thanks to Chris Easton for the pictures of a Stonechat and a Cuckoo, to David Knight for the pictures of the Yellowhammer and to David Hunter for the pictures of the Swallow and Black-headed Gull.

3 Reed Warbler were singing at Oxford Island this morning. (Brian Murphy).

A Great White Egret, 2 Little Egret and a male Garganey were at Lough Beg (David Steele).

A Corncrake was calling at Horn Head, Co. Donegal yesterday evening and a Long-eared Owlet was calling in woodland at Marble Hill also in Donegal. (Christine Cunningham).

Thanks to Stephen Maxwell for the picture of a Peregrine taken at a roost site and for the first Cuckoo picture, to Christine Cassidy for the Razorbill on Rathlin and to Dick Glasgow for the second Cuckoo picture. You can also see a video of Dick's cuckoo at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxqzN2TWyX4 the picture of the nesting House Martins is from Christine Cunningham:

Peregrine, Stephen Maxwell:

Razorbill, Christine Cassidy:

Bird News Monday 15th June.

U A Knot was at the RSPB Lower Lough Erne Islands.(Brad Robson)

In south Down a Cuckoo was at Murlough.(Ian McKee)

Juv. Greenfinch - Dick Glasgow

Shelduck - Noeni Bryars.

Tree Sparrow - Dick Glasgow

Bird News Sunday 14th June

A Mediteranean Gull was seen at Strangford and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was at Tollymore (Brian Murphy)

2 Spotted Flycatchers were this evening on the River Lagan in Dromore Park (Chris Rankin)

2 Great Skua were seen on Rathlin Island (Gerard McGeehan)

Thanks to Paul, Stephen and Jason for the pics below:

Red Kite, Paul Allen:

Cuckoo, Murlough, Stephen Maxwell:

Red Grouse, Capanagh, Jason Bain:

Bird News Saturday 13th June

A Great White Egret was near the mouth of the Blackstaff at Dundrum Inner Bay North (Danny Baillie).

2 Spotted Flycatchers were at Union Lock on the Lagan Towpath near Blaris Road in Lisburn this morning. (Eric Randall).

A Cuckoo was at Murlough, Marsh Fritillary Butterflies were also seen. (Angus Kennedy).

2 Red Kites were on the Mountain Road Closkelt County Down at 14.15 today, 2 Buzzard were also seen. (Paul Allen)

Thanks to Angus for the picture of the Cuckoo and to Dick Glasgow for the picture of the Tree Sparrow.

Bird News Friday 12th June

Yesterday Brigg's Rocks had 5 Brent Geese which flew north, an immature Red-throated Diver was offshore and 20 Turnstone and a Whimbrel were on the shoreline. (Colin Guy)

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was in Castlewellan Forest Park (Adam McClure)

Thanks to Christine Cassidy for this pic of Black Guillemots at Lough Swilly, Inishowen, Co Donegal: Our thanks also to Stephen Maxwell who sent in these pics of a Peregrine in flight and the head on shot of a Gannet. Swift in flight kindly sent in by Ian Jackson.

Bird News Thursday 11th June

Last night, adult and juvenile Long-eared Owls were seen at Crebilly near Ballymena. (Jeff Larkin)

Thanks to Jeff Larkin for this pic of a juvenile Long-eared Owl and Noeni Bryars for the Peregrine:

Bird News Wednesday 10th June

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming in Tollymore. (Fergal O'Connor)

A Corncrake, Cuckoo and 3 Kestrel were at Bunbeg, Co Donegal (Christine Cassidy and Ray Brogan)

3 Whimbrel (flying south) and a Grey Plover were at St John’s Pt and 7 Whimbrel flew north at Ardglass (Chris and Tim Murphy)

A Whooper Swan was seen on the Tyrone / Monaghan border (David Hunter)

Thanks to Christine Cassidy for this pic of a Swallow nest building:

Bird News Tuesday 9th June

Yesterday at Strand Lough, Killough from 10.15 to 10.30pm there were 1 Whimbrel, 1 Reed Warbler, 3 Sedge Warblers, a pair of Shelduck with 19 ducklings, young Long-eared Owl calling; also an Otter, a Badger and 2 Leisler’s Bats (Chris Murphy).

A male Scaup was at Lower Lough Erne Islands RSPB (Brad Robson).

The first summer Little Gull was still at Kinnegar Pool (Wilton Farrelly)

Thanks to Jason Bain for the pictures of the Whinchat and the Meadow Pipit.

Bird News Monday 8th June.

The first summer Little Gull still present at the RSPB Belfast Harbour estate reserve.(Tom Ennis/Guy Hamilton)

Starlings - Dick Glasgow.

Spotted Flycatcher - Christine Cassidy.

Bird News Sunday 7th June

A Bee-eater flew over Ballyrobin nr Templepatrick - flying NE towards Templepatrick at 8am (Ian Enlander)

The Great White Egret was still at Carnroe on the River Bann. Also an Osprey flew north and 2 female Goosander were also present (Jeff Larkin)

Thanks to Heather Larkin for the pics of the Great White Egret and the Osprey:

Bird News Saturday 6th June

The Great White Egret continues to show well at Carnroe Weir, River Bann. (Eddie Manthorp /Peter Robinson /Hill Dick)

Yesterday a Bean Goose together with a Pink-footed Goose flew north over Port Muck, Islandmagee, at 7:30pm (Chris Murphy)

A 1st summer Little Gull, an adult and 2 1st summer Mediterranean Gulls, 2 1st summer Artic Terns as well as good numbers of adult Arctic, Common and Sandwich Terns were at Swan Island, Strangford. (Tim Murphy)

Yesterday 3 Spotted Flycatchers were at Scrabo Country Park, the at walled garden (Harry Byron)

You can share your rare and scarce bird sightings via email at nibirds@live.co.uk

Thanks to Dick Glasgow for this pic of a recently fledged Tree Sparrow:

Bird News Friday 5th June

A Great White Egret was on the River Bann, it was just downstream from the weir at Carnroe. (Willie Wilson/Eddie Manthorpe)

Thanks to Willie Wilson for these pictures of the Great White Egret, to Derek Polley for the picture of the Arctic Tern and to David Hunter for the picture of the House Martin.

Bird News Thursday 4th June

A Cuckoo was calling near Moorfields this morning. (Adam McClure)

A female Great Spotted Woodpecker was in a Garden next to Gosford Forest Park on Tuesday 2nd June. (Aubrey Percy)

Single Curlew and Whimbrel in Killough Hbr and, unusually, a Linnet visiting a Killough garden. Last night an Otter was fishing in Stand Lough, Killough (Chris Murphy)

A Red Kite was over Tyrella this afternoon. (Suzanne Belshaw)

The pics below have been kindly sent in by Stephen Maxwell, top pic of a Puffin and below a Razorbill.

Bird News Wednesday 3rd June

A Red Kite was along the A1 2mile south of Hillsborough (Nigel Ireland).

Thanks to Dick Glasgow for this pic of a juvenile Greenfinch:

Bird News Tuesday 2nd June

Yesterday a Turtle Dove was seen in a garden in Eglinton, feeding with Collared Doves. The bird was looked for today without success. (Jacinta Melaugh)

Thanks to Jacinta for this pic of the Turtle Dove:

Bird News Monday 1st June

There has been no sign of the Red-necked Phalarope at Belfast WOW Reserve this morning.

A 1st year Little Gull was on Larne Promenade today. (Jason Bain).

1000 Manx Shearwater flew north past St John's Point during a sea-watch between 3pm-4.30pm. (Tim Murphy).

2 Storm Petrels off Chaine Park, Larne this evening. (Neal Warnock).

7 Wheatears were in a ploughed field at St John’s Point this evening. (Chris Murphy).

Thanks to Karl Martin for the picture of a Swallow, Jason Bain for the picture of the Little Gull and Angus Kennedy for the pictures of the Guillemot and Grey Wagtail: