A Red-rumped Swallow was seen on Murlough beach this afternoon heading towards Dundrum at 2.45 pm approx (Garry Wilkinson)
There are four Ruff at RSPB Portmore Lough, two males in breeding plumage, and two females. There was also a Garganey. (Laura Smith)
A Kingfisher was seen at Knockbridge,nr Portadown on the Newry canal side.(Paul Allen)
Yesterday Padddy Dub Lough Beg had 1 Little Egret, 1 pair of Garganey, 2 male Shoveler, 3 Canada Geese, 23 Whooper Swans, 6 Ringed Plover, 4 Dunlin, 30+ Redshank and 20+ Lapwing (Godfrey McRoberts)
Bird News Monday 30th May
A singing male Common Rosefinch was at west town Tory island Co Donegal (Brad Robson).
A Cuckoo was calling at Murlough this morning. (Joyce Millar)
A Cuckoo was calling at Murlough this morning. (Joyce Millar)
A pair of Spotted Flycatchers were nesting in a front door porch in Antrim. (Mark Smyth)
Thanks to Dougie Gamble for the picture of the Puffin from Lighthouse Island off Donaghadee, to Martin Pettinger for the picture of the Meadow Pipit and to Karl Martin for the picture of the Willow Warbler.
Thanks to Dougie Gamble for the picture of the Puffin from Lighthouse Island off Donaghadee, to Martin Pettinger for the picture of the Meadow Pipit and to Karl Martin for the picture of the Willow Warbler.
Bird News Sunday 29th May
A Little Stint and a Ruff are at the RSPB Belfast WOW reserve. (Garry Armstrong)
Lough Beg this morning had four female Ruff and two Canada Geese in the southwest corner. Two Cuckoos were at Mullagh (the first seen there for several years). (David Steele)
A Great Skua caught a Kittiwake at the West Light on Rathlin Island (Shane McGarvey)
You can see more pictures of local birds at: www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk
Thanks to Wilf Swain for this pic of a Cuckoo and Chaffinch:
Bird News Saturday 28th May.
A Little Stint was at the RSPB Belfast Harbour estate.(Birdguides)
A Garganey was at RSPB Portmore Lough.(Birdguides)
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| Long-eared Owl - John Clarke. |
Bird News Friday 27th May
A female type Black Redstart was in a sheltered gully on the western side of Slieveanorra. (David Steele)
A pair off Spotted Flycatchers were at Comber town center at the river (Harry Byron)
An Osprey was seen at Inch Lake, Co Donegal (Boyd Bryce)
Bird News Thursday 26th May
7 Crossbills were at Belmore Forest, Co Fermanagh (Brad Robson)
6 Crossbill were also seen over Antrim castle gardens this morning - heading in a roughly northerly direction (Davy Hunter)
A Red Kite was at the Gobbins, Islandmagee this afternoon. Flying south towards Whitehead. (RSPB staff)
Bird News Wednesday 25th May
Six Sanderling in summer plumage were resting on dense wrack off Green Island, Carlingford Lough today, see picture below. (Dougie Gamble).
A Spotted Flycatcher was seen in Derrymore Wood Bessbrook this morning. (Frank Carroll).
Thanks to Dougie Gamble for the picture of the Sanderling, to Annette Elkin for the picture of the Stonechat, to Andrew Pitt for the picture of the Scaup from Ballycastle marina and to Christine Cassidy for the picture of the Cuckoo.
A Spotted Flycatcher was seen in Derrymore Wood Bessbrook this morning. (Frank Carroll).
Thanks to Dougie Gamble for the picture of the Sanderling, to Annette Elkin for the picture of the Stonechat, to Andrew Pitt for the picture of the Scaup from Ballycastle marina and to Christine Cassidy for the picture of the Cuckoo.
Bird News Tuesday 24th May
The male Scaup was still at Ballycastle marina. (Birdguides).
A pair of Spotted Flycatchers was along the Riverside Walk, Ballynahinch this evening. (Ian Jackson).
A Short-eared Owl was hunting at Killard this evening, see picture below. (Angus Kennedy)
Thanks to today's photographers.
A pair of Spotted Flycatchers was along the Riverside Walk, Ballynahinch this evening. (Ian Jackson).
A Short-eared Owl was hunting at Killard this evening, see picture below. (Angus Kennedy)
Thanks to today's photographers.
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| Short-eared Owl - Angus Kennedy |
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| Red Grouse Slieve Donard - Edward Cooper |
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| Reed Bunting - Tom's Pics |
Bird News Sunday 22nd May
The drake Ring-necked Duck was still at the Templewater, Castel Ward, Co Down (Wilton Farrelly)
A drake Garganey was off the Castle Island Hide, Quoile Pondage (Ian Graham)
A single Brent Goose was on the shore at Killard. (Ian Graham)
A singing Garden Warbler in tree at the park in Tobermore. (Stephen Evans)
Thanks to Shona McVea for this pic of a Red Kite:
Bird News Saturday 21st May
A Green Woodpecker was heard yesterday afternoon at Castle Ward, Co Down (Craig Nash). Craig has posted details of the location here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/peregrinebirdphoto/27086289691
Yesterday the drake Scaup was still in Ballycastle Marina (Colin Guy)
A Cuckoo was calling from the east end of Dundrum Bay (Alan Godfrey). Another 2 Cuckoo were calling at Lough Fea (Shane McGarvey)
You can see more pics of local birds at www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk
Thanks to Colin Guy for this pic of the Scaup:
Bird News Friday 20th May
A possible Corncrake was heard calling along the railway between Bushmills and the Giants Causeway late this afternoon. (Fred Bass).
Two Spotted Flycatchers were at the walled garden, Scrabo Country Park (Harry Byron)
Thanks to Wilf Swain for the picture of the Buzzard.
Two Spotted Flycatchers were at the walled garden, Scrabo Country Park (Harry Byron)
Thanks to Wilf Swain for the picture of the Buzzard.
Bird News Thursday 19th May
Glynn had 2 adult Med Gulls, 5 Whimbrel, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits and a Spotted Flycatcher on the river (Gerard McGeehan)
A Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen in flight within the Stormont estate.(Paul McCullough)
29 Knot (some in summer plumage), 50 Dunlin, 300 Black-tailed Godwit and 5 Gadwall were at Belfast Harbour Lagoon (Dot Blakely).
A Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen in flight within the Stormont estate.(Paul McCullough)
29 Knot (some in summer plumage), 50 Dunlin, 300 Black-tailed Godwit and 5 Gadwall were at Belfast Harbour Lagoon (Dot Blakely).
Bird News Wednesday 18th May
Late news for yesterday. Seven Sanderlings in various stages of plumage were at Sandy Bay. Also two Purple Sandpiper, 30+ Dunlin, two White Wagtail and one Northern Wheatear (Gavin Ferguson)
A Night Heron was seen at Dromantine Lake, Co Down this morning. (Mary Anne MacRae) it was looked for this afternoon without success (Joe Devlin)
Unusually a drake Scaup was in Ballycastle Marina this evening (Colin Guy)
Thanks to Gavin Ferguson for this pic of the Sanderling and Linda Thompson for the Spotted Flycatcher:
Talking Terns at Belfast Window on Wildlife (WOW)
Talking about Terns!
Come along to Belfast’s Window on Wildlife to learn about all things tern! Reserve warden Chris Sturgeon will give an insight into this special species, including why they choose to make their homes at Belfast Lough each year.
RSPB members free. Adults £4.
Booking is essential by emailing shelly.ovadia@rspb.org.uk or calling 028 9046 1458.
20 May 2016 7.30pm-8.30pm Belfast WOW,
100 Airport Road West,
Belfast Harbour Estate
Bird News Monday 16th May
Yesterday 2 singing Reed Warblers were at Blacker’s Rock. Lough Neagh, Co. Tyrone. (Godfrey McRoberts).
Rathlin today had Whinchats, Whitethroats, Sedge Warbler, 2 Great Skua, a Corncrake heard calling around 3pm in front of Brockley Farm, and Garden Warbler heard singing from tree top near top of Kinramer Forest. (Patrick Barton & Michael Barton).
Thanks to Patrick Barton for the picture of the Whinchat and to Christine Cassidy for the picture of the Black Guillemot.
Rathlin today had Whinchats, Whitethroats, Sedge Warbler, 2 Great Skua, a Corncrake heard calling around 3pm in front of Brockley Farm, and Garden Warbler heard singing from tree top near top of Kinramer Forest. (Patrick Barton & Michael Barton).
Thanks to Patrick Barton for the picture of the Whinchat and to Christine Cassidy for the picture of the Black Guillemot.
Bird News Sunday 15th May
Two Great Skua were seen off Groomsport (Brian Murphy)
Stuart McKee:
A flock of Knot and three Sanderling were at Kinnegar. (Stuart McKee)
RSPB WOW Reserve had 3 Med Gulls and 11 Knot (2 of which were in breeding plumage) that arrived in a small flock and stayed for about 20-30 minutes. (Tom Ennis)
Two ad summer Little Stints at Paddy's Dub this evening. (David Steele)
Thanks to Stuart McKee and Stephen Maxwell for the pics of a summer plumaged Knot:
Stephen Maxwell:
Bird News Saturday 14th May
An adult summer plumaged Little Stint was at Paddy's Dub, Lough Beg, it was on the dried out mud with Dunlin and Ringed Plover. (David Steele)
A White-tailed Eagle was seen over Murlough Bay Co.Antrim, resembled the bird seen on Rathlin over the last few weeks, highly likely same bird (Colin Guy)
A White-tailed Eagle was seen over Murlough Bay Co.Antrim, resembled the bird seen on Rathlin over the last few weeks, highly likely same bird (Colin Guy)
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| Common Terns - Christine Cassidy. |
Bird News Friday 13th May
At least one of the White-billed Divers was seen off Tory Island today (Chris Ingram).
In Ballintoy this afternoon among the male Common Eider flock there was a bird that appeared to be of one of the American sub-species . It was identical in every way to the other eiders except the area of the head and nape that should have been pale green was totally rustic brown - there was the thin white line dividing the colouration on the nape / head as per our birds. (Colin Guy).see bottom pic.
Thanks to Stephen Maxwell for the pictures of the Cuckoo and Whitethroat taken at Murlough and to Linda Thompson for the picture of the Spotted Flycatchers.
In Ballintoy this afternoon among the male Common Eider flock there was a bird that appeared to be of one of the American sub-species . It was identical in every way to the other eiders except the area of the head and nape that should have been pale green was totally rustic brown - there was the thin white line dividing the colouration on the nape / head as per our birds. (Colin Guy).see bottom pic.
Thanks to Stephen Maxwell for the pictures of the Cuckoo and Whitethroat taken at Murlough and to Linda Thompson for the picture of the Spotted Flycatchers.
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