Bird News Monday 19th September

The Common Yellowthroat was looked for extensively today but could not be refound.

The 2nd cal yr Ring- billed Gull was still at the Round O, Enniskillen (Brad Robson)

The Bann had 2 Curlew Sandpiper, Whimbrel, a Wheatear and a Blackcap (Stuart McKee et al)

Three large whales (possibly Minke but Fin not ruled out) were of St Johns Point, circa 8 Porpoises as well and a good passage of Red-throated Divers and still lots of Manxes about (Chris and Tim Murphy)

The Goosander was still at Ballycarry Bridge (Cameron Moore)

A Melodious Warbler was on Tory Island (Ger Murray)

Thanks to Cameron Moore for this pic of the Goosander:

Common Yellowthroat

A Common Yellowthroat was seen briefly today from the hide at The Bann, looking across to the reeds on the opposite bank (close to the large sycamore). The bird was looked for again without success. However the area is being checked in morning. Any news will be published immediately. (Stuart McKee)

Bird News Sunday 18th September

17 Little Egret and a Ruff were at the Floodgates in Newtownards. (Wilton Farrelly/Daniel Newton).

Approx. 1,000 Gannets were fishing in Dundrum Bay about 3 miles off St John’s Pt. at 9am this morning. Yesterday Minke Whale was close inshore. (Chris Murphy)

A Lapland Bunting was at Malin Head (Richard Hunter)

Five Ruff and one Roseate Tern was at RSPB Belfast WOW (Neal Warnock).

Yesterday at Inch Lough in Donegal there were 2 Whoopers, 5 Black Swans and 1 Barnacle Goose. 4 of the Greylags present had orange neck collars. (Gareth Platt)

Thanks to Linda Thompson for the pictures of the Little Egret and the female Wigeon and to Gareth Platt for the pictures of the Whooper Swan and the neck collared Greylags.

 

 

Bird News Saturday 17th September

A Baird's Sandpiper, 2 Little Stints & a Little Gull were at Myroe. Curlew Sandpiper, Med Gull & 2 Pintail best at Ballykellly (Neal Warnock)

1 Roseate Tern, 3 Ruff and 2 Raven were at RSPB WOW (Garry Armstrong)

Thanks to Stephen Maxwell for this pic of the Enniskillen Ring-billed Gull:

Bird News Friday 16th September

A single Lapland Bunting was at Ramore Head. (Matthew Tickner)

A juv Black Tern was seen to move through Lower Lough Erne Fermanagh (Brad Robson)

A Curlew Sandpiper was at Whitehouse Lagoon this morning. (Adam McClure)

The Ring-billed Gull was showing very well at the jetty at the Round O, Enniskillen (Stephen Maxwell)

A Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Greenshank and 2 Little Egret were at Glynn (Gerard McGeehan)

The White-tailed Eagle was still on Lower Lough Erne this afternoon (P Taylor)

At the Bar-mouth, Castlerock there were two first winter and adult Little Gulls, also four Arctic terns and an adult Med Gull. A Whimbrel was off the hide (Stuart McKee)

A female Goosander was at Ballycarry Bridge in Larne Lough, see pictures below. (Cameron Moore).

2 Garganey were at the Quoile Pondage (Tim Murphy)

Thanks to Cameron Moore for the pictures of the Goosander and to Linda Thompson for the picture of the Stonechats.

 

 

 

Bird News Thursday 15th September

The Bairds Sandpiper was showing at Myroe this morning also Curlew Sandpiper, a Sparrowhawk taking Dunlin and an adult Med Gull (Stuart McKee)

6 Pale-bellied Brent were at Lower lough Erne, Co Fermanagh. Also 2 Ruddy Shelduck were photographed this morning on a flooded field along a minor road near Clogher although they are no longer there. (Brad Robson)

Late news for yesterday - A Whinchat was at the North East end of Rathlin. Other birds noted on the island were 9 Golden Plover, 8 Wheatears,

hundreds of House Martins and Swallows and a single Chough (Colin Guy)

1, possibly 2 Lapland Buntings at Ramore Head, Portrush this morning. 3 different adult and 2 different 1st winter Mediterranean Gulls were at Portrush today, this means at least 6 different birds have been present this week. (Matthew Tickner)

 

A juvenile Black Tern was over Lough Beg this evening, a Curlew Sandpiper was at Mullagh and 7 Ruff were in the south west corner. (David Steele).
 

 On Tuesday 2 Red Grouse were seen at Stroanbrack, between Plumbridge and Donemana, Co. Tyrone. (Godfrey McRoberts).

 A pair of Ravens and a pair of Buzzards were in the air together over Parliament Buildings, Stormont this afternoon. (Jim Wells).

Belfast Lough RSPB WOW reserve today had 2 Ravens, 5 Ruff, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Roseate Tern, a Skylark and 3 Pochard. (Derek Polley).

Yesterday a Little Egret was along the Portaferry Road on the Outer Ards and another was along the Ballydrain Road, Comber. (Hayley & Claire).

A 1st year Mediterranean Gull was at Glenarm today. (Colin Guy).

A Whimbrel was at Orlock Point, see picture below. (Philip McErlean)

Thanks to Brad Robson for forwarding this picture of the Ruddy Shelduck taken by the finder, to Linda Thompson for the picture of the Arctic Tern and to Philip McErlean for the picture of the Whimbrel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bird News Wednesday 14th September

A Tree Pipit was 200m SW of the old coastguard building at the south end of Killough at 11am. A juvenile Curlew Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, 2 Sanderling, 4 Bar-tailed Godwit, 98 Curlew, 104 Ringed Plover, 7 Brent Geese, 5 Little Egret and 4 Wheatear were in Killough Harbour. (Tim Murphy)

An Osprey was seen at 0900 on Belfast Lough, one mile south of Kilroot, heading south west (Dennis Weir)

A Wheatear was seen in a car park off Boucher Road, Belfast this morning. (Adam McClure)

A juvenile Black Tern, 4 adult and 1 juv Roseate Terns and 2 adult Med Gulls were at Seahill, Co Down (Ronald Surgenor)

A Red Kite was between Portaferry and Kircubbin at 12.30pm yesterday (James Hendry)

A 2nd winter Little Gull and 3 Med Gulls (2 Ad, 1 1st W) were at Portrush East Strand this evening. The 2 adult Med Gulls are different to recent birds meaning at least 4 different birds there in the last week. (Matthew Tickner)

A juvenile Little Tern was feeding amongst Sandwich Terns at Groomsport this afternoon (Philip Watson)

Thanks to David Hill for this pic of a Curlew Sandpiper from Myroe today:

Bird News Tuesday 13th September.

A White-rumped Sandpiper was at Myroe, also 7 Curlew Sandpipers but no sign of the Bairds before everything scattered by Peregrine (Jeff Larkin)

A Little Gull was seen at Whitehead Co. Antrim.(Cameron Moore) see Camerons pics below,pics 2&3

About a dozen Siskin and a Great Spotted Woodpecker where at Slieve Gullion Co. Armagh this morning.(Frank Carroll)

4 Curlew Sand, a Little Stint, 2 Ruff and at least 15 Roseate Terns were at RSPB WOW reserve this evening. In addition to the reserve totals nine roseate and an adult winter med were at Kinnegar shore (Stuart McKee)

East Strand Car Park, Portrush, had an adult Little Gull (Hill Dick). Last week on the 8th, a flock of 22 Little Egrets were in Ballykelly Marsh (Hill Dick/Peter Robinson)

The Ring-billed Gull was still on show in E'killen.(Brad Robson)see pic below, pic 1

White-rumped Sandpiper, Jeff Larkin:

Bird News Monday 12th September

A Little Stint and four Roseate Tern were at RSPB WOW Reserve (Stuart McKee)

The 1st summer Ring-billed Gull is back at Round O Enniskillen in more advanced moult - not reported since 11th July (Brad Robson)

Kinnegar Shore had 8 Roseate Terns, 23 Brent (10 juvenile) and 170 Sandwich Tern.

A juvenile Marsh Harrier was at the southwest corner of Lough Beg this afternoon, also two Garganey, a Ruff, six Little Egrets and four Wheatears. Two Chiffchaffs were at Mullagh.(David Steele)

Bird News Sunday 11th September

The Bairds Sandpiper was again showing at Myroe, along with three Curlew Sandpiper (Philip West / Wilton Farrelly)

A single Swift was flying west just south of Slemish (Larry Toal). Another Swift was seen over Larne (David Hunter)

10 Lapland Bunting were at Melmore Head, Donegal (Eric Randall)

Two juvenile Black Tern were at the Barmouth, Castlerock (Philip West)

Kinnegar shore had 12 Roseate Tern & 1 juvenile Black Tern this afternoon. (Robin Vage)

An adult winter Glaucous Gull flew along the shore at Portballintrae and a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper was near the Harbour (Colin Guy)

Two Little Egret were at Whitehouse Lagoon (Jim McKeown)

Thanks to Linda Thompson for this pic of Crossbills at Capanagh Forest:

Bird News Saturday 10th September

Belfast RSPB WOW reserve this morning between 7.00 and 9.00 had 4 Roseate Terns, 2 Curlew Sandpipers and 4 Ruff, there was no sign of the Black Tern. (Garry Armstrong)

The best at Whitehouse was 2Llittle Egret, a Greenshank and a Buzzard (Gerard McGeehan)

Two Ruff were at Dundrum Inner Bay (Angus Kennedy)

68 Chough & 9 Brent Geese were at Lagg, Malin, Inishowen, Co Donegal (Dermot McLaughlin & Christine Cassidy)

A Black Tern, 6 Curlew Sandpiper and a White Wagtail were at the Bann estuary today. (Matthew Tickner)

Thanks to Angus Kennedy for this pic of a Ruff and Christine Cassidy for the Chough flock:

Bird News Friday 9th September

A juvenile Black Tern, at least 16 Roseates and 4 Curlew Sandpiper were at RSPB WOW. 60+ Brent Geese, including 40+ juveniles were at Kinnegar (Daniel Newton / Wilton Farrelly)

Bird News Thursday 8th September.

The Bairds Sandpiper showed for about six minutes after a couple of hours at Myroe. Also a Curlew Sand, Ruff, Little Stint and Peregrine where present and between the Roe and Myroe an adult Med Gull in a ploughed field. The Bann estuary had Whimbrel, Curlew Sand and Ruff (Stuart McKee)

A Curlew Sandpiper a Ruff ,7 Little Egret ,8 Greenshank, 30 Golden Plover, 60 Lapwing and 2 Bar-tailed Godwit where in Killough. (Tim Murphy)

4 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Little Stint, 33 Little Egret, 4 Med Gull were at Lough Foyle today (M Tickner, B Robson). 2 Med Gull were at Portrush East Strand this evening. Also 11 Whimbrel at larne Lough yesterday. (Matthew Tickner)

Black-tailed Godwit - Christine Cassidy.

Bird News Wednesday 7th September

A Spotted Redshank was at Mill, Bay Rathlin possibly a 1st record for the island. (Colin Guy).

In Donegal a Baird's Sandpiper, 2 Little Stints and a Curlew Sandpiper were at Blanket Nook, Lough Swilly. (Birdguides).

Belfast Lough RSPB WOW reserve had 9 Roseate Terns, 3 Ruff and a Curlew Sandpiper. (Stuart McKee).

Thanks to Stephen Maxwell for the picture of the Curlew and to Wilf Swain for the picture of the Little Egrets.

Bird News Tuesday 6th September

The 18, perhaps 20, Roseate Terns were at RSPB WOW today. They were mainly adults but exact numbers hard to be sure of as there was a lot of coming and going. All birds appeared to be ringed; some with a ring on each leg. (Tom Ennis and Tony Dodds)

100+ Brent Geese were at Mountstewart this morning. (Derek Polley)

3 Ruff were at The Floodgates, Newtownards (Gerard McGeehan)

A Pectoral Sandpiper was calling in flight at the southwest corner of Lough Beg this evening, also three Ruff and a female Garganey there. An Osprey was at the Beg. Earlier in day, a Green Sand was calling in flight at Slaght near Ballymena. (David Steele)

Thanks to Linda Thompson for this pic of a Black-tailed Godwit from Sandy Bay, Larne:

Bird News Monday 5th September.

At least 9 Roseate Terns where still at the RSPB Belfast Harbour reserve,2 Curlew Sandpiper and 2 Ruff where also present. (Ian Graham)

Yesterday a White-tailed Eagle was seen at Lower Lough Erne and a Little Egret was seen to-day. (P Taylor& A Gallagher)

Brent Geese are well and truly back, a count of 1,200 birds where on Strangford Lough. (Dot Blakely)

Polish Med Gull

This Med Gull - Red PNU0 - was on the Whiteabbey Shoreline today (Sun 4th Sep). My only previous sighting was on the 19th December 2015 at the Belfast Waterworks. It was ringed as a chick on the 27th May 2012, in Wòjcice, Poland. (Gareth Platt):

Bird News Sunday 4th September

A Baird's Sandpiper, a Ruff, 5 Curlew Sandpipers and 2 Peregrine were at Myroe this morning, 2 Mediterranean Gulls were on the mudflats at the Roe end of Myroe. One of the Curlew Sandpipers had a yellow ring and flag , A12, on its left leg and a red ring and metal ring on its right leg. (Garry Armstrong/Gerard McGeehan) Video footage of the Bairds from Daniel Newton can be seen at: https://twitter.com/precipicenewton/status/772368502837641216
Two Little Stints were also at Myroe early this morning (Daniel Newton)

At least 12 Roseate Terns were still on the planks at RSPB Belfast Lough WOW Reserve this afternoon, 7 Ruff and 4 Curlew Sandpipers were also present. (Garry Armstrong).

A Black Tern and juvenile Yellow-legged Gull were at the Bann Estuary late morning. (Daniel Newton) A Little Stint was also there later on (Gerard McGeehan)

At Burial Island, ConDown were 3 Great sSua, 7 Red-throated Diver and 30 Puffin. A Kingfisher was at Orlock Point. (Richard Weyl)

The Kingfisher was seen again in Orangefield Park, Belfast (Patrick Coffey)

A Raven was on top of the spire of Westkirk Presbyterian Church on the Shankill Road at 10am this moring being mobbed by 2 Hooded Crows (George Stewart)

Below are a couple of distant pictures of the Bairds Sandpiper plus a picture of two of the Roseate Terns at the WOW reserve.

Bird News Saturday 3rd September

A minimum of seventeen Roseate Terns were at RSPB WOW reserve this morning, all on planks (Stuart McKee)

Thanks to Stephen Maxwell for the picture of a Snipe and to Stuart McKee for the pictures of some of the Roseate Terns:

 

 

Bird News Friday 2nd September

4 Curlew Sandpipers & 2 Ruff were at RSPB WOW reserve, Belfast (Richard Hunter)

A Red Kite was seen halfway between Dromore and Ballynahinch (Guy Hamilton)

An adult winter Roseate Tern with a metal ring on each leg & 4 wigeon were at RSPB WOW reserve (Stuart McKee)

Brigg's Rocks had two groups of Brent Geese 20 and 23 birds. A Kingfisher was along the shore, along with 2 Common Sandpipers and female Peregrine (Colin Guy)

Thanks to Tony Donaldson for this pic of a Black-tailed Godwit at the Quoile: