Bird News Sunday 9th October

The Red-flanked Bluetail was showing 30m north of gates of house in Kelly Wood, St Johns Point at 8:20 (Brian Porter). The bird was still present up to circa 12 in the same area. However the bird was not seen in the afternoon despite extensive searching.

The north east shore of Lough Macnean, Co Fermanagh had a Common Crane and a fem/imm  Marsh Harrier. Please do not enter any farm lanes and only view from the main road (per Brad Robson)

The Red-breasted Flycatcher was seen again at Kearney, Co Down. It was favouring the trees and gardens around the toilet block (Billy Miskelly)

The Spoonbill was still at Ballykelly (David Hill)

Redwings are widely reported and can be heard at night, on migration.

Thanks to Gerard Murray for the two top pics of the Red-flanked Bluetail also Ian Graham for the third pic and Brad Robson for the record shot of the Crane:

 

 

 

It is not often that there is a twitch in NI!

 

Red-flanked Bluetail

A Red-flanked Bluetail, a first record in NI, was in Kelly's Wood (directly 1 km north of the lighthouse), St John's Point. It was showing well, feeding in Sycamores on the south side of the lane, 50m NE of the black gates to St John's House.  It was still present at dusk and appears to be a 1st winter male. (Tim Murphy)

Bird News Saturday 8th October

A Yellow-Browed Warbler and two Chiffchaff were in the garden beside the toilets at Kearney, Co Down (Billy Miskelly)

A Red-breasted Flycatcher was at the sycamore wood Kearney (Stuart McKee)

The Lapland Bunting was still circa 1 mile north of Ballywalter, on the beach (Stuart McKee)

A count of 27 Little Egret were at the Floodgates / north end of Strangford Lough. A second winter Med Gull was at the Floodgates (Wilton Farrelly)

3 Curlew Sandpipers were at Blanketnook, Co Donegal (Brad Robson)

The Spoonbill was still at Ballykelly this afternoon (Birdguides)

Thanks to Erin Galbraith for this pic of a Wheatear on Copeland:

Lapland Bunting, Wilton Farrelly:

Bird News Friday 7th October.

A Spoonbill was at Ballykelly Co.L'derry (Brian Hegarty) see pic below.

As well as the Spoonbill at Ballykelly, Lough Foyle had 10 Pink-footed Geese, 1 Ruff, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Med. Gull, 32 Little Egret.(Gareth Bareham/Matthew Tickner)

A male Long-tailed Duck was off the hide at the Bann.(Brian Hegarty)

The Lapland Bunting was still present yesterday at Ballywalter.(Garry Wilkinson) see pic below.

St. John's Point Co.Down had...1000 Linnet, 200 Skylark and 10 Swallow were at St John's Point. Seawatching produced 3 Manx Shearwater, a Red-throated Diver, a juvenile and an adult Common Tern.(Tim Murphy)

The winter-plumage Common Tern was still at Lough Beg today. A Jack Snipe and 20 Ruff were at Mullagh. (David Steele)

Bird News Thursday 6th October

The Snow Bunting was still at Ramore Head. (Matthew Tickner)

Two Pink-footed Geese were at Larne Lough. (Cameron Moore).

A Red Kite was over the Downpatrick Road about a quarter of a mile from Clough in Co. Down. (Wilf Swain).

Belfast Lough RSPB WOW reserve this morning on a rising tide had 3 Curlew Sandpipers, 680 Black-tailed Godwits, 15 Bar-tailed Godwits, 100+ Knot, 280 Teal, a Raven and a female Sparrowhawk. (Derek Polley).

A Yellow-browed Warbler was on Tory Island, Donegal. (Birdguides).

Today at Myroe, there were large numbers of Curlew, Golden Plover, 2 Wheatear, 1 Buzzard and a female Sparrowhawk, at Magilligan Point there were 10 Bar Tailed Godwits and 12 Common Scoters and near a farm on the Crannagh Road, Coleraine were about 10/12 Swallows. (Sean Hickey)

Inch Lake in Donegal had 12 Pink-footed Geese, 45 Whooper Swans, 1 Ruff and 1 Kingfisher; and at Blanket Nook 14 Grey Plover (Hill Dick/Peter Robinson).

Thanks to Cameron for the pic of the Pink-footed Geese, to Christine Cassidy for the picture of the Golden Plover, to David Hill for the pictures of the Wheatears and the Meadow Pipit and to Wilf Swain for the picture of the Little Egret:

Bird News Wednesday 5th October

A Snow Bunting was at Ramore Head this morning. (Matthew Tickner)

3 Curlew Sandpipers were at RSPB Belfast WOW Reserve (Robin Vage)

A late Common Tern (an adult in winter plumage) was over Lough Beg this afternoon. Six Pink-footed Geese at Mullagh (David Steele)

Thanks to Wilf Swain for this pic of a Buzzard:

 

Bird News Tuesday 4th October

A Lapland Bunting was seen on the beach north of Ballywalter yesterday afternoon (Marty McClenaghan)

Two Buzzard where seen at Maze, nr Lisburn.(Paul Allen)

On Sunday, an adult Mediterranean Gull was at Glenarm (Pauline Majury)

Thanks to Marty for this pic of the Lapland Bunting and Pauline for the Med Gull:

 

 

BTO Northern Ireland Birdwatchers Conference

The annual BTO NI conference is on Saturday 5th November at Oxford Island. You can see further information and book this event at:

https://www.bto.org/news-events/events/2016-11/northern-ireland-birdwatchers-conference

Simon King In Northern Ireland

Simon King’s passion for the natural world is well known to television viewers worldwide through his work as a presenter and award-winning cameraman. He has been instrumental in some of the best known award-winning natural history television of recent years, including presenting BBC’s Springwatch, Big Cat Diary, Planet Earth, Blue Planet and the Life series plus more recently African Cats for Disney.

For the first time, Simon’s profound knowledge of the techniques and tricks needed to find and watch our most beautiful and elusive animals, is presented in this beautiful reference book, Simon King’s NatureWatch, the ultimate guide to tracking and watching wildlife in Britain and Europe fully illustrated with Simon’s own stunning photography. Hear Simon talk on his work as a nature conservationist, his career as a wildlife broadcaster, photographer & cinematographer and get the chance to purchase a copy of Nature Watch for yourself.

http://www.roevalleyarts.com/rv_events/steinbeck-celebration-naturewatch-with-simon-king/

Bird News Monday 3rd October

An immature White-tailed Eagle was at Boa Island Fermanagh this morning (Peter Taylor / Andrew Gallagher).

Four Grey Plover were at Ballykelly Bank in Lough Foyle, see picture below. (David Hill).

On Rathlin 4 Pink-footed Geese in company of one Greylag were in a field beside Ushet Lough and 
a Chough was at Roonyvoolin cliff walk. (Patrick Barton).

A Curlew Sandpiper was at Belfast Lough RSPB WOW reserve. (Stuart McKee).

Five Crossbills flew over a garden in Fivemiletown today. (Colin Bell).

Thanks to David Hill for the pictures of the Grey Plover and the ringed Brent Goose and to Patrick Barton for the picture of the Chough.

Bird News Sunday 2nd October

A Slavonian Grebe was in Greyabbey Bay, a whimbrel at Ballyquintin Point and a chiffchaff at Kearney. (Richard Weyl)

Thanks to Wilf Swain for this pic of a Goldfinch:

 

Bird News Saturday 1st October

A Great White Egret was at Lough Beg today. Two Pink-footed Geese, a Wheatear and two Chiffchaffs at Mullagh (David Steele)

Jay - Jane McLaughlin

Bird News Friday 30th September

The Ring-billed Gull was still at the Round O in Enniskillen. (Brad Robson).

A Ramore Head sea watch (10:00-10:45) produced 67 Kittiwake, 3 Red-throated Diver, a single Manx Shearwater and 13 Whooper Swan. Also present were 8 Purple Sandpiper, a single Sanderling and a lone Wheatear. (Dean Jones).

2 Curlew Sandpipers were at Ballykelly Bank in Lough Foyle this morning. (David Hill).

Thanks to David Hill for the picture of the Curlew Sandpiper with Ringed Plover and to Wilf Swain for the picture of the Turnstones.

 

 

Bird News Thursday 29th September

The adult Little Stint, a Peregrine, Sparrowhawk. 2 Ruff and 2 Sandwich Tern, 70 Knot and 12 Common Tern were at RSPB Belfast WOW (Stephen Maxwell / Derek Polley)

A single Bonxie, 5 Red throated Diver and a lone Wheatear were present at Ramore Head Portrush at 09:30 this morning. (Dean Woodfin Jones)

Along the north coast Bengore Head (Bengore Head is to the east of Giant's Causeway near Dunseverick), over 6 hours had 2 juvenile Sabine's Gull, 13 Great Skua, 4 Arctic Skua and a Grey Phalarope (Stephen Foster)

Two Whooper Swans flew over Coleraine this morning (John Clarke)

Thanks to Frank Murphy for this pic of a male Sparrowhawk and to Robin Vage for the Pink-footed Goose that was at Islandhill on Tuesday:

 

 

Bird News Wednesday 28th September

The adult Little Stint and one Curlew Sandpiper were at RSPB WOW Belfast. (Gerard McGeehan).

This morning 2 Long-eared Owls were at the Upper Ballynahinch Road end of Windmill Road, Annahilt, sitting on fence posts 100 metres apart approx 500 yards up the road. (Garry Wilkinson).

An adult winter Mediterranean Gull, 2 Little Egret and 650 Black-tailed Godwit where at Whitehouse Lagoon. 4 Arctic Tern, 50 Common Tern and 34 Sandwich Tern where at Kinnegar Shore.(Tim Murphy).

A Kingfisher was at Mersey Street Bridge, east Belfast (Harry Byron)

Bird News Tuesday 27th September

An adult Little Stint was at RSPB Belfast WOW. A Pink-footed Goose was at Island Hill for 10 mins (Robin Vage)

On Monday a Gannet was in flight over J7 of the M1 (Sprucefield) and 2 Wheatear at Kearney (Stephen Foster)

Thanks to Robin for this pic of the Little Stint which is extremely well marked:

 

Bird News Monday 26th September

The report of 2 White-rumped Sandpipers was a case of mistaken identification.

5 Curlew Sandpipers are at Belfast Lough RSPB WOW reserve (Tony Dodds).

2 Med Gull were at Portrush East Strand. 6 Wheatear and 2 Common Scoter were seen at Ramore Head, portrush. (Matthew Tickner)

Bird News Sunday 25th September

A Pectoral Sandpiper was at Balls Point, Lough Foyle (Garry Armstrong). Possibly the same bird was seen later at Myroe. Also at Myroe were 4 Curlew Sandpipers, Two Little Stint and a Merlin (Gerard McGeehan, Shirley Dunlop, Carol Gillespie, Daniel Newton)

An Osprey was at Downhill (Jeff Larkin) and seen later at Magilligan Point (Petr Sramek and Petr Suvorov)

Five Pink-footed Geese were in a stubble field on the way out to Magilligan Point. (Wilton Farrelly)

Four adult Med Gulls were at Ballykelly (Philip West)

A Ruff was at Kirkiston, Co Down (Richard Weyl)

At least 30 Little Egrets were at Dundrum Inner Bay, Co Down (John Moore)

The Bairds Sandpiper was searched for at RSPB WOW Belfast but not seen.

Thanks to Nigel Moore for this pic of a Little Stint at Myroe. You can see more local bird pics at http://nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk/ 

Bird News Saturday 24th September

The Bairds Sandpiper was still at RSPB WOW, this morning, in front of the Observation Room. (Dennis Weir / Garry Armstrong) A Curlew Sandpiper and a Ruff were also present.

An adult Med Gull and 2 Curlew Sandpiper were at the Bann estuary. (Matthew Tickner)

There was no sign of the Bairds at RSPB WOW Belfast from twelve to three. Four juv Common Terns, a juv Arctic Tern and two Curlew Sands were present (Stuart McKee)

Thanks to Cameron Moore for the picture of a Peregrine and to Linda Thompson for the picture of the Curlew Sandpiper.

 

 

Bird News Friday 23rd September

A juvenile Bairds Sandpiper is at RSPB WOW, Belfast (Neal Warnock). The bird was still showing at 6:30pm (in the north east corner). Up to two Curlew Sandpipers were also present.

Lough Beg today had a high count of 28 Little Egrets, also an arrival of Ruff with 26 seen including 17 juveniles on the fields at Mullagh. (David Steele)

A single Ruff was at Dundrum South Inner Bay today. (David Nixon)

Myroe had the Buff-breasted Sandpiper, 3 Little Stints, a Curlew Sandpiper, a Pectoral Sandpiper, a Bairds Sandpiper, and two Peregrines. (Garry Wilkinson / Nigel Moore)

Thanks to David Hill for this pic of a Little Stint and Dunlin at Myroe today:

Pectoral Sandpiper, Nigel Moore: