Bird News Wednesday 30th November

Yesterday the Ring-necked Duck and 20 Whooper were at the Quoile. (Tony Donaldson).

A Chiffchaff was along the Newry Canal south of Scarva this morning, the Kingfisher was still present. (Frank Carroll).

Thanks to Tony Donaldson for the pictures of the Goldcrest and the Buzzard.

Bird News Tuesday 29th November

Maybe 2 Great White Egrets on Lower Lough Erne, one at west end and 1 at Inishmakill/Glenross Bay.(Brad Robson)

A Waxwing was at Kearney, Co Down (Dave Allen)

Another Waxwing was in a garden in Eglinton today (Jonny W)

A Ruff, 2 Little Egret, 40 Knot  and10 Bar-tail Godwits were at Whitehouse (Gerard McGeehan)

Yesterday 7 Sandwich Tern were at Portaferry (John Wilson Foster)

A Little Egret was in Orangefield Park, Belfast this morning (Rhona Galway)

A walk along the Scarva towpath to-day produced a Kingfisher a Water Rail and lots of Redwing.(Karen Elliott)

Slightly further afield... A male Smew and a Ruff where at Inch Lake Co. Donegal and 12 Long-tailed Duck all of which seem to be female type seen at Mill Bay off Inch Island. (David/Phillip McHaffie)

At Murvagh, Rossnowlagh, a drake Surf Scoter was with 1700 Common Scoter (Ralph Shepperd)

For those following the A6 Toome Road issues, an appeal is to be heard into it.

Mediterranean Gull -Garteth  Platt.

Bird News Monday 28th November

Two Chiffchaffs were feeding together at the Discovery Centre at Oxford Island. One of them is a clear ssp. collybitta but the other paler one is a Siberian Chiffchaff, ssp. tristis. A video recording which includes the call - can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDEojnSkEcU  (James O'Neill)

88 Whooper Swans and two Mute Swans were at the Billy Neil Playing Fields outside comber (Stephen Maxwell and Harry Byron)

A flock of 14 Snow Buntings seen this afternoon at Skerry Hill near the Altnahinch Road, Antrim Plateau. (David Steele)

Two Little Egret were on Lower Lough Erne (Brad Robson)

A second winter Mediterranean Gull was at Glenarm (Gareth Platt)

Thanks to James for this picture of the Siberian Chiffchaff and Stephen Maxwell for the Whoopers:

Bird News Sunday 27th November

Two Chiffchaffs were at Oxford Island this morning, one pale bird resembling a Siberian Chiffchaff. But pictures confirmed that it was not Siberian but a pale Common Chiffchaff. See pictures below.  (Garry Armstrong).

The Water Pipit was looked for at the gasworks but without success (Daniel Newton et al)

Three Sandwich Tern and four Carrion Crows were at Ballyholme, Bangor (Wilton Farrelly)

The two Velvet Scoters and two Long-tailed Duck were off Glynn (Gerard McGeehan / Shirley Dunlop)

On the east side of Strangford Lough the Spoonbill was south of Anne’s Point and at Marlfield there were 5 Sandwich Tern (Richard Weyl)

There Sandwich Tern were also seen at Portaferry (Richard Weyl / John Wilson Foster).

There are now five Goosanders (an adult male and four females) along the River Main at Slaght near Ballymena. (David Steele).

Pale Common Chiffchaff at Oxford Island:

 

Bird News Saturday 26th November

A Water Pipit was on the  shore near the Gasworks outside Newtownards. (Julian Greenwood).

The two Velvet Scoter were still off Glyn Station, Larne Lough (Neal Warnock)

The Long-tailed Duck was still off Kinnegar (Daniel Newton)

5 Long-tail Ducks were off Fishermans Quay, Carrickfergus. Another 3 were off Greenisland (Gerard McGeehan).

An albino Jackdaw was in Magherafelt this afternoon. (Gary Cunningham).

A female Merlin was just north of Ardglass.(James O'Neill)

Bird News Friday 25th November

A Green Sandpiper was near the yacht club on the Quoile yesterday around midday. (Julian Greenwood)

A Red Kite flew over the A1 at Banbridge.(Karen Elliott)

Slightly further afield..Innishowen Co.Donegal had 345 Barnacle Geese, 5 Pink-footed Geese, 3 Little Egrets,4 Great Northern Divers beyond village. There was 450 Barnacles at Malin Head, 12 Red-throated Divers and 14 Twite at Ballyliffin.(Richard Gray)

60 Slavonian Grebe, 5 Long-tailed Duck and a Common Scoter were between Ballykelly and Myroe, Lough Foyle this afternoon in flat calm conditions. (Matthew Tickner).

Tyrella beach this afternoon had: Dunlin 24, Sanderling 31, Golden plover +80, Ringed Plover 13, Curlew 3, Black-tailed Godwit 1, Oystercatcher 15, Little Egret 1, Merganser 4, Red-throated Diver 1, Shag 1, Cormorant 1, Black-headed Gull +70, Common Gull 10, Twite 2, Goldfinch 2, Greenfinch 1, Stonechat 1, Pied wagtail 2. (Toni Costello).

45+ Whooper Swans were in a field alongside the Comber - Ards dual carriageway. (Derek Polley).

 

Bird News Thursday 24th November

The Great White Egret, a Little Egret and a late Common Sandpiper were at Lower Lough Erne Islands RSPB reserve in Co. Fermanagh. (Amy Burns & Fionnbarr Cross).

The two juvenile/female Velvet Scoters were still off Macedon Point in Belfast Lough. (Stuart McKee).

The Ring-necked Duck was still at the Quoile. (Joe Devlin).
 
A Little Egret was on the small steam that runs under Castle Street in Comber this morning. (Chris Shaw).

Thanks to Rod Gillan for the pictures of the Golden Plover and the Stonechat.

Bird News Wednesday 23rd November

The Spoonbill was beside Rough Island, Strangford Lough, viewed from Island Hill car park at 2:45pm (Robin Vage)

An adult Mediterranean Gull was at Mill Quarter Bay in Co Down today (David Nixon)

The Drake Ring-necked Duck was present at Lough Mourne today. Observers (Ray Bennett, Carol Gillespie, Nigel Moore and Tom Ennis)

A Merlin and ten Little Egret were at Myroe along with excellent numbers of wildfowl (Sean Hickey)

The Marsh Harrier was showing at Portmore Lough RSPB Reserve this morning (Ronald Surgenor)

Remember that you can share rare / scarce bird news by email: nibirds@live.co.uk  Thanks to all observers for their sightings. 

Bird News Tuesday 22nd November

A pair of Goosanders (male and female) were along the River Main at Slaght, near Ballymena this morning. (David Steele).

A drake Ring-necked Duck and three Scaup were among 11 species of duck at the Quoile this morning. Also three Whoopers (1 juv), Little Egret, adult Mediterranean Gull (with red ring) and a partially leucistic Lapwing. In Killough Harbour there was a Peregrine and an impressive murmuration of Starlings. (Chris and Tim Murphy).

A Brambling was at Islandmagee and a White-fronted Goose was at Steele's Point in Larne Lough, see pictures below. (Cameron Moore).

Thanks to Cameron for the pictures of the Brambling and the White-fronted Goose.

 

Bird News Monday 21st November

A Brambling was seen along the coast at Larne (Jason Bain)

A first-winter Iceland Gull was at the Waterworks Park, Belfast. (David Knight)

There is a report that a Lesser Scaup was shot on Lough Neagh on the 10th September (Kris Gibb / John Edwards)

Thanks to Jason for a pic of the Brambling:

 

Bird News Sunday 20th November

2 Velvet Scoter off Glynn station, also 48 Whooper and a Long Tailed Duck. (Garry Armstrong / Philip West) Two Goosander were also seen (Neal Warnock)

A Snow Bunting was on the beach at White Park Bay, Co Antrim (Wilton Farrelly)

An American Wigeon has been reported at Dundrum Bay, Co Down (Birdguides)

At Greyabbey Bay were 5 Slavonian grebe and a Black-throated Diver. At Horse Island there was a Whimbrel. On 13th 7 Sandwich Tern were south of Millisle‎ and another 3 south of Burial Island. (Richard Weyl)

A first winter Greenland White-fronted Goose was at Larne Lough  (Cameron Moore)

132 Pintail were 300m south of the Maltibgs at Strangford Lough. A Merlin was also at Kearney (John Moore) 

Thanks to our photographers today:

Cameron Moore, Greenland White-fronted Goose:

John Moore, Merlin:

Stephen Maxwell, Mediterranean Gull:

You can see more local bird photographs at: www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk
 

Bird News Saturday 19th November

No news so far today.

Bird News Friday 18th November.

2 Snow Buntings and 9 Raven (feeding on a sheep carcass) were at Carntogher Mountain, Co Londonderry (David Morrow).

Whooper Swans - Jason Bain.

Irish Brent Goose Research Group Video

There is a superb video on the movements and ecology of our wintering Brent Geese, from the Irish Brent Goose Research Group, WWT and the University of Exeter at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc_LqLPKRu4

More Bird Pics

Remember you can see more pictures of local birds at: http://nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk/

Contributions from everyone are welcome.

Bird News Thursday 17th November

4 Whooper Swans, a Little Egret and 2 Fieldfare were at the Quoile Pondage this morning. (Spencer & Joan Marshall).

An adult Little Gull was in Larne harbour. (Neal Warnock)

The Cattle Egret was in Malin Town, Donegal yesterday (Birdguides)

This morning, RSPB WOW had a Raven, a Peregrine and a high count of 40+ Bar-tailed Godwit (Derek Polley)

A Merlin was seen in Markethill, Co Armagh, this morning (John Anderson)

A Merlin and a Starling flock of circa 5000 were at Strand Lough, Killough, Co Down (Chris Murphy)

Thanks to Cameron Moore for this pic of the Larne Little Gull and Thomas Campbell for the Marsh Harrier (recently at the Quoile):

Lough Beg

If you would like to learn more about the threats to Lough Beg and the campaign to change the route of the road please see:

https://www.change.org/p/save-the-seamus-heaney-landscape-s…
and
https://www.facebook.com/LoughBegForLife/

To obtain further information you can contact Chris Murphy at wildlife@murphys.dnet.co.uk 

Bird News Wednesday 16th November

Late news for yesterday was that 19 Purple Sandpipers were at Ramore Head (Gilly Irwin).

The Marsh Harrier was mobbing a Buzzard this evening at Portmore Lough RSPB Reserve. Also present was a Peregrine, Kestrel and a Sparrowhawk, and 3 Pintail on the Lough. (James O'Neill)

Three Pink-footed Geese were at the Quoie (Dot Blakely

Thanks to Dessie Loughrey for this pic of a Razorbill from the summer:

Bird News Tuesday 15th November

The Ring-necked Duck was still at Lough Mourne near Carrickfergus, a Brambling was in Whitehead and 2 Long-tailed Ducks were in Larne Lough, see pictures below. (Cameron Moore).

Two Water Rails were fighting below the hide at the Quoile. (Gary Wilkinson).

A Red-throated Diver was in Ballyholme Bay. (Derek Polley).

A winter plumaged Mediterranean Gull was in front of the Slieve Donard Hotel in Newcastle, see picture below. (Dougie Gamble).

Thanks to Cameron Moore for the pictures of the Ring-necked Duck and the Brambling and to Dougie Gamble for the picture of the Mediterranean Gull.

 

 

Bird News Monday 14th November.

The Marsh Harrier was still at Portmore Lough RSPB Reserve this afternoon (Laura Smith)

5 Long-tailed Ducks were off Seapark, Greenisland (Gerard McGeehan)

Thanks to Thomas Campbell for this pic of a Greenshank:

Greenshank - Thomas Campbell.