Bird News Wednesday 24th April

 The Osprey is still at Woodburn reservoir outside Carrickfergus, a Common Sandpiper was also present. (Aaron Long). The Osprey was still present this afternoon. (Ricky McQuillan).

9 Pinkfeet were at Glynn in Larne Lough. (Paula Campbell).

A Glaucous Gull was at Portballintrae. (Stephen Riddell).

30 Whimbrel were at Rossglass near Killough. A male and 2 female Wheatear were at St John's Point. (David Clarke).

A Cuckoo was calling at Davagh Forest, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone this morning. 2 Wheatear and Sand Martins in disused gravel pits along the Slaght Road, Lough Fea. (Godfrey McRoberts).

About 100 Whimbrel were at Killard, also a Wheatear. A Dark-bellied Brent was at Millquarter Bay,
(Graham McElwaine).

Whimbrel, David Clarke.

Wheatear, David Clarke.



Bird News Tuesday 23rd April

 A Cuckoo and Grasshopper Warbler were calling along Doon Road in Co. Fermanagh. (Paul Reed).

An Osprey is at Woodburn Upper Reservoir outside Carrickfergus. (Daniel Newton).

At least one of the Spotted Redshanks is still on the tidal pools at Castle Espie. (Dave Weir).

10 Whimbrel and a Mediterranean Gull were at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve. (Stuart McKee).

A Jack Snipe was at Slieve Gallion west. (Adam McClure).

A Whimbrel and 3 Purple Sandpipers were on Rathlin today. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson)

Two adult-summer Little Gulls were at Lough Beg this evening, with the Black-headed Gulls in the western meadows (yesterday’s bird was out over the main lake and probably a different individual). Also 100+ White Wagtails still in the area. (David Steele).

Spotted Redshank, Dave Weir.



Osprey, Kevin Kirkham.


Osprey, Daniel Newton


Osprey, Garry Wilkinson.



Bird News Monday 22nd April

 An immature White-tailed Eagle was seen over Middletown, Co Armagh. The bird had a red tag on the right wing and either a yellow or green tag on the left wing so probably the bird seen at Oxford Island on Saturday. (Ben McGuinness).

Single Whimbrel and Grasshopper Warbler were at the Bann Estuary. (Martin Deehan).

There was no sign of the Avocet at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve this morning.

2 Spotted Redshank, in near full summer plumage, were on the tidal pools at Castle Espie. They flew off to the lough shore, where the stream flows in and were feeding on the edge of a flock of Bar-tailed Godwit. (Dave Weir).

A mixed flock of eighty Whimbrel and Black-tailed Godwits were in the field next to Culmore Country park near Derry. (David Hill).

26 Whimbrel and 2 Whoopers were at the Bann Estuary this afternoon. (John Clarke).

A male flavissima Yellow Wagtail is among a flock of 50+ White Wagtails on Rathlin. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson)

A single Ruff and 28 Brent were at Ballyreagh high tide. (Garry Wilkinson).

An adult female Marsh Harrier, 20 Whimbrel and 6 Swifts were at Portmore Lough RSPB. (Peter Phillips).

A male Great Spotted Woodpecker and 3 Swifts were at Oxford Island. (Robert McDowell).

An adult-summer Little Gull was at Lough Beg this evening, also 120 Whimbrel, four Pink-feet, and 100+ White Wagtails (David Steele).

There is an unconfirmed report of a Corncrake on private farmland near Rosslea, Co. Fermanagh. (Colin Bell).

White-tailed Eagle, Ben McGuinness.


Avocet, David McCreedy.



Blackcap, Leia Giesel.

Whimbrel & Black-tailed Godwits, David Hill.




Bird News Sunday 21st April

A Cuckoo was at Killunaght. (Marian O'Hara).

Another Cuckoo was at Murlough. (Daniel Newton).

Three Cuckoos were also at Altikeeragh this morning. (Stephen Riddell).

One or possibly two male Ring Ousels, three Grasshopper Warblers and three Tree Sparrows were on Rathlin. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

Swifts were seen this morning over Hilden near Lisburn, Gortgonis, Coalisland and Springhill House Moneymore. (Leia Giesel, Ciara Laverty, John Spratt).

An Avocet is at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve. (Holly Marshall, Shirley Dunlop, Gerard McGeehan).

Four Whimbrels were to the right of hide 2 at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve. (Steven Farquhar).

Avocet, Michael Latham.



Whimbrel, David Hunter.



Bird News Saturday 20th April

A Whimbrel, Sedge Warblers and Common Sandpiper were at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve. (Daniel Newton).

Reed and Sedge Warblers are back singing in the reed bed at Oxford Island. 24 Whimbrel were at Todd's Corner and another 10 Whimbrel to the east of Emerson's sand quay at Ardmore. (Garry Armstrong).

There were apparently two immature White-tailed Eagles on the south shore of Lough Neagh this morning. An untagged bird was at Reedy Flats before flying off south west. A bird with a red tag was at Oxford Island being mobbed by gulls and flying off. (Michael Latham, Stephen Riddell).

An Arctic Skua was at Magilligan. (John Clarke).

54 Whimbrel were at the Bann estuary near the Barmouth. (Tim Davis)

White-tailed Eagle, Michael Latham.


Whimbrel, John Fraser.


Sand Martin, Juliet Fleming.



Bird News Friday 19th April

 There were 10 Whimbrel on the Castlerock side of the Barmouth this morning. (Stephen Riddell).

22 Whimbrel were on rocks opposite Dunseverick harbour. (Juliet Fleming).

A Common Sandpiper was on Kinnegar pool. (Stuart Cossey).

A Little Gull was at Ballymacormick Point. (James Andrew).

An Osprey was at Lough Beg this evening, also 150 White Wagtails, seven Whimbrel and a Pale-bellied Brent Goose. (David Steele).

A pair of Mediterranean Gulls and 50 Black-tailed Godwits were at the Quoile, 820 Black-tailed Godwits and a summer plumaged Ruff were at Tullyratty Great Dam, Castleward. A Great Northern, 2 Red Throated Divers and 16 Whimbrel passed St John's Point in a short sea watch. 3 Dark-bellied and 2 possible adult Grey-bellied Brent were with 1300 Brent in Killough harbour, 1100 Golden Plover and 2 Whimbrel were also present. (Chris Murphy)

Whimbrel, Stephen Riddell.


White Wagtail, Stephen Riddell.



Bird News Thursday 18th April

 A 2nd calendar year Marsh Harrier, a different bird to the one present last week, was on Rathlin this morning. Three Common Sandpipers were also present and yesterday two Whimbrel were on the island. (Ric Else & Hazel Watson).

The Iceland Gull is still at Portballintrae this morning. (Stephen Riddell).

Killough harbour today had three Dark-bellied Brent among fifteen hundred Brent, also present were three Whimbrel and three hundred Golden Plover. (Chris Murphy).

A single Common Sandpiper was at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve. (Derek Polley).

There are three seats available for the boat trip to Islay on Saturday 20th April. This trip will visit the Oa RSPB reserve to look for eagles, Chough and Hen Harriers.

Please contact Jim Wells on 07856235144 for details.

Iceland Gull, Stephen Riddell.



Bird News Wednesday 17th April

 Two Common Sandpipers were at Belfast Lough RSPB WoW reserve. (Gerard McGeehan, Shirley Dunlop).

A probable hybrid Carrion x Hooded Crow was at Dunseverick harbour. (John Spottiswood).

Little Egret, Richard Caves.



Bird News Tuesday 16th April

A few Whimbrel along the North Coast (John Clarke).

Jack Snipe at Dunnaree Hill, near Drumquin, Co Tyrone (Clive Mellon).

Green-winged Teal north of Church Island, Lough Beg at 1740 (Dean Jones).

3 Whimbrels in Dundrum South Inner Bay, also 2 Dark-bellied Brent Geese there with 350+ Pale-bellied Brent Geese (David Nixon).

A Cuckoo was singing at Peatlands Park this afternoon (Brian Nelson).

Two Red-throated Divers, one in summer plumage, and a Common Scoter were at Magilligan Point. (Raymond Fulton).

Whimbrel, John Clarke:



Bird News Monday 15th April

Late news from yesterday of 20 Twite at Myroe (John Spratt).

Seawatch in strong NWesterlies off Bloody Foreland produced 2 Leach’s Petrels, single Great and Arctic Skuas and 2 Whimbrel (Stephen Foster).

Twite, John Spratt:


Long-tailed Duck, John Spratt:





Bird News Sunday 14th April

The 2 Long-tailed Ducks remain on the pond at Myroe (Martin Deehan).

2 Grey Plover at the Roe Estuary (Martin Deehan).

2 Great Skuas off Rathlin (Viv Biazzo). 3 high over Keble, Rathlin this,owning (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

5 Puffins and a Whimbrel past St John’s Point this morning (Chris Murphy).

70+ White Wagtails and 2 Pink-footed Geese at Lough Beg this morning (David Steele).

There is one seat available on the boat trip from Ballycastle to Jura on 24th April. Contact Jim Wells on 07856235144 for full details.

Great Skua, Viv Biazzo:



Bird News Saturday 13th April

Grasshopper Warbler in scrub off Heron Road close to airport, also Whimbrel and Common Sandpiper around Belfast Harbour, latter D3 (Stuart Cossey).

Grasshopper Warbler at Portballintrae this morning (Stephen Riddell).

Dark-bellied Brent Goose Killough Harbour (Chris Murphy).

Yesterdays’s Tyrella White-tailed Eagle also seen yesterday at 1030 c3 miles N of Killough (Joanie Stevenson).

Hybrid Ring-billed Gull was still at Millisle Friday (George Gordon).

35 White Wagtail at the Mullagh, Lough Beg this morning (Richard Hunter).

Common Tern from Croaghan hide, Oxford Island NNR (Garry Armstrong).

5 Whimbrel with Black-tailed Godwits at Todd’s Corner, Ardmore (Garry Armstrong).

Black-throated Diver past Shernaghan Point, Co Antrim (Ade Fox).

A White-tailed Eagle between Downhill Demesne and Castlerock at 1230 (Alan Johnston).

Common Whitethroat singing at University of Coleraine (John Clarke).

Whimbrel and 3 White Wagtailat Bann Estuary this evening (Martin Deehan).

Mediterranean Gull at Belfast lough RSPB WoW Reserve (Rachel McIlroy).

3 Mediterranean Gulls on the island at Strangford Ferry (Derek Polley).

Whimbrel, Common Sandpiper and 7+ White Wagtails on Rathlin today (Ric Else / Hazel Watson).

Mediterranean Gull, Rachel McIlroy: