An ad. Med. Gull was at Sandy Bay, Larne Lough.(Adam McClure)
A female Great Spotted Woodpecker was at Belvoir Park Forest in Belfast - seen from the car park overlooking the meadows (Jeff Larkin).
The first Common Tern arrived back at RSPB Belfast Harbour Reserve today and was catching fish in the lagoon (Chris Sturgeon)
At Grangmore along the Bann Estuary this morning - 1 Swallow, 41 Black-tailed Godwit (most in breeding plumage), 9 Stonechat, 9 Snipe, 2 Tree Sparrow and also a possible movement of Skylark with 50/60 birds,another Swallow flew over Loughan, Coleraine this evening. (Richard Donaghey)
50 Redwing were at Monea in Fermanagh (Brad Robson)
A Woodcock was in a garden in Bangor this morning. It flew out of shrubbery, hit the kitchen window and flew off towards Balyholme! (James Hendry)
Along the Tyrone shore of Lough Neagh a female Long-tailed Duck was at Blackers Rock. A Chiffchaff was also in song (Godfrey McRoberts
Passing through CBO today were 1 Brambling, 1 Yellowhammer, 1Chiffchaff, 2 Wheatear, 8 Redwing, 60 Meadow Pipits, 1 Grey Wagtail, 3 Greenfinch, 10 Goldfinch, 2 Redpoll, 1 Siskin and 12 Goldcrest (Kerry Leonard)
A garden feeding station with 14 feeders (sunflower-hearts, peanuts and nyjer) in Ken Perry’s back garden on the Portstewart Road in Coleraine adjoining the university campus has been attracting Brambling in addition to Siskin, Blackcap, Lesser Redpoll, Bullfinch and Goldfinch daily since December. One female Brambling was caught in January and yesterday there were four males, one of which was caught in a mist-net and ringed under licence. A handsome bird although another stunning more elegant male with a completely black head sadly evaded capture.( You can see a picture of one of the Bramblings below)
Our thanks to Comghal McQuillan (top) and Ed O'Hara for the pictures of the Black-necked Grebe. Also to Fulton Sommerville for a pic of a Chiffchaff from the Newry Canal. Stephen Maxwell of the hovering Kestrel. You can see more pics at www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk
