The Cattle Egret was back at Hillsborough Park Lake. It was on the left hand side of the island coming up from the main car park. In a garden at Agnaleck outside Hillsborough this morning were 1 male Blackcap, 1 female Brambling, 31 Sisken, 38 Lesser Redpoll and 17 Tree Sparrows. Everything bar the Blackcap have been present all winter and now three pairs of Tree Sparrows are investigating nest boxes .This is the the first time in nearly twenty years. (Garry Wilkinson).
Three Waxwings were sitting in trees at Forestside Shopping Centre in Belfast at 7.45 this morning. (Chris Shaw).
A Cuckoo was at Leeke Valley near Bushmills this morning. (Kerry Leonard).
2 male and a female Blackcap were present at Oxford Island. (Jim Crozier).
20 - 30 Swallows were along the river path at Cullybackey today. (Mervyn Campbell).
2 Longtail Tits and a male Blackcap were in a garden in Gilnahirk, Belfast this lunch time. (Fulton Somerville).
At Killard today were seven Sandwich Terns, 1 Common Tern, 6 Purple Sandpiper, 3 Goldcrest, good numbers of Redshank, Turnstones, Brent Geese, Sand Martins and one Otter At Castle Island Hide at the Quoile were 2 House Martins and 20+ Swallows. (Craig Nash).
There were about 200 Golden Plover at Ringnaree Point, just west of Portrush. (Robert Scott).
Along the Londonderry shore of Lough Neagh a Greenshank was on the beach at Ballyronan before flying off south (David Morrow).
A Wheatear was in flight over waste ground at Lidl's in Craigavon (Stephen Foster).
Thanks to todays photographers, to James Crozier for the first Willow Warbler picture, to Stephen Maxwell for the second Willow Warbler picture and the Kestrel picture, to Noel Autin for the third Willow Warbler picture of the day, to Adam Middleton for the Swallow picture and to Craig Nash for the picture of the Otter from Killard. You can see more NI bird pictures at www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk
