National Yellowthroat Day!

 Yes its the 18th September and birders all over Northern Ireland and thrashing the bushes looking for Common Yellowthroats! Here is a real bird a Little Stint.

He hasn't gone away you know!

Some say he is human! Some say he isn't? Records show that he was found on a rock in the Irish sea being raised by Gannets. So why is he so interested in Gulls? Obviously he can't tell the difference between close up and far away.
Judging by the photograph he lives in a black and white world and is still trying to fly.
If you see this poor deluded soul at the coast mumbling about third year Argentatus, Thayer's or juvenile Baltic Gull. Speak softly and tell him to talk the "Guru" and walk away slowly.

Long Billed Dowitcher

Some photos of the Long Billed Dowitcher from Dargan Bay on Saturday. Remarkably there are no "official" published records of Long Billed Dowitcher for County Antrim. But it has occurred before both at Dargan Bay and North Foreshore Lagoons. We published both of these records in the Rare Birds of Northern Ireland 2009-2018. Contact derek.charles@hotmail.com for a copy.

 

 

 

 

Rose Coloured Starling

The adult Rose Coloured Starling which has taken us residency in Dundrum has delighted all-comers. Well done to Sean Hennessey for finding the Starling and for his fantastic hospitality to visitors. Rosy Starling is a very rare visitor to Northern Ireland. Published records up to 2009 can be found on the Rare and Scarce Birds of Northern Ireland website:

 http://www.rareandscarcebirdsni.com/records/12passerstwo/pdfpasserstwo/Rose-colouredStarling.pdf

Records of Rosy Starling 2009-2018 can be found in the Rare Bird Report and a copy can be purchased by contacting derek.charles@hotmail.com

Northern Ireland rare bird records

 

The Northern Ireland Birds Records Committee website  https://nirbc.blogspot.com/

have accepted the following records for the years 2009-2017. These lists are current as of 18th June 2019.

 

Rare Bird Report of Northern Ireland 2009-2018

The Rare Bird Report of Northern Ireland for the period 2009-2018 is now available. Cost £15 per copy plus postage and package (£5 approx.).  Contact derek.charles@hotmail.com for more details

Rare and Scarce Birds of Northern Ireland

http://www.rareandscarcebirdsni.com/

Our new website is up and running. It features published records of Rare birds in the Province up to 2009, the last time there was a Rare Bird Report from the Northern Ireland Birdwatchers Association.
We will update the website as and when there are more published records of Rare Birds in the period 2009 to the present.
We also have Scarce Bird records from 2009 to 2018 and again will update as and when required.
With both sections we have included observers something that hasn't been done since the 1981 Northern Ireland Bird Report.
Derek and Andrew

 Meditterean Gull is not a rare bird now in Northern Ireland but it used to be! The first five published records are below:

One: Belfast Lough, County’s Down/Antrim, 1st September 1956. Ruttledge 1958.
One: Copeland Islands, County Down, 27th August 1958. Ruttledge 1959.
One: Kinnegar, Holywood, County Down, 6th September 1958. Ruttledge 1959.
One: Immature. Quoile Pondage NNR, Downpatrick, County Down, 27th February 1973. Preston 1973.
One: Immature. Portstewart, County Londonderry, 28th March to 14th April 1974. Preston 1976.

This first winter bird was at Greencastle, Lough Foyle on Sunday.