The cast of 2024. I undertook the annual Grey Seal pup count Copeland Bird Observatory & we have 50 pups, with 5 more that didn't make it. There were 13 more visible on Mew Island, and 20 on a small section of Big Copeland. There are likely to be in excess of 100 across the island group

Another fantastic trip to Copeland Bird Observatory at the weekend with 2 star birds in the hand - Little Egret & Buzzard. Extremely windy on Saturday but much more pleasant today with a fall of 111 redpolls ringed. Zero warblers on the island but a Snow Bunting was an island 1st for me

A short visit along the Causeway Coast this morning produced 17 new birds and 4 recaptures. There had been an arrival of Blackbirds & Chiffchaff were audible early doors, with 4 and 3 caught respectively. One Redwing present was the only other obvious migrant present.

Still waiting for some northerlies to deliver more migrants, with finches & thrushes thin on the ground. Todays catch of 25 new birds included the 1st Redwing in the nets of the autumn and another Tree Sparrow. A male Brambling appeared mid-morning, but wasn't caught.

We are coming to the end of autumn migration on the Causeway Coast but there were still a few treats in the nets to be had. A Sparrowhawk, Pied Wagtail, 2 Redwing and a partial leucistic Redpoll were the pick of the 24 new birds.

Great to get in on the bumper Yellow-browed Warbler autumn action & a nice way to end the ringing season on the Causeway Coast. Possibly just the eighth bird in NI this autumn & my fourth in the hand. Migration was otherwise slow but some finches kept things ticking over

The trail cameras on CBO have been very productive in recent years, notching up some 44 species, including Ring Ouzel, SE Owl, Hen Harrier, Woodcock, Stonechat, Otters etc. They provide a great insight into those birds that visit in the in closed season & also island breeders

Passive Acoustic Monitoring is a new tool in our repertoire, & thanks to advice/inspiration from Irish Wildlife Sounds (Seán Ronayne) we had our 1st successful monitoring in late October. So far we have notched up 38 species, including a further 3 Yellow-browed Warblers to those ringed. More to annalise

First outing of 2025 to target Yellowhammers at Lough Foyle produced a catch of 12 new birds and two recaptures from 2023. Healthy numbers of Blackbirds still around. I have been posting more regularly on BlueSky - RichardDonaghey89

Your help is needed to ensure a petition calling for a ban on the possession of dangerous raptor-killing pesticides in Northern Ireland passes the target of 50,000 signatures before next week Please sign now and please RT change.org/p/ban-the-poss… Raptor Persecution UK NIRSG

Great to be back out on the Causeway Coast and welcoming the first summer migrants of the year. A decent little catch for the time of year with 2 Chiffchaff (1 pollen horn), 1 Treecreeper, 1 Tree Sparrow amongst a catch of 19 birds.

🎉The 2024 Rathlin Bird Report is here! Another action-packed year of birding on the island, with no shortage of good stuff to cram into our 7th annual report. Available now at rathlinstickybeak.wordpress.com/2025/03/29/rat…

First proper spring migration visit of the year on the Causeway Coast with a modest catch of 17 birds in the easterly winds, included a Blackcap & 5 Willow Warbler. Other migrants around were 7 Wheatear, 3 Sand Martin, 1 White Wagtail & 5+ more WilWa. Follow on BlueSky

Ringing in the Sperrin Mountains ystd & Causeway Coast this morning produced ~35 birds inc. the 1st Grasshopper (2) & Sedge Warblers of the year. Willow Warblers made up half the numbers, while a small fall of Blackcap today produced 6. 1 of 3 Cuckoos present ystd slipped the net

Our response to the column in the Belfast Telegraph today (belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/column…): Wild Belfast celebrates both human diversity and biological diversity. The gross conflations made in this article do a grave disservice not only to the meaningful conversations about diversity

Announcing the new BirdWatch Ireland "Birds of Ireland" field guide app! It's a comprehensive identification guide to all of the 492 bird species ever recorded in Ireland. Android version: play.google.com/store/apps/det… Apple iOS version: apps.apple.com/ie/app/birds-o…

Seabird survey season on the North Coast of NI.

More seabirds this morning, this time ringing terns in Co.Donegal. A total of 35 Sandwich Terns were colour ringed, and a dozen Common Terns metal ringed. Keep an eye out for the colour rings on a shore near you in the coming months.

A belated 1st visit of the year to Lough Neagh failed to show a return of the mega Sedge Warbler numbers for the 3rd consecutive year. Prior to this, catches of 150+ Sedge was possible & overall morning catches topping 220 (more nets & ringers). A pleasurable morning all the same

It was a hot, pesky fly filled evening for the years 1st wader ringing session, but we were rewarded for our efforts. The catch was modest, but it had a nice mix, including 5 Curlew, 3 Ruff, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 3 Black-tailed Godwit & 3 Redshank. We caught 16 Swallows prior