After dipping on White-throated Needletail in Britain yesterday, I made it back to Ireland in time to get this Harlequin Duck in Magheroarty, Co. Donegal just before it flew towards Bloody Foreland. First Irish record. A great find by Rob, Aaron and Ian yesterday eve BirdGuides

Finders-in-the-Field: Harlequin Ducks in Co.Donegal, an Irish first robertvaughanillustrations and two friends headed to Tory Island for an autumn bird-finding trip and end up landing on a fall of Red-eyed Vireos and Ireland's first and second Harlequin Ducks! rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Fin…

Harlequin Duck (Darker headed Female) Ireland’s First (1 other also but separated I didn’t see) @ Bloody Foreland, Co. Donegal on 11th, October, 2025! ✅

Northern Parula from Firkeel Glen, west Beara, Co. Cork last Tuesday. It’s hard to beat New World warblers. This is probably the best American passerine I’ve seen in Ireland. BirdGuides

American Buff-bellied Pipit from Clahane, Co. Clare last Monday. This was the start of an incredible week in Irish birding. A long, long overdue tick for me. BirdGuides

Plenty happening on Rathlin today 🤯 - first a RADDE'S WARBLER popped up briefly, then while waiting for that to show again (sadly it didn't), a flipping ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD appeared and soared around overhead!

Thankfully today's Rough-legged Buzzard was gloriously showy, appearing again at Kinramer, then at Kebble, before travelling over to Ballyconagan by the evening. The first record on Rathlin since the one enjoyed by Martin Gray and others in 1988!

Given the rapidly declining wintering population of Taiga Bean Geese in Britain, it’s a species I never really expected to see in Ireland, never mind eight. It was the longest twitch I’ve ever done in Ireland - Mizen Head, Cork to Donegal (almost the longest possible) BirdGuides

Delighted to find this ‘rostrata’ Greenland Redpoll on Inishbofin, Co. Galway this afternoon. Look at that rump!! ! Martin Garner described them as “big as a sheep.” He wasn’t wrong - what a unit. BirdGuides

Remember Ireland's first Penduline Tits in 2023 at the Gearagh and later near Cork harbour where they were ringed ? x.com/EricTheBirdman… On 15 Oct '23 we recaptured one of them here at Donges, FR, unbelievably we recaptured that same individual AGAIN on ...15 Oct '25 !☘️🇫🇷🇮🇪

Cracking Isabelline Shrike found by Padraig Barron near Ring Marsh Co. Wexford this afternoon 👌

Down at first light hoping the Adult Isabelline (Daurian) shrike had roosted. Delighted to hear BMcCloskey say he had it in the thermal. Despite the gloomy conditions it showed well. The red tail really stands out. The last photo shows the area it was favouring in the garden

Adult male Isabelline Shrike from Ring Marsh, Co. Wexford today. Nine years after dipping the species three times in a week, Isabelline has finally fallen for me. A perfect Daurian too, potentially only the 2nd acceptable Irish record after the Mizen bird in 2007 BirdGuides

A 3 second flight view of a small duck flying over Morghan this morning set alarm bells ringing. 90 minutes of frantic searching ended when I found Barra's 1st BUFFLEHEAD on a tiny loch in the Dark Glen. Unringed and flighty, it flew off west at 12.12pm.

I've enjoyed 14 Isabelline Shrikes since my first at Sidlesham in 1975 but, since the taxonomic split with Red-tailed Shrike, apparently none of them is good enough now – until this gorgeous adult male at Lady's Island Lake. What a beaut!

2022 Irish Rare Bird Report pdf available on the IRBC website bit.ly/2022IRBR Hard copy published in Irish Birds, available from BirdWatch Ireland shop bit.ly/IrishBirds47 Allen’s Gallinule, Alder Flycatcher and White-winged Scoter added to the Irish List in 2022.

2023 Irish Rare Bird Report (interim version) now on the IRBC website bit.ly/2023IRBRinterim Please send amendments/feedback to [email protected] Booted Eagle, Falcated Duck, Cabot's Tern, Penduline Tit, Blackburnian Warbler and Cape May Warbler added to the Irish List.

While the 2024 Irish Rare Bird Report is being prepared, we would ask observers to review the 2024 Provisional List of Rare Bird Sightings and send any amendments or comments by email to [email protected] irbc.ie/provisional/li…

A first-winter Killdeer arrived to North Pond from the north at 15:30 and was still there at dusk.

Eurasian Bittern from Inch Island, Co. Donegal this evening. Only my second ever and the first time I’ve photographed one. It showed continuously for ninety minutes! They’re still a very rare bird in Ireland. BirdGuides