Photo: Titanic BelfastWith regard to birding, I focused on the coast in Counties Down, Antrim and Londonderry.
I had a very successful trip with the abundance of Light-bellied Brent Geese, Whooper Swans, waders and ducks being particularly noteworthy.
I recorded 84 species during my trip including 7 additions to my 2025 UK year list: Red-throated Diver, Light-bellied Brent Goose, Common Scoter, Purple Sandpiper, Bar-tailed Godwit, Black Redstart, Hooded Crow
I used "Finding Birds in Ireland" and its excellent site guides to plan my itinerary.
The only mammal that I saw was a single Atlantic Grey Seal.
Monday 24th November 2025
County Antrim: north shore of Belfast Lough
Belfast Lough is a large sea inlet on the east coast of Northern Ireland. At its head is the city and port of Belfast, which sits at the mouth of the River Lagan. The lough opens into the North Channel and connects Belfast to the Irish Sea. It is a long, wide and deep expanse of water, virtually free of strong tides. The inner part of the lough comprises a series of mudflats and lagoons. The outer lough is restricted to mainly rocky shores with some small sandy bays.
Carrickfergus marina: Black Guillemot (4), Shag (1), Grey Heron (1), Common Redshank (1), Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull
Whitehead: Purple
Sandpiper (1-2), Turnstone
(c.20), Oystercatcher (5), Dunlin
(2), Common
Redshank (2), Guillemot
(1), Shag
(4), Herring
Gull, Common
Gull, Black-headed
Gull, Rock
Pipit (5), Pied
Wagtail, White
Wagtail (1), Hooded
Crow
County Antrim: Islandmagee
Islandmagee is a peninsula on the east coast of Northern Ireland located between the towns of Larne and Whitehead.
Browns Bay: Oystercatcher (c.30)
Ballylumford: Eider (1), Shag (2)
County Antrim/Down: Belfast Harbour
Belfast "Window on Wildlife" is an urban nature reserve managed by RSPB Northern Ireland situated along the shores of Belfast Lough. RSPB Belfast Harbour: Curlew (c.100), Lapwing (c.30), Black-tailed Godwit (c.10), Shelduck (c.100), Mallard (c.30), Teal (c.30), Wigeon (4), Moorhen (2), Coot (1), Great Black-backed Gull (1), Herring Gull, Marsh Harrier (1), Common Buzzard (1), Hooded Crow, Pied WagtailTuesday 25th November 2025
County Down: Ards peninsula and Strangford Lough
The Ards Peninsula is a peninsula on the north-east coast of Northern Ireland, separating Strangford Lough from the North Channel of the Irish Sea.
Strangford Lough is
a large sea lough or inlet, the largest inlet in Ireland and the
wider British Isles, covering 58 square miles. The lough is
almost fully enclosed by the Ards Peninsula and is linked to
the Irish Sea by a long narrow channel at its south eastern edge. The
main body of the lough has at least 70 islands along with many islets, bays,
coves, headlands and mudflats. Strangford Lough was designated as Northern
Ireland's first Marine Conservation Zone in 2013 and
has been designated a Special Area of Conservation for
its important wildlife, especially large numbers of wintering birds.
WWT Castle Espie is located on the western shore of Strangford Lough and provides a mix of estuary mudflats, tidal lagoons, eel-grass mats, salt marshes, reed beds and woodland.
Strangford Lough (east side) - Kirkubbin: Light-bellied Brent Goose (c.10), Red-breasted Merganser (4), Eider (3), Oystercatcher (c.50), Curlew (1), Black-tailed Godwit (1), Cormorant (c.10), Herring Gull, Common Gull
Portavogie: Light-bellied Brent Goose (c.20), Red-breasted Merganser (2), Eider (1), Little Egret (1), Oystercatcher (c.20), Turnstone (10), Curlew (2), Common Redshank (2), Black-tailed Godwit (1), Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Common Gull, Cormorant (2), Common Buzzard (1), Hooded Crow, Black Redstart (1), Pied Wagtail, Rock Pipit (2)Ringboy: Eider (6), Red-breasted Merganser (4)
Portaferry: Light-bellied Brent Goose (c.15), Grey Heron (2)
Photo: Light-bellied Brent Geese
Photo: Light-bellied Brent Geese
Photo: Light-bellied Brent Goose
Photo: Light-bellied Brent Geese
Photo: Light-bellied Brent Geese
Photo: Light-bellied Brent Geese
Strangford Lough (west side) - WWT Castle Espie: Light-bellied Brent Goose (c.500+), Shelduck (c.100+), Teal (c.30), Eider (c.25+), Mallard (2), Gadwall (2), Tufted Duck (1), Mute Swan (3), Little Grebe (7), Oystercatcher (c.500+), Common Redshank (c.100+), Curlew (c.100+), Knot (c.100+), Dunlin (c.50+), Greenshank (20), Turnstone (10), Golden Plover (1), Black-tailed Godwit (1), Little Egret (2), Herring Gull, Common Buzzard (1), Sparrowhawk (1), Reed Bunting (3), Pied Wagtail, Hooded Crow
Photo: female Tufted Duck
Photo: female Tufted Duck
Photo: female Tufted Duck
Wednesday 26th November 2025
County Antrim: RSPB Portmore Lough
RSPB Portmore Lough comprises freshwater Portmore Lough itself plus adjacent lowland wet grassland, fens and reedbeds.
RSPB Portmore Lough: Whooper Swan (14), Mute Swan (4), Common Pochard (c.1000+), Teal (c.100), Shoveler (c.50), Mallard (c.20), Tufted Duck (c.10), Wigeon (c.10), Greylag Goose (15), Great Crested Grebe (c.20), Cormorant (1), Common Buzzard (1), Hooded Crow, Stonechat (2), Tree Sparrow (at least 1), Coal Tit (at least 1)County Down: Newcastle
Newcastle is a small seaside resort town in Northern Ireland. It lies by the Irish Sea at the foot of Slieve Donard, the highest of the Mourne Mountains.
Newcastle: Gannet (3), Light-bellied Brent Goose (25), Common Scoter (c.10), Oystercatcher (c.10)County Down: Dundrum Bay
Dundrum Bay is located next to the village of Dundrum on the north east coast of Northern Ireland, roughly midway between Carlingford Lough and Strangford Lough. It is divided into the Outer Bay and the almost entirely landlocked Inner Bay.
Dundrum Bay (inner and outer bay): Light-bellied Brent Goose (c.250+), Wigeon (c.100+), Shelduck (c.30), Red-breasted Merganser (8), Mallard (2), Teal (1), Lapwing (c.250+), Oystercatcher (c.200+), Knot (c.100+), Common Redshank (c.100+), Black-tailed Godwit (c.70+), Dunlin (c.50+), Curlew (c.30), Greenshank (c.15), Grey Plover (c.10), Turnstone (5), Common Snipe (1), Great White Egret (1), Grey Heron (7), Cormorant (6), Mute Swan (7), Little Grebe (1), Great Crested Grebe (4), Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Common Gull, Black-headed Gull
Photo: Curlews and Lapwings
Photo: Light-bellied Brent Geese
Photo: Light-bellied Brent Geese and Wigeon
Photo: Light-bellied Brent Geese and Wigeon
Photo: Light-bellied Brent Geese
Photo: Light-bellied Brent Goose
Photo: Light-bellied Brent Goose
Photo: Light-bellied Brent Geese
Photo: Light-bellied Brent Geese
Photo: Light-bellied Brent Geese
Photo: Light-bellied Brent Geese
Thursday 27th November 2025
County Antrim: Ballycastle
County Antrim: Causeway Coast - Portrush
Portrush is a small seaside resort town on the Causeway Coast route in County Antrim.
Portrush: Turnstone (c.150+), Oystercatcher (c.20), Cormorant (2), Shag (1), Rock Pipit (1), Great Black-backed Gull, Herring GullCounty Londonderry: Magillican Point
Magilligan is a peninsula at the mouth of Lough Foyle in County Londonderry. It is an extensive 79,000 acre coastal site, part military firing range and part nature reserve, The tip of the peninsula, which lies less than a mile from Greencastle in County Donegal, is known as Magilligan Point.
Magillican Point: Red-throated Diver (1), Stonechat (1), Greenfinch (c.50+), Linnet (c.10+), Atlantic Grey Seal (1)County Londonderry: Lough Foyle
Lough Foyle is the large estuary of the River Foyle on the north coast of Ireland. It lies between County Londonderry in Northern Ireland and County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland. It is the second largest area of intertidal habitat in Northern Ireland and the stretching mudflats, sandflats and salt marsh and sandflat welcome vast numbers of wintering and passage wildfowl and waders throughout the year.
Lough Foyle - Myroe Levels: Light-bellied
Brent Goose (c.50+), Red-breasted Merganser (1), Bar-tailed Godwit (c.200+), Curlew
(c.200+), Oystercatcher (c.200+), Dunlin (c.30), Common Redshank (c.10), Greenshank
(2), Common Snipe (1), Little Egret (3), Grey Heron (1)
Photo: Bar-tailed Godwits
Photo: Light-bellied Brent Geese
Photo: Bar-tailed Godwits, Dunlin and Oystercatcher
Photo: Bar-tailed Godwits and Dunlin
Photo: Bar-tailed Godwits and Light-bellied Brent Geese
Photo: Bar-tailed Godwits and Dunlin
Photo: Light-bellied Brent Geese
Photo: Light-bellied Brent Geese
Photo: Bar-tailed Godwits and Oystercatcher
Photo: Bar-tailed Godwits, Dunlin and Oystercatcher
Photo: Bar-tailed Godwits and Dunlin
Photo: Bar-tailed Godwits and Dunlin
Photo: Bar-tailed Godwits and Dunlin
Photo: Bar-tailed Godwits
Photo: Bar-tailed Godwits
Photo: Bar-tailed Godwits
Photo: Bar-tailed Godwits
Photo: Bar-tailed Godwits
Photo: Light-bellied Brent Geese
Photo: Bar-tailed Godwits
Photo: Bar-tailed Godwits
Lough Foyle - Roe Estuary: Whooper Swan (5), Lapwing (c.200+), Bar-tailed Godwit (c.100+), Knot (c.100+), Oystercatcher (c.100+), Curlew (c.30), Little Egret (1), Common Buzzard (1), Hooded Crow
Lough Foyle - Burnfoot Drain: Whooper Swan (c.200+), Curlew (c.100+), Common Redshank (c.15), Oystercatcher (c.10), Bar-tailed Godwit (4), Little Egret (1), Skylark (3)
Photo: Whooper Swan
Photo: Whooper Swan
Photo: Whooper Swan
Friday 28th November 2025Whilst this was my full day in Belfast, I did visit the Swift mural in Bruce Street following a recommendation from another birder whilst visiting WWT Castle Espie. This remarkable artwork on a flank wall also includes Swift bricks to attract nesting birds.
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