Check out the 2025 NI Seabird Report for an update on how our seabirds are faring.

The graphic displays an image of a Razorbill on a cliff with other out of focus seabirds in the background

An Earth Day reminder that there is still plenty of time to participate in the SMP and contribute data to the conservation of species that call the UK home, be it year-round or whilst breeding: www.bto.org/get-involved...
#earthday #seabirds @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social

Spring Birding Support poster - bit.ly/NI-spring-birding-26

Booking is now open for our Spring Birding Support sessions!

These are happening across NI between now and the end of June, giving you the chance to head out with a small group of people and develop your skills.

Check out bit.ly/NI-spring-birding-26 for more information and to book your place.

The forecast is looking good for this coming week, maybe it's time for your early BBS visit? Check out David's experience and feel free to share your own with us!

Common Dolphin

Razorbill

Kittiwake

They are collecting at-sea observations to assess seabird, seal and cetacean distribution across the Irish and Malin Seas. These will feed into the development of transboundary conservation strategies and action plans for seabirds and other marine predators in Northern Irish waters.

Joanne taking measurements

Joanne scanning the horizon using binoculars

Setting off from Belfast Harbour on Easter Sunday, they travelled to Liverpool Bay, passing the Isle of Man and then through the North Channel, just beyond Rathlin Island, before returning to Belfast.

Joanne and James onboard the ship

James and Joanne, the ecologists on the PEACEPLUS funded ACCLIMATISE Project, joined the @afbini.gov.uk crew onboard the RV Corystes for their first weeklong trip around the Northern Irish coast.

An image of a Great Spotted Woodpecker is shown. It is a mainly black and white bird with a creamy white breast. It has a red belly. It has two white spots on its back. A map of the UK is shown. The text says: Woodpeckers: Great Spotted Woodpecker 124% increase 1995-2024 UK. The BBS logo also features a drawing of a Goldfinch.

(1/) It’s hammer time! Great Spotted Woodpeckers continue to increase across the UK. This distinctive species is even being seen more regularly in Northern Ireland, where it used to be very scarce. @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social #Ornithology #CitizenScience

View of Fair Head (Ballycastle) from the lower deck of the Kintra Boat Tours boat trip on Saturday.

A huge thank you to the @btobirds.bsky.social Youth Team who lead a wonderful nature-filled weekend for young people here in NI this past weekend!

There was bird ringing, nest recording, a boat trip from Ballycastle, a walk in Drumnaph Nature Reserve, and more.

Lots of fun and learning for all 🐦‍⬛

The graphic displays six images of terns, five of which breed in Britain and Ireland, and one that's a bit out of place, with viewers prompted to identify who's who, especially the out-of-place individual. Results will come later in the week.

With spring comes the return of Britain and Ireland's breeding terns. Do you know their ID features well enough to know who's who of our five breeding terns below, and who's quite out of place?! Results later in the week.
#seabirds @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social

With the 2025 BBS Report released today, we want to thank our volunteers who achieved the second best year for survey coverage across Northern Ireland!🏆

The report showed good news for Song Thrush, as this snail bashing connoisseur has increased by 75% here across the last 27 years 🐦‍⬛

An image of a Chiffchaff. it is an olive green warbler with a fine beak. It is looking at thew camera as if it is listening. The BBS logo also features on the tile, which is in the shape of a Goldfinch.

This Chiffchaff is all ears, it wants to find out more about the Breeding Bird Survey! If you do to, take a look on the BBS webpage to find out more and how to get involved: www.bto.org/get-involved... @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social #Ornithology #CitizenScience

We just added a 42nd bird species to our "birds spotted from the office" list, have you seen anything interesting recently?

Members of the BTO NI team joined the ACCLIMATISE launch event last month, check out the post below for more details about this exciting collaborative project

A Great Tit perches on a rock. A quote from a BTO staff member features alongside and reads: “I will forever be grateful to BTO for giving me a place I can belong. For me, BTO stands for finding Belonging Through Ornithology.” BTO logo is top right of the image.

1/ For #WorldAutismAwarenessDay we asked some of the members of the BTO team who are on the Autism spectrum to share their experiences of working for the organisation.

At BTO we’re committed to becoming more inclusive, find out more about this work at www.bto.org/inclusivity

Photo from the Northern Ireland Seabird Report 2025 Launch Event by Nia Potapova / BTO.

🌿Big thanks to our funders NIEA @daera-ni.gov.uk and all our #seabird counters for making this work possible! A special thanks also to the Ards & North Down Borough Council for hosting our launch event and to everyone who attended!

Cover of the Northern Ireland Seabird Report 2025 featuring the Maidens lighthouse

Read the Northern Ireland Seabird Report 2025 in full here 👇

www.bto.org/our-work/sci...

#Ornithology #Seabirds

Andrew Upton (BTO NI) giving a talk at the Northern Ireland Seabird Report 2025 Launch event. Photo by Leia Giesel / BTO

To close, BTO NI’s Senior Research Ecologist Andrew Upton gave the 2025 NI update

From the return of charismatic species to offshore islands to declines in Fulmar and Tern breeding populations, the talk summarised the state of our #seabirds in 2025 and highlighted exciting upcoming work for BTO NI!

Hala Haddad (BTO NI) giving a talk at the Northern Ireland Seabird Report Launch. Photo by Nia Potapova / BTO

Then BTO NI’s Research Ecologist Hala Haddad commemorated the 40th anniversary of the Seabird Monitoring Programme @smp-seabirds.bsky.social🎉

You can get started with seabird monitoring by getting involved in the All Ireland Black Guillemot Survey!

More info here 👇
drive.google.com/file/d/19zjb...

Daniel Johnston (BTO) giving a talk at the Northern Ireland Seabird Report Launch. Photo by Nia Potapova / BTO.

Next, BTO’s Senior Research Ecologist, Daniel Johnston, showed us the incredible journeys of Lesser Black-backed Gulls GPS-tagged on Lough Neagh. Some gulls were tracked spending their winters feeding in Madrid’s fish markets and on the coast of Mauritania!

#Ornithology #ConservationScience

Brian Burke (BirdWatch Ireland) giving a talk at the Northern Ireland Seabird Report Launch Event. Photo by Nia Potapova / BTO

To kick off the launch, we heard from Brian Burke, Senior Seabird Conservation Officer at @birdwatchireland.bsky.social, about the remarkable #conservation work on Little Terns in Ireland. From May to August, dedicated wardens work around-the-clock protecting Little Tern colonies at several sites 🌊

Image displays a lighthouse on a small island with the text 'Northern Ireland Seabird Report 2025'. The BTO logo is in the bottom right hand corner.

The 2025 Northern Ireland Seabird Report has now been published! Head to: www.bto.org/our-work/sci... to read about how Northern Ireland's breeding seabirds fared in 2025 #seabirds #birds @btobirds.bsky.social @bto-ni.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social

Northern Ireland Seabird Report 2025 copies laid out on a table, photo by Nia Potapova / BTO

The Northern Ireland Seabird Report Launch is now LIVE! Stay tuned for exciting #seabird talks as we celebrate the efforts of our incredible volunteers, researchers and organisations!

#Ornithology

The graphic displays a Shag perched on a rock, stretching. The text discusses UK declines reported in the 2024 SMP Report, with a long-term (1986-2024) decline of 71% and a short-term (2000-2024) decline of 65%.

The 2024 SMP Report shows a decline in UK breeding Shags. Winter storms can cause mass deaths.

Report any dead birds to:
Eng/Wal/Scot: www.gov.uk/guidance/rep...
NI: www.daera-ni.gov.uk/services/dae...
ROI: aviancheck.apps.services.agriculture.gov.ie/report
#seabirds @btobirds.bsky.social

Promotional image for the Northern Ireland Seabird Report Launch, featuring photos by Sorrel Lyall / BTO. Text reads: Talk by Daniel Johnston, BTO’s Senior Research Ecologist, GPS Tagging Lesser Black-backed Gulls on Lough Neagh. Location: Coffee Cure, Bangor. Date: Thursday 26th March. Time: 6pm to 8pm. Book your tickets here: bit.ly/NI-SeabirdReport-2025

🌍 Find out about the surprising movements of Lesser Black-backed Gulls!

BTO’s Senior Research Ecologist Daniel Johnston will talk about GPS tagging Lesser Black-backed Gulls on Lough Neagh at the Seabird Report Launch on 26th March

Registration closes 19th March! 👇
bit.ly/NI-SeabirdReport-2025

Promotional image for the Northern Ireland Seabird Report Launch, featuring photo by Brian Burke. Text reads: Talk by Brian Burke, Senior Seabird Conservation Officer at BirdWatch Ireland, Little Tern Conservation in Ireland. Location: Coffee Cure, Bangor. Date: Thursday 26th March. Time: 6pm to 8pm. Book your tickets here: bit.ly/NI-SeabirdReport-2025

⏰ Don’t miss our Seabird Report Launch this month!

Come along to hear BirdWatch Ireland’s Senior Seabird Conservation Officer Brian Burke @bburke88.bsky.social talk about Little Tern #Conservation in Ireland

Registration closes 19th March! Book your free place 👇
bit.ly/NI-SeabirdReport-2025

BTO Youth promotional tile featuring a photo of a male Bullfinch by Liz Cutting / BTO. Text reads: The Birds of Ulster University Coleraine Campus. Coleraine, County Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Saturday 28th March 10:00-12:00. Open to all ages, free entry! bto.org/youth-events

Join BTO Youth Rep Patrick on a free walk around Ulster University Coleraine Campus to learn how to identify common birds and participate in fun activities!

Book your free place 👇
bit.ly/UlsterUniBirds

🗓️ Saturday 28th March 10.00-12.00
📍Ulster University Coleraine Campus, Co. Derry/Londonderry

A group of flying Swifts by Chris Knights / BTO

This year the 8th International Swift Conference is coming to Ireland! Hosted by @atumayo.bsky.social in Co. Mayo on 27-29 May, it's an opportunity to learn more about this fascinating species & to connect with Swift enthusiasts from around the world

For more info visit: www.swiftsmayo2026.ie
(2/2)

Flying Swifts by Philip Croft / BTO

The arrival of Swifts to NI in late April to May is always an exciting sign of spring. Recording your 1st Swift sighting of the year with BirdTrack as part of a complete list helps us learn about the timing of their migration.

Log your Swift sightings with the BirdTrack app👇
www.birdtrack.net
(1/2)

Between February and May, vast numbers of birds cross the Atlantic.
Updated blog about wader migration from Ireland to Iceland.
wadertales.wordpress.com/2017/03/14/f...
#ornithology
@birdwatchireland.bsky.social @rspbni.bsky.social @bto-ni.bsky.social