Cormorant with white flank patch.

Cormorants are looking really handsome now, in breeding plumage. #Birds #BirdsSeenIn2026

Thank you!

Thank you, Pete.

Raven in profile

Raven
#Birds #BirdsSeenIn2026

Diving Gannet

Diving Gannet

Northern Gannet, Ballycotton Bay #Birds

Thanks, Martin!

Stonechat perched on a small twig

Male Stonechat, Ballycotton
#Birds #BirdsSeenIn2026

Male Common Eider swimming

The long-staying male Common Eider at Ballycotton today. #Birds #BirdsSeenIn2026

Fluffy little Long-tailed Tit

Long-tailed Tit - little cutie, aka "The Flying Teaspoon" #Birds

Dark-bellied Goose (with darker flanks and belly) with its head in the air, surrounded by Light-bellied Geese

Standing out (literally and figuratively) - the Dark-bellied Brent amongst the Light-bellied Brent Geese at Pilmore, Youghal Bay, this week. #Rare #IrishBirding #BirdsSeenIn2026

A Rock Pipit with a Sandhopper in its beak

A Sandhopper snack for the Rock Pipit #birds

Dark-bellied Brent Goose with darker flanks than the more usual (in Ireland) Light-bellied subspecies

A rare winter visitor to Ireland from its nesting grounds in Siberia, the Dark-Bellied subspecies of Brent Goose - feeding with a flock of its Light-bellied cousins at Pilmore Co. Cork today. #Birds #RareBirds #BirdsSeenIn2026

No - that's a kingfisher with an "e" ! 😉🤣

Male Kingfisher perched on a branch.

Common Kingfisher, East Cork. Appropriately, one of its names in Irish is "biorra an uisce" meaning "water spear." #Birds

The very rare, very secretive and well camouflaged American Bittern at Cuskinny Marsh Nature Reserve, Cobh, at first light this morning. #Birds #Rare #IrishBirding #BirdsSeenIn2026 #phonescoped @birdwatchireland.bsky.social

Thanks, Celia!

Dipper, with its distinctive white "bib," standing on one leg on a rock in a stream.

White-throated Dipper, Co. Cork (the Irish subspecies Cinclus cinclus hibernicus).
As gaeilge Gabha Dubh - "blacksmith". #Birds #BirdsSeenIn2026

Thanks, Chris!

Common Kestrel in flight.

Hunting Kestrel, East Cork. #Birds #BirdsSeenIn2026

Lovely blue butterfly on Buddleia

A lovely blue butterfly on Buddleia

An early Holly Blue butterfly, East Cork 27/03/26
#IrishNature

Hare with black-tipped ears.

Irish Hare - a subspecies endemic to Ireland, and our only native hare. #lagomorph #IrishNature

Sandwich Tern flying against a backdrop of blue sea and distant shoreline.

Sandwich Tern, Ballycotton - a few already back here now from their wintering grounds, some from as far as South Africa. #Birds #BirdsSeenIn2026 #IrishBirding

Yellow Warbler eating a berry

Mangrove Yellow Warbler, Galapagos Feb '26. #Birds #BirdsSeenIn2026 #Ecuador

Nice to see the young male Common Eider still hanging around Ballycotton. #Birds

Thank you, James!

Thanks Rob

Eurasian Jay, perched on a branch.

Eurasian Jay, Rostellan Wood, Co. Cork, the Irish "hibernicus" subspecies - usually very shy and difficult to photograph! #Birds #BirdsSeenIn2026

Tiny hummingbird perched on a branch with small fruits.

The tiny Purple-throated Woodstar in the rain at Alambi Valley, Ecuador 01/26. #hummingbirds #birds #BirdsSeenIn2026 #Ecuador

A pair of hummingbirds perched on a wire, one fanning its tail in a courtship display.

Sparkling Violetears flirting
#Hummingbirds #Birds #BirdsSeenIn2026 #Ecuador

Nazca Booby with chick

A chip off the old block - Nazca Booby chick with parent, Genovesa Feb'26 #Galapagos #Birds #BirdsSeenIn2026 #Ecuador