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Northern Ireland

Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus ©Sue & Andy Tranter http://www.suesbirdphotos.co.uk/

Northern Ireland consists of the six counties in the north east of the island of Ireland. These counties are no longer administrative units, but are still convenient recording areas (except in the case of Lough Neagh, where five of the county boundaries meet at various points in the largest inland body of water in the British Isles – it covers 153 square miles).

For a small area it has diverse habitat. The coastline encompasses four major estuaries (Lough Foyle, Belfast Lough, Strangford Lough and Carlingford Lough). The Mourne Mountains in south county Down have the highest ground with Slieve Donard at 2,796 feet, and over a dozen peaks over 2,000 feet. A lot of county Antrim is an elevated basalt plateau between 1,000 and 1,200 feet. Fermanagh in the southwest is the Lakeland of Northern Ireland with Upper and Lower Lough Erne, and numerous small lakes dotted across the landscape. Tyrone and Londonderry have the rather bleak high ground of the Sperrin Mountains. Yet it is possible to drive nearly anywhere from the capital Belfast in several hours.

County Antrim | County Armagh | County Down | County Fermanagh
County Londonderry | County Tyrone

top sites

Further information.

See each county page for top birding locations.

contributor

George Gordon
gordon@ballyholme2.freeserve.co.uk

county recorder

George Gordon
2 Brooklyn Ave, Bangor, Co Down, BT20 5RB
028 9145 5763
gordon@ballyholme2.freeserve.co.uk

useful reading

Bird Guide

By Killian Mullarney, Lars Svensson, Dan Zetterstrom & Peter Grant Collins (1999)
ISBN: 0002197286
Buy this book from NHBS.com

Birds in Ireland

Clive D Hutchinson (1989) T & A D Poyser
ISBN: 0856610526
Buy this book from NHBS.com

Birds of the Grey Wind

Edward Allworthy Armstrong (1940) Oxford University Press

Checklist of Birds of Britain and Ireland

by A G Knox (Editor); Dave Showler (Illustrator)Paperback 6th revised edition (19 March, 1992) Brit. Ornithologists' Union
ISBN: 0907446159
Buy this book from NHBS.com

Collins Top Birding Spots in Britain and Ireland

by David Tipling Paperback - 320 pages (9 May, 1996) Collins
ISBN: 000220035X
Buy this book from NHBS.com

The Complete Guide to Ireland`s Birds

Eric Dempsey, Michael Cleary (1993) Gill & Macmillan

Watching Birds in Ireland

Clive D Hutchinson (1986) Country House

Where to Watch Birds in Ireland

by Clive Hutchinson - Paperback - 272 pages (17 March, 1997) Christopher Helm
ISBN: 0713638273
Buy this book from NHBS.com

useful information

Irish Tourist Board

Irish Tourist Board
53 Castle Walk Street
Belfast
Phone (028)9032 7888
Website: http://www.ireland.ie/

Northern Ireland Tourist Board

Belfast Welcome Centre
35 Donegall Place
Phone (028) 9024 6609
Fax (028) 9031 2424
E-mail belfastwelcomecentre@nitic.net
Website: http://www.discovernorthernireland.com

There are many regional tourist offices, details can be obtained from above.

Ulster Museum, Botanic Gardens

Belfast, Northern Ireland BT9 5AB. Phone (028) 9038 3000. Fax (028) 9038 3003 Website: http://www.habitas.org.uk/cedar/

clubs

Northern Ireland Birdwatchers Association

Contact George Gordon, 2 Brooklyn Avenue, Bangor, Co Down, Northern Ireland BT20 5RB Phone (028) 9145 5763. E-mail gordon@ballyholme2.freeserve.co.uk - Runs Flightline Birdline updated daily (028) 9046 7408 to hear the latest news or to leave a message. Flightline is not a premium line (calls are only charged at local rates); and is a service provided by Northern Ireland Birdwatchers Association. It can also be sent via e-mail.

Northern Ireland Ornithologists Club

http://www.nioc.fsnet.co.uk
Lectures, field trips, Barn Owl Nesting scheme and winter Yellowhammer feeding stations. Contact Gary Wilkinson, The Roost, 139 Windmill Road, Aughnaleck, Hillsborough, Co Down, Northern Ireland BT26 6NP. Phone (028) 9263 9254.

Royal Society for Protection of Birds

http://www.rspb.org.uk/nireland/index.asp
Northern Ireland Headquarters - Belvoir Park Forest, Belfast BT8 4QT - Phone (028) 9049 1547 Fax (028) 9049 1669

Wildfowl and Wetland Trust

Centre at Castle Espie in Strangford Lough. 78 Ballydrain Road, Comber, Co Down. Phone (028) 9187 4146 or (028) 9187 2517

trip reports

Travelling Birder
http://www.travellingbirder.com
The Travellingbirder.com birding trip report search engine guides you to 7,000+ birding trip reports on the Internet. You can search for trip reports from a specific country and time of year. Not all these reports are in English. So, if you can’t find the trip report you want on this Fatbirder page… give them a try!

local guides

Birding Pal

http://www.birdingpal.org/Unitedkingdom.htm
Local birders willing to show foreign visiting birders around their country - if you are prepared to return the favour to visitors to your country...

Cambrian Bird Holidays

http://www.cambihols.co.uk
Our holidays are designed for all age groups. As such, the routes are we walk are short and taken at a slow and comfortable pace. Our emphasis is on visiting sites where a high concentration of birds, including some rare and unusual species may be seen in breathtaking and beautiful scenery. It doesn`t matter what your level of interest in birds and wildlife is. Whether you are a beginner or an expert a Cambrian Bird Holiday is for you. Single people are most welcome, and remember we don`t charge a single supplement. Even if you do not drive, it`s no problem as we are easy to reach by public transport.

Murphy`s Wildlife

Contact Chris Murphy,12 Belvoir Close, Belfast, Northern Ireland BT8 4PL. Phone (028) 9069 3232 E-mail: wildlife@murphys.dnet.co.uk Irish tours a specialty.

places to stay

Travel Net - Northern Ireland

http://www.accommodationsuk.com/ni/
By type and location

Birdwatching in Northern Ireland

http://www.interknowledge.com/northern-ireland/ukibrd01.htm
Ornithologists from Britain and Western Europe come to study the birds of Northern Ireland every year, and with good reason. The province`s position on the western fringes of Europe, and the sheer size of many of the flocks that breed or visit, have made it of particular interest both to the experts and the increasing number of birdwatching visitors who are able to combine their special interest with a relaxing holiday in beautiful surroundings. Huge flocks of ducks, waders and geese come south from Arctic Canada and Greenland and other northern vastnesses to pass mild winters on the Ulster wetlands. In spring and summer large numbers of breeding seabirds feed on the fish-rich waters off the north-west coast. Chough and corncrake have some of their last strongholds in Ireland, but are rare in Northern Ireland.

Birdwatching in Northern Ireland

http://www.geographia.com/northern-ireland/ukibrd01.htm
EVERY VISITOR becomes a birdwatcher in Northern Ireland. The presence of a huge variety of bird species, in large numbers, in such a small area, soon becomes delightfully apparent. This is why ornithologists from all over the world are flocking here in greater numbers than ever...

Peatland Birds

http://www.peatlandsni.gov.uk/wildlife/birds/birds.htm
...there are a number of bird species that have a strong association with peatlands. The lack of predators and human disturbance makes some peatlands ideal for birds to nest and bring up their chicks. Other birds use peatlands, especially during the summer months, as a food source...