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bto-ni.bsky.social
BTO Northern Ireland
@bto-ni.bsky.social
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The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) is the UK’s leading bird research organisation. Discover BTO projects, news and events from across Northern Ireland right here. https://www.bto.org/about-bto/national-offices/bto-northern-ireland
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bto-ni.bsky.social
This month our Comber Wildlife Wanderers visited the fantastic @wwtworldwide.bsky.social Castle Espie Wetland Centre. They saw waterbirds, songbirds and waders - and a whole host of other exciting wildlife. Castle Espie has a gorgeous range of diverse habitats. We think it's well worth a visit! 🐦
Comber Wildlife Wanderers looking out over Strangford Lough at the Limekiln Observatory at WWT Castle Espie. Comber Wildlife Wanderers exploring WWT Castle Espie's varied habitats, including this patch of wet woodland.
November 27, 2025 at 10:55 AM
bto-ni.bsky.social
Thanks to everyone who came along to the monthly Wildlife Wander in Victoria Park, Belfast last Sunday!

We were happy to see a variety of waders, seabirds and woodland birds, including a perched Kingfisher and four Black Guillemots.

Want to join us next time? 👇
bit.ly/4igeE2N

#ornithology
Photo of a sunlit path in Victoria Park, Belfast by Nia Potapova / BTO Two Black Guillemots seen in Victoria Park, Belfast. Photo by Nia Potapova / BTO A photo of a Black-tailed Godwit foraging in Victoria Park, Belfast by Nia Potapova / BTO View of the wooded islands in Victoria Park, Belfast. Photo by Nia Potapova / BTO
November 24, 2025 at 2:42 PM
bto-ni.bsky.social
(5/5) Finally, thank you to all of our attendees. NI’s birding community is incredibly special, it’s an honour to host this conference every year with you all! 🐦‍⬛
A group of conference attendees going out on a birdwatching walk, photo by Nia Potapova / BTO Conference attendees exploring the space outside the Lough Neagh Discovery Centre, photo by Nia Potapova / BTO
November 20, 2025 at 2:45 PM
bto-ni.bsky.social
(4/5) Thanks also to our stand holders @nirsg.bsky.social, @ulsterwildlife.bsky.social, @rspbinvestigations.bsky.social, Copeland Bird Observatory, Lough Neagh Partnership, John Gould & Son Optics, @ukrbbp.bsky.social and the Lough Neagh Discovery Centre for the brilliant venue
Photo of the stands at the Birdwatchers' Conference by Nia Potapova / BTO Photo of the audience at the Birdwatchers' Conference by Jemma Davies / BTO
November 20, 2025 at 2:45 PM
bto-ni.bsky.social
(3/5) @ukrbbp.bsky.social @markaeaton.bsky.social, NIBirds Wilton Farrelly, BTO Regional Representative Kerry Mackie and #BTOYouth NI Reps
Photo of Mark Eaton (Rare Breeding Bird Panel) presenting at the Birdwatchers' Conference, by Nia Potapova / BTO Photo of NIBirds Wilton Farrelly presenting at the Birdwatchers' Conference, by Nia Potapova / BTO Photo of BTO Regional Representative Kerry Mackie presenting at the Birdwatchers' Conference by Jemma Davies / BTO
November 20, 2025 at 2:45 PM
bto-ni.bsky.social
(2/5) Thanks to all of our speakers:
@btoscotland.bsky.social Sophie Bennett, @rspbinvestigations.bsky.social Dean Jones, Lough Neagh Partnership’s Ciara Laverty, @birdwatchireland.bsky.social Dave Suddaby
Photo of Sophie Bennett's (BTO Scotland) presentation at the Birdwatchers' Conference by Sorrel Lyall / BTO Photo of Dean Jones' (RSPB Investigations) presentation at the Birdwatchers' Conference by Nia Potapova / BTO Photo of Ciara Laverty's (Lough Neagh Partnership) presentation at the Birdwatchers' Conference by Nia Potapova / BTO Photo of Dave Suddaby's (Birdwatch Ireland) presentation at the Birdwatchers' Conference by Sorrel Lyall / BTO
November 20, 2025 at 2:45 PM
bto-ni.bsky.social
(1/5) Our BTO NI Birdwatchers’ Conference at the start of November was a blast! 🪺 We had fascinating talks, brilliant birding, and a wonderful workshop on waders 👇
Attendees of the BTO NI Birdwatchers' Conference going around the stands, photo by Nia Potapova / BTO Photo of the audience attending the Birdwatchers' Conference, photo by Jemma Davies / BTO Photo from the birdwatching walk around the Lough Neagh Discovery Centre, by Nia Potapova / BTO A photo of Whooper and Mute Swans taken during the birdwatching walk in the Oxford Island Nature Reserve, photo by Nia Potapova / BTO
November 20, 2025 at 2:45 PM
bto-ni.bsky.social
Discover our wonderful winter birds on BTO NI's FREE guided walk this December! We'll spend the morning watching, listening to, and identifying local birds in a friendly group.

📅 14th December
⏰ 10.00 - 12.00
📍 Lough Head Park, Lisnaskea

Find out more & register ▶️ bit.ly/47VnCOp
Poster for the Wonderful Winter Bird Walk. Text reads: Wonderful Winter Bird Walk (free) at Lough Head Park, Lisnaskea, Co. Fermanagh; Sunday 14th December 2025 at 10.00 am - 12.00 pm; book using QR code. Photo of a Long-tailed Tit by Philip Croft / BTO
November 14, 2025 at 2:27 PM
bto-ni.bsky.social
🌳These birds are fairly common during the autumn and winter months, and can be seen quite easily feeding on bushes and in hedges, or even in parks and on playing fields

🌨️ Why not brave the cold weather and look for migratory thrushes this winter!
(3/3)
Two Redwings feeding on berries, photo by Edmund Fellowes / BTO
November 12, 2025 at 3:45 PM
bto-ni.bsky.social
❄️ Redwing and Fieldfare arrive on our shores in Autumn, escaping the harsher winters in Scandinavia

🍎 They lead a nomadic lifestyle in the UK, travelling and feeding in flocks of up to several hundred (2/3)
Fieldfare among fallen apples, photo by Edmund Fellowes / BTO
November 12, 2025 at 3:45 PM
bto-ni.bsky.social
🎶 Winter is coming – so make sure to listen out for the ‘chacking’ of Fieldfare and the high-pitched ‘tseep’ calls of night-flying Redwing (1/3)

#ornithology
Redwing singing in the rain, photo by Liz Cutting / BTO
November 12, 2025 at 3:45 PM
bto-ni.bsky.social
Hurray! Our Annual Birdwatcher’s Conference is now underway 🪺

We’re enjoying an exciting morning of talks - we've heard from BTO's Sophie Bennett and @rspbinvestigations.bsky.social Dean Jones so far. Huge thanks to all our speakers, stand holders, raffle prize donors, and birdwatchers 🐦
Attendees seated at the BTO NI Birdwatcher's Conference at Lough Neagh Discovery Centre
November 1, 2025 at 11:30 AM
bto-ni.bsky.social
🔔 Final call for the BTO NI Birdwatchers’ Conference on the 1st of November!

We will be hosting a range of talks on bird conservation, birdwatching walks and a raffle

📅 Booking closes THIS SUNDAY! Book here 👇

bit.ly/BTOConferenceNI25

#ornithology
BTO Northern Ireland Birdwatchers' Conference Poster. Date: Saturday 1st November 2025. Location: Lough Neagh Discovery Centre, Oxford Island, Co. Armagh. Tickets: £25 lunch included, concessions available. Public transport pick-ups available. Image of Whooper Swan by Edmund Fellowes / BTO
October 24, 2025 at 1:02 PM
bto-ni.bsky.social
🦆 Last Saturday the BTO NI team hosted an Autumn Wetland Birding event at Barmouth Bird Hide in Castlerock

📝 We enjoyed identifying wetland birds, counting large flocks and even some bird sketching! We recorded 31 species in total, including c600 Golden Plovers

🙌 Thanks to everyone who attended!
Curlew at Barmouth, Castlerock by Anne Guichard / RSPB View of the River Bann from Barmouth Bird Hide by Nia Potapova / BTO Photo from the inside of Barmouth Bird Hide during BTO NI's Autumn Wetland Birding event by Nia Potapova / BTO A group of people birdwatching in a field by Nia Potapova / BTO
October 22, 2025 at 10:32 AM
bto-ni.bsky.social
🐦‍⬛ Are you 16 to 24 and passionate about nature? Become a representative for BTO Youth and join our amazing team of volunteers!

➡️ Receive training, organise activities and attend events with all expenses paid

🔗 Find out more and apply: bit.ly/YouthRep25

🗓️ Closing date: 9th November 2025
Photo of a group of young people listening to a member of the team talk by Alicia Hayden / BTO Poster reads: Become a BTO Youth Rep! Scan the QR code to find out more and apply (QR code in bottom right corner)
October 20, 2025 at 1:35 PM
bto-ni.bsky.social
🪶 Join us for a day of bird talks, birdwatching, and socialising at the BTO NI Birdwatchers' Conference!

📍 1st Nov 2025 | Oxford Island, Co. Armagh

🎁 Enter the raffle for a chance to win a Sea Safari Trip among other exciting prizes!

Book your ticket 👇

bit.ly/BTOConferenceNI25

#ornithology
BTO Northern Ireland Birdwatchers' Conference Poster. Date: Saturday 1st November 2025. Location: Lough Neagh Discovery Centre, Oxford Island, Co. Armagh. Tickets: £25 lunch included, concessions available. Public transport pick-ups available. Image of Whooper Swan by Edmund Fellowes / BTO
October 15, 2025 at 11:03 AM
bto-ni.bsky.social
Spot birds and insects & enjoy the new colours that autumn brings: join our Wildlife Wander at Kiltonga Nature Reserve this Sunday 12th October from 2-4pm

🌿 Kim from @bsbibotany.bsky.social will be along to help us explore the world of plants

Register ➡️ www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wildlife-w...
"Wildlife Wander in Comber. Free! Sunday 12th October 2-4pm. Explore Kiltonga Nature Reserve with us!" Background photo of mushroom with caption "Mycena fungus by Sorrel Lyall / BTO" Logos in top left for "BTO Northern Ireland" and "Ards and North Down Borough Council"
October 9, 2025 at 12:13 PM
bto-ni.bsky.social
🌿Their diet is primarily made up of Eelgrass, which they feed on in large (very loud!) flocks.

Find out more at BTO BirdFacts: www.bto.org/learn/about-...

(4/4)
Pale-bellied Brent Geese foraging on the shore by Tom Cadwallender / BTO
October 6, 2025 at 8:51 AM
bto-ni.bsky.social
✈️They undertake a mammoth journey to reach us here, travelling from their breeding grounds in north-eastern Canada – that’s over 4,000 km (or 2,500 miles)!

(3/4)
A flying flock of Pale-bellied Brent Geese by Nia Potapova / BTO
October 6, 2025 at 8:51 AM
bto-ni.bsky.social
🪿Northern Ireland hosts around 30,000 Canadian Pale-bellied Brents each winter, with around 25,000 alone on Strangford Lough!

(2/4)
A flock of Pale-bellied Brent Geese by Tom Cadwallender / BTO
October 6, 2025 at 8:51 AM
bto-ni.bsky.social
🐏 Last week the BTO NI team and staff from the National Trust retrieved cameras monitoring a Cormorant colony on Sheep Island

📸 This footage will be vital for understanding coastal-breeding Cormorants, which lack consistent productivity data in Northern Ireland

#seabirds #ConservationScience🌍
Sheep Island. Photo by Sorrel Lyall / BTO Camera trap set up on Sheep Island. Photo by Sorrel Lyall / BTO Members of the BTO Northern Ireland team retrieving camera traps from Sheep Island. Photo by Nia Potapova / BTO Cormorants by Edmund Fellowes / BTO
September 30, 2025 at 1:34 PM
bto-ni.bsky.social
Discover what it's like completing a @bbs-birds.bsky.social survey in an urban area as Mary takes us through her site in Belfast for @theguardian.com Country Diary ➡️ www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Close up view of a Swift flying through the blue sky. Image by Philip Croft/BTO.
July 14, 2025 at 1:23 PM
bto-ni.bsky.social
Big thanks to our first NI Science & Engagement Intern, Lois, who wraps up her time with BTO this July! 🐣 She says: “I’ve loved being part of BTO NI and meeting our amazing volunteers. Thanks for this opportunity!” 💚🐦
#ukbirding
Lois Clements, Richard Gray (DAERA/NIEA) and Steven Fyffe (NIEA/BTO Regional Representative Tyrone) outside of the BTO NI office in Lisburn.
July 3, 2025 at 4:57 PM
bto-ni.bsky.social
🌸 Wildlife Wander in Victoria Park 🌿
Sun 15 June | 2–4PM

Slow down & tune into nature with us on a gentle stroll exploring late-spring wildlife. Damselflies, birdsong & good company await. Wheelchair accessible.

Free but booking essential: email [email protected] to reserve your spot
Image showing BTO NI logo & Connswater Community Greenway logo in the top left. Background image with caption in top right "Common Carder by Edmund Fellowes / BTO". Text over image saying "Wildlife Wander in Victoria Park. Email wanders@bto.org to book. Free! Sunday 15th June 2-4pm"
June 11, 2025 at 2:55 PM
bto-ni.bsky.social
Job alert! We've got a great opportunity for a Science/Engagement Intern to join us at BTO Northern Ireland on a 3 or 6 month internship to learn, grow and contribute to our work to make a positive impact for birds. Find out more and apply ➡️ www.bto.org/jobs #Ornithology

Closing date: 22 June 2025
Cut out image of two Black Guillemots (credit by Edmund Fellowes/BTO) on a purple background alongside the wording: Work with us! Science & Engagement Intern in Northern Ireland. www.bto.org/jobs. BTO Northern Ireland logo top right of image.
June 10, 2025 at 10:39 AM