BTO Northern Ireland

"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"

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...

David White saying that he is Dyslexic and Dyspraxic.

(1/) Hi, I’m David, and I help to run the BBS social media channels. This #DyslexiaAwarenessWeek, I am sharing something about myself, rather than the usual BBS posts, in order to raise awareness of my mild learning difficulties.

Pale-bellied Brent Geese foraging on the shore by Tom Cadwallender / BTO

🌿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-...

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A flying flock of Pale-bellied Brent Geese by Nia Potapova / BTO

✈️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)!

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A flock of Pale-bellied Brent Geese by Tom Cadwallender / BTO

🪿Northern Ireland hosts around 30,000 Canadian Pale-bellied Brents each winter, with around 25,000 alone on Strangford Lough!

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🍁 Autumn is upon us, and that means it’s time for Pale-bellied Brent Geese to return to Northern Ireland’s coastal estuaries

Have you seen any yet?

#ukbirding

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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

🐏 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🌍

Underneath the headline 'WeBS Site Insight: Augher Lough, County Tyrone’ is an image of a Great Crested Grebe swimming in a pool, with a map of the site boundary and location within the UK. The WeBS logo is beneath with the text ‘ Join WeBS - Can you help count waterbirds here?’

Are you a birder in Northern Ireland who can count this small pond in County Tyrone, which hasn’t been counted since 1992? If you think you can help please contact us via the "Contact the Local Organiser" button at
app.bto.org/websonline/s...

#WeBSSiteInsight #YourWeBSJourney

@bto-ni.bsky.social

Last few days to apply for this great post in #NorthernIreland! Please spread the word to the botanists and ecologists you know. @organicbotanic.bsky.social @bitheolaidhe.bsky.social @martinebrennan.bsky.social @donnarainey4.bsky.social @bto-ni.bsky.social @ulsterwildlife.bsky.social #Irishbotany

The latest issue of Irish Birds has just been published and is available from the BirdWatch Ireland shop: shorturl.at/qUTBe.
@birdwatchireland.bsky.social @npwsireland.bsky.social @bto-ni.bsky.social @rspbni.bsky.social

Close up view of a Swift flying through the blue sky. Image by Philip Croft/BTO.

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/...

Lois Clements, Richard Gray (DAERA/NIEA) and Steven Fyffe (NIEA/BTO Regional Representative Tyrone) outside of the BTO NI office in Lisburn.

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

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"

🌸 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 wanders@bto.org to reserve your spot

To all BTO volunteers, thank you for everything you do for birds and people. 💚🐦 Here's just some of the incredible volunteer contributions to our surveys in 2024. ⬇️ #VolunteersWeek

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.

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

BTO Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland Wild Bird Indicator 2025. The Woodland Bird Indicator has increased by 30% in Northern Ireland between 1997-2023. Image of Drumnaph Woodland in Co. Derry/Londonderry by BTO.

6/ Lesser Redpoll is a woodland species, 60% of which have increased in Northern Ireland, resulting in an increased Bird Indicator for woodland habitats.

Redpolls are seed-eaters, so the rise could mean 2023 was a good year for woodland seed crops.

Full report 👉 www.daera-ni.gov.uk/publications...

BTO Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland Wild Bird Indicator 2025. Lesser Redpoll increased by 161% in Northern Ireland between 2022-2023. Image of a Lesser Redpoll by Liz Cutting / BTO.

5/ Lesser Redpolls saw the biggest between year increase of 161% from 2022–2023. ⬆️

This tiny finch is aptly named with its red forehead, and the three species have actually been 'lumped' since these data - science in action!

Learn more about Redpolls 👉 www.bto.org/learn/about-...
#ornithology

BTO Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland Wild Bird Indicator 2025. The Farmland Bird Indicator has decreased by 29% between 1997-2023. Image of farmland in South Down by Sorrel Lyall / BTO.

4/ Kestrels are one of several farmland species that have seen declines between 1997-2023.

Species trends vary but overall have resulted in a declining Farmland Bird Indicator for Northern Ireland.

#ornithology

BTO Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland Wild Bird Indicator 2025. Help us to monitor Kestrels by reporting your sightings! bto.org/birdtrack. Image of a Kestrel by Philip Croft / BTO.

3/ Kestrels’ decline mirrors wider raptor declines - mainly due to reduced food availability.

Groups like @nirsg.bsky.social are working hard to study and protect these magnificent birds.

Check out BTO’s Raptors Appeal to further monitor & conserve our Raptors 👉 www.bto.org/support-us/a...

BTO Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland Wild Bird Indicator 2025. Strong Kestrel declines in Northern Ireland between 1997-2023. Image of a Kestrel by Philip Croft / BTO.

2/ Kestrels show the steepest decline between 1997–2023 however we have very little data about Kestrels in our records.

Once one of our most abundant raptors in NI, Kestrel sightings have decreased dramatically.

They’re known for their pointed wings, brown back, and hovering flight. #ornithology

How are Northern Ireland's bird populations faring in different habitats? Northern Ireland Wild Bird Indicator 2025. BTO Northern Ireland. Image of a Yellowhammer by Liz Cutting / BTO.

The 2025 @daera-ni.gov.uk Environmental Statistics Report is now available! It includes our Annual Wild Bird Indicator for NI plus Indicators for each habitat. 🐤🌿

We spotlight 2 species' trends below: one positive and one negative. 📈📉

Check out the report 👉 www.daera-ni.gov.uk/publications...

What a wonderful Bat Walk in Victoria Park last night led by Mark who's a regular at our monthly Wildlife Wander events!

You can't beat the sounds of echolocating bats on a bat detector 🦇 Turn the volume up! 🔊

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

BTO Northern Ireland's Big Nature Day. Explore Oxford Island Nature Reserve with NI's nature organisations and boost your wildlife skills. Saturday 7th June at the Lough Neagh Discovery Centre, Co. Armagh. With public transport pick ups provided. bit.ly/BigNatureDay25

Booking for the Big Nature Day on Saturday 7th June closes this Sunday!

Join us for a ringing demonstration, and workshops on plants, birdsong, moths, bees, butterflies, pond life and more 🌿

See the full programme and book your spot 👉 bit.ly/BigNatureDay25

Sorrel from BTO NI is with Dot and Eve from BBC Radio Ulster's Your Place and Mine show at Oxford Island Nature Reserve. Photo by Sorrel Lyall / BTO.

What a lovely morning at Oxford Island with Dot and Eve from BBC Radio Ulster's Your Place And Mine!

Listen in at 8-9am on Saturday 7th June to hear our piece, unless you’re at the Big Nature Day with us!

Booking closes this Sunday for the Big Nature Day, get your ticket now bit.ly/BigNatureDay25

Image of two people conducting a survey, one holding a clipboard and the other binoculars (Image credit: David Tipling/BTO). The BBS logo on a white background runs down the right-hand side of the image alongside the wording: Breeding Bird Survey 2024 report. To the left on a blue-grey background wording in white lettering reads: Thank you to all of our BBS volunteer surveyors! If you’d like to volunteer, visit www.bto.org/bbs-taking-part

5/ Thank you so much to the 139 volunteers who surveyed BBS squares in Northern Ireland during 2024. We really appreciate your support!

Image of a Greenfinch perched on a branch (image credit by John Proudlock/BTO). The BBS logo on a white background runs down the right-hand side of the image alongside the wording: Breeding Bird Survey 2024 report. To the left on a blue-grey background wording in white lettering reads: Greenfinch population. 82% decline across Northern Ireland since the mid-1990s. Below this a BBS Index for Northern Ireland 1994-2024 graph shows a decrease in Greenfinch numbers.

4/ The brightly coloured Greenfinch has unfortunately declined by 82% across Northern Ireland since the mid-1990s. This is thought to be linked to the disease Trichomonosis. You can find out more about it here: www.gardenwildlifehealth.org/portfolio/tr...

Image of a Raven in flight against a blue sky (image credit by Edmund Fellowes/BTO). The BBS logo on a white background runs down the right-hand side of the image alongside the wording: Breeding Bird Survey 2024 report. Wording at the bottom left of the image reads: Raven population. 43% increase across Northern Ireland over the last five years.

3/ Raven is a species of corvid that has really increased across the UK in recent years. It has risen by 43% across Northern Ireland over the last five years.

Image of a male Blackbird perched on a bush (image credit by Philip Croft/BTO). The BBS logo on a white background runs down the right-hand side of the image alongside the wording: Breeding Bird Survey 2024 report. To the left on a blue-grey background wording in white lettering reads: Blackbird population. Increased by 40% across Northern Ireland in the last 10 years! Below this a BBS Index for Northern Ireland 1994-2024 graph showing a steady increase in population and a spike in recent years.

2/ Blackbird, with its beautiful song, has increased by 40% across Northern Ireland in the last 10 years. This is a significant contrast to this species’ fortune in England, where it has declined by 10% over the same time period.

Raven perched on a rock against a blue sky (credit: Philip Croft/BTO) with the BBS logo top right of the image. To the left of the bird on a blue-grey background wording in white lettering reads: OUT NOW! The latest population trends for breeding birds in Northern Ireland. BTO, RSPB and JNCC logo sit below this.

Discover what the latest @bbs-birds.bsky.social results mean for Northern Ireland in this thread! ⬇️🐦 #Ornithology

@btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social

Image of group of young people sitting on a fallen tree branch in a woodland. They are looking at the camera, and some have their arms raised in the air. Wording alongside reads: BTO Youth. Young Leaders Course. Applications are now open.

🎉 Applications are now open for the 2025 Young Leaders Course. ➡️ bit.ly/YoungLeadersBTO

📅 Tuesday 12 August to Friday 15 August, 2025
📍 Cameron’s Cottage, New Forest, Hampshire, UK