Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus (Breeds western and central Europe, Caucasus and Scandinavia. Winters Mediterranean).

Formerly much commoner in Northern Ireland and breeding in every county except Armagh, which has no suitable habitat. Ussher & Warren 1900. The decline continued through to the 1950s when it was thought to be still well-established in County Down, nesting sparsely in County Fermanagh but almost unknown in County Antrim. Kennedy, Ruttledge & Scroope 1954. A clutch of eggs in the Ulster Museum was taken in 1919 from Carlingford, County Down. Four pairs were noted as breeding in the Mournes in 1952. Deane 1954. The Breeding Atlas (1968 - 72) indicated the species to be breeding in only one 10km. square (County Down), while the Breeding Atlas (1988 - 91) showed the species to be breeding in two 10km. squares, one in Down and one in Antrim. R. Northridge (pers. comm.) has reported their occurrence at Cuilcagh (May 1976) and Benaughlin, County Fermanagh in summer and reports sightings to at least 1990 in the Belcoo/Blacklion area.

1951 One: St. John's Point, Killough County Down, 8th November. Dove 1952.

1956 One: Lighthouse Island, Copeland Bird Observatory, Copeland Islands County Down, 15th September. (CBO).

1961 One: Holywood, County Down 25th March. Anon. in USPBB No. 6. One: Lighthouse Island, Copeland Bird Observatory, Copeland Islands, County Down, 10th – 11th April. (CBO).

1962 Four: Lighthouse Island, Copeland Bird Observatory, Copeland Islands County Down; two 20th April, one 23rd April and one 29th April. (CBO).

1964 One: Lighthouse Island, Copeland Bird Observatory, Copeland Islands County Down, 14th April (CBO).

1965 Two: Lighthouse Island, Copeland Bird Observatory, Copeland Islands County Down; singles 2nd May and 24th October. (CBO).

1966 At least four: Lighthouse Island, Copeland Bird Observatory, Copeland Islands County Down; one or two present daily 9th – 22nd April [four different birds caught two of which were re-trapped up to six and eight days later respectively]. (CBO).

1968 One: Lighthouse Island, Copeland Bird Observatory, Copeland Islands County Down, 16th April. (CBO).

1970 Three: Lighthouse Island, Copeland Bird Observatory, Copeland Islands County Down; singles 19th April. 2nd May and 28th September. (CBO).

1971 One: Slieve Gullion, County Armagh, 10th April. AFNS Report 1971. Two: Lighthouse Island, Copeland Bird Observatory, Copeland Islands County Down; singles 11th and 12th April

Ring Ouzel © Derek Charles & Andrew Crory, 'Rare and Scarce Birds of Northern Ireland’. www.rareandscarcebirdsni.com 1974 One: Male. Singing. Slievemoughanmore, County Down, 25th May. NIBRC 256/75. Three: Lighthouse Island, Copeland Bird Observatory, Copeland Islands, County Down; singles 10th, 20th and 23rd April. (CBO).

1977 Four: Lighthouse Island, Copeland Bird Observatory, Copeland Islands, County Down: two 16th April with singles 19th and 21st April. (CBO).

1979 One: Observed and heard between Lower Cove and Lanagan, near Tollymore, County Down, 10th June. (NIBRC 126/1979. One: Lighthouse Island, Copeland Bird Observatory, Copeland Islands County Down, 9th April. (CBO).

1980 One: Fair Head, County Antrim, on 13th April (NIBRC 1983). Two were at Knockdu, Cairncastle, County Antrim, 12th April (NIBRC 200/1980)

1981 One: Scant Hill, County Antrim, 20th April. NIBRC 130/1981. Four: Two pairs. Ballygally, County Antrim, throughout May. NIBRC 39/1981. Four: Two pairs were seen in suitable breeding habitat in County Antrim, April and May (A.J. Balbi). NIBRC 1982. One: Lighthouse Island, Copeland Bird Observatory, Copeland Islands County Down, 18th April. (CBO). One: Female. Binevenagh, County Londonderry, 7th and 21st May (Dave Allen, Anthony McGeehan). NIBRC 1983.

1982 A number were recorded at Rathlin Island, County Antrim, 8th - 9th May. NIBRC 1987. One: Benevenagh, County Londonderry. NIBRC 53/1982. Six: Mourne Mountains [Pot of Pulgarve], County Down, 8th May; these were believed to be local breeding birds. Breeding occurred in the Mournes in 1982 but no details are available. NIBRC 1987.

1983 One: Rathlin Island, County Antrim, 16th April. NIBRC 1987. At least three: Present in suitable breeding habitat in the Mournes, County Down [Pigeon Rock], late May to early June 1983 (Willie McDowell et al.). NIBRC 1987.

1984 A minimum of two: Rathlin Island, County Antrim, 18th April. NIBRC 1987.

1985 One: Male. Sallagh Braes, Larne, County Antrim, 3rd April. NIBRC 1987. Two: Rathlin Island, County Antrim, first half of April. NIBRC 1987. One: Male. Wintered on Cave Hill, Belfast, County Antrim, was observed on several dates in February after its initial discovery on 19th January; this is the first recorded occurrence of wintering in Northern Ireland. NIBRC 1987.

1986 One: Near Portrush, County Antrim, 3rd May. NIBA 1992. One: Cove Lough, Mournes, County Down, 21st July. NIBA 1992.

Ring Ouzel © Derek Charles & Andrew Crory, 'Rare and Scarce Birds of Northern Ireland’. www.rareandscarcebirdsni.com 1987 One: Binevenagh, County Londonderry, 19th - 22nd March. NIBA 1992. One: Redlands, Larne, County Antrim, 6th April. NIBA 1992) Two: Rathlin Island, County Antrim; singles 15th and 20th April. NIBA 1992. Three: Two adults and one juvenile. Eagle Mountain, Mournes, County Down, 21st July. NIBA 1992. Three: One female and two juveniles. Cove Mountain, Mournes, County Down, 31st July. NIBA 1992.

1988 One: Giant's Causeway, County Antrim, 28th October and 5th November. NIBA 1992. One: Male. Binevenagh, County Londonderry, 4th February. NIBA 1992.

1989 One: Female. Lighthouse Island, Copeland Bird Observatory, Copeland Islands County Down, 8th May. (CBO).

1990 One: St. John's Point, Killough, County Down, 24th October. NIBA 1992.

1991 One: Immature male. St. John's Point, Killough, County Down, 12th - 13th October. NIBA 1993.

1992 Two: Mournes, County Down; one male 5th May and one on 10th October. NIBA 1993. One: Lighthouse Island, Copeland Bird Observatory, Copeland Islands County Down, 4th October. (CBO). One: Male. St. John's Point, Killough, County Down, 16th October. NIBA 1993.

1992 One: Slieve Donard, Mourne Mountains, Newcastle, County Down, 20th May (Hugh Thurgate). Charles and Crory 2019. One: Fair Head, Ballycastle, “autumn”, County Antrim (Clive Mellon). Charles and Crory 2019.

1993 One: “Reported”. Kernan, Portadown, County Armagh, late August/early September. AFNS Report 1993. Two: Males. Mournes, County Down, County Down; single males, 17th April - 8th May with a second male on 24th April. NIBA 1994.

1994 Two: One pair. Rathlin Island, County Antrim, 13th May. NIBA 1996. Possible breeding birds were recorded at Pot of Pulgarve, Mournes, County Down, 22nd April (K. O’Kane), Pigeon Rock, Mournes, County Down, 23rd April 9David Nixon) and 9th May (Gary Wilkinson) and at Buzzard's Roost, Mournes, County Down on 19th May (Brian Nelson, C. Dawson). NIBA 1996. One: Lighthouse Island, Copeland Bird Observatory, Copeland Islands County Down, 28th August (Neville McKee). (CBO).

1995 One: Male. Squire's Hill, Belfast, County Antrim, 16th April (Larry Toal). NIBA 1997. Two: South of Pigeon Rock, Mournes, County Down, 7th May - 24th June (Walter Veale). Charles and Crory 2019. Two: Between Beg and Commedagh, 29th June (Anthony McGeehan). Charles and Crory 2019. One: Lighthouse Island, Copeland Bird Observatory, Copeland Islands, County Down, 1st Aril (Colin Guy). CBO Bird Report 2000.

Ring Ouzel © Derek Charles & Andrew Crory, 'Rare and Scarce Birds of Northern Ireland’. www.rareandscarcebirdsni.com 1996 One: “Reported” Fair Head, Ballycastle, County Antrim, 12th May (Geoff Campbell). NIBA 1998. One: Observed at a traditional breeding site in the Mourne Mountains, County Down, 12th May (Richard Gray, Gary Wilkinson). NIBA 1998.

1996 One: Inishcorkish Island, Upper Lough Erne, County Fermanagh, observed for several weeks in January (J. Reihill). Charles and Crory 2019.

1997 One: Divis Mountain [near the BBC masts], Belfast, County Antrim, 20th April (Larry Toal). NIBA 1999. One: Belvoir golf course, Belfast, County Down, 17th October (Chris Murphy). NIBA 1999. Three: Bernagh, Mourne mountains, County Down, 27th September (A.J. Bradley). NIBA 1999.

1998 One: Lough Atona, Cuilcagh, County Fermanagh, 27th August (R.H. Northridge). Charles and Crory 2019. Two: Slieve Donard [on the scree slopes above Eagle Rock J357283], County Down, 7th October (Godfrey McRoberts). NIBA 2000.

1999 One: Loughareema, County Antrim, 30th April (Don Scott). NIBA 2001. One: Dunmurry area, County Antrim, 3rd February (G. Sommerville). NIBA 2001.

2000 One: Male. Slievenacloy (J250712), Belfast Hills, Lisburn, County Antrim, 5th April (Dermot Hughes). Charles and Crory 2019. One: Male. Lighthouse Island, Copeland Bird Observatory, Copeland Islands, 28th April. CBO Bird Report 2000. One: Pigeon Rock [200 yards left of the main cliff], Mourne Mountains, Newcastle, County Down, 31st May (Walter Veale). Charles and Crory 2019.

2001 One: Male. Blackers Rock, Lough Neagh, Ardboe, County Tyrone, 9th May (D. Coney). NIBA 2003.

2002 One: Male. Eagle Mountain, Mourne Mountains, Newcastle, County Down, 26th July (Godfrey McRoberts). NIBA 2004.

2004 One: Male. Fair Head, Ballycastle, County Antrim, 25th April (C. Irwin). NIBA 2006. One: Carnmoney, County Antrim, 7th November. NIBA 2006.

2005 One: Female. Binevennagh Mountain, Castlerock, County Londonderry, 3rd-4th April (E. Fulton, Mervyn Guthrie). NIBA 2008a.

2006 One: Male. Lighthouse Island, Copeland Bird Observatory, Copeland Islands, 16th April (J. Stewart). CBO Bird Report 2006.

2007 One: Male. Cargan, County Antrim, 2nd May (Ian Mitchell). NIBA 2008b.

Ring Ouzel © Derek Charles & Andrew Crory, 'Rare and Scarce Birds of Northern Ireland’. www.rareandscarcebirdsni.com 2009 One: Rathlin Island, County Antrim, 24th April (Flightline). Charles and Crory 2019.

2010 One: Male. Glenhead Road, Glenwherry, County Antrim, 30th April - 3rd May (Ian Dickey et al.). Charles and Crory 2019.

2011 Two: Slemish Mountain, Broughshane, Ballymena, County Antrim; single males 26th - 28th March and 27th April (Iris Millar, Jeff Larkin, et al.). Charles and Crory 2019. One: The ‘Gully’, Black Mountain, Belfast, County Antrim, 21st April (Paul Toner). Charles and Crory 2019. One or two: Slievenacloy NNR, Belfast Hills, Belfast, County Antrim; single males 7th and 12th April (Dermot Hughes, Richard Gray et al.). Charles and Crory 2019.

2013 Two: Mourne Mountains, Newcastle, County Down, 7th April (Dan Bailie). Charles and Crory 2019.

2014 One: Lighthouse Island, Copeland Bird Observatory, Copeland Islands, County Down, 17th and 19th April, trapped and ringed (Chris Acheson, Richard Donaghey et al.). Charles and Crory 2019. One: Slievenacloy NNR, Belfast Hills, County Antrim, 1st May (Billy Miskelly). Charles and Crory 2019.

2015 One: Male. Glenarm, County Antrim, 4th - 13th April (Damian Clarke). Charles and Crory 2019. One: Male. Cliffs west of Ballygally, Antrim Hills, 20th April (Richard Donaghey). Charles and Crory 2019. One: Male. Glenhead, Antrim Hills, Glenwherry, County Antrim, 23rd - 24th April (Gerard McGeehan et al.). Charles and Crory 2019. One: Male. Mountstewart, Greyabbey, County Down, 24th April (Eimear Rooney). Charles and Crory 2019. One: Male. Rathlin Island, County Antrim, 15th May (Ronald Surgenor). Charles and Crory 2019. One: Male. Shillnavogy Hill, Glenwherry, County Antrim, 25th May (Billy Miskelly). Charles and Crory 2019.

2017 One: Female. Dead. St Johns Point, Killough, County Down, 20th October (Tim Murphy). Charles and Crory 2019.

2018 One: Female. Kinramer, Rathlin Island, County Antrim, 30th April (Ric Else, Hazel Watson). Charles and Crory 2019.

2019 Four: Rathlin Island, County Antrim; singles 8th April, 12th April [West Light], 18th – 21st April [female] and 25th April (Ric Else, Hazel Watson). Records not published. One: Lighthouse Island, Copeland Bird Observatory, Copeland Islands, County Down, 20th April (Chris Acheson).

Ring Ouzel © Derek Charles & Andrew Crory, 'Rare and Scarce Birds of Northern Ireland’. www.rareandscarcebirdsni.com

Glenhead, Antrim Hills, Glenwherry, 24th April 2015. Ian Dickey

The following published records we disregard; 1995 One: Observed at a traditional site in the Mournes, County Down, 24th April )Dennis Doherty). NIBA 1997. 1997 One: Calling. At a traditional breeding site in the Mourne Mountains, County Down, 3rd June (Dennis Doherty). NIBA 1999. 1999 One: Male. In flight. Ardmore Point, Lough Neagh, County Armagh, 15th April (Dennis Doherty). NIBA 2001. 2002 One: Pigeon Rock, Mourne Mountains, County Down, 23rd April (Dennis Doherty). NIBA 2004.

Ring Ouzel © Derek Charles & Andrew Crory, 'Rare and Scarce Birds of Northern Ireland’. www.rareandscarcebirdsni.com