Daily news summaries

Catch up with RBA's daily birdnews summaries. Browse ten days at a time, or choose a date to read summaries from that day backwards.

Daily summaries are available from 13 April 2006. For earlier weekly reviews, visit our articles.

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Monday 31st May 2010  
  In Norfolk a male Trumpeter Finch was discovered on Blakeney Point, before it was later relocated at nearby Cley. The last Norfolk record related to a bird also found on Blakeney Point on 31st May, back in 2008.

Other rarities unearthed today included a Black Kite in Argyll, Black Stork on Isle of Skye (Highland) and White-billed Diver off Unst (Shetland). Red-footed Falcons (two in Co Wexford and singles in Co Kildare and Hertfordshire), Iberian Chiffchaffs (in Kent, South Yorkshire and Gwent), Red-rumped Swallow (Orkney) and Great Reed Warbler (Derbyshire) all lingered.

The best of the rest came in the form of Purple Herons (Suffolk and Kent), Ring-necked Ducks (Fife and Co Armagh), Short-toed Lark (Isles of Scilly), White-spotted Bluethroat (Norfolk), Common Rosefinch (Gwynedd), Woodchat Shrike (North Yorkshire), Great White Egret (Aberdeenshire) and Hoopoe (Devon).
Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 30th May 2010  
  A quiet day was headlined by the finding of a Black Kite on Isle of Skye (Highland) and a brief Bee-eater at Walberswick (Suffolk).

Lingering rarities included Savi's Warbler (South Yorkshire), Red-rumped Swallow and Great Reed Warbler (Derbyshire), Red-footed Falcons (two in Co Wexford and singles in Hertfordshire and Co Kildare), Iberian Chiffchaffs (Gwent, Kent and South Yorkshire), Little Bittern and Ferruginous Duck (Somerset), Glossy Ibis (Co Wexford) and King Eider (Aberdeenshire).

The best of the rest came in the form of Woodchat Shrike (North Yorkshire), Great White Egret (Aberdeenshire), Purple Heron (Suffolk), Pectoral Sandpiper (Cleveland), Ring-necked Ducks (Fife and Co Armagh), Common Rosefinch (Lincolnshire) and Icterine Warbler (Shetland).
Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 29th May 2010  
  Two Black-winged Stilts at Frampton Marsh RSPB, Lincolnshire were the highlight of the day, continuing the reserve's run of good birds this Spring. Other rarity discoveries today included a Bee-eater at Gibraltar Point NNR, Lincolnshire and a Red-rumped Swallow which lingered at Ogston Reservoir, Derbyshire all day.

In Yorkshire the Savi's Warbler continued to sing at Old Moor RSPB, whilst the Iberian Chiffchaff was also still singing at Potteric Carr YWT. Further south, the Great Reed Warbler also remained at Ilkeston, Derbyshire. Red-footed Falcons were in County Wexford (3), County Kildare and Hertfordshire, whilst the Red-rumped Swallow remained on Orkney. The King Eider was seen again on the Ythan Estuary, Aberdeenshire,

Scarcity highlights included Buff-breasted Sandpiper in Aberdeenshire, White-spotted Bluethroat in Norfolk, Woodchat Shrike in Yorkshire, four migrant Golden Orioles, Icterine Warbler on Shetland, Purple Heron in Suffolk, three Balearic Shearwaters, Pomarine Skua in County Wexford, four migrant Honey Buzzards, two Ring-necked Ducks and single Glaucous and Iceland Gulls in Yorkshire and Northumberland respectively.
Will Soar, RBA
Friday 28th May 2010  
  Highlight of the day was the continued presence of the White-tailed Plover at Seaforth LWT (Merseyside). New discoveries included Rustic Bunting on Fetlar (Shetland), two Red-footed Falcons at Breydon Water (Norfolk), Bee-eater at Durlston Country Park (Dorset) and Whiskered Tern at Ely Beet Factory (Cambridgeshire). In Somerset a male Little Bittern was present for its fourth day in the Ham Wall RSPB/Walton Heath area  - it seems likely that this is the same bird that lingered in the same area from at least 6th June-24th July last year.

Elsewhere lingering rarities included Savi's Warbler (South Yorkshire), Iberian Chiffchaffs (South Yorkshire and Kent), Blue-winged Teal (Cambridgeshire),  Bee-eaters (10 on Isles of Scilly), Black Stork (Co Durham), Red-footed Falcons (four in Co Wexford and singles in Hertfordshire and Co Kildare), Ferruginous Duck (Somerset), Great Reed Warbler (Derbyshire), Forster's Tern (Co Wexford) and Red-rumped Swallow on Orkney.

Late news from yesterday related to a flyover Collared Pratincole in the West Midlands.
Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 27th May 2010  
  A stunning White-tailed Plover at Seaforth LWT (Merseyside) was today's hot news. This is the second time this species has occurred in Lancashire and North Merseyside, following the famous 2007 White-tailed Plover that spent eight days at Leighton Moss RSPB in June, having initially been discovered at Caerlaverock WWT (Dumfries and Galloway) earlier in the same month.

Elsewhere new rarities included Savi's Warbler at Old Moor RSPB (South Yorkshire), Red-rumped Swallow at Dawlish Warren NNR (Devon), Red-throated Pipit and no less than 12 Bee-eaters on Isles of Scilly, Black Stork near Barnard Castle (Co Durham) and Black Kite on The Lizard (Cornwall). Four Red-footed Falcons were discovered at Tacumshin (Co Wexford), whilst other Red-footed Falcons records came in the form of two at Wilstone Reservoir (Hertfordshire) and singles at St Just (Cornwall) and in Co Kildare. A Blue-winged Teal at Paxton Pits NR (Cambridgeshire) was thought to be the same bird that visited Groby Pool (Leicestershire) yesterday - Paxton Pits NR is approximately 50 miles south-east of Groby Pool.

Lingering rarities comprised Broad-billed Sandpiper in Aberdeenshire, Subalpine Warbler on Shetland, Great Reed Warbler in Derbyshire and Iberian Chiffchaffs in South Yorkshire and Kent.

The best of the rest included 12 Temminck's Stints, at least four Red-backed Shrikes, two Purple Herons, two Pectoral Sandpipers, two Icterine Warblers, Hoopoe (Cornwall), Red-necked Phalarope (Leicestershire) and Great White Egret (Carmarthenshire).
Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 26th May 2010  
  The highlight of the day was a Black-browed Albatross off Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire early in the morning before flying further out to sea. On the Isles of Scilly a White-throated Sparrow was a long-awaited first for the archipelago whilst discoveries elsewhere included a Blue-winged Teal in Leicestershire at Groby Pool, a Red-rumped Swallow in Suffolk at Trimley Marshes and single Red-footed Falcons in Hertfordshire at Wilstone Reservoir and County Kildare at Timahoe West. Meanwhile, lingering rarities confirmed as still present today were the Great Reed Warbler in Derbyshire, Red-rumped Swallow on the Orkney Isles and territorial Iberian Chiffchaffs in Gwent, Kent and South Yorkshire.

Brief encounters comprised a Black Stork in Highland, a Glossy Ibis in County Kerry, Alpine Swift in Kent, Bee-eater in West Sussex and Black Kites in Cornwall (2) and Somerset.

Scarcities included nine Temminck's Stints spread across seven counties, two each of Red-backed Shrike and migrant Golden Orioles, Purple Heron (Suffolk), Bluethroat (Wirral), Common Rosefinch (Lancashire), Serin (Dorset), Marsh Warbler (Suffolk), Hoopoe (Cornwall), Great White Egret (Carmarthenshire), Pectoral Sandpiper and Cattle Egret (both Lincolnshire).
Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 25th May 2010  
  The highlight of the day was a lingering Red-rumped Swallow on the Orkney Isles on South Ronaldsay. Elsewhere, the newly discovered rarities chose not to linger: White-billed Diver in Aberdeenshire, Red-footed Falcon in Norfolk and single Black Kites in both Hampshire and West Sussex were seen only by their finders.

On the Western Isles the elusive Black Stork showed again, whilst other lingering rarities comprised the Forster's Tern still in County Wexford, Wilson's Phalarope in Merseyside, Broad-billed Sandpiper in Aberdeenshire, Great Reed Warbler in Derbyshire and territorial Iberian Chiffchaffs in each of Gwent, Kent and South Yorkshire.

Scarcities included 19 Temminck's Stints spread across ten counties, four migrant Golden Orioles, three Purple Herons, two each of Common Rosefinch and White-winged Black Tern (the latter together in Leicestershire) and single Serin (Leicestershire), Bluethroat (Wirral), Icterine Warbler (East Yorkshire), Marsh Warbler and Great White Egret (both Suffolk), Red-backed Shrike (County Durham), Hoopoe (West Sussex), Long-tailed Skua (Highland), Pectoral Sandpiper (Aberdeenshire) and Glaucous Gull (County Wicklow).
Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 24th May 2010  
  New discoveries included a Red-throated Pipit on Fair Isle, Bee-eaters at Dungeness (Kent) and over Sennen (Cornwall), Subalpine Warbler (probably an Eastern) at Cot Valley (Cornwall) and Red-rumped Swallow at Spurn (East Yorkshire).

The Wilson's Phalarope in Merseyside, Black Stork on Western Isles, Squacco Heron in Cornwall, Iberian Chiffchaffs in Kent, South Yorkshire and Gwent, Broad-billed Sandpiper in Aberdeenshire and Great Reed Warbler in Derbyshire all lingered.

Scarcities included two White-winged Black Terns  (Leicestershire), Serin (Dorset), Great White Egret (Carmarthenshire) and Bluethroat (East Yorkshire) in addition to three Pectoral Sandpipers, seven Red-backed Shrikes and 17 Temminck's Stints.

Photos of a possible Long-toed Stint in Co Durham unfortunately proved the bird to be a Little Stint.
Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 23rd May 2010  
  New rarities flooded into Britain today - Great Snipe (Western Isles), a pair of Subalpine Warblers (Gwynedd), Black Kites (Cornwall and Lincolnshire), Savi's Warbler (Norfolk), Bee-eaters (three in Lincolnshire then East Yorkshire and four in Cornwall), Red-rumped Swallows (Dorset and East Yorkshire) and Broad-billed Sandpipers (South Yorkshire and Aberdeenshire) were all discovered today.

Lingering rarities included Wilson's Phalarope (Merseyside), Black Stork (Western Isles), Iberian Chiffchaffs (Gwent, South Yorkshire and Kent), King Eider (Aberdeenshire), Great Reed Warbler (Derbyshire), Pacific Diver (Co Clare) and Squacco Heron (Cornwall).

Scarcities were represented by 29 Temminck's Stints, four Red-backed Shrikes, three Purple Herons, two Dotterels, two White-winged Black Terns, Grey-headed Wagtail, Serin, Pectoral Sandpiper, Hoopoe and a Great White Egret.
Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 22nd May 2010  
  Today's highlights included an adult female Wilson's Phalarope at Seaforth LWT, Merseyside, and a Squacco Heron at Par, Cornwall, both present this evening. A female Red-footed Falcon was seen in a field near Penicuik, Lothian briefly, whilst an Alpine Swift was in the Plymouth area of Devon. Black Kites were in Devon and Cornwall (the latter county seeing a significant movement of Red Kites during the day), and Bee-eaters were seen or heard in Ceredigion, Scilly and Norfolk (two).

The Black Stork was reported again from the Western Isles, this time on Berneray, with lingering rarities including Great Reed Warbler in Derbyshire and single Iberian Chiffchaffs in Gwent, Kent and Yorkshire.
Will Soar, RBA