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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Tuesday 9th May 2006  
  A stunning male Collared Flycatcher at Brow Marsh, Shetland was the prize find today. Although a very rare bird anywhere in Britain it is the tenth spring record for Shetland – with five of these falling in the last nine years.

Another exciting find came in the form of a pair Gull-billed Terns tracked moving north along the English northeast coast. Initially passing Hartlepool, Cleveland they were later noted past various coastal sites in Co.Durham and Northumberland.

Elsewhere a Long-billed Dowitcher was found on North Uist, Western Isles, a Black Stork flew over Wester Clunes, Highland, a Great White Egret appeared at Roadford Reservoir, Devon and a Black Kite flew over the Isle the Grain then Cliffe Pools, Kent.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 8th May 2006  
  The discovery of three Subalpine Warblers in Scotland was the high point of day. In Fife one was on the Isle of May whilst on Shetland a male Eastern Subalpine Warbler was singing at Vidlin with a Western Subalpine Warbler at nearby Grutness. No doubt associated with this arrival, Fair Isle enjoyed a bumper day with Short-toed Lark, six Bluethroats, three Red-backed Shrikes and a Waxwing all logged.

Both Iberian Chiffchaffs – at Pressmennan Lake, Lothian and Postbridge, Devon – continued to deliver their charactersistic song, whilst the Citrine Wagtail remained a popular attraction at Holland Haven, Essex.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 7th May 2006  
  The rarest find of the day was a fine male Caspian Stonechat (of the form variegatus) at Virkie on Mainland, Shetland. This is only the second record of this form in Britain. A Laughing Gull found at Cromer in Norfolk (and later seen at Cley) was not altogether unexpected given the chance of some of last autumns influx moving north through the country this spring. Another good find was a female Citrine Wagtail at Holland Haven in Essex.

Other new rarities found during the day included a Red-rumped Swallow in off the sea at Dungeness in Kent, an Eastern Subalpine Warbler at Sumburgh Head, Mainland, Shetland, a Laughing Gull at Marazion, Cornwall, Black Kites in Lancashire and East Sussex, and a Black Stork briefly near Holt in Norfolk. Two belated reports included an American Robin on the 4th near Aviemore in Highland and a Bee-eater on the 6th on Stronsay, Orkney.

Records of Roseate Terns at inland waters are always unusual, so six different birds found inland during the day was exceptional. They were in Derbyshire, Northamptonshire, North Yorkshire and Staffordshire. Other notable birds included a Common Rosefinch at Blakeney Point, Norfolk, Hoopoes in Dorset and East Yorkshire, Woodchat Shrikes in Cornwall, Hampshire and Cumbria, a Short-toed Lark in Cleveland, a Serin over The Gower, Glamorgan and a smattering of Temminck's Stints.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Saturday 6th May 2006  
  Red-rumped Swallows were the flavour of the day, with one reaching as far north as Shetland and another arriving on Cape Clear Island, Co.Cork. Other singles were found in Cleveland, Isle of Wight and Devon. Equally prominent were Black Kites, the lions share being found in Kent; two flew over Abbot's Cliff, whilst singles were logged over Bockhill Farm and Walland Marsh, Another drifted north over Minsmere RSPB, Suffolk.

A Greenish Warbler was reported at Gringley Carr, Nottinghamshire, singing and showing well for thirty minutes; if genuine, this is a truly remarkable inland record, especially so early in the year. A far more expected passerine for the time of year was a male Western Subalpine Warbler on St.Mary's, Isles of Scilly. In Scotland an adult drake King Eider graced the Ythan Estuary and a probable Iberian Chiffchaff was singing at Pressmennan Lake, near Dunbar, Lothian, for it's second day.

In Lancashire, the 3 Black-winged Stilts continued to entertain at Martin Mere WWT, along with a Pectoral Sandpiper. Also in the Northwest, the elusive Subalpine Warbler continued to frustrate would-be observers on Hilbre Island.

Yesterdays Rose-breasted Grosbeak was reported again at Holme early morning, but if still present, it did an excellent job of hiding for the rest of the day. The long-staying Franklin's Gull remained at Northam Burrows Country Park and in Ireland the drake Blue-winged Teal was still in Co.Down, and the adult Laughing Gull remained in Galway.

Pick of the bunch from the national scarcities was a Woodchat Shrike at Torver Low Common, Cumbria, but an Hoopoe at Beeley Moor, Derbyshire was also an excellent local record. Other highlights included Short-toed Lark on Fair Isle, Woodchat Shrike on North Ronaldsay, Grey Headed Wagtail at Black Rock Sands, Gwynedd and Tawny Pipit at Flamborough Head, whilst Norfolk contributed Grey-headed Wagtail at West Runton, Kentish Plover at Snettisham and Purple Heron at Titchwell.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 5th May 2006  
  Biggest and most surprising news of the day came in the form of a 1st-summer female Rose-breasted Grosbeak that had been trapped and ringed in the Holme/Thornham area of Norfolk after having previously been in care due to flying into a window the day before. This is the first record of this species outside of autumn/winter and represents the first record for Norfolk. Unfortunately, it was only seen by a select few observers. Other new rarities included up to four Black Kites, with two each in Norfolk and Suffolk, a total of three Great White Egrets with individuals at Butterstreet Cove (Dorset), Slimbridge WWT (Glos) and North Duffield Carrs (N.Yorks), White-billed Diver off Lewis, Blue-winged Teal in Co. Down, Laughing Gull in Dorset and Bee-eater in West Yorkshire. The three Black-winged Stilts that were at Far Ings NR yesterday appeared at Martin Mere WWT in Lancashire and stayed throughout the day. A possible Iberian Chiffchaff was found singing at Holland Haven Country Park (Essex).
-  Richard Moores, RBA
Thursday 4th May 2006  
  A busy day yielded no less than eight new rarities including a Brunnich’s Guillemot that was found dead on Yell. Most popular of the extant rares were a party of three Black-winged Stilts that appeared at Far Ings RSPB reserve during the afternoon. The birds were mobile around the reserve but continued to show until dusk. In Ireland a brace of White-winged Black Terns showed in Co. Westmeath. These birds were part of a notable influx of Black Terns into Britain and Ireland during the day. A Red-throated Pipit in Kent showed to only the early risers at Bockhill Farm while a drake King Eider again appeared off Blackdog, Aberdeenshire. A duo of new Laughing Gulls appeared in Cornwall and Co. Galway and a Great White Egret was reported over Storwood, S.Yorks to complete the new rares.

Best of the rest included a Buff-breasted Sandpiper in Lothian that moved from Tyninghame Bay to Aberlady Bay, Pectoral Sandpiper at Martin Mere WWT, male Red-backed Shrike at Land’s End, singing Yellow-browed Warbler at Dungeness, and a decent passage of Pomarine Skuas past the south coast. An influx of Garganey was also notable.
-  Richard Moores, RBA
Wednesday 3rd May 2006  
  Portland, Dorset was certainly the place today with highlights including three Red-rumped Swallows, two Serins, a male Ashy-headed Wagtail and a Wryneck. Elsewhere a Black-winged Stilt arrived on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent and a Blue-winged Teal was found at Brodgar, Orkney, whilst a Bee-eater flew over Sheringham, Norfolk. The most notable discoveries amongst the national scarcities were a Serin at Landguard, Suffolk, a Wryneck at Horsey, Norfolk and a Kentish Plover at Dawlish Warren, Devon.
-  Richard Moores and Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 2nd May 2006  
  Bird of the day was a Gull-billed Tern in southeast Devon. First seen briefly on the Axe Estuary at Seaton it soon flew off west and was relocated on the Exe Estuary in the evening. Other highlights included an Alpine Swift over St Martin’s, Isles of Scilly and a singing Bonelli’s Warbler species briefly at Rutland Water, Leicestershire.

A Woodchat Shrike at Long Eaton, Derbyshire was an excellent local record, as was the Montagu’s Harrier that remained at Belfast Harbour Estate, Co Down. A good passage of Pomarine Skuas was more routine with maximum day counts of 25 off Bowness-on-Solway, Cumbria, 11 Selsey Bill, West Sussex and six at both Dungeness, Kent and Thurlestone Bay, Devon.

A female aythya duck at Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, that was originally identified as a Redhead, eventually showed well and photographs proved the bird to be hybrid of unknown parentage; and certainly not a pure Redhead.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 1st May 2006  
  Whilst Mayday brought several new rarities it lacked the major find many were hoping for on this bank holiday. The picks of the bunch were a Long-billed Dowitcher inland at Nosterfield, North Yorkshire and an Alpine Swift at Arlington Reservoir, East Sussex, whilst a mobile Broad-billed Sandpiper on the Exe Estuary, Devon gave many would-be watchers the run-around. A Blue-winged Teal was present near Borriskane, Co Tipperary, a Gull-billed Tern flew past Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire whilst yet another White-billed Diver was discovered in northwest Scotland; off Handa, Highland.

It was a good day for inland birders with Bar-tailed Godwits and Arctic Terns at many sites whilst coastal locations logged several Pomarine Skuas.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 30th April 2006  
  A male Subalpine Warbler was trapped and ringed on Hilbre Island, Wirral, in the morning but proved to be elusive during the rest of the day. Nearby a Great Grey Shrike was at Leasowe. A 1st summer Laughing Gull was at Penzance, a new White-billed Diver was off south Mainland, Shetland and a Great White Egret was reported over Earith Gravel Pits, Cambs. One of two Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls, first reported yesterday, was still at Hermaness, Unst, Shetland.

Long-staying rarities included the Bonaparte's Gull at Belfast Lough County Antrim, the Franklin's Gull at Northam Burrows Country Park, Devon, the American Golden Plover at Cemlyn Lagoon, Anglesey, and the drake Lesser Scaup at Swithland Reservoir in Leicestershire. There was a Hoopoe at West Bexington, Dorset, a Montagu's Harrier near Belfast Lough RSPB, County Down, a popular Dotterel at Salthouse, Norfolk and patch watchers were rewarded with plenty of spring migrants including a number of Common Scoters and Arctic Terns on inland waters.
-  Chris Batty, RBA