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| Monday 15th May 2006 | ||
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| Star find today was another Broad-billed Sandpiper, this time
with Dunlin on the Lune Estuary at Cockersand, Lancashire. Otherwise
little else of note was discovered, except for a Night Heron briefly on
St Agnes, Isles of Scilly in the evening. Many of the weekend attractions remained with - in Devon - the Gull-billed Tern at Braunton and the Iberian Chiffchaff at Postbridge, in Suffolk, the Lesser Scaup at Bramford and in Angus, the Great Reed Warbler at Forfar Loch. However, those who crossed to the Isle of May were to be disappointed as the Calandra Lark had moved on. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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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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| Sunday 14th May 2006 | ||
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| A cracking male Turkestan Shrike (form phoenicuroides) was found at
Whitburn Bird Observatory in Co. Durham in the morning but sadly was not seen
again after it flew north at about 9am. At the other end of the country a
Gull-billed Tern performed well on the River Caen at Braunton in Devon. A
Red-footed Falcon was found at Walland Marsh in Kent, with a Red-rumped
Swallow at Old Head on Kinsale Co Cork, a Great White Egret at
Rosslare Back Strand, Co Wexford and an Alpine Swift reported over
Southend in Essex in the afternoon. The Calandra Lark continued to show on and off on the Isle of May in Fife and the Lesser Scaup at Brampton in Suffolk also proved popular. Broad-billed Sandpipers were still on the Humber Estuary at Spurn and at Tacumshin in County Wexford. New Purple Herons were at Fingringhoe in Essex and in the Slimbridge/Frampton area of Gloucestershire but typically, they were mostly seen in flight. New Woodchat Shrikes were found at Portland, Dorset, on Bryher, Scilly and at Boyton Marshes in Suffolk and a Bee-eater flew past Grune Point in Cumbria. Other typical mid-May fare included Temminck's Stints in Lincolnshire, Cleveland, Norfolk and Essex, a trip of 12 Dotterel briefly in Norfolk with another 16 still in north Lincolnshire, a smattering of Spoonbills and several Garganey scattered throughout the country. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 13th May 2006 | ||
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| The Calandra Lark remained on Isle of May, Fife for it's second
day and was enjoyed by the lucky few who managed to charter boats to the island. Only one of
Britain's 12 previous Calandra Larks has stayed for more than two days, and this
was as long ago as 1985, when an individual graced St.Mary's, Scilly from
26th-29h April. Shetland once again produced the goods, this time with a White-throated Sparrow on South Mainland. This is the 8th White-throated Sparrow to occur in Britain in the last 6 years; two of these have been well twitched, so although an excellent record, it is no longer the Mega it once was. A Great Reed Warbler at Forfar Loch, Angus was an excellent discovery for the finder whilst he was walking his dogs, and also in Scotland, a Black Stork flew along the River Spey Valley, Moray. Broad-billed Sandpipers at Tacumshin, Co.Wexford and at Spurn, East Yorkshire created the other headlines and Red-throated Pipits on Calf of Man, Isle of Man and over Leasowe lighthouse, Wirral were fantastic west coast records. A Red-rumped Swallow over Portland Harbour was perhaps one of the birds that arrived earlier in the week and a Bee-eater was reported at Sandwich. Continuing the glut of Black Kites being reported this spring, two more were seen today; one over Pannel Valley NR, East Sussex and another over Hambledon, Hampshire. Elsewhere, long-stayers included the Lesser Scaup in Suffolk, Iberian Chiffchaffs in Devon and Lothian, Franklin's Gull in Devon, 3 Black-winged Stilts in Lancashire, Laughing Gull in Co.Galway and the King Eider was still in Aberdeenshire. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Friday 12th May 2006 | ||
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| Bird of the day was without doubt a Calandra Lark on Isle of
May, Fife. The bird was found in the morning and remained till at least 5.30pm.
Fingers and toes are crossed that this notoriously difficult to twitch species
stays throughout tomorrow, but access to the island isn't going to be helped by
the fact that the island ferry broke-down this evening! An unconfirmed report of a Laughing Gull at Dungeness, Kent, provided the only other interest on what could have been an uneventful day. Belatedly, yet another American Robin was reported from 4th May in Lothian, and further belated news was from Wednesday, of a Red-throated Pipit reported over Rainham Marshes RSPB, London. In Devon the showy Iberian Chiffchaff remained on Dartmoor and the long-staying Franklin's Gull was still at Northam Burrows Country Park, whilst in Lancashire the 3 Black-winged Stilts were still at Marton Mere and Suffolk's second Lesser Scaup spent it's third day at Bramford. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 11th May 2006 | ||
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| A fairly quiet day started poorly with the Shetland dynamic duo of Scops
Owl and Collared Flycatcher no longer present. The Red-throated
Pipit on Fair Isle was but small compensation. Other new rarities included a Subalpine Warbler on North Ronaldsay, Bee-eater in west Cornwall, Red-rumped Swallow at Portland and a Black Kite reported from Anglesey. In Suffolk the drake Lesser Scaup remained popular at Suffolk Water Park, while other birds of note included several trips of Dotterel, a few Golden Orioles and a handful of Temminck’s Stints. |
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| - Richard Moores, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 10th May 2006 | ||
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| Shetland once again stole the limelight with a superb Scops Owl on
Mainland at Swining. Like the Collared Flycatcher - that remained nearby at Brow
Marsh – Scops Owl is becoming something of a Shetland speciality with four
records in the last six years. Notable finds elsewhere included a Lesser Scaup at Bramford, Suffolk in the evening (only the second county record) and a Black Stork present briefly on North Ronaldsay, Orkney. Both the Iberian Chiffchaffs remained at Postbridge, Devon and Pressmennan Lake, Lothian with sonograms of the latter bird's song confirming its identity. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 9th May 2006 | ||
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| 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. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 8th May 2006 | ||
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| 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. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 7th May 2006 | ||
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| 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. |
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| - Pete Hayman, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 6th May 2006 | ||
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| 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. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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