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 25th July 2006  
  A quiet (but even hotter) day by recent standards produced very little to shout about. The first-summer American Black Tern was still in County Wexford, commuting between Lady's Island Lake and Carnsore Point. At Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire the adult Long-billed Dowitcher was present until late morning, and in Hampshire the colour-ringed Great White Egret reappeared at Blashford Lakes HWT. The gorgeous male Red-backed Shrike was still at Croxley Common Moor, Hertfordshire and there was (another) unconfirmed report of a Roller, this time in Cornwall at St.Kew.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 24th July 2006  
  Wader passage continues to pick up with a second adult White-rumped Sandpiper joining its congener at the Pool of Virkie on Mainland Shetland, while in Norfolk an adult Buff-breasted Sandpiper was watched for a couple of hours at the Swim Coots scrape at Hickling Broad. In Lincolnshire both the Long-billed Dowitcher and Lesser Yellowlegs remained at Gibraltar Point NNR. Good numbers of Black-tailed Godwits built up at many sites today and a few more Wood Sandpipers put in appearances. A total of three Wilson's Petrels were logged from a pelagic south of Scilly in the evening, along with a 1st summer Sabine's Gull, and Balearic Shearwaters continue to give a good showing in the English Channel. 

On the insect front, a probable Southern Migrant Hawker was seen all too briefly at a private Broadland site in Norfolk, while in the same area the recording of many Yellow-winged Darters must surely herald the start of the best invasion since 1995.
-  Richard Moores, RBA
Sunday 23rd July 2006  
  The star find today was a Pallid Swift on Bryher, Scilly. Present early afternoon, it was accompanied by another swift, which may also have been a Pallid. Other finds today included an adult Lesser Yellowlegs briefly at Old Hall Marshes RSPB, Essex and a Cattle Egret at Grove Ferry NR, Kent, but only until 5.15am. The Black Stork has finally left the Eye Water area; after being seen in Borders early in the morning, it was later logged flying south southeast out to sea over Blyth Beach, Northumberland. There were unconfirmed reports of a possible Pallid Swift in Nottinghamshire and Bee-eater in Cornwall.

The first-summer American Black Tern remained at Carnsore Point, County Wexford throughout most of the day and in Lincolnshire the Nearctic duo of Long-billed Dowitcher and Lesser Yellowlegs were still at Gibraltar Point NNR. In Essex the Great White Egret was at Chigborough Lakes EWT in the the morning then at Old Hall Marshes RSPB in the evening. The Laughing Gull remained at Arlington Reservoir, East Sussex, one Great White Egret was still at Blashford Lakes HWT, Hampshire and in Fife the drake Ferruginous Duck was still at Loch Gelly.

The best of the rest included the stunning male Red-backed Shrike at Croxley Common Moor, Hertfordshire, Common Rosefinch on North Ronaldsay, Orkney and Red-necked Phalarope still at Titchwell RSPB, Norfolk.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 22nd July 2006  
  Shetland hosted the first White-rumped Sandpiper of the autumn, an individual at Pool of Virkie, Mainland. An adult Long-billed Dowitcher at Gibraltar Point may have been a returning bird from 2004; the adult Lesser Yellowlegs remained at the same site. In Essex yesterday's Great White Egret was re-found at Loft's Farm GP and a Melodious Warbler at Portland Bill was bang on cue.

The Irish 'Tern-Fest' continued today, with the finding of a first-summer Forster's Tern at Lady's Island Lake, County Wexford. The first-summer American Black Tern eluded twitchers for most of the day, but later reappeared at Carnsore Point, albeit briefly. A number of immature niger Black Terns were also present in the area, which caused the odd problem here and there! Elsewhere in Ireland, a Wilson's Petrel flew past Galley Head, along with 4 Great Shearwaters, 4 Cory's Shearwaters and 12 Balearic Shearwaters.

A male Red-backed Shrike was at Croxley Common Moor, Hertfordshire and in East Sussex the first-summer Laughing Gull was still at Arlington Reservoir. In Scotland the Black Stork was still in Borders, Ferruginous Duck in Fife and King Eider again off Irvine harbour. The adult female Red-necked Phalarope continued to draw plenty of admirers at Titchwell RSPB, Norfolk. A Hoopoe was reported at Harlington, Bedfordshire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 21st July 2006  
 

An adult White-winged Black Tern was found on North Bull Island, County Dublin and was later relocated at Sandymount Strand. Elsewhere in Ireland the first-summer American Black Tern was still at Lady's Island Lake, County Wexford until midday at least, and a Great Shearwater flew past Cape Clear Island, County Cork.

Rarities across the Irish Sea included the Lesser Yellowlegs in Lincolnshire, Laughing Gull in East Sussex, Ferruginous Duck in Fife, and in Borders the ultra-elusive Black Stork made another brief appearance near Houndwood. A Wilson's Petrel was seen off a Scilly pelagic in the evening and a Great White Egret was reported near Maldon at Howell's Farm, Essex.

However, perhaps the most important news of the day involved the Pine Grosbeak in Hertfordshire. Unfortunately, the bird was bred in captivity in 2004, and escaped from an aviary in Essex on 23rd June. By writing to 'Cage and Aviary Birds' magazine, the finder of the grosbeak was able to locate the owner of the bird, who states that it is in fact a female that has been fed in a way that changes the plumage to look like a male bird.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 20th July 2006  
  The first-summer American Black Tern remained at Lady's Island Lake, County Wexford but there was no news on the bird after early morning. In Lincolnshire the Lesser Yellowlegs returned to Gibraltar Point NNR after a 26 day absence and the adult Caspian Tern put in another brief appearance at Hickling Broad NWT, Norfolk. Other rarities around the British Isles included the Laughing Gull at Arlington Reservoir, East Sussex, Ferruginous Duck at Loch Gelly, Fife, Great White Egret at Sturminster Marshall Gravel Pits, Dorset and Pine Grosbeak in Harlow, Hertfordshire.

A probable Roller was reported flying over the road in Thatcham, Berkshire, seen from a moving car; a twitchable Roller would be extremely popular, as it was as long ago as 2001 that one was available to the masses.

An adult female Red-necked Phalarope was a nice find at Titchwell RSPB, Norfolk, as was an adult drake Surf Scoter in Druridge Bay, Northumberland. Late news from yesterday involved a probable Pacific Golden Plover at Yantlet Creek, Kent during the evening.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 19th July 2006  
  The only new rarity was a White-winged Black Tern reported flying out to sea over Minster (Kent), but the Caspian Tern which visited Breydon Water on Saturday stayed true to form for the species by putting in a brief appearance at Hickling Broad in the evening. Elsewhere, the Black Stork remained near Grantshouse (Borders), the Red-footed Falcon continued to be seen at Moor Green Lakes (Berks), the first-summer Laughing Gull remained at Arlington Reservoir (E.Sussex) and the Pine Grosbeak continued to attract visitors to Gilston Park (Herts).

The rarest bird was again the first-summer American Black Tern (form surinamensis) at Lady's Island Lake (Co.Wexford), with at least one Black Tern remaining at the same site. Three belated reports referred to yesterday and involved a report of a Black Stork at Amberley (West Sussex) and Alpine Swifts over Harrogate (N.Yorks) and Crossgat (Co.Down).
-  Andy Symes, RBA
Tuesday 18th July 2006  
  The main news today concerned the 'firming up' of the identification of the first-summer American Black Tern (form surinamensis) at Lady's Island Lake, Co.Wexford. After finally obtaining good views of the bird, Killian Mullarney is 'confident that it has good enough credentials to be considered a definite surinamensis'. This is the first American Black Tern to be identified in first-summer plumage in Britain and Ireland. The three previous records, two in Ireland and one in Somerset, all relate to autumn juveniles.

A Bee-eater flew west over Pitcox, Lothian late afternoon, and was the only new rarity found today. The extremely elusive Squacco Heron put in another appearance at Shapwick Heath NNR, Somerset and the far from confiding Black Stork was seen again near Grantshouse, Borders. The Pine Grosbeak was still showing well at Gilston Park, Hertfordshire, whilst in Fife the drake Ferruginous Duck remained at Loch Gelly. In Berkshire, the first-summer female Red-footed Falcon was still at Moor Green Lakes LNR and two Wilson's Petrels were observed from an afternoon pelagic off Scilly.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 17th July 2006  
  In London an adult Great White Egret was located at Rainham Marshes RSPB this afternoon before moving to Berwick Reservoir, just to the northeast, in the evening. Also in London a Caspian Tern was reported from the Wetland Centre briefly. In Co. Wexford the probable American Black Tern remained at Lady's Island Lake throughout the day and was seen to go to roost. In Scilly, a Wilson's Petrel was seen between Bishop's Rock and Rosevean.

The Pine Grosbeak remained in Hertfordshire, as did the Red-footed Falcon in Berkshire, Laughing Gull in East Sussex and Ferruginous Duck in Fife. The Black Stork was seen again in Borders and the drake King Eider reappeared in Ayrshire.
-  Richard Moores, RBA
Sunday 16th July 2006  
  Top finds today included a drake Ferruginous Duck at Loch Gelly, Fife and a male Red-footed Falcon at Abberton Reservoir, Essex, but it was the male Pine Grosbeak at Gilston Park, Hertfordshire that continued to create the headlines.

Lady's Island Lake, Co.Wexford hosted a possible first-summer American Black Tern. The identification of this bird is still in question, but if it does prove to be of Nearctic origin, it is a truly remarkable July record. Elsewhere, the first-summer female Red-footed Falcon was still at Moor Green Lakes, Berkshire and in Hampshire the unringed Great White Egret was seen at Blashford Lakes HWT. The long-staying first-summer Black Stork was still in the Houndwood area, Borders but actually connecting with it was easier said than done, as it remained incredibly elusive in the Eye Water valley. The first-summer Laughing Gull returned to Arlington Reservoir, East Sussex early evening.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA