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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Friday 28th July 2006  
  The best new bird found today was an adult Long-billed Dowitcher at Shannon Airport Lagoon, County Clare. New finds also came in the form of a juvenile Red-backed Shrike at Wouldham, Kent, an adult Common Crane at Lough Beg, County Derry and a Spotted Crake at Martin Mere WWT, Lancashire. A Wilson's Petrel was again seen on a Scilly pelagic along with a first-summer Long-tailed Skua, an excellent record.

Elsewhere it was business as usual, with the Long-billed Dowitcher and Lesser Yellowlegs remaining at Gibraltar Point NNR, adult White-rumped Sandpiper still at Seaton Snook, Cleveland and the drake Ferruginous Duck was still at Loch Gelly, Fife.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 27th July 2006  
  In East Sussex a Black Stork flew west over Uckfield in the evening, possible the wandering bird that spent much of the last fortnight or so in Scotland. Wader-wise it was more of the same. The adult White-rumped Sandpiper at Seaton Snook (Cleveland) was only seen in the early morning and again at dusk. Presumably it had spent most of the day feeding on Seal Sands. In Lincolnshire both the Long-billed Dowitcher and Lesser Yellowlegs remained at Gibraltar Point NNR. The best of the rest included more dispersing Roseate Terns and the Red-backed Shrike still at Croxley Common Moor in Hertfordshire.
-  Richard Moores, RBA
Wednesday 26th July 2006  
  An adult White-rumped Sandpiper at Seaton Snook, Clevelandwas the find of the day and a Great White Egret was on Bardsey Island, Gwynedd until 9am, when it flew off southwest. Elsewhere it was business as usual; the adult Long-billed Dowitcher and Lesser Yellowlegs were still at Gibraltar Point NNR, Lincolnshire, the drake Ferruginous Duck remained at Loch Gelly, Fife and the eclipse drake King Eider reappeared off Blackdog, Aberdeenshire. In Hertfordshire the male Red-backed Shrike was still at Croxley Common Moor and a Golden Oriole at Lydford, Devon was a good local record.

The heat-wave looks set to continue, so we will either have to wait for a break in the current conditions to 'shake things up at bit' or hope for something extraordinarily rare off the back of this prolonged heat-onslaught.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
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