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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Thursday 24th August 2006  
  Bird of the day honour goes to the juvenile Broad-billed Sandpiper found on the dropping tide at Port Carlisle (Cumbria) during the late afternoon. This bird represents just the second record for the county following one at Bowness-on-Solway in May 1995. In Co. Dublin an orange-billed tern species (the size of a Sandwich Tern with a white rump) flew north past Skerries but could not be relocated. In Aberdeenshire there was no sign of the adult Franklin's Gull on the Ythan Estuary and the Lancashire White Pelican did a bunk upriver and was not relocated. Some decent seawatching was had off various western headlands, while back on the wader front a new Temminck's Stint was found at Titchwell (Norfolk), two new Pectoral Sandpipers were found; at Siblyback Reservoir (Cornwall) and Belvide Reservoir (Staffs); the Long-billed Dowitcher re-appeared at the Shannon Airport Lagoon (Co. Clare) and the juvenile Kentish Plover remained at Ynyslas (Ceredigion). Otherwise it was a fairly quiet day with the best of the rest involving a total of 3 Spotted Crakes at Marazion Marsh (Cornwall) uncovered during RSPB management work, 6 new Dotterel at Reculver (Kent) and an Icterine Warbler reported from Walney Island (Cumbria).
-  Richard Moores, RBA
Wednesday 23rd August 2006  
  Yet another Fea's Petrel was logged off Ireland, again at the Bridges of Ross (Co. Clare). Also in the Republic, a juvenile White-winged Black Tern was a brief visitor to Lady's Island Lake (Co. Wexford) in the morning. An Aquatic Warbler was reported from Marazion Marsh (Cornwall) and a Bee-eater was reported over Blackpool (Lancs). In Aberdeenshire the adult Franklin's Gull again showed up at dawn and dusk.

The best of the rest included a brief Ortolan Bunting reported from Benacre (Suffolk), an equally brief Buff-breasted Sandpiper on Great Yarmouth North Beach (Norfolk), 11 Dotterel at Farcet Fen (Cambs), a new Temminck's Stint at Cley (Norfolk) and new Barred Warblers at Bockhill Farm (Kent) and South Ronaldsay (Orkney). The juvenile Kentish Plover remained at Ynyslas throughout the day and the Bluethroat remained on Tresco.
-  Richard Moores, RBA
Tuesday 22nd August 2006  
  Bird of the day was again a Fea's Petrel, this time past Galley Head, County Cork. The only other new rarities found today were also only seen in flight; a Black Stork was logged over Luccombe Down, Isle of Wight, and a Bee-eater was reported flying south over Darwen, Lancashire.

In Aberdeenshire the adult Franklin's Gull put in morning and evening appearances on the Ythan Estuary and elsewhere the White-rumped Sandpiper remained at East Chevington, Northumberland.

The east coast was quieter than in previous days, with many of the mouth-watering selection of scarce migrants having moved on. However, a scattering of Barred Warblers were still at several locations. A Kentish Plover joined the Dovey Estuary high tide roost, Ceredigion and the Bluethroat remained on Tresco, Scilly. Remnants of the sizeable Dotterel passage lingered at a number of sites and a Corncrake was a tremendous local find at Hulver, Suffolk.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 21st August 2006  
  Once again the star bird of the day was recorded by seawatchers, a Fea's Petrel caused great delight at Bridges of Ross, Co Clare in the late evening - the second of the month at this premier seawatching location. In Aberdeenshire an adult Franklin's Gull located in the large gull roost on the Ythan Estuary during the evening represents the first county record.

Once again observers on the east coast between Shetland and East Yorkshire enjoyed the spoils of the earlier arrival of drift migrants with three Greenish Warblers remaining (at Findon, Aberdeenshire, Hartlepool Headland, Cleveland and Holy Island, Northumberland) along with six Barred Warblers, three Icterine Warblers, seven Wrynecks and a Red-backed Shrike. Trips of Dotterel continued to be seen in England with 24 at West Newton, East Yorkshire, 16 at Choseley, Norfolk and three at Bredon Hill, Worcestershire.

The Stilt Sandpiper remained on Brownsea Island, Dorset and the elusive Thrush Nightingale put in another appearance at Spurn, East Yorkshire. Yet another Melodious Warbler was found at Portland Bill, Dorset - the sixth of the autumn at this site.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 20th August 2006  
  A busy autumn day with the highlight being a Little Shearwater watched flying west past Pendeen Watch, Cornwall. Elsewhere discoveries included a Blue-winged Teal at Hanningfield Reservoir, Essex, a White-winged Black Tern at Meare Heath, Somerset and a Ferruginous Duck at Chew Valley Lake, Somerset. The first-winter Woodchat Shrike, present since Friday, on Fair Isle, Shetland shows advanced moult and a large amount of white in the primaries suggesting it may well be of the eastern form niloticus.

The east coast between Shetland and East Yorkshire enjoyed a good showing of drift migrants with six Greenish Warblers (three in Aberdeenshire, singles in Cleveland, East Yorkshire and Northumberland), 17 Barred Warblers, nine Icterine Warblers, ten Wrynecks, seven Red-backed Shrikes and a Common Rosefinch all logged. An unusual autumn phenomena was the arrival of five Dotterel trips totaling 188 birds and including 51 together at Terrington Marsh, Norfolk.

The Stilt Sandpiper remained all day on Brownsea Island, Dorset but the Broad-billed Sandpiper at Aberlady Bay, Lothian only put in a brief appearance during the morning. Popular Aquatic Warblers remained at both Simbridge, Gloucestershire and Seasalter, Kent.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 19th August 2006  
  Yesterday's upturn in good birds continued, although it seems that the juvenile Roller did depart from South Gare (Cleveland) the previous night as there were no reported sightings today. Once again, the east coast between Yorkshire and Aberdeenshire proved the place to be, with five Greenish Warblers including two new birds on Holy Island (N'berland) and another at Flamborough Head (E.Yorks). Wrynecks, Red-backed Shrikes, Barred Warblers and Icterine Warblers were also seen at various sites along this stretch of coast, with Flamborough also claiming a brief Common Rosefinch. These welcome early autumn scarcities arrived with a good supporting cast of Pied Flycatchers, Whinchats, Garden Warblers and Wood Warblers.

The wader highlight was undoubtedly a juvenile Broad-billed Sandpiper at Aberlady Bay (Lothian), with honourable mentions going to the adult Buff-breasted Sandpiper relocated at Warham Greens (Norfolk), and lingering Stilt Sandpiper, White-rumped Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher and Lesser Yellowlegs. The unusually co-operative Aquatic Warblers at Slimbridge WWT (Glos) and Seasalter (Kent) further helped remove thoughts of over-friendly pelicans from many birders' minds, while a brief adult Laughing Gull on the Lune Estuary (Lancs) was a reminder that gulls are well worth checking even in August.
-  Andy Symes, RBA
Friday 18th August 2006  
  A spectacular day with the highlight being a juvenile Roller that was found at South Gare (Cleveland) during the morning. It showed well throughout the day but was seen flying strongly out to sea just before dark. This bird represents the 5th record for Cleveland (and 2nd for South Gare following a bird in 1993) and is the first twitchable individual since the long-stayer in Co. Durham in July 2000. 

In Lancashire the near-adult White Pelican that had flown over Norfolk and Lincolnshire on Wednesday (and had previously been in The Netherlands and Germany earlier in the summer) was located on the River Ribble near Brockholes Quarry. Its' keenness to accept a fish from a local angler will not have done much for its' credentials and is presumably an escape. 

Other headline birds include a brief Thrush Nightingale at Spurn (E.Yorks), new Aquatic Warblers at Slimbridge WWT, Pannel Valley NR (East Sussex) and on St. Agnes (Scilly), Red-footed Falcon, in Suffolk and Greenish Warblers at Hartlepool (Cleveland), Fair Isle (Shetland) and two on The Farne Islands (part of a remarkable fall during the afternoon). On top of these, there were plenty of scarce migrants to keep birders happy (at least from East Yorkshire northwards) with the best of the rest comprising of a Hoopoe in Northumberland, 11 Wrynecks, 8 Barred Warblers, Common Rosefinch, Melodious Warbler, Woodchat Shrike, 3 Red-backed Shrikes and 4 Icterine Warblers
-  Richard Moores, RBA
Thursday 17th August 2006  
  A twitchable Aquatic Warbler near Seasalter in Kent provided highlight of the day. Usually this species is only found when pulled out a mist-net, but this individual, an adult, often showed well and engaged in sub-song in a patch of juncus sedge throughout the afternoon and evening. Wader passage continues to pick-up, the first Baird’s Sandpiper of the autumn was noted in Shetland, a juvenile on Unst, while a brace of Buff-breasted Sandpipers comprised a bird on South Uist and a fleeting individual at Holme and then Titchwell RSPB reserve (Norfolk). Also in Norfolk, an adult Pacific Golden Plover was reported from Snettisham RSPB reserve during the early part of the afternoon. In Lincolnshire the Lesser Yellowlegs was again noted at Gibraltar Point where the Long-billed Dowitcher remained for another day. The White-rumped Sandpiper in Northumberland and the Stilt Sandpiper in Dorset also notched up another day at their respective hangouts. Two Icterine Warblers in Northumberland are also worthy of mention.
-  Richard Moores, RBA
Wednesday 16th August 2006  
  The main talking point of the day was a near-adult White Pelican which was tracked along the north Norfolk coast during the morning, before finally being seen flying over the River Nene mouth, Lincolnshire at midday. Photographs proved it was the same bird as present in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany 5th-15th July then Noord-Holland, Texel and Den Helder, Netherlands 20th July-13th August. If a White Pelican is ever going to be tickable in Britain, surely this individual has to be as good a candidate as any. The presumed escaped White Pelican remained at Bough Beach Reservoir, Kent.

A less controversial yet still exceptionally rare discovery was an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler at Boddam, on Mainland Shetland. Initially identified as an Icterine Warbler, the bird was correctly identified early evening. This is the third record for Shetland, following singles on Fair Isle in June 1995 and a ten-day bird on Mainland in August 2002.

In Norfolk the north coast also produced an adult Gull-billed Tern past Salthouse at 6.15am. Elsewhere the adult Stilt Sandpiper remained at Brownsea Island National Trust Lagoon, Dorset and the adult White-rumped Sandpiper was at East Chevington NWT North Pool for it's second day.

A juvenile Purple Heron briefly on Portland, Dorset was the first site record and a Wryneck remained there as the support-act. Red-backed Shrikes were discovered near Shotley, Suffolk and at Little Atherfield, Isle of Wight. North Ronaldsay hosted at Bluethroat.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 15th August 2006  
  The star find today was a colour-ringed juvenile Aquatic Warbler trapped at Sandwich Bay, Kent. The BTO confirmed that it was originally ringed as a nestling at Sporovsky Ramsar Site in southern Belarus on 17 June. Another Aquatic Warbler was reported at Uskmouth Nature Reserve, Gwent. A truly twitchable Aquatic Warbler is no doubt high on the 'wish list' of many British twitchers.

Other new rarities came in the form of an adult White-rumped Sandpiper at East Chevington NWT, Northumberland and a Lesser Yellowlegs in Dundrum Inner Bay, County Down. A female Blue-winged Teal was reported at Marbury Country Park, Cheshire. In Dorset the adult Stilt Sandpiper remained on Brownsea Island National Trust Lagoon, the drake Ferruginous Duck was still at Blithfield Reservoir, Staffordshire and the adult Long-billed Dowitcher reappeared at Gibraltar Point NNR, Lincolnshire.

A male Ortolan Bunting was a top find at Llanbradach, Glamorgan and new Barred Warblers were located at South Gare, Cleveland and Winterton South Dunes, Norfolk. The Blakeney Point bird was also still present for it's third day. Red-necked Phalaropes were located at Newport Wetlands Nature Reserve, Gwent and Sandbach Flashes, Cheshire and Spotted Crakes were at Marazion Marsh, Cornwall and Blacktoft Sands RSPB, East Yorkshire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA