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| Sunday 27th August 2006 | ||
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| A Black Stork was tracked across Cornwall throughout the afternoon;
after initially being seen over The Lizard it flew over Helston at 2.30pm then
northeast over Porthgwarra at 3.15pm. In County Waterford yesterdays' elusive
Booted Warbler was still at Dungarvan. An outstanding 4,493 Great
Shearwaters were counted past Annagh Head, County Mayo in the morning and must have been a
truly marvellous spectacle.
Fair Isle continued to host a Greenish Warbler, along with a Melodious Warbler. Another Melodious Warbler remained at Portland Bill, Dorset. In Perth and Kinross an eclipse drake Ferruginous Duck was located at Vane Farm RSPB and in Essex the Great White Egret reappeared at Chigborough Lakes EWT, but was only seen briefly in flight. A Lesser Yellowlegs reappeared at Dundrum Inner Bay, County Down. Lound Gravel Pits, Nottinghamshire hosted a Temminck's Stint and the approachable Pectoral Sandpiper remained at Huntspill, Somerset. A Hoopoe was at Winterton North Dunes, Norfolk, making it a good weekend for this species in the county. Whatever the origin of the near-adult White Pelican, it is certainly covering some miles; after relocating to the northeast coast yesterday, it continued to tour Northumberland, eventually settling at Cresswell Pond. There was again a typical scattering of scarce migrants, which included two juvenile Red-backed Shrikes together at Howick, Northumberland. |
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| - Stuart Piner, 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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| Saturday 26th August 2006 | ||
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| Chief of the new finds was a Yellow-breasted Bunting at West Runton,
Norfolk. Unfortunately the bird was far from obliging, and after making a few
brief appearances prior to 9am, it flew west with Meadow Pipits and was not
relocated. In County Waterford Irelands' fourth Booted Warbler was
identified at Dungarvan and in Northamptonshire a Great White Egret flew
north over Charwelton.
In Aberdeenshire the Franklin's Gull remained on the Ythan Estuary and the presumed escape White Pelican was once again relocated, this time as it tracked along the Northeast coast, finally arriving at East Chevington NWT, Northumberland where it remained till dusk. A Hoopoe was at Cantley sugar beet factory, Norfolk and an Ortolan Bunting was at St.Margaret's at Cliffe, Kent. The east coast held the expected selection of drift migrants associated with early autumn. In Ireland seawatchers were rewarded with an impressive movement of Great Shearwaters; the highest total was at least 656 past Bloody Foreland, County Donegal. Several late items of news were received concerning yesterday; an Aquatic Warbler was trapped and ringed at Steart, Somerset, a Greenish Warbler was the star amongst a plethora of scare migrants on Fair Isle, Shetland and a Wilson's Petrel was logged past the Bridges of Ross, County Clare. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Friday 25th August 2006 | ||
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| The Fan-tailed Warbler seen for just twenty minutes by a few lucky
observers at St Margaret's at Cliffe (Kent) was undoubtedly bird of the day. If
accepted, it will be the first British record since the two well-watched birds
in Dorset in 2000, the first for Kent and only the seventh for Britain and
Ireland. Unfortunately it could not be relocated later in the day.
A Greenish Warbler joined a Barred Warbler at Kilnsea (E.Yorks), and there was a brief Great White Egret at Rye Harbour (E.Sussex), but a possible Aquatic Warbler at Gibraltar Point (Lincs) was not pinned down. Seawatchers at Bridges of Ross scored up to 44 Great Shearwaters as well as Grey Phalarope, Leach's Petrel and Long-tailed Skua, but Brandon Point (Co.Kerry) claimed the big prize with a Fea's Petrel. The adult Franklin's Gull put in another evening appearance on the Ythan Estuary (Aberdeens), and the Ferruginous Duck remained at Blithfield Reservoir (Staffs). The best of the scarcities included Icterine Warblers in Suffolk and Scilly, a brief Corncrake at Flamrorough Head (E.Yorks), Spotted Crake at Spurn (E.Yorks) and a scattering of Dotterel and Roseate Terns. A Wryneck at Mam Tor (Derbys) was a good record. An improvement in the weather saw a further flurry of Camberwell Beauty sightings, but a Long-tailed Blue at Dawlish Warren (Devon) took the butterfly prize. Finally, there was a belated report of a Great Spotted Cuckoo at Margate cemetery (Kent) on Monday. |
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| - Andy Symes, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 24th August 2006 | ||
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| 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 | ||
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| Wednesday 23rd August 2006 | ||
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| 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. |
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| - Richard Moores, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 22nd August 2006 | ||
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| 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. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Monday 21st August 2006 | ||
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| 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. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 20th August 2006 | ||
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| 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. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 19th August 2006 | ||
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| 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. |
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| - Andy Symes, RBA | ||
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| Friday 18th August 2006 | ||
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| 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 |
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| - Richard Moores, RBA | ||
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