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| Saturday 11th November 2006 | ||
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Many British birders may have said a little prayer before they went to bed last night, wishing for the rediscovery of the Long-billed Murrelet present earlier in the week off Dawlish Warren. If they did, then it certainly worked, as at 9am their prayers were answered when the Mega Alert sounded and news that the bird was off Dawlish town hit the pager. Everyone who could then descended on Dawlish, to twitch what will surely go down in history as one of the greatest rarities ever to grace our shores. Considering the magnitude of what was happening in the southwest, all other news was largely irrelevant. However, those who chose not to visit Dawlish had Red-breasted Geese in Lincolnshire and Dorset, Spotted Sandpiper and Long-billed Dowitcher together at Upper Tamar Lake, Devon, Glossy Ibis in Lancashire and Dusky Warbler at Spurn 'to go at'. However, probably the best non-Murrelet related event was the rediscovery of the Black Kite at Holbeach Marsh in Lincolnshire. |
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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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| Friday 10th November 2006 | ||
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| The big news of the day was of Britain's first Long-billed Murrelet
which was belatedly identified from photographs. The bird had been on the
sea all afternoon off Dawlish, Devon last Tuesday (7th November), when it was
reported as a Little Auk. Photographs of it were subsequently posted on
the Dawlish Warren website www.dawlishwarren.co.uk
and Dick Filby's attention was drawn to them early this afternoon a
Mega Alert swiftly followed. Although the bird has not been seen since
Tuesday it has not been extensively searched for, so hopefully coverage this
weekend will result in its relocation.
Other good birds reported today included an adult Ring-billed Gull at Carsington Water, Derbyshire and a Great White Egret over Walthamstow Reservoirs, London. Rarities lingering from recent days included the Cattle Egret in Devon, Red-breasted Geese in Lincolnshire and Dorset, Long-billed Dowitchers in Kent and Devon and the Spotted Sandpipers in Devon and Cornwall. In Lancs the Glossy Ibis is still at Fluke Hall, whilst in Ireland there is still a Forster's Tern in Co.Louth and a White-rumped Sandpiper in Co.Wicklow. |
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| - Simon Mitchell, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 9th November 2006 | ||
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| A Dusky Warbler was trapped and ringed on Spurn Point, East Yorkshire this afternoon and in Kent a male Penduline Tit was at Grove Ferry. Kent also produced a possible Whistling Swan at Elmley RSPB before it flew off towards Capel Fleet and a White Pelican flew over Folkestone.
In Suffolk the Marbled Duck remained at Minsmere RSPB as did the Dusky Warbler in Lowestoft. On the Western Isles, yesterday's Snowy Owl was still on Lewis. Other long-stayers included the Red-breasted Geese in Lincolnshire, Glossy Ibis in Lancashire and Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall. In Dorset the adult Red-breasted Goose continued its stay on The Fleet. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 8th November 2006 | ||
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| The highlight of an otherwise quiet day was a Red-rumped Swallow at
Port Carlisle, Cumbria. The bird lingered long enough for most local birders to
connect with it. Elsewhere new rarities were in scant supply but included a new
(or relocating) American Wigeon at Cresswell Pond, Northumberland.
The Red-breasted Geese in Lincolnshire and in Dorset continued to impress, as did the Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall and the American Golden Plover in Norfolk. Elsewhere various Ring-necked Ducks, American Wigeons, a Rough-legged Buzzard and a Green-winged Teal provided interest, together with a scattering of lingering Little Auks. |
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| - Simon Mitchell, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 7th November 2006 | ||
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| The autumn continued to get quieter today, with no new rarities reported
anywhere. However, birds from previous days continued to be seen, including the Barrow's
Goldeneye in County Down, the Dusky Warbler in Suffolk, the Glossy
Ibis in Lancashire and the Red-breasted Goose in Dorset.
The Black Kite was seen again briefly at Freiston Shore but may be difficult to connect with as it appears to have been ranging over a large area. Two Crag Martins seen today in Holland added to the five of birds seen in Sweden and the sighting in Surrey hold hope that the autumn isn't quite finished yet. |
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| - Simon Mitchell, RBA | ||
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| Monday 6th November 2006 | ||
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| With few new rarities being found a White-rumped Sandpiper in Co Mayo was the best of the bunch. A male
King Eider reappeared at Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, the Desert Wheatear and two
Little Buntings remained on the Isles of Scilly and the Dusky Warbler
continued at Lowestoft, Suffolk. A late Woodchat Shrike lingered near Marlborough, Devon and the
nineteenth Pallas's Warbler of the autumn was reported in Chiswick, London. Long staying rarities that are beginning to look that they may spend the winter include the Glossy Ibis in Lancashire, Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, Long-billed Dowitcher in Kent and Red-breasted Geese in Dorset and Lincolnshire (two). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 5th November 2006 | ||
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| The Black Kite reappeared in Lincolnshire, albeit briefly; the bird was seen over Holbeach Marsh early morning before drifting off south west. Lincolnshire also produced a Red-rumped Swallow south over Donna Nook at midday. The only other new rarity came in the form of a Dusky Warbler on Portland Bill, where a Richard's Pipit, Great Grey Shrike and Yellow-browed Warbler could also be found. Nearby the adult Red-breasted Goose remained on The Fleet, along with two Black Brants. In Suffolk the Dusky Warbler remained in Lowestoft and the American Golden Plover was still at Waxham, Norfolk. The confiding first-winter male Desert Wheatear continued it's stay on St.Mary's, Isles of Scilly and a Little Bunting could also be found on Tresco. Fair Isle's first Black Duck remained in situ. In Ireland the Barrow's Goldeneye was still in County Down, along with a Lesser Yellowlegs, the six White-rumped Sandpipers remained in County Wexford and both adult white morph and a blue morph Snow Geese graced North Slob WWR. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 4th November 2006 | ||
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| A Red-throated Pipit at Ashleworth Ham, Gloucestershire and Dusky Warbler at Lowestoft, Suffolk indicated that the coming of November need not spell the end for the autumn. However, the pipit only showed until midday in a private area and the Dusky Warbler proved typically elusive. A Radde's Warbler reported at Dungeness was also in an area with no access. An adult Red-breasted Goose joined Dark-bellied Brent Geese on The Fleet, Dorset and will probably be 'given the nod' as a wild bird. The same flock also contained an adult Black Brant. In County Down the adult drake Barrow's Goldeneye returned to the Quoile Pondage; chances are the bird will winter at the site for the second consecutive year. Also in Ireland, a grand tally of six White-rumped Sandpipers were at Tacumshin, with a further two at Ballycotton and a lone individual at Belfast Lough RSPB. Back across the Irish Sea American Golden Plovers were located in Cornwall and Norfolk. Desert Wheatears remained in East Sussex and St.Mary's, Isles of Scilly and Little Auks continued to pass the east coast in decent numbers. A Richard's Pipit was briefly in Lincolnshire, at inland Baston and Langtoft Gravel Pits. A juvenile Woodchat Shrike at Soar, Devon is an excellent November record. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Friday 3rd November 2006 | ||
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| The previous day's Black Kite in south Lincolnshire proved popular as
many took the opportunity to catch up with this difficult-to-connect-with
species. It was last reported slightly further south at Gedney Grove End,
leaving many weekend twitchers feeling nervous at to whether it would remain.
The other main news of the day was the continuing passage of Little Auks,
albeit in smaller number than on 2nd.
New rarities were comprised of a possible Lesser Scaup in Staffordshire, a Richard's Pipit in Gwynedd an American Golden Plover in County Cork and a White-rumped Sandpiper in County Antrim. Several rarities from previous days continued to perform. These included the Desert Wheatears in East Sussex and on Scilly, the Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, the Red-breasted Geese in Lincolnshire, and the Black Duck on Fair Isle. The first large flocks of Fieldfares continued to arrive, with large numbers also on 2nd. With the first major arrivals of commoner winter migrants occuring so late this year, many birders will be hoping the rarity season is also running late. |
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| - Simon Mitchell, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 2nd November 2006 | ||
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| The highlight of some fabulous seawatching along the British east coast was a
Brünnich's Guillemot in East Yorkshire, seen briefly off Flamborough
Head with it - or another - reported later off Withernsea. A few Grey
Phalaropes and Pomarine Skuas were noted passing various watchpoints
but it was, in the main, the day of the Little Auk, of which the peak
counts comprised in Northumberland 7,881 Farne Islands and 6,000 Newbiggin, East
Yorkshire 3,190 Flamborough Head and 1,050 Spurn, Co Durham 3,049 Whitburn,
Angus 1,637 Fishtown of Usan, East Yorkshire 1,092 Scarborough and 646 Filey,
Norfolk 752 Sheringham, Lincolnshire 401 Gibraltar Point, Aberdeenshire 329
Girdle Ness, Cleveland 256 South Gare, Suffolk 103 Benacre, Kent 35 Reculver and
Essex 33 Holland Haven. Elsewhere a Dusky Warbler on Hayling Island, Hampshire was a county first and a Black Kite in Lincolnshire that flew over Freiston Shore and appeared to roost near Butterwick will prove popular if it shows again tomorrow morning. The Desert Wheatears in East Sussex (at Cooden Beach) and Isles of Scilly (St Mary's) remained from yesterday but the Masked Shrike had gone from the latter. The Black Duck continued on Fair Isle, Shetland Isles and the White-billed Diver was seen again in Roaringwater Bay, Co Cork. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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