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| Wednesday 22nd November 2006 | ||
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| The only new rarity of the day was a grey morph Gyr Falcon reported in
off the sea at Hermaness, Unst. An exceptionally late Swift sp. over
Wells, Norfolk unfortunately evaded specific identification.
Remaining rarities included the Black-eared Kite reported still in Lincolnshire, the Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth and the Falcated Duck in Devon. Other species still lingering for long stays included the exceptionally late Woodchat Shrike, the Spotted Sandpiper and Cattle Egret in Devon, the Red-breasted Geese in Lincolnshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Kent, Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall and the Bufflehead on Shetland. |
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| - Simon Mitchell, 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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| Tuesday 21st November 2006 | ||
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| A very late Red-rumped Swallow in Staffordshire was the only new
rarity of the day; the 2nd latest ever record for Britain. Other interesting
news was of a Falcated Duck seen on the Exe Estuary on Saturday, and
apparently present previously for several weeks. As with previous individuals
thought of as good candidates as wild birds, the bird was present with Eurasian
Wigeon, which could potentially act as a carrier species.
The top remaining rarities were the Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth, the Black-eared Kite in Lincolnshire and the re-appearing Bufflehead on Shetland, with Red-breasted Geese, Grey Phalaropes, Yellow-browed Warblers and a few American waders as a supporting cast. |
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| - Simon Mitchell, RBA | ||
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| Monday 20th November 2006 | ||
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| A Wilson's Phalarope discovered at St John's Point, Co Down was, like the continuing
Woodchat Shrike in Devon and Purple Heron in Buckinghamshire, an exceptionally late record. The adult male Barrow's Goldeneyes continued to show well at both Callander, Forth and Quoile Ponadge, Co Down, the Black-eared Kite remained near Holbeach St Marks, Lincolnshire as did the Dusky Warbler at Spurn Point, East Yorkshire and the Bonaparte's Gull in Lunan Bay, Angus. Several American waders remained in place with Spotted Sandpipers in both Cornwall and Devon, American Golden Plovers in Cambridgeshire and Co Cork, Lesser Yellowlegs in Co Cork and White-rumped Sandpipers in Co Down, Co Wicklow and Norfolk. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 19th November 2006 | ||
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| The outstanding find of the day was an adult male Barrow's Goldeneye on the River Teith in Callander, Forth. Until 2005
Barrow's Goldeneye was one of the great 'blockers' with just one accepted record, in Ayrshire in November and December 1979. However, with a male in Aberdeenshire during May and June last year and another - or the same -
in Co Down from November 2005 until April 2006 and again in November 2006, everyone has
now had a chance to see this superb duck. An adult Laughing Gull located in the large evening gull roost at Grafham Water was the first Cambridgeshire record whilst an adult Bonaparte's Gull at Lunan Bay, Angus is presumably a returning individual. The Black-eared Kite showed again at Holbeach Marsh, Lincolnshire and other long-stayers including the Forster's Tern in Co Louth, Glossy Ibis in Lancashire, Red-breasted Geese in Dorset and Lincolnshire (2), Cattle Egret in Devon and both Siberian Stonechat and Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall. Continuing American waders were represented by American Golden Plover in Cambridgeshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Kent and four scattered White-rumped Sandpipers. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 18th November 2006 | ||
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| The new discoveries today were all typical November fare; a Dusky Warbler
at Sladesbridge, Cornwall, American Golden Plover on the Ouse Washes, Cambridgeshire,
White-rumped Sandpiper at Cantley, Norfolk and Ferruginous Ducks in Staffordshire and Co Armagh. The main highlight was the Black-eared Kite that continued to delight a large audience at Holbeach Marsh, Lincolnshire with the two Red-breasted Geese remaining up the coast at Saltfleet. The Dusky Warbler remained at Spurn, East Yorkshire as did the Woodchat Shrike at Soar, Devon whilst the Siberian Stonechat was seen again at Goonhilly Downs, Cornwall. The elusive Little Bunting put in another at Benacre, Suffolk and the late Purple Heron continued to show well at Latimer, Buckinghamshire. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Friday 17th November 2006 | ||
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| New rarities were few and far between but included a Lesser Scaup on North Uist,
Western Isles and an adult Black Kite reported over North Walsham, Norfolk. The Black-eared Kite at Holbeach Marsh, Lincolnshire continued to perform, although luck was often required to obtain good views of it. Other remaining rarities included the Dusky Warbler at Spurn Point, East Yorkshire, Red-breasted Geese in Lincolnshire, Purple Heron in Buckinghamshire, Gyr on St Kilda, Western Isles, Cattle Egret on the Otter Estuary, Devon and Spotted Sandpiper on the Hayle Estuary, Cornwall. The debated female Aythya - previously suspected as being a Redhead - remained on the Loch of Spiggie, Shetland but is now believed to be a hybrid Ring-necked Duck x Pochard. Reports of the reappearance of the Long-billed Murrelet in Dawlish, Devon raised the hopes of those unable to make it until Wednesday, but information received later this evening suggests that they may refer to a Guillemot. |
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| - Simon Mitchell and Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 16th November 2006 | ||
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| The Black-eared Kite proved to be a popular attraction today, as many
took the opportunity to study this eastern form of Black Kite. The best new
rarity was a white morph Gyr, but unfortunately it was found on St Kilda
rather than a more accessible location.
In Shetland the probable female Redhead remained on Loch of Spiggie; this bird is thought by some to be the same individual that was on Barra, Western Isles during the winter of 2003/04 and Tiree, Argyll for the winter of 2005/06. Otherwise it was a quiet day, but several of the long-staying rarities, such as the two Red-breasted Geese, Glossy Ibis, Cattle Egret and Dusky Warbler remained at their respective sites. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 15th November 2006 | ||
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| The main news of the day broke late, when the Black Kite at Holbeach
St Matthew, Lincolnshire was re-identifed as a Black-eared Kite (Milvus migrans
lineatus). The form lineatus is the Eastern Palearctic counterpart of
Black Kite, and is the first British record of the form. It is currently
treated as a separate species by some authorities (Sibley and Monroe and Dutch
Birding Association) though not by the BOU.
There was disappointment for some when the Long-billed Murrelet could not be relocated off Dawlish, Devon although high winds and choppy seas may have allowed the bird to avoid detection. The other main news of the day involved a promising-looking female probable Redhead at Loch of Spiggie, Shetland. Other long-staying rarities included the Red-breasted Geese in Lincolnshire various, Long-billed Dowitchers, the Cattle Egret in Devon, the Glossy Ibis in Lancs, the King Eider in Aberdeenshire and a Dusky Warbler at Spurn. |
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| - Simon Mitchell and Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 14th November 2006 | ||
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| The Long-billed Murrelet continued to entertain the (decreasing)
crowds at Dawlish, but otherwise it was a largely uneventful day. The only 'new'
rarity was a female Ferruginous Duck at Pine Lake, Lancashire, but even
this was probably a bird previously seen at nearby Leighton Moss a few weeks
earlier. Bizarrely the bird was joined by an escaped drake Ferruginous that has
been in the area for some time.
In Dorset, county listers must have cringed when the Red-breasted Goose that had been associating with Dark-bellied Brent Geese decided to leave it's Branta companions and join Mallards and Mute Swans at Abbotsbury Swannery. If it does turn out to be an escape, it had certainly done an excellent (and somewhat worrying) job of appearing wild. Elsewhere the Bufflehead remained on Unst, the Black Kite was still in Lincolnshire, Dusky Warbler remained elusive at Spurn and the Bonaparte's Gull was still at Saltburn; this bird is thought to be the same adult that spent much of the autumn at Newbiggin, Northumberland. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Monday 13th November 2006 | ||
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The headlines continued to be created by the presence of the Long-billed Murrelet, which showed well off Dawlish seafront throughout the day. New rarities included a Red-rumped Swallow at Portland, Dorset, Bonaparte's Gull at Saltburn, Cleveland and Lesser Scaup on Tiree. In Buckinghamshire, a juvenile Purple Heron at Latimer was a truly remarkable find. The Black Kite continued it's stay near Holbeach, Lincolnshire and on Shetland the drake Bufflehead remained on Unst. In County Down the Barrow's Goldeneye was still at Quoile Pondage. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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