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| Saturday 21st April 2007 | ||
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| Following the finding of seventeen Glossy Ibises in
Gloucestershire on Friday, it was no surprise that this species continued to
create the headlines today. Seven more ibises were discovered, all on The
Lizard, Cornwall - a party of five at Hayle Kimbro Pools and a couple just
northeast of Lizard village. The Slimbridge flock remained in-situ and many
jumped at the chance to witness the spectacle of such a large gathering of this
species on British soil. How many more are lurking undetected in southwest
England?
Red-rumped Swallows also played a significant role in today's news; singles were seen over Boulby Cliffs, Cleveland, Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire, Lissagriffin, Co Cork (present for its second day) and another was reported over Dungeness, Kent. The masses twitching the Glossy Ibises in Gloucestershire also enjoyed the Marbled Duck which remained at nearby Saul Warth and elsewhere long-staying rarities included King Eiders in Moray and Aberdeenshire, American Herring Gull and White-billed Diver on Lewis, Snowy Owl on North Uist, Laughing Gull in Devon and Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth. Other notable discoveries made today included a Red-backed Shrike at Pagham Harbour, West Sussex, Golden Orioles at Dungeness, Kent and Cape Cornwall, Cornwall, a Hoopoe at Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset and a Wryneck near Mathry, Pembrokeshire. The elusive Spotted Crake continued to frustrate would-be observers at Attenborough, Nottinghamshire and Ring Ouzels were widespread, including some impressive flocks, especially on the Norfolk coastline. |
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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 20th April 2007 | ||
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| Following the six Glossy Ibises seen yesterday in Co Kerry and three seen over Hayle, Cornwall this afternoon, this evening saw the exceptional arrival of 17
Glossy Ibises at Slimbridge, Gloucestershire. The last influx of this species was in September 2002, but the number currently present in the British Isles exceeds any recent records. Otherwise, the Barrow's Goldeneye remained in Forth, Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, Laughing Gull in Devon, Long-billed Dowitcher in Derry, King Eider in Moray, a White-billed Diver on Shetland Isles and an American Herring Gull was seen again at Polgigga, Cornwall. Migrants continued to arrive, particularly Ring Ouzels and Redstarts, with a Spotted Crake at Attenborough in Nottinghamshire and several scattered Dotterel being notable. Pomarine Skuas moved east along the English Channel between West Sussex and Kent. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 19th April 2007 | ||
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The blue ringed third-winter Glaucous-winged Gull continues to be frustratingly difficult to connect with, and today there was no sign of the bird all day at Beddington in south London. It must be anyone's guess where, when and indeed if it will turn up again, although there must be a high chance it is still lurking with the large numbers of gulls that frequent the South-east's many reservoirs, rubbish tips and estuaries. Perhaps the most remarkable report concerned an impressive party of six Glossy Ibises which were seen in flight over Kerry Airport in County Kerry, but sadly not yet relocated. The only other new rarity reports both came from Scotland: a report of a flyover White-tailed Eagle near Irvine, Ayrshire and drake King Eider off Peterhead in Aberdeenshire. Although not an entirely unpredictable record these beautiful seaduck are always lovely birds to find, while although the eagle must have been an impressive sight there is a strong possibility that it originated from the reintroduced population in western Scotland. Lingering rarities included drake Barrow's Goldeneyes in Forth and County Down, the Laughing Gull at Topsham, Devon with the Cattle Egret at nearby Budleigh Salterton, the Marbled Duck at Frampton-on-Severn, Gloucestershire, Spotted Sandpiper on the Hayle Estuary, Cornwall and Glossy Ibis at Warton Marsh, Lancashire; while what was presumably the male Subalpine Warbler found on Lundy Island, Devon on the 11th was seen again this morning. Brief Hoopoes in Lincolnshire and Cornwall did not remain on view for long, while a new Green-winged Teal at Kirkby-on-Bain, Lincolnshire proved particularly obliging as there were no other teal present on its chosen pool. The unringed White Stork at Bishop Middleham, County Durham proved popular, while decent numbers of Ring Ouzels, several inland Little Gulls and Little Terns and a scattering of Garganey, flyover Ospreys and Red Kites and arriving summer migrants kept patch-watchers happy. |
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| - Andy Symes, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 18th April 2007 | ||
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| The big surprise of the day was the unexpected reappearance of the
blue-ringed Glaucous-winged Gull at Beddington Sewage Farm in south-west
London. Last seen in south Wales in early March, its appearance in the London
area was not easily predicted. Unfortunately, it was only seen for about an hour
in mid afternoon and not subsequently, but hopefully it will reappear tomorrow.
A Red-rumped Swallow was found at Dublin in the morning, but otherwise it was another day dominated by arriving common migrants with more small arrivals at south coast sites. Ring Ouzels again featured highly and scarce migrants included a Serin at Portland in Dorset, and Hoopoes at Felixstowe in Suffolk, near Pratt's Bottom on the London/Kent border and at Poolewe in Highland. Shorelarks remained on Cape Clear in County Cork and at Snettisham and Cley, both in Norfolk. The King Eider was seen again in Moray and long staying rarities included the Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth, the Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, the Forster's Tern in County Galway, the Long-billed Dowitcher in County Louth and the Laughing Gull in Devon. |
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| - Pete Hayman, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 17th April 2007 | ||
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| With cooler northerly air over much of the country it was not surprising that
arrivals of migrants slowed down a little, with the obvious exception of the
south west coasts where one or two notable falls occurred. Biggest of these was
at Portland Bill in Dorset, where grounded migrants included 100+Redstarts,
2000+Willow Warblers, 500 Wheatears, 20 Grasshopper Warblers,
100 Chiffchaffs, 5 Ring Ouzels, 6 Pied Flycatchers and 15.Tree
Pipits. Among these along the south coast were Hoopoes at Portland
Bill and on the Isle of Wight, and Wrynecks at Portland Bill, the Isle of
Wight and Dungeness in Kent.
No new rarities were found, but the Killdeer was still on Shetland and the Eastern Subalpine Warbler was reported again at Rame in Cornwall. However, the Lesser Scaup in Edinburgh could not be found. The Laughing Gull put in another appearance in Devon and the Marbled Duck remained in Gloucestershire, with the Spotted Sandpiper again being reported in Cornwall. The Pallas's Warbler was still in Kent and Spoonbills were popular in Gloucestershire and Gwent. |
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| - Pete Hayman, RBA | ||
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| Monday 16th April 2007 | ||
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| Today continued the theme of arriving common migrants with notable falls at
Portland Bill and Hengistbury Head in Dorset. With these arrivals came a singing
Subalpine Warbler (probably Eastern) near Rame, in Cornwall and a new Red-rumped
Swallow in Aberdeenshire. A Great White Egret was reported briefly
just south of Norwich in Norfolk, whilst a Serin and a Wryneck
were among the migrants at Portland Bill, and an Icterine Warbler was
reported singing briefly at Reculver in Kent in the morning.
Remaining rarities included the Killdeer on Shetland, the American Golden Plover at Tacumshin in County Wexford, three Lesser Scaup in Scotland, the Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth and the Marbled Duck in Gloucestershire. The Pallas's Warbler continued to sing in east Kent, although still elusive and in Devon a Kentish Plover was found at Dawlish Warren. Ring Ouzels continued to feature highly among the common migrants, especially around the East Anglian coast. Three early Honey Buzzards were seen in southern counties and five Pomarine Skuas passed the Western Isles. |
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| - Pete Hayman, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 15th April 2007 | ||
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| A couple of Cattle Egrets at Radipole Lake RSPB were the only new
rarities to be located in Britain today, but an American Golden Plover
was new over the Irish Sea at Tacumshin, Co Wexford. On Shetland the Killdeer
remained on West Burra and popular rarities included the Marbled Duck in
Gloucestershire, Lesser Scaup in Lothian and Barrow's Goldeneye in
Forth. The Red-breasted Goose present earlier in the year at Haugh of
Blackgrange, Forth, returned to the same fields with Pink-footed Geese.
Other notable sightings included a Richard's Pipit over Brean Down, Somerset, Wrynecks on Scilly, Portland (Dorset), and Porthgwarra (Cornwall) and Hoopoe on Dartmoor. Common migrants continued to flood into Britain, with Ring Ouzels remaining particularly abundant and widespread. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 14th April 2007 | ||
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| A report of a possible River Warbler heard singing in Cumbria was the
main source of excitement today, though unfortunately the bird was not reported
again beyond the initial observation. There are now three adult White-billed
Divers off the Isle of Lewis, where a Snowy Owl also remains. The Killdeer
was seen again today on West Burra, Shetland having not been reported since the
7th April, also on Shetland the White-billed Diver was again on Unst. The
King Eider was also seen today on Orkney.
A round-up of long-staying rarities includes Dusky Warbler and Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, Cattle Egret in Devon, Lesser Yellowlegs in Co.Cork, Lesser Scaup in Lothian and the Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth. The Marbled Duck was still present in Gloucestershire and the singing Pallas's Warbler was again seen in Kent. New scarce birds today included a singing male White-spotted Bluethroat in Essex, Hoopoe and Wryneck together in Cornwall and a further two new Wrynecks in Suffolk and Dorset. There also appears to have been a marked arrival today of lots of common migrants, notably Grasshopper Warblers with over twenty being reported. |
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| - Keith Langdon, RBA | ||
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| Friday 13th April 2007 | ||
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| A White-billed Diver was found on Unst, Shetland Isles whilst an immature
White-tailed Eagle seen briefly over Denbighshire was presumably the same individual as that seen over Nottinghamshire on 31st March and Wirral on 6th April. A
Little Bunting in Dorset was seen only briefly as was a Hoopoe in Devon. The Marbled Duck remained in Gloucestershire and similarly the Laughing Gull in Devon, Long-billed Dowitcher in Essex, Lesser Scaup in Lothian and singing Pallas's Warbler in Kent. Wintering rarities still remaining included the Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth, Black-eared Kite in Norfolk, Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall and on the Western Isles Snowy Owl and two each of both White-billed Diver and Lesser Scaup. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 12th April 2007 | ||
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| Only twenty four hours after one outrageous inland find comes another - a
male Western Black-eared Wheatear on the summit of Cruach nam
Fearna, Argyll for a short period at 2.10pm. Black-eared Wheatears are certainly
tantalising would be twitchers at the moment, this bird following a
possible on Lundy, Devon a few days ago.
Yesterday's major news, the Blue Rock Thrush in Powys had departed. In Gloucestershire the Marbled Duck remained on show and long-staying rarities included Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth, Laughing Gull in Devon, Lesser Scaup in Lothian and Long-billed Dowitchers in Kent and on the Essex/Suffolk border. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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