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 1st May 2007  
  The continuing easterly winds no doubt contributed to a an exceptional number of new rarities today. Two Gull-billed Terns were seen at Landguard, Suffolk, where a Red-rumped Swallow also flew through later in the day. Other new spring overshoots included two new Black Kites in Cornwall and North Yorkshire a Bee-eater in Dorset and at least six different Hoopoes. American vagrants were also in on the act, with an excellent 1st summer Bonaparte's Gull found at Farmoor Reservoir, Oxfordshire and a Lesser Yellowlegs discovered near Braintree Essex, both fantastic inland finds. The now expected White-billed Divers numbers off the Northern and Western Isles were added to when two birds were seen off Lewis, Outer Hebrides and another was seen from Kirkabister, Shetland Mainland.

Rarities still available from previous days included two remaining White-billed Divers on Shetland, the Iberian Chiffchaff in Norfolk, the Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, Lesser Yellowlegs in Herefordshire and Glossy Ibises at various locations.

Local patch workers were well rewarded today too, with exceptional numbers of Bar-tailed Godwits across the region resulting in birds being were found at a host of inland sites. Coastal numbers were highest however, with 650 at Breydon Water, Norfolk and 3,000 past Dungeness, Kent being the best. Significant numbers of Arctic Terns were also seen in Lancashire, with over 2,000 flying past Heysham during the day.   
-  Simon Mitchell, RBA
Monday 30th April 2007  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a male Blue Rock Thrush at Selsey Bill, West Sussex; watched flying in off the sea during an early morning seawatch it fed for twenty minutes before departing to the north. Observers searching for this later in the day bird located a Glossy Ibis that showed into the evening. Glossy Ibises elsewhere included sixteen still in Gloucestershire with a further seven in Cornwall and singles in both Devon and Lancashire.

Other new rarities included a Bonaparte's Gull on the Axe Estuary, Devon, a male Eastern Subalpine Warbler on North Ronaldsay, Orkney and three White-billed Divers on Shetland Isles.

The Black Kite on the Wirral and Whiskered Tern in Co Cork both lingered overnight whilst other long-staying rarities included Iberian Chiffchaff and Black Kite in Norfolk, Lesser Yellowlegs in Herefordshire, Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, Laughing Gull in Devon and American Herring Gull on Western Isles with single drake Lesser Scaups in Leciestershire, Western Isles and Perth and Kinross.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 29th April 2007  
  Once again the adult Egyptian Vulture made an appearance in Norfolk being seen over Warham late morning before again disappearing. Birders searching the area that general area located at least one Black Kite and a Rough-legged Buzzard whilst at Colney the Iberian Chiffchaff remained.

Further Black Kites were noted at West Moors Dorset, Kemsing Down Kent, St Mary's Isles of Scilly, Beachy Head East Sussex, Wedmore Somerset Mildenhall, Lakenheath Suffolk and Barnston Wirral. In Co Cork a Whiskered Tern arrived at Lough Beg and an American Herring Gull was discovered at Youghal whilst additional new rarities in England comprised brief encounters of Red-throated Pipit at Porthgwarra, Cornwall, Glossy Ibis at Braunton, Devon and White Pelican at Barnes, London.

A host of lingering rarities in England included at total of 22 Glossy Ibises in Cornwall, Gloucestershire and Lancashire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Herefordshire, Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, Laughing Gull in Devon and Lesser Scaup in Leicestershire. In Scotland King Eider and Lesser Scaup remained as did Forster's Tern and Lesser Yellowlegs in Ireland.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 28th April 2007  
  Hot news today was the discovery of an adult Egyptian Vulture in Norfolk at Scoulton near Watton. Found grounded in a field early morning it soon took off and departed north-northeast but was not seen again by dusk. This represents the third acceptable British record and the first since 1868.

Other new rarities consisted of a Lesser Yellowlegs near Kenchester, Herefordshire, two brief Red-rumped Swallows at Pett Levels, East Sussex, a Bonaparte's Gull at Tacumshin, Co Wexford, an American Herring Gull on Tresco, Isles of Scilly and fly-over Black Kites in both Dorset and Kent.

The Iberian Chiffchaff remained in Norfolk as did the Black Kite on the Isles of Scilly, seven Glossy Ibises and Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall and eight Glossy Ibises and a Marbled Duck together in Gloucestershire. On the Shetland Isles the Killdeer was seen again along with two White-billed Divers and a King Eider.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 27th April 2007  
  New rarities found today came largely in the shape of White-billed Divers in the northern isles. Three potentially new birds were found: one off Tiumpan Head on Lewis; a second bird joined the one already present on North Ronaldsay, Orkney; and one was seen flying up Mousa Sound on the Shetlands. It is difficult to assess how much overlap of records is involved, but these sightings are typical of the now regular early spring passage through the northern isles. Elsewhere a Black Kite was found in County Limerick, with another remaining on the Scillies throughout the day. Large numbers of Glossy Ibises remained in Gloucestershire and Cornwall, and the Iberian Chiffchaff was still on territory just outside Norwich in Norfolk.

Long-stayers included Lesser Scaup on Loch Leven in Perth & Kinross, Barrow's Goldeneye on Loch Venacher in Forth, Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall and Laughing Gull in Devon. A Serin flew over Hurst Point in Hampshire and Hoopoes were in Hampshire, Norfolk and Hertfordshire, with a belated report of one in Suffolk yesterday. Two Eiders were a very unusual arrival at King George V Reservoir in London and there was an overland movement of Bar-tailed Godwits in the south east.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Thursday 26th April 2007  
  Cambridgeshire produced a Black Kite over Wicken Fen NT this evening, possibly the bird that had been frequenting the Norfolk coast for the previous few days. Elsewhere a juvenile White-billed Diver was off West Burra, Shetland, where the Killdeer also remained. Nearby, the adult White-billed Diver was still off Laxo and the adult drake King Eider was again off Wester Quarff. Another White-billed Diver was logged off North Ronaldsay, Orkney and in Ireland a Lesser Yellowlegs was discovered at Clonakilty, Co Cork.

In Norfolk the Iberian Chiffchaff remained popular near Norwich and fifteen Glossy Ibises in Gloucestershire and seven in Cornwall also attracted attention. In Lancashire the long-staying Glossy Ibis continued to frequent Warton Marsh and on Isles of Scilly the Black Kite was still over St.Mary's. A couple of Golden Orioles were discovered, in Bristol and Suffolk and a Pectoral Sandpiper paused briefly at Loch of Strathbeg RSPB, Aberdeenshire, this evening.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 25th April 2007  
  An early Red-footed Falcon, a first-summer male, was discovered near Stanhoe in Norfolk, but the bird only lingered long enough to be enjoyed by the finders. Nearby the showy Black Kite continued to entertain an appreciative crowd on the North Norfolk coast and near Norwich the vocal Iberian Chiffchaff remained equally confiding.

Other new rarities included a Red-rumped Swallow over Landguard NR, Suffolk, female Blue-winged Teal in Co Tipperary and American Herring Gull on Marazion Beach, Cornwall.

Popular rarities included a Lesser Scaup in Leicestershire, Black Kite on Scilly and the Glossy Ibis flocks in Gloucestershire and Cornwall. Some late news from Friday related to a flock of seventeen Glossy Ibises flying over Helford River, Cornwall.

Some more exciting news from Friday originated from Hempsted landfill site, Gloucestershire (of Glaucous-winged Gull notoriety). Yet some more belated news of a mega-gull find was released, this time an adult Baltic Gull (form fuscus) was present for four days last week sporting a white-colour ring from Finland. Baltic Gull is currently on the British list on the basis of a dead bird found off Orford Ness, Suffolk, on 24th October 1981. At the moment there is no known way of clinching the identification of an out-of-range adult Baltic Gull without it wearing a colour-ring from an appropriate colony.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 24th April 2007  
  A male Black-headed Wagtail reported among a large number of White Wagtails at Lough Foyle, County Derry is a potential first for Ireland and will no doubt be keenly searched for tomorrow. What was presumably the Black Kite seen between Sheringham and Cley on Sunday was relocated at Titchwell, Norfolk, early morning, then moving to the Burnham Deepdale area where it remained for most of the day and proved remarkably obliging for this usually difficult species. The Black Kite on Scilly proved similarly co-operative, showing to birders on both St Mary's and St Martin's. A drake Lesser Scaup was reported at Eyebrook Reservoir, Leicestershire in the evening, where a drake Green-winged Teal was already present.

 

At least 14 Glossy Ibises could still be seen at Slimbridge WWT, Gloucestershire, with seven remaining on The Lizard, Cornwall, and the long-staying bird at Warton Marsh, Lancashire. Although there were no new individuals reported today, there are surely still others from this remarkable influx still lurking unnoticed in the south-west. The Iberian Chiffchaff continued to hold territory at Colney, Norfolk, at least one White-billed Diver remained off Lewis in the Western Isles, but yesterday's Black-throated Thrush on Fair Isle, Shetland appears to have departed. The Marbled Duck at Saul, Gloucestershire, Spotted Sandpiper at Hayle, Cornwall and Laughing Gull at Topsham, Devon remained yet another day in their respective localities. A Richard's Pipit at Lytham Moss, Lancs was a good Spring record while, more typical of the season, Hoopoes put in brief appearances at Lossiemouth, Moray and Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, but one at Calshot in Hampshire was much more obliging. A female Ring-necked Duck at North Plain RSPB, Cumbria, was a new find, and healthy total of eight Spoonbills were seen in the Cley area, Norfolk.
-  Andy Symes, RBA
Monday 23rd April 2007  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a female Black-throated Thrush on Fair Isle, Shetland Isles. Elsewhere on Shetland lingering rarities included the Killdeer, a King Eider and yesterday a White-billed Diver.

Continuing spring rarities comprised a Red-breasted Flycatcher at Hilbre Island, Wirral, the territorial Iberian Chiffchaff at Colney, Norfolk and Glossy Ibises remaining at Slimbridge, Gloucestershire (17) and The Lizard, Cornwall (7) with a further bird reported yesterday at West Alvington, Devon.

Winter birds hanging on included the Forster's Tern in Co Galway, Laughing Gull in Devon, Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, King Eider in Moray and both White-billed Diver and American Herring Gull on the Western Isles.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 22nd April 2007  
  A busy Sunday saw the arrival of several new rarities. These included four new Glossy Ibises seen flying over the M5 in Somerset, Red-rumped Swallows over Landguard NR, Suffolk, Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire and Spurn, East Yorkshire and lingering Black Kites on the North Norfolk coastline and Isles of Scilly. A party of seven Bee-eaters were briefly on Walland Marsh, Kent, in the morning and an Olive-backed Pipit was apparently photographed in a garden near Hull, East Yorkshire.

Perhaps the most significant news however, relates to a bird found yesterday evening - a chiffchaff just outside Norwich, Norfolk, was recorded singing and calling like an Iberian Chiffchaff. Excellent views of the bird this morning and analysis of sonograms confirmed the identification as an Iberian Chiffchaff, the first for Norfolk.

Elsewhere the Killdeer remained on Shetland and the popular parties of Glossy Ibises (seventeen at Slimbridge, Gloucestershire and seven on The Lizard, Cornwall) were still on offer. In Devon the first-winter Laughing Gull made a brief appearance at Bowling Green Marsh RSPB and in Cornwall the Spotted Sandpiper was at Hayle. A Serin was singing in Nanjizal Valley, Cornwall and a Wryneck was at Rye, East Sussex. Ducks were represented by the Marbled Duck in Gloucestershire and Barrow's Goldeneyes in Forth and Co Down, as well as a 'new' adult drake Lesser Scaup at Vane Farm RSPB, Perth and Kinross.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA