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| Saturday 12th May 2007 | ||
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| The star find today was a Calandra Lark on Unst, Shetland. This is the
fourteenth Calandra Lark to grace British shores, and the fourth for Shetland
(the first away from Fair Isle). Today's bird was found on exactly the same date
as the well-twitched bird on Isle of May, Fife, last year.
In England the news of an adult White-throated Sparrow in Southampton Docks was released this evening. The bird spent the afternoon in a restricted access area around the QE2 Terminal. Once a mega rarity, White-throated Sparrows have almost become an annual spring vagrant to Britain in recent years. A first-summer Bonaparte's Gull at Hickling Broad NWT headlined a star cast in Norfolk - the same bird that was previously at Farmoor Reservoir, Oxfordshire, from 1st-9th May. Norfolk also produced a twitchable Bee-eater, at least two Black Kites, Purple Heron at Berney Marshes RSPB early morning, before flying to nearby Breydon Water, Iberian Chiffchaff and male Grey-headed Wagtail. In Argyll a dapper adult drake King Eider was off Uisaed Point. A Black Kite flew over the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire and in Devon the first-summer Laughing Gull reappeared, this time at Starcross. The Semipalmated Sandpiper remained at Belfast Lough RSPB, Co Down. |
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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 11th May 2007 | ||
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| Birders in Hampshire found an Alpine Swift at Lower Test Marshes and
American Golden Plover at Farlington Marshes HWT but unfortunately
neither were twitchable. In neighbouring Dorset a probable Laughing Gull
was in Poole Harbour. A Red-rumped Swallow lingered near Stocker's Lake,
Hertfordshire, in the morning, whilst another flew south over Gairloch,
Highland. In London a Bee-eater flew over Rainham Marshes RSPB and a
Black Kite was reported near Wilburton in Cambridgeshire.
The Wilson's Phalarope at Nene Washes RSPB, Cambridgeshire remained a popular draw, and Iberian Chiffchaff in Norfolk, at least two Glossy Ibises in Gloucestershire and Eastern Subalpine Warbler on Orkney were all still in situ. Elsewhere Hoopoes remained in Hertfordshire and Gloucestershire and Pectoral Sandpipers were in West Yorkshire and Cleveland. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 10th May 2007 | ||
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| The third and final RBA Albatross Twitch connected with the the adult
Black-browed Albatross early this morning, making it a hat-trick of
successes for the crew. The impressive beast was back on the formidable rock
face this morning, much to the delight of the birders who had waited for the
third trip to Sula Sgeir this week.
The Wilson's Phalarope previously at Grafham Water was relocated this afternoon on the Nene Washes, Cambridgeshire. New discoveries included a Great White Egret at Saul Warth, Gloucestershire and a Red-rumped Swallow on Isle of Wight at Brading sewage works. Other top-draw rarities on offer were Iberian Chiffchaff in Norfolk, King Eider in Moray and Bee-eater in Highland whilst in Ireland the Spotted Sandpiper in Co Wicklow and Semipalmated Sandpiper in Co Down were both still on show. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 9th May 2007 | ||
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| Once again the Black-browed Albatross at Sula Sgeir, Western Isles stole the limelight by putting on a superb show for those aboard the RBA Albatross Twitch. Initially located following the boat early in the morning it was then watched for nearly an hour both in flight and resting on sea. A Semipalmated Sandpiper was a new discovery at Belfast Lough, Co Down whilst single Glossy Ibis at Dungeness, Kent and Marshside, Merseyside were presumably relocating birds seen elsewhere in the country in recent weeks. The Spotted Sandpiper remained at Blackditch, Co Wicklow and a Bee-eater was seen again near Dalhavaig, Highland. News broke that the Snowy Owl was still on St Kilda, Western Isles yesterday. Long-staying rarities included the Iberian Chiffchaff in Norfolk, King Eider in Moray and three Glossy Ibises and Marbled Duck in Gloucestershire whilst the Wilson's Phalarope remained in Cambridgeshire as did Bonaparte's Gulls in Oxfordshire and Co Wexford and the probable Balearic Woodchat Shrike was still in Cornwall. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 8th May 2007 | ||
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| The undoubted highlight of the day was the confirmation that the Black-browed Albatross has returned to the Gannetry on Sula Sgeir, Western Isles. The bird was seen well by more than fifty keen birders on the first of three RBA Albatross Twitches this week. Other discoveries today included a Spotted Sandpiper at Blackditch, Co Wicklow, a Great White Egret at Brow Marsh, Shetland Isles and a brief Black Kite near Coldstream, Borders. The Wilson's Phalarope remained in Cambridgeshire as did the Bonaparte's Gull in Oxfordshire, Iberian Chiffchaff in Norfolk, Eastern Subalpine Warbler on Orkney, Lesser Yellowlegs in Co Cork and three Glossy Ibises and the Marbled Duck in Gloucestershire. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 7th May 2007 | ||
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| A Laughing Gull on Benbecula, Western Isles was a new discovery as was a brief
Black Kite in Northamptonshire, whilst another Black Kite lingered around Aylmerton, Norfolk for much of the day. A Pallas's Warbler at Freiston Shore, Lincolnshire represented a great spring find. The Wilson's Phalarope in Cambridgeshire continued to perform, as did Bonaparte's Gulls in both Oxfordshire and Co Wexford. The Red-rumped Swallow was seen again in Lincolnshire and the probable Balearic Woodchat Shrike remained in Cornwall. Long-staying rarities included the Iberian Chiffchaff still on territory in Norfolk and the seventeen Glossy Ibises and the Marbled Duck together in Gloucestershire. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 6th May 2007 | ||
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| Most of the rarities discovered today were fly-overs, apart from a lingering
Red-rumped Swallow at Gibraltar Point NNR, Lincolnshire and a Lesser
Yellowlegs on Islay, Argyll. A Black Kite
was logged over Wittering, Cambridgeshire, with
another reported over Priory Country Park, Bedfordshire. A Glossy Ibis
was seen in flight near Reading, Berkshire and an adult White-billed Diver
past North Uist headlined some impressive seawatching in the Western Isles,
which included the first decent counts of Long-tailed and Pomarine
Skuas this spring.
Popular rarities included the female Wilson's Phalarope in Cambridgeshire, first-summer Bonaparte's Gull in Oxfordshire, Iberian Chiffchaff in Norfolk, sixteen Glossy Ibises and Marbled Duck together in Gloucestershire and the Balearic Woodchat Shrike near Polgigga, Cornwall. The best of the rest included a few wandering Common Cranes, the mobile Serin on Walney Island, Cumbria, both Serin and showy Wryneck at Dungeness, Kent, an unseasonal first-summer Sabine's Gull past the Hampshire coastline and a handful of well-twitched trips of Dotterel. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 5th May 2007 | ||
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| A first-summer male Balearic Woodchat Shrike (form badius) was
discovered near Polgigga, Cornwall, where it continued to show throughout the
afternoon. A Glossy Ibis put in a morning appearance at Pett Level, East
Sussex, and a Red-rumped Swallow joined the Bee-eater on St Agnes,
Isles of Scilly.
In Gloucestershire, what appeared to be an adult Baltic Gull (sporting a white colour-ring) was present on the River Severn at Slimbridge WWT, but only until 8am - an intriguing sighting, given the fact that a Finish-ringed Baltic Gull, potentially the same bird, was at nearby Hempsted landfill site in late April. In Cambridgeshire the stunning female Wilson's Phalarope at Grafham Water was popular throughout the day, whilst other crowd-pullers included the Bonaparte's Gull in Oxfordshire, Glossy Ibises in Gloucestershire, Iberian Chiffchaff in Norfolk, Lesser Yellowlegs in Herefordshire and Red-footed Falcon in Kent. Other bits and pieces seen today included Serins over Portland, Dorset, Walney Island, Cumbria and Normandy, Hampshire, whilst at least two Hoopoes were also on Portland. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Friday 4th May 2007 | ||
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| Star find today was a smart female Wilson's Phalarope at Grafham Water, Cambridgeshire. Discovered early in the day this super bird attracted many admirers into the evening. Elsewhere, a
Subalpine Warbler was trapped on Bardsey Island, Gwynedd whilst on the Isles of Scilly news broke of a
Bee-eater on St Agnes. A Red-footed Falcon in the New Forest, Hampshire and a
Black Kite near Threekingham. Lincolnshire were both seen only briefly. Several rarities found earlier in the week seem likely to linger until the Bank Holiday weekend with Bonaparte's Gulls still in Oxon and Co Wexford, Red-footed Falcon in Kent, Iberian Chiffchaff in Norfolk, Lesser Yellowlegs in Herefordshire, King Eider in Moray, Laughing Gull in Devon and seventeen Glossy Ibises still in Gloucestershire. In the Northern Isles the Eastern Subalpine Warbler remained on North Ronaldsay, Orkney as did a White-billed Diver on the Western Isles where late news for yesterday concerned a Subalpine Warbler on Vatersay and a report of a Snowy Owl again on Lewis. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 3rd May 2007 | ||
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| Another day, another total mega; Britain's second Short-toed Eagle
flew over Barrow Gurney Reservoirs,
Somerset this evening. After briefly landing in a tree, the bird headed in a south-easterly direction then appeared to
turn towards Bristol. It remains to be
seen whether this bird will be added to the (rapidly growing) list of
frustratingly untwitchable megas seen this spring.
Other rarities discoved today included a couple of Red-footed Falcons at Dungeness, Kent (including a lingering first-summer male), a singing male Subalpine Warbler on The Mullet, Co Mayo, White-billed Diver from a boat between the Isle of Mull and nearby Staffa, Argyll, and a Black Kite near Tiptree, Essex. Four Bee-eaters were in the Land's End area of Cornwall (including a lone bird seen or heard at several sites throughout the day) and a Purple Heron was also mobile in the same area. A Great White Egret flew over Marazion Marsh RSPB, Cornwall, and other discoveries included Serin in Dorset and Surf Scoter in Argyll. In Oxfordshire the first-summer Bonaparte's Gull returned to Farmoor Reservoir and the flocks of Glossy Ibises remained in Cornwall and Gloucestershire, whilst the lone immature remained at Warton Marsh. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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