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| Sunday 10th June 2007 | ||
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| For those who have not yet connected with the White-tailed Plover
today may have been something of an emotional rollercoaster. The bird was
relocated just over 60 miles south of Caerlaverock WWT at Leighton Moss RSPB,
Lancashire. It was only watched for an hour and a half however, and flew north
from the Eric Morecambe Pool at 6.30pm towards the main reserve, after which
time it could not be relocated. Whether it is still present on the reserve
remains to be seen.
There were perhaps no truly new rarities; a Great Reed Warbler found near Lydd in Kent had apparently been heard by non-birders since 6th June; A Black Stork around the Taw Estuary in Devon was presumably the same bird as was reported over Seaton on Thursday and Friday; and where a Franklin's Gull was reported in Topsham only the long-staying Laughing Gull could be found in the evening. A White Stork which flew over Bermondsey, London was a welcome garden tick for the finder. It was also a day of disappearances, with the Squacco Heron in Kent, Icterine Warbler in Northumberland Bufflehead on the Western Isles and Purple Heron in Essex all looked for today without success. However, the Great White Egret in Yorkshire, Glossy Ibis in Lancashire and Ferruginous Duck in Somerset all remained. |
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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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| Saturday 9th June 2007 | ||
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| It was a day of heartache for many twitchers when the White-tailed
Plover gone from Caerlaverock WWT and the Black-browed Albatross
not located in poor visbility at Sula Sgeir, Western Isles.
There were however several new rarities. Best of these was a Paddyfield Warbler found on Fair Isle, Shetland, now present on the island with the remaining Lesser Grey Shrike, Black-headed or Red-headed Bunting and at least two Red-backed Shrikes. Another (or possibly the bird from Erith Marshes, London relocating) Squacco Heron was found at Dungeness, Kent. A Black Kite was reported on Mull, Argyll and a Great White Egret was seen past Clevedon in Somerset. News of a Ferruginous Duck at Chew Valley Lake in Somerset (present for its 4th day) also broke today. Rarities still present included the Little Crake and Killdeer on Sheltand, King Eider in Argyll, Bufflehead on Lewis and Great White Egret in East Yorkshire. |
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| - Simon Mitchell, RBA | ||
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| Friday 8th June 2007 | ||
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| The White-tailed Plover continued to attract a steady stream of
admirers to Caerlaverock WWT, Dumfries and Galloway.
In Staffordshire, a Whiskered Tern at Belvide Reservoir proved to be a popular attraction throughout the afternoon, before it flew south at 8.30pm. Norfolk produced a Blyth's Reed Warbler on Blakeney Point, hot on the heels of last weekends Booted Warbler at the same site. A Bufflehead was located on Isle of Lewis, Western Isles, presumably the same bird that was present in Highland at Ardnamurchan on Thursday. In Devon a Black Stork was present for its second day in the Southleigh area, but was only on show early morning, whilst a Black Kite was reported over Sorley Cross, Devon. Elsewhere the Collared Pratincole remained in Co Mayo, Glossy Ibis stayed put in Lancashire and the Little Crake remained faithful to its favourite ditch on Unst, Shetland. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 7th June 2007 | ||
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| The White-tailed Plover remained at Caerlaverock WWT, Dumfries and
Galloway, for its second day, but it was unfortunately more distant and elusive
than yesterday and was not seen after 4.30pm.
Mainland rarity highlights came in the form of Squacco Herons still at Erith Marshes, London and Radipole Lake RSPB, Dorset, Great White Egret at Tophill Low NR, East Yorkshire, Glossy Ibis in Lancashire and adult drake King Eider in Machrihanish Bay, Argyll. Fair Isle continued to host both Lesser Grey Shrike and the Black-headed or Red-headed Bunting and on Mainland Shetland the Killdeer was still near Loch of Clevigarth. First-winter American Herring Gulls were at Nanjizal Valley, Cornwall and on Tiree, Argyll and in Ireland the Collared Pratincole remained in Co Mayo. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 6th June 2007 | ||
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| Whilst birding at Caerlaverock WWT, Dumfries and Galloway this morning,
Richard Hesketh made a discovery that put a huge smile on very many birders'
faces - the first twitchable White-tailed Plover in Britain for thirty
two years. This species, despite an increase in the records in continental
Europe in recent years, has failed to make an appearance here since 1984.
Indeed, it was as long ago as July 1975 when Britain’s only twitchable one was
at Packington Gravel Pits, Warwickshire, from 12th-18th, so apart from the few
that saw that bird, its re-occurrence in Britain has been eagerly awaited. With
two records in northern Europe whetting the appetite already this spring, one in
Sweden on 24th May, and another (or the same?) in Denmark on 29th May, for those
who travelled to see it today the long wait is over. It was well worth the
journey! Elsewhere, new discoveries included two more Squacco Herons (at Radipole Lake RSPB, Dorset, and Eyebrook Reservoir, Leicestershire), continuing the excellent run of records of this species in recent weeks. A Subalpine Warbler was trapped and ringed on Calf of Man, a Black Kite flew over Hill Head and Stubbington, Hampshire and an adult Laughing Gull made a brief appearance at Dungeness, Kent. |
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| - Stuart Piner and Dick Filby, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 5th June 2007 | ||
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A Collared Pratincole on The Mullet, Co Mayo was the most notable discovery of the day. Birders on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly enjoyed arrivals of both Black-headed Bunting and Bee-eater whilst another Bee-eater made a brief appearance at Porthgwarra, Cornwall with a Red-backed Shrike nearby at Land's End. Elsewhere, a Great White Egret showed well in the evening at Tophill Low, East Yorkshire, Squacco Herons continued to be seen at both Erith Marshes, London and Oare Marshes, Kent and the Glossy Ibis remained at Newton Marsh, Lancashire. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 4th June 2007 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Black-winged Stilt near Pett, East Sussex. In the Shetland Isles a
Bee-eater appeared on Fair Isle whilst on Unst the Little Crake remained. Notable scarcities included a Woodchat Shrike at Dawlish Warren, Devon, a Kentish Plover at Rue Point, Isle of Man, a Red-necked Phalarope at Martin Mere, Lancashire and Marsh Warblers in both Dorset and London. Significant late news received today included the Black-browed Albatross seen again on Sula Sgeir, Western Isles yesterday and the continued presence of the Marbled Duck at Saul Warth, Gloucestershire. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 3rd June 2007 | ||
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| The most notable discovery of the day was again on the Shetland Isles where a
Blyth's Reed Warbler was located on Whalsay. Elsewhere in the archipelago the
Little Crake remained on Unst with Killdeer still at Exnaboe and Lesser Grey
Shrike, Rustic Bunting and presumed Black-headed Bunting all on Fair Isle. In recent days an impressive arrival of scarce migrants in Shetland has comprised perhaps as many as thirty
Red-backed Shrikes, fourteen Icterine Warblers, eight Marsh
Warblers, eight Common Rosefinches and two each of Red-breasted
Flycatcher, Golden Oriole and Grey-headed Wagtail along with single Barred
Warbler, Bluethroat, Lapland Bunting and Corncrake. The Squacco Heron in Kent appeared at Oare Marshes briefly and in London the Squacco Heron remained at Erith Marshes. A male Red-footed Falcon flew over Drums, Aberdeenshire whilst singing Marsh Warblers were popular discoveries at Rainham Marshes, London and Kessingland Suffolk. Long-staying rarites seen today included the territorial Iberian Chiffchaff at Colney, Norfolk, Snowy Owl on North Uist, Western Isles and the Glossy Ibis at Newton Marsh, Lancashire. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 2nd June 2007 | ||
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| Despite fewer scarce migrants it was still an exciting day for new rarities.
The star attraction was a Booted Warbler found early morning on Blakeney
Point, Norfolk. Other new rarities included a Rustic Bunting at Foveran
Bushes, Aberdeenshire and another Squacco Heron in the SE, this one found in the late evening
at Nickoll's Quarry, Kent. In Clyde a drake Lesser Scaup was found near
Glasgow - a species that was not so long ago a mega but now increasingly regular in
Britain.
The Little Crake was still on Shetland as was the Killdeer, with several other scarcities found there too. The full breeding plumage Squacco Heron at Erith, London was deservedly popular, and the Iberian Chiffchaff is still at Colney, Norfolk. Easterly winds continue to prevail along the entire eastern seaboard, surely there's an incredible mega waiting to be found?. |
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| - Simon Mitchell, RBA | ||
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| Friday 1st June 2007 | ||
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| Another busy day, with plenty of new rarities found, though the majority of
scarce drift migrants were limited the Northern Isles. Unsurprisingly Shetland
produced the best new bird of the day; a female Black-headed Bunting on
Fair Isle. Also new today were at least two (possibly up to four) Bee-eaters in
the Spurn area, East Yorkshire. A Red-rumped Swallow was reported in Northamptonshire
early morning, but unfortunately could not be found later. Five possible Glossy
Ibises were seen flying north from Upton Warren in Worcestershire. New
scarcities from the Scottish mainland and on the Northern Isles included a Barred
Warbler, an Ortolan Bunting a Red-breasted Flycatcher and at
least six Icterine Warblers
Burrafirth on Unst, Shetland was undoubtedly the best single location in the country today, with the Little Crake and Blyth's Reed Warbler both remaining from yesterday now joined by a Marsh Warbler also showing well in the same burn! Two Buff-breasted Sandpipers together at Rattray Head, Aberdeenshire continue a remarkable spring for Nearctic waders. A Night Heron was seen briefly in Suffolk during the late evening Away from Scotland it was rather quiet in many parts, but South-easterly winds set to continue throughout the weekend and next week there is still a sense that the major rarity may be just around the corner. There were still enough remaining birds to keep twitchers occupied for the time being however; the Broad-billed Sand was still in Cleveland, the Iberian Chiffchaff still in Norfolk and the Squacco Heron still in London |
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| - Simon Mitchell, RBA | ||
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