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| Friday 15th June 2007 | ||
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| Today's highlight was undoubtedly the discovery of a fine summer plumaged
male Citrine Wagtail on Mainland Orkney at Loch of Boardhouse. The
only other new rarity reported today was a male Ferruginous Duck at
Huttoft Pits in Lincolnshire. Unfortunately the Hudsonian Whimbrel
discovered yesterday at Walney Island in Cumbria was not seen today, though
weather conditions were reported as very poor.
Elsewhere around the country there were very few other rarities on offer, the best of the rest being the Lesser Grey Shrike still on Fair Isle. The Great White Egret was still in East Yorkshire at Tophill Low, the long staying Glossy Ibis was again in Lancashire at Newton Marsh and the Ferruginous Duck was again in Somerset on Chew Valley Lake. Also worth noting today was a Red-necked Phalarope in Worcestershire at Upton Warren which performed well all day after its discovery this morning. There was a new Red-backed Shrike in Northumberland at Beadnell as well as one on Fair Isle and the long-staying female in Blakeney, Norfolk |
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| - Keith Langdon, 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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| Thursday 14th June 2007 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Hudsonian Whimbrel at South Walney, Cumbria. Found in the morning high tide roost,
the identity was not confirmed until it showed again this evening. On the Shetland Isles a Great Reed Warbler was a new arrival alongside the Killdeer at Virkie, Mainland whilst on the Unst the Little Crake remained at Burrafirth. Elsewhere, the Great Reed Warbler was still on territory at Lydd, Kent, the Great White Egret remained at Tophill Low, East Yorkshire, the Bee-eater was seen again at Tarbet, Highland and the Glossy Ibis reappeared at Newton Marsh, Lancashire. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 13th June 2007 | ||
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| Fair Isle in the the Shetlands took the honours today, with a smart Terek
Sandpiper found at South Harbour, along with a new Short-toed Lark,
the long-staying Lesser Grey Shrike, plus two Red-backed Shrikes
and an Iceland Gull. Elsewhere the White-tailed Plover put in
another brief appearance at Leighton Moss in Lancashire and there were two new Bee-eaters:
at Tarbet in Highland; and Minsmere in Suffolk.
The Great Reed Warbler continued to sing near Lydd in Kent, the Great White Egret remained at Tophill Low in East Yorkshire and the long-staying Killdeer was still on Mainland Shetland, although now at the Pool of Virkie. A Temminck's Stint was found at Murton Gravel Pits in Angus, a Marsh Warbler was on the Isle of May in Fife, an Icterine Warbler was at Sumburgh on Mainland Shetland and the female Red-backed Shrike remained at Blakeney in Norfolk. In the south west small numbers of Balearic Shearwaters are now starting to be seen at typical locations, heralding the onset of autumn seabirds. |
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| - Pete Hayman, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 12th June 2007 | ||
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| Other than late news from yesterday of a White-throated Sparrow on the Farne Islands, Northumberland the highlight today was the reappearance of the
Black Stork in Devon; present at Northam Burrows early afternoon before once again moving on. The Little Crake remained on the Shetland Isles as did the Great Reed Warbler in Kent and Ferruginous Duck in Somerset. In East Yorkshire the Great White Egret showed well again and a Red-footed Falcon was reported briefly. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 11th June 2007 | ||
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| A River Warbler trapped on Fair Isle, Shetland Isles was the undoubted highlight of the day, although it was not seen after it was released. Also on Fair Isle the
Lesser Grey Shrike remained but there was no sign of the Paddyfield
Warbler. Elsewhere, a Caspian Tern was seen briefly at Willington, Derbyshire and a Red-footed Falcon flew over Spurn, East Yorkshire but there was no sign of the White-tailed Plover at Leighton Moss, Lancashire. Lingering rarities comprised the Great Reed Warbler in Kent, Great White Egret in East Yorkshire, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset, King Eider in Argyll and Killdeer on Shetland Isles. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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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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| 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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