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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Sunday 1st July 2007  
  An otherwise quiet 'mid-summer' day was interrupted by the incredible news of a sub-adult Yellow-nosed Albatross picked up exhausted on Brean Beach in Somerset by walkers on Friday and taken into care at a local wildlife hospital overnight, then released, apparently in reasonable health, yesterday at Brean Down. Unfortunately for would be twitchers, it seems that the finders and 'carers' were not aware of the enormity of this find. This first for Britain was found on the same day as one was seen in Finnish waters but despite searches, it could not be relocated in the Brean area today. For further news and pictures see links in the bird news entry below.

Elsewhere the main rarity interest came from Cumbria where the Hudsonian Whimbrel remained at Walney Island, and Dorset where the Squacco Heron remained, somewhat elusively, at Radipole Lake RSPB reserve. The over-summering Killdeer was still to be found on Shetland Mainland, now back at Pool of Virkie, and in Norfolk, the Alpine Swift put in another brief appearance at Titchwell in the evening. Roseate Terns were popular attractions at Cley in Norfolk and Seaforth in Merseyside.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Saturday 30th June 2007  
  A miserable rainy day for much of the UK produced very little to raise excitement levels - in fact, the only rarities on offer were the Hudsonian Whimbrel on Walney Island, Cumbria and a Squacco Heron in Dorset, which reappeared at Radipole Lake RSPB.

Elsewhere a drake American Wigeon on the Ythan Estuary, Aberdeenshire, was a good June find and a trio of Roseate Terns at Cley NWT, Norfolk proved popular. Roseate Terns also graced South Gare, Cleveland, Minsmere RSPB, Suffolk, and Dawlish Warren NNR, Devon. A couple of Surf Scoters remained off the Aberdeenshire coast and in Somerset the seemingly ever-present Ring-necked Duck was, unsurprisingly, still at Avonmouth sewage works.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 29th June 2007  
  There were very few new birds to shout about during another quiet day. The only rarity available in England was the Hudsonian Whimbrel on Walney Island, Cumbria, which again showed reasonably well prior to high tide. In Scotland, the Bonaparte's Gull was still on South Uist, Western Isles.

A pair of  Montagu's Harriers at Digby Fen, Lincolnshire, have fortunately survived the recent flooding and continue to make regular food-passes; the RSPB viewpoint overlooking the site will no doubt prove increasingly popular as the summer progresses.

Two late items of news from yesterday both related to long-stayers on Shetland - the Lesser Grey Shrike on Fair Isle and Killdeer on Mainland.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 28th June 2007  
  The hottest news on a quiet summer day was of a 1st-summer male Red-footed Falcon in Suffolk; it flew south over Landguard NR early morning. In Lancashire a White-winged Black Tern was reported flying north off Blackpool and in neighbouring Cumbria the Hudsonian Whimbrel showed well on Walney Island during the morning and again this evening. In Cleveland the Great White Egret was on Dorman's Pool for its second day and the first-summer Bonaparte's Gull remained on South Uist, Western Isles. Nearby, the presumed Ashy-headed Wagtail remained on Benbecula but at Titchwell, Norfolk, the Little Bittern failed to make an appearance all day.

A Black-throated Diver at Draycote Water, Warwickshire, was an excellent find, which proved popular with locals.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 27th June 2007  
  A Squacco Heron made a brief appearance at Abbotsbury Swannery, Dorset, early morning; possibly the same bird that visited Radipole Lake RSPB earlier in the month. This evening a Great White Egret was located at Saltholme Pools, Cleveland, before relocating to nearby Dorman's Pool.

In Norfolk the Little Bittern remained at Titchwell RSPB, but just along the coast the White-winged Black Tern at Cley NWT was not seen after 7.30am. In Cumbria the Hudsonian Whimbrel showed well at Walney Island mid morning and in Dorset a Serin made a brief appearance on Portland. In the far-flung corners of Scotland, the long-staying Lesser Grey Shrike and a Marsh Warbler remained on Fair Isle, whilst a Bonaparte's Gull continued to grace South Uist, Western Isles.

News of a Hoopoe in Harston, Cambridgeshire, was released, having been present since Saturday and late news from yesterday related to a Great White Egret in Highland.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 26th June 2007  
  Norfolk provided the majority of today's action, with a couple of adult White-winged Black Terns attracting the most attention; singles were at Welney WWT and Cley NWT. Elsewhere in the county the Alpine Swift showed briefly over Hunstanton on two occasions early morning and the Little Bittern remained at Titchwell RSPB.

In Staffordshire a Great White Egret was logged flying over Tamworth town centre before being relocated just north west of the town and in Co Louth an American Golden Plover was a new discovery on the Boyne Estuary. In Fife, the Isle of May continued to host a female Subalpine Warbler and on Western Isles the long-staying apparent Ashy-headed Wagtail was still on Benbecula. The Hudsonian Whimbrel continued its stay on Walney Island, Cumbria and a male Serin was seen in flight at Selsey Bill, West Sussex in the morning.

Late news from yesterday concerned a White-rumped Sandpiper briefly at Freiston Shore RSPB, Lincolnshire, in the evening and a report of an Alpine Swift in Devon, over Stokenham.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 25th June 2007  
  Today's rarity hotspot was west Norfolk, with the Alpine Swift first seen last night at Titchwell being re-found at Hunstanton in the morning. It had roosted on the cliffs there last night and showed well around the lighthouse both in the morning and again in the evening, where it has hopefully gone to roost again. Nearby the Little Bittern again put in an erratic performance at Titchwell, but it did show very well in the early morning. Also in west Norfolk an adult White-winged Black Tern was a new find at Welney Wildfowl Reserve.

A female American Wigeon was found at Porthmadog in Gwynedd, three drake Surf Scoters were off Murcar in Aberdeenshire, and in Staffordshire the moulting drake Ring-necked Duck was still at Blithfield Reservoir. In the south west, numbers of both Balearic Shearwaters and Storm Petrels were seen at scattered localities around the coast.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Sunday 24th June 2007  
  Today started off with a second summer Laughing Gull being discovered at Grafham Water in Cambridgeshire, it showed well but only for just over two hours.  This is only the second record for the county the first also being at Grafham in November and both were found by the same observer.  The other two new rarities found today have both been in Norfolk and both very brief. Firstly a Great White Egret was reported flying over Waxham dunes this morning and this evening an Alpine Swift was seen for just a few minutes at Titchwell RSPB while observers waited for a glimpse of the elusive male Little Bittern.  The latter having not been seen since Wednesday was relocated this afternoon and showed on and off but was frustratingly elusive.

Elsewhere, the Killdeer was seen on Shetland Mainland again today back at Loch of Clevigarth, the Hudsonian Whimbrel was again present around the high tides this morning and this evening on Walney Island in Cumbria and the Bonaparte's Gull was seen on South Uist again.  Also on South Uist, a probable drake Lesser Scaup was discovered today.  The only other rarity to report is the long-staying Glossy Ibis on Newton Marsh in Lancashire.

Also of interest today, two Red-backed Shrikes were found, one near Land's End in Cornwall the other in Cheshire at Burton. A Rose-coloured Starling was found on Rousay on Orkney and finally, a new Ring-necked Duck was found at Blithfield Reservoir.
-  Keith Langdon, RBA
Saturday 23rd June 2007  
  In Cumbria the Hudsonian Whimbrel continued to attract birders to Walney Island, but it remained frustratingly elusive on the saltmarsh throughout most of the day. The only other mainland rarity available today was the long staying Glossy Ibis at Newton Marsh, Lancashire, but on the Western Isles, the first-summer Bonaparte's Gull remained on South Uist.

A Red-breasted Flycatcher visited the observatory garden at Portland Bill, Dorset and in Devon a male Common Rosefinch was at Northam Burrows Country Park. A male Golden Oriole flew over Bockhill Farm, Kent, and Red-backed Shrikes were located at Cley NWT, Norfolk and Isle of Noss, Shetland. A pair of Surf Scoters remained off the Aberdeenshire coastline and in Somerset the adult drake Ring-necked Duck continued its (long) stay at Avonmouth. Across the Irish Sea, the Buff-breasted Sandpiper was still at Ballycotton, Co Cork.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 22nd June 2007  
  The most significant new rarity found today was a male Black-headed Bunting which was seen briefly in a garden in Exeter, Devon, but unfortunately it was not seen after midday. At the other end of the country, a female Subalpine Warbler was on the Isle of May in Fife, after having first been found yesterday. On the Outer Hebrides, the Bonaparte's Gull was again on South Uist, in Lancashire the long-staying Glossy Ibis was still to be found near Freckleton, whilst in Gloucestershire the Marbled Duck was again at Saul Warth. In Dorset two Serins were seen briefly at Portland Bill.

A new Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Ballycotton in County Cork is presumably a herald of autumn wader passage, a fact born out in other parts of the country by a sprinkling of waders such as Green Sandpipers and Spotted Redshanks on local patches.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA