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 9th August 2007  
  The Dorset Black Stork made another brief appearance this morning, when it flew over The Fleet at 11.45am. Otherwise it was pretty static rarity-wise, with the Spotted Sandpiper and Ferruginous Duck at Chew Valley Lake, Somerset, Glossy Ibis in Merseyside and Black Kite in Lincolnshire all remaining on show.

A Spotted Crake was discovered on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, a Pectoral Sandpiper was at Lough Donnell, Co Clare and at Sunk Island, East Yorkshire a Buff-breasted Sandpiper made an appearance this evening - presumably the bird that has been seen at nearby Patrington Haven and across the Humber at Far Ings NR, Lincolnshire, recently. A couple of Wilson's Petrels were seen on an evening pelagic off the Isles of Scilly.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 8th August 2007  
  Today was dominated by Black Storks, with reports coming from three counties on the south coast. The day began with one over Seaton, Devon, at 9am. Presumably the same bird flew over Redruth, Cornwall, early afternoon prior to being seen just south of St Just mid afternoon, then over Mount's Bay early evening before finally being noted over Sennen late evening. A Black Stork report also came from Dorset, but the exact location of this bird is unknown.

A White-rumped Sandpiper visited Frodsham Marsh, Cheshire, but only until 8.30am. In Somerset the Spotted Sandpiper remained at Chew Valley Lake for its second day, but was very elusive - the 1st-summer drake Ferruginous Duck and a Spotted Crake were the supporting cast at the same site. 

In Merseyside the Glossy Ibis was still at Marshside RSPB, the Squacco Heron remained in Co Derry and the Spotted Sandpiper was still in Co Clare. In Devon the 1st-summer Laughing Gull was once again seen on the Exe Estuary and in Lincolnshire the Black Kite reappeared at Nocton Heath. An adult Sabine's Gull lingered briefly off Filey Brigg, North Yorkshire, before heading north this evening.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 7th August 2007  
  The five new rarities discovered today were headlined by the first Aquatic Warbler of the autumn, at Hope Point, Kent. Otherwise, a Black Stork was seen briefly at Abbotsbury and Burton Bradstock in Dorset, a Spotted Sandpiper appeared at Chew Valley Lake in Somerset, a White-winged Black Tern briefly in Langstone Harbour, Hampshire and a Bonaparte's Gull reported at Scurdie Ness, Angus.

In Wales the popular Roller remained at Wernffrwd, Glamorgan as did the Gull-billed Tern at Ynyslas, Ceredigion and Black Stork on the Alaw Estuary, Anglesey. In England long-staying rarities still in residence included the Glossy Ibis at Marshside, Merseyside and Ferruginous Duck at Chew Valley Lake, Somerset.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 6th August 2007  
  Wales produced the majority of the action today - a Roller on The Gower, Glamorgan, was present for its fifth day, the Black Stork reappeared on the Alaw Estuary, Anglesey and a Gull-billed Tern remained on the Dovey Estuary, Ceredigion.

Another Black Stork flew over Liddington, Wiltshire early in the afternoon and a Great White Egret was flushed from Coalhouse Fort, Essex. Lingering rarities included the Glossy Ibis in Merseyside, Bonaparte's Gull on Western Isles, Long-billed Dowitcher in Co Clare and Ferruginous Duck in Somerset. An evening pelagic off Isles of Scilly scored three Wilson's Petrels.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 5th August 2007  
  The highlights of the day were the relocation of both the Oxfordshire Marsh Sandpiper (now at Farmoor Reservoir) and the Ceredigion Gull-billed Tern (see at Ynyslas) along with the reappearance of the Hudsonian Whimbrel on Walney Island, Cumbria.

Otherwise, a White-winged Black Tern was discovered at East Chevington, Northumberland in the evening and brief encounters included Wilson's Petrels off the Isles of Scilly, Pembrokeshire and Co Clare, an Alpine Swift in Flintshire and both Red-footed Falcon and Black Kite in Kent.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present included the Black Kite in Lincolnshire, Laughing Gull in Devon, Squacco Heron in Co Derry, Spotted Sandpiper in Co Clare, Bonaparte's Gull on Western Isles, Glossy Ibis in Merseyside and the Ferruginous Duck in Somerset.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 4th August 2007  
  The highlight of the day was a juvenile Marsh Sandpiper at Abingdon, Oxfordshire. The bird frequented a flooded field from late morning until late in the evening and constituted the first county record. In Co Clare a wader-double was formed by a Spotted Sandpiper at Doonbeg complementing the Long-billed Dowitcher at Shannon Airport.

The Black Stork remained on the Alaw Estuary, Anglesey whilst other popular long-staying rarities included the Glossy Ibis at Marshside Merseyside and Black Kite at Nocton Heath Lincolnshire; a further Black Kite was reported briefly at three locations in Kent.

Elsewhere, the Squacco Heron remained at Lough Beg, Co Derry as did the Bonaparte's Gull at South Uist, Western Isles and the Laughing Gull was seen again on the Exe Estuay, Devon.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 3rd August 2007  
  A report of a White-throated Needletail near St Helens at Carr Mill Dam in Merseyside would have been the undoubted highlight of the day, if not the year, had it remained long enough to be confirmed and enjoyed by the masses. A Gull-billed Tern which put in a brief appearance on the rising tide on the Dovey Estuary at Ynys-hir RSPB was a potential first for Ceredigion; it later transpired the bird was also seen briefly on Thursday's rising tide and Welsh birders will be hoping for a repeat performance tomorrow. An adult Bonaparte's Gull which showed briefly at Whitburn, County Durham may well have been a returning bird present in the Northeast from September to November last year. Likewise a first-summer Laughing Gull in Exmouth, Devon was almost certainly the bird last seen just upriver at Topsham on June 10th.

Remaining rarities including the Redhead still reported from Kenfig Pool in Glamorgan, Black Stork on the Alaw Estuary, Anglesey, Black Kite reported still present at Nocton Heath, Lincolnshire, Glossy Ibis at Marshide RSPB in Merseyside, Bonaparte's Gull at Ardvule on South Uist, Western Isles and Long-billed Dowitcher at Shannon Airport Lagoon, County Clare. Among the best of the scarcities was a good passage of 51 Balearic Shearwaters past Porthgwarra, Cornwall and a smattering of Pectoral Sandpipers, Spoonbills, Ring-necked Ducks and Montagu's Harriers.  There was no sign of the controversial warbler believed to have been an Eastern Olivaceous or Sykes's Warbler in Manchester's Chinatown.
-  Andy Symes, RBA
Thursday 2nd August 2007  
  The major talking point of the day was the identification of an elusive warbler in the Chinatown district of Manchester city centre, Greater Manchester. Believed in the field to be either an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler or Sykes's Warbler it is hoped that the true identification can be ascertained from photographs. Another identification headache remained in Glamorgan in the form of the reported Redhead still present at Kenfig Pool.

Three Black Kites comprised the long-staying individual at Nocton Heath, Lincolnshire and singles seen in flight at South Gare, Cleveland and Paignton, Devon.

Otherwise, the Black Stork remained on the Alaw Estuary, Anglesey as did the Long-billed Dowitcher at Shannon Airport Lagoon, Co Clare. Five Kentish Plovers were found, one at Kenfig, Glamorgan and four together at Ferrybridge, Dorset.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 1st August 2007  
  The Black Stork continued to show on the Alaw Estuary, Anglesey, throughout most of the day but the only new rarity discovered was a Black Kite over Hauxley NR, Northumberland. The long-staying Black Kite in Lincolnshire remained at Nocton Fen whilst in Merseyside the Glossy Ibis was still at Marshside RSPB.

Otherwise, it was quiet on the rarity front, apart from an unconfirmed report of a Redhead at Kenfig Pool NNR, Glamorgan.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 31st July 2007  
  The highlight of the day was a Black Stork on the Alaw Estuary, Anglesey. Discovered in the early morning, the bird remained on show until dusk to the delight of many. Perhaps the same Black Stork had been seen on Thursday in Wiltshire and on Sunday near Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

Elsewhere, a White-rumped Sandpiper briefly joined a Pectoral Sandpiper at Thorganby Ings, North Yorkshire, a Wilson's Petrel showed from an evening pelagic off the Isles of Scilly and four Glossy Ibises were seen in flight over Southport, Merseyside.

The Roller was seen again briefly at Usk Reservoir, Carmarthenshire and the White-rumped Sandpiper reappeared on the Ythan Estuary, Aberdeenshire whilst more obliging lingering rarities included the Black Kite in Lincolnshire, Hudsonian Whimbrel in Cumbria and Bonaparte's Gull on the Western Isles.
-  Chris Batty, RBA