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| Saturday 14th June 2008 | ||
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| On Orkney the male River Warbler continued to sing its heart out at
Evie, Mainland. Elsewhere a Bee-eater briefly lingered over Minsmere
RSPB, Suffolk, a singing Icterine Warbler was at Longwick, Buckinghamshire, the
family of Black-winged Stilts remained a Neumann's Flash, Cheshire and in
Ireland the adult Forster's Tern was once again at Tacumshin.
A male Spotted Crake was heard at Grove Ferry NNR early morning, the Red-backed Shrike was still near Shopham Bridge, West Sussex and in North Yorkshire a Golden Oriole was at Yearsley Moor in the morning. At least three Waxwings were on Lewis, Western Isles. |
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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 13th June 2008 | ||
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| A sighting of either a Red-headed Bunting or Black-headed Bunting
at Portland, Dorset early this morning was a good start to the day, but it wasn't
seen after 6.30am. The male River Warbler remained on Orkney, at Evie,
and the adult summer Forster's Tern was seen again at Tacumshin, County
Wexford. A Bee-eater was heard to fly over Truro, Cornwall mid-morning,
and a Great White Egret left the roost at Rye Harbour NR, East Sussex.
The north-east coast continued to produce some good seabirds, including a Cory's Shearwater in Northumberland, past St Mary's Island and Seaton Sluice, Long-tailed Skua and Pomarine Skua past Whitburn, County Durham and still very good numbers of Manx Shearwaters moving past. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 12th June 2008 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was an unseasonal
Coues's Arctic Redpoll in the Shetland Isles on Unst, it's arrival perhaps
related to the appearance of Waxwings on Fair Isle and in the Orkney
Isles (4). Elsewhere, single Black Kites were seen briefly in Devon over
Exminster Marshes and Suffolk over Redgrave Fen. Lingering rarities comprised the River Warbler on the Orkney Isles, Forster's Tern in County Wexford, Glossy Ibis in Merseyside, three Black-winged Stilts in Cheshire and Great White Egret in Kent. Despite much searching, the Citril Finch was reported as present on Fair Isle, Shetland Isles by only one observer. Scarcities included a Rose-coloured Starling in Lancashire, Night Heron in Suffolk, Pectoral Sandpiper in Kent and on the Shetland Isles both Icterine Warbler and Red-backed Shrike. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 11th June 2008 | ||
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| Both the Megas continued their stay on the Northern Isles, with the Citril
Finch on Fair Isle, Shetland and the River Warbler at Evie, Orkney.
Other rarities included the Forster's Tern in County Wexford, the
Black-winged Stilt family in Cheshire, Great White Egrets in South
Yorkshire and County Dublin and three Cattle Egrets in Somerset.
The best of the rest included three Serins, including two together at Hengistbury Head, Dorset, and a further bird at Dungeness, Kent, Marsh Warbler at Sea Palling, Norfolk, Red-backed Shrike at Petworth, West Sussex and a Rose-coloured Starling at Inskip, Lancashire. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 10th June 2008 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the continued presence of both mega rarities in the Northern Isles: the
Citril Finch remained on the Shetland Isles on Fair Isle and the River Warbler
continued to sing in Evie on the Orkney Isles. Lingering rarities comprised the Forster's Tern in County Wexford, three Black-winged Stilts in Cheshire, Great White Egret in Gloucestershire, Red-footed Falcon in Kent and what is presumed to be an American Herring Gull in Somerset. Elsewhere, a Great White Egret arrived at Denge Marsh, Kent and there were brief encounters with a Black Kite at Wykeham Forest, North Yorkshire and a Bee-eater at Long Lawford, Warwickshire. Scarce migrants included two Red-backed Shrikes, a Rose-coloured Starling, a Common Rosefinch and Golden Oriole and the recent movement of Crossbills continued with 232 reported from eight English counties. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 9th June 2008 | ||
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| A male River Warbler was singing for much of the day at Evie, Orkney,
and has been present for three days. Nearby, the male Citril Finch
remained on Fair Isle, although it is still very mobile and elusive. A Black
Stork in Buckinghamshire was a good record for the county, and was just
twitchable as it lingered in the Nether Winchendon area for a short while.
The Great Reed Warbler was heard again briefly at Lakenheath Fen RSPB, and Red-footed Falcons were seen at Upton Fen, Norfolk and Collards Lake, Kent. Other lingering rarities included the Bonaparte's Gull at Loch Ruthven RSPB, Highland, Glossy Ibis at Marshside RSPB, Merseyside and Forster's Tern at Tacumshin, County Wexford. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 8th June 2008 | ||
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| New arrivals today included a very brief Rustic Bunting at Spurn,
Yorkshire, a flyover Black Stork at North Warren RSPB, Suffolk, an
Alpine Swift at Pegwell Bay, Kent and a Bee-eater over Dunwich Heath
NT, Suffolk. A Great Reed Warbler was heard singing at Lakenheath Fen
RSPB, also Suffolk, and an adult Whiskered Tern spent the afternoon in
Cambridgeshire.
The male Citril Finch remained on Fair Isle, Shetland, although it was only seen twice, being very mobile around the island. In Suffolk, the male Thrush Nightingale continued to sing at Dunwich Heath NT car park, and occasionally showed very well. The Terek Sandpiper returned to The Wicks, East Sussex and other lingering rarities included Bee-eater in Norfolk, Whiskered Tern in Aberdeenshire, Forster's Tern in County Wexford, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Derry, and four Red-footed Falcons, three of which were in Kent. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 7th June 2008 | ||
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| Today's main talking point was the continued presence of Britain's first
Citril Finch on Fair Isle, Shetland. Present for much of the day, the bird
was trapped and released early evening, and was seen for just half an hour
afterwards, before it flew off into the fog.
Other lingering birds included the Thrush Nightingale at Dunwich Heath NT, Suffolk, which remained very elusive all day, and a much more obliging Bee-eater which was present all afternoon at Northrepps, Norfolk. A Whiskered Tern was present for a few minutes at Barton-upon-Humber, Lincolnshire, with the longer staying bird still in Aberdeenshire. The impressive male Lesser Grey Shrike showed well all day at Long Nanny Burn, Northumberland, whilst the male Black-headed Bunting was still on Fetlar, Shetland, with a host of scarce migrants also on the Northern Isles. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Friday 6th June 2008 | ||
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| The news of a male Citril Finch on Fair Isle, Shetland this afternoon
was unexpected and, with fog currently hampering flights, may prove tricky to
catch up with. Further south the first-summer male Trumpeter Finch
remained at Telscombe Cliffs, East Sussex, whilst at least one Black-headed
Bunting was still on Fetlar, Shetland.
New arrivals included a Bee-eater at Dungeness, Kent this evening with a Great White Egret mobile around the east of the county. The male Thrush Nightingale continued to sing at Minsmere RSPB, Suffolk, but rarely showed well. The superb Lesser Grey Shrike was still in Northumberland, at the Long Nanny Burn, as was the Whiskered Tern in Aberdeenshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Highland, Hooded Merganser in Dorset, but just four Red-footed Falcons were reported. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 5th June 2008 | ||
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| Breaking news of another Trumpeter Finch was the highlight of a busy day. Initially discovered yesterday evening, but not identified for certain until today, the bird was relocated this evening at Telscombe Cliffs, East Sussex. Elsewhere, tantalising news was received of a
Black-browed Albatross lingering off County Galway in Galway Bay, a Thrush Nightingale was new in Suffolk at Minsmere as was a
Citrine Wagtail in Powys at Brecon, a Whiskered Tern in Aberdeenshire at Loch of Strathbeg, an
American Golden Plover on the Isle of Man at Bride and a Red-rumped Swallow on Whalsay, Shetland Isles. Otherwise, a Black Stork in East Sussex,
Black Kite in Berkshire and single Bee-eaters in both Suffolk and West Sussex were all brief encounters Lingering rarities comprised the Lesser Grey Shrike in Northumberland, Black-headed Bunting on the Shetland Isles, both Whiskered Tern and American Golden Plover in Kent, Forster's Tern in County Wexford, Bonaparte's Gull in Highland, American Golden Plover in County Mayo and Great White Egret in Suffolk. Red-footed Falcons were recorded in Berkshire, Gloucestershire, Kent (2), Lothian and Suffolk. Scarcities included six Red-backed Shrikes, two each of Marsh Warbler and Golden Oriole and single Red-spotted Bluethroat, Serin, Common Rosefinch, Icterine Warbler and Hoopoe. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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