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| Saturday 16th August 2008 | ||
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| New discoveries today were headlined by a Booted Warbler in Kent at Kingsdown,
Citrine Wagtail on Fair Isle, Shetland Isles, a new Baird's Sandpiper on South Uist, Western Isles and a
Wilson's Petrel passing Bridges of Ross, County Clare. Lingering rarities comprised the Wilson's Phalarope in Northumberland, five Two-barred Crossbills together on Shetland, American Golden Plover in Kent and Hooded Merganser in Dorset. The regular Great White Egret returned to Blashford Lakes, Hampshire Notable scarcities included a Red-necked Phalarope in Gloucestershire, Spotted Crake in Kent, two White Storks in Hertfordshire and, on the Shetland Isles, a Common Rosefinch and two Barred Warblers were seen. Late news received today concerned an adult Audouin's Gull present briefly yesterday evening in Lincolshire at Huttoft Car Terrace before flying off south. |
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| - Chris Batty, 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 15th August 2008 | ||
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| The next two weeks are now well known for their records of Fea's Petrels,
the majority being sighted from Irish west coast headlands. Today, at least one
was seen, first from Galley Head early morning, with it, or another in the
Dunowen Head area this evening, both sites being in County Cork. Other Irish
seabirds included a Wilson's Petrel off the Bridges of Ross, County
Clare, and 'padder' species such as Cory's Shearwaters, Great Shearwaters,
Balearic Shearwaters, Long-tailed Skuas, Pomarine Skuas, Grey Phalaropes and
Sabine's Gulls were all seen.
Another Wilson's Petrel was seen from this evening's pelagic out of St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, with the Wilson's Phalarope still present in Northumberland, at Grindon Lough. Other lingerers included the Lesser Grey Shrike in Dorset, American Golden Plover in Kent, three Two-barred Crossbills on Shetland and the Cattle Egret in Norfolk. National scarcities included a Red-necked Phalarope at Saul Warth, Gloucestershire, two drake Surf Scoters off Blackdog, Aberdeenshire, Melodious Warbler trapped and ringed near Sennen, Cornwall and an inland Montagu's Harrier on the Hertfordshire/Buckinghamshire border near Tring was a good record for the area. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 14th August 2008 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Wilson's
Phalarope at Grindon Lough, Northumberland, which could often show well,
despite being elusive in the vegetation. The Lesser Grey Shrike was also
still present at Middlebere, Dorset, and there are still three Two-barred
Crossbills at Sumburgh Head, Shetland, although these were the only birds
reported today.
A remarkable record of Thrush Nightingale also surfaced today, with news of a bird being trapped and ringed on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire on Saturday. Other late news concerned another sighting of a Yelkouan-type Shearwater in the south-west, this time off St Ives Island, Cornwall yesterday. The adult Baird's Sandpiper remained on South Uist, Western Isles, with the Cattle Egret also still at Blakeney, Norfolk, White-winged Black Tern still at Thamesmead, London and the Ferruginous Duck was still at Chew Valley Lake, Somerset. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 13th August 2008 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was a Wilson's Phalarope at Grindon Lough, Northumberland. First seen yesterday - but only identified today - the bird remained into the evening. Elsewhere, a
Baird's Sandpiper was discovered in the Western Isles on South Uist and a Thrush Nightingale arrived on Fair Isle, Shetland Isles. Lingering rarities comprised the Black Stork in County Durham, Cattle Egret in Norfolk, American Golden Plover in Kent, White-winged Black Tern in Highland and Hooded Merganser in Dorset. Single Rose-coloured Starlings were found in both Highland and Argyll, with a Short-toed Lark remaining in the latter. Good seawatching was available with Bridges of Ross, County Clare producing the second Fea's Petrel of the autumn and Pendeen Watch, Cornwall recording shearwater tallies of 11 Great, 16 Cory's and 27 Balearic. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 12th August 2008 | ||
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| Headline rarities today included nine Two-barred Crossbills on
Shetland (eight on Fair Isle, one on Fetlar), the Black Stork in Co
Durham, Lesser Grey Shrike in Dorset, White-winged Black Tern in
London and the White-billed Diver on Orkney. A Cattle Egret
dropped into Cley NWT, Norfolk and lingering wildfowl came in the form of
Lesser Scaup in Clyde, Hooded Merganser in Dorset and King Eider
in Wexford.
A Short-toed Lark was a tremendous find on Tiree, Argyll. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Monday 11th August 2008 | ||
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| White-winged Black Terns arrived at Loch of Strathbeg RSPB, Aberdeenshire and Inverness, Highland and in London another White-winged Black Tern was present at Thamesmead for its second day. On the Western Isles a female Red-footed Falcon was reported on Harris, the juvenile Black Stork continued to commute between Northumberland and Co Durham and in Dorset both the Lesser Grey Shrike and Hooded Merganser were still in situ. On Orkney a Two-barred Crossbill was still on North Ronaldsay and the White-billed Diver continued to linger off South Ronaldsay. In Kent the American Golden Plover made another appearance at Elmley Marshes RSPB. | ||
| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 10th August 2008 | ||
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| New rarities discovered today comprised a Citrine Wagtail on the Orkney Isles at Stenness and a
Cattle Egret in Poole Harbour, Dorset. The juvenile Black Stork seen yesterday in County Durham crossed the county boundary into Northumberland where it showed well during the afternoon at Throckley. Lingering rarities included three Two-barred Crossbills on the Shetland Isles, Lesser Grey Shrike and Hooded Merganser in Dorset, White-billed Diver on the Orkney Isles, Lesser Scaup in Clyde, American Golden Plover in Kent, King Eider in County Wexford and Ferruginous Duck in Somerset. The Scillonian III pelagic trip off the Isles of Scilly produced a brief Wilson's Petrel, two Grey Phalaropes, two Great, four Cory's and a single Sooty Shearwater and an estimated 400 Storm Petrels. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 9th August 2008 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the juvenile Black Stork
at Greenside, County Durham. Present and showing well from early morning until mid afternoon when it was seen to
fly northeast; locals suggest the bird has been present in the area for around a week and so
it may well return. Elsewhere, Two-barred Crossbills continued to arrive on the Shetland Isles with at least eighteen together at Sumburgh Head, nine juveniles on Fair Isle and a single juvenile on Yell. Lingering rarities comprised the Lesser Grey Shrike and Hooded Merganser in Dorset, American Golden Plover in Kent, White-billed Diver on the Orkney Isles, King Eider in County Wexford and Ferruginous Duck in Somerset. A Red-footed Falcon was seen briefly in Highland at Glen Moriston, a Sabine's Gull showed well in Lancashire at Heysham as did the Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Doonfoot, Ayrshire and the Melodious Warbler at Sumburgh Head, Shetland Isles. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Friday 8th August 2008 | ||
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| Two-barred Crossbills continued to arrive on Shetland, with thirteen
now present at Sumburgh Head, and a further juvenile on North Ronaldsay, Orkney.
Another male was reported from Harris, Western Isles, comprising just the second
record of the influx away from the Northern Isles.
A juvenile Black Stork was found this evening, near Blaydon, County Durham, and was present until dusk, when it went to roost. A moulting adult White-winged Black Tern was seen at Slapton Ley, Devon. Lingering rarities included the Lesser Grey Shrike in Dorset, White-billed Diver and Citrine Wagtail on Orkney and an American Golden Plover in Kent. Scarcities included a Tawny Pipit on Blakeney Point, Norfolk, with Sabine's Gull, Long-tailed Skua and Balearic Shearwater in the same county. Another Long-tailed Skua was seen in County Durham, with other Sabine's Gulls in Cleveland and North Yorkshire. A Barred Warbler was on Inner Farne, Northumberland. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 7th August 2008 | ||
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| The Two-barred Crossbill tally continues to rise - nine were still on
Fair Isle, at least eight were on Mainland Shetland and four visited South
Ronaldsay, Orkney. An adult White-winged Black Tern commuted between
Seaforth LWT and Crosby Marine Park, Merseyside, the American Golden Plover
briefly reappeared at Elmley Marshes RSPB, Kent and the Lesser Grey Shrike
and Hooded Merganser in Dorset, King Eider in Co Wexford,
Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall and White-billed Diver in Orkney were
all still available.
The Buff-breasted Sandpiper continued to show well at Doonfoot, Ayrshire and an Icterine Warbler was trapped at Landguard NR, Suffolk. A juvenile Red-backed Shrike was on the Farne Islands, Northumberland for its second day and the Melodious Warbler continued to show on Mainland Shetland |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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