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| Wednesday 13th May 2009 | ||
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| The highlight of a busy day was a Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in East Yorkshire at Kilnsea; it had initially found yesterday and thought to be a Greenish Warbler. Elsewhere, a Subalpine Warbler showed well in Kent at Dungeness, a
White-billed Diver was in County Galway off Inishbofin, a White-winged Black Tern was in Warwickshire at Draycote Water and, on the Isles of Scilly, a
Great Reed Warbler and three Red-rumped Swallows were on St Mary's. Brief encounters included a
Blyth's Reed Warbler in Norfolk, Alpine Swift and two Red-rumped Swallows in Dorset, Black Kite in Cornwall and single Great White Egrets in both Gloucestershire and West Sussex. Lingering rarities comprised the Black-winged Pratincole still in Kent, Citrine Wagtail in Norfolk, Red-throated Pipit on the Isles of Scilly, Balearic Woodchat Shrike in County Wexford, Lesser Scaup on the Shetland Isles and White-winged Black Tern in Surrey. Scarcities comprised 18 Temminck's Stints, seven migrant Golden Orioles, four each of Icterine Warbler and Kentish Plover, three Bluethroats, two Grey-headed Wagtails and singles of Melodious Warbler, Short-toed Lark, Rough-legged Buzzard, Hoopoe, Green-winged Teal, Pectoral Sandpiper and Lapland Bunting. A major arrival of Black Terns was witnessed in southeastern England with 900 reported from 35 counties including maxima of 239 in Norfolk, 130 in Cambridgeshire, 54 in Suffolk, 45 in Lincolnshire and 34 in Hertfordshire. |
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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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| Tuesday 12th May 2009 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the reappearance of the Black-winged Pratincole at Grove Ferry, Kent. Discovered early in the morning, the bird remained into the evening, when it strayed briefly to the adjacent Stodmarsh. New rarities comprised a Citrine Wagtail in Norfolk at Cley, a Balearic Woodchat Shrike in County Wexford at Duncormick, Greenish Warbler in East Yorkshire at Kilnsea, White-billed Diver in Aberdeenshire at Girdle Ness and a mobile Black Kite in west Cornwall. The Isles of Scilly enjoyed a busy day with a Red-throated Pipit new on St Agnes, Red-rumped Swallow on St Mary's and Woodchat Shrike on Bryher. Lingering rarities included the Franklin's Gull and Wood Duck on the Shetland Isles, White-winged Black Tern in Surrey, two Bee-eaters in Norfolk and the Great White Egret in Cleveland. Scarcities included four Temminck's Stints, two Grey-headed Wagtails, singles of Bluethroat, American Wigeon, Surf Scoter, Pectoral Sandpiper, Lapland Bunting and another Woodchat Shrike (in Somerset). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 11th May 2009 | ||
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| A Marsh Sandpiper was seen in Essex at Vange Marshes RSPB this
afternoon, although it was flushed off by Black-headed Gulls after only a short
time. Nearby, in Surrey, a White-winged Black Tern was on Staines
Reservoirs North Basin all day.
In Scotland a Hudsonian Whimbrel was seen in Argyll, White-billed Diver in Highland and a Franklin's Gull, two Black Ducks and the Wood Duck were on Shetland, but there was no sign of the Brown-headed Cowbird. Three Bee-eaters lingered in Norfolk all afternoon, but news was slow to get out. A Black Kite was seen in Hampshire, and the Little Bittern remained on the Isles of Scilly. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 10th May 2009 | ||
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| A pratincole at Reculver, Kent, initially reported as a Collared Pratincole
was later re-identified as the first Black-winged Pratincole to grace
British shores for eight years. On Isles of Scilly a Little Bittern was
discovered on St Mary's and in Dumfries & Galloway a Whiskered Tern
lingered off Seafield.
Lingering rarities included the singing male Brown-headed Cowbird on Fair Isle, Red-rumped Swallow in Norfolk, Savi's Warbler in Essex, Pallid Swift in Merseyside and Wood Duck on Shetland. Great White Egrets were recorded in Powys and Cleveland and five Cattle Egrets comprised three in Cambridgeshire and singles in Lancashire and Leicestershire. Notable scarcities came in the form of Great Grey Shrikes in Norfolk and Staffordshire, Woodchat Shrike on Isles of Scilly, Purple Heron in Somerset, Waxwing on Lewis, as well as 46 Dotterels, four Temminck's Stints, three Golden Orioles, three Pectoral Sandpipers and two Grey-headed Wagtails. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 9th May 2009 | ||
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| The male Brown-headed Cowbird remained for its second day on Fair
Isle, Shetland, delighting the few that managed to charter onto the island this
afternoon. Also on Shetland, two Black Ducks were on Loch of Hillwell
this evening, and the Wood Duck was still on Loch of Brow.
Further south, a male Eastern Subalpine Warbler was present all day at Portland Bill, Dorset. New Red-rumped Swallows were in Northamptonshire and London, and the two were still in Norfolk, at Cley and then, later, Weybourne. A Red-footed Falcon was also in Norfolk, and a Black Kite was in Kent. The Blue-winged Teal reappeared in County Tipperary, and the Pallid Swift was still in Merseyside. The Savi's Warbler continued to sing in Essex, and the North American peep was still in Devon. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Friday 8th May 2009 | ||
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| Hot news today related to the discovery of a Brown-headed Cowbird on
Fair Isle, Shetland. The only previous British record concerned a bird on Islay,
Argyll on 24th April 1988 - this bird was only seen by the finder, so
Brown-headed Cowbird is one of the most-wanted species on the British List.
Other new rarities included Alpine Swifts in Somerset, East Yorkshire and Co Wicklow, Snowy Owl on Orkney, two Red-rumped Swallows in Norfolk, Red-footed Falcon in Kent and White-billed Diver in Argyll. Lingering rarities comprised the Savi's Warbler in Essex, Pallid Swift in Merseyside, Western or Semipalmated Sandpiper in Devon, Black Kite in Essex and Ferruginous Duck in Somerset. Cattle Egrets were logged in Cambridgeshire (3), Cornwall and Leicestershire, the Purple Heron was still in Suffolk, a Pectoral Sandpiper was discovered on Foula, Shetland and in Dorset the Woodchat Shrike remained on Portland. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 7th May 2009 | ||
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| In Norfolk, two Red-rumped Swallows lingered at Cromer for 2.5 hours,
and a Red-footed Falcon flew west past Stiffkey late afternoon. A
Great White Egret was at Herringfleet, Suffolk this evening, and a third
Cattle Egret joined the two in Cambridgeshire. Others remained in
Leicestershire and Cornwall.
The Pallid Swift was still present in Merseyside, as was the Forster's Tern in County Wexford, Savi's Warbler in Essex, Black Kite in London and the North American peep in Devon. A Bee-eater was seen in Suffolk yesterday. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 6th May 2009 | ||
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| On Shetland Foula produced an incredible duo in the form of a Solitary Sandpiper and Laughing Gull, both found within a magic 30 minute period.
The lingering Pallid Swift in Merseyside was today's most popular rarity, showing well at Seaforth LWT and Crosby Marine Park throughout the day. A male Citrine Wagtail was a new discovery at Lodmoor RSPB, Dorset, in Devon the Semipalmated or Western Sandpiper continued to range along the Exe Estuary and a Red-footed Falcon was observed at both Holme and Titchwell RSPB, Norfolk. In Essex the Savi's Warbler in the Lee Valley Country Park could be heard but not seen early in the morning and in Cambridgeshire a couple of Cattle Egrets arrived at the Nene Washes, whilst the lone bird was still at Rutland Water, Leicestershire. On Isles of Scilly the Little Bunting remained on Tresco, Dotterel sightings included three in West Sussex and two in Aberdeenshire, a Pectoral Sandpiper visited Hope Carr LNR, Greater Manchester and a Green-winged Teal lingered in Somerset. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 5th May 2009 | ||
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| Classic Spring rarities today included new Red-rumped Swallows in
Dorset and on the Isles of Scilly, Black Kites in East Sussex and London,
and a Red-footed Falcon in Norfolk. An adult Bonaparte's Gull was
present on the Isles of Scilly for an hour this morning.
The North American peep, either a Semipalmated Sandpiper or Western Sandpiper remained on the Exe Estuary, Devon, whilst other lingering rarities included Pallid Swift in Merseyside and Savi's Warbler in Essex. Cattle Egrets were present in Leicestershire and Hampshire, with scarcities recorded today including Purple Heron, Red-backed Shrike, c19 Dotterels, Little Bunting, Green-winged Teal and a Long-tailed Skua. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Monday 4th May 2009 | ||
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| Breaking news today concerned a stint believed to be either a Western or
Semipalmated Sandpiper on the Exe and Clyst Estuaries, Devon. First seen - and identified as a Little Stint - at Dawlish Warren on 8th-11th April, then at Bowling Green Marsh on 21st-24th before returning to Dawlish Warren on 29th April, the true identity was only suspected latterly. Other rarities included the elusive Crested Lark still in Kent, the lingering Pallid Swift in Merseyside, Forster's Tern in County Wexford, Savi's Warbler in Essex, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, White-billed Diver in Moray, Great White Egret in Powys and Cattle Egrets in County Cork (8) and Leicestershire. Actively migrating rarities included a Red-rumped Swallow in Devon, Red-footed Falcon in Norfolk and Black Kites in both Essex and Kent. Scarcities included three Green-winged Teals, two each of Purple Heron and Pectoral Sandpiper and single Little Bunting on the Isles of Scilly, Serin in Dorset, Kentish Plover in Hampshire, Wryneck in Devon, American Wigeon in County Antrim, Black Brant in County Down and Kumlien's Gull in Dumfries and Galloway. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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