 |
|
|
| Wednesday 20th May 2009 | ||
|
||
| A party of six Bee-eaters in Dorset, a lone Bee-eater in
Lothian, Red-rumped Swallows in East Yorkshire and Cleveland, Black
Kite in Kent and Black-headed Wagtail in Norfolk were all new
discoveries today.
Lingering rarities included the two Pratincoles, Black-winged in Kent and Collared in Norfolk, Squacco Heron in Dorest and Pallid Swift on Isles of Scilly. Great White Egrets were logged in Cleveland and Norfolk. In Lancashire a male Ortolan Bunting visited a feeding station near Pilling, in Norfolk the Woodchat Shrike was relocated near Morston (the Balearic Woodchat Shrike also remained in Co Wexford), a Purple Heron reappeared at Chew Valley Lake, Somerset and an Icterine Warbler was trapped on Bardsey Island, Gwynedd. |
||
| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
|
||
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.
|
|
|
| Tuesday 19th May 2009 | ||
|
||
| Rarity highlights included both Collared Flycatcher and Red-rumped Swallow still in Fife,
Black-winged Pratincole in Kent, Collared Pratincole in Norfolk,
Pallid Swift in Merseyside, Pallid Swift and Red-rumped Swallow on the Isles of Scilly,
Snowy Owl in County Mayo, a brief Squacco Heron in Suffolk, Balearic Woodchat Shrike in County Wexford,
Great White Egret in Cleveland and the Western or Semipalmated Sandpiper remaining in Devon. On the Shetland Isles the Laughing Gull remained along with two Subalpine Warblers, six Bluethroats, five Icterine Warblers, a Wryneck and a Grey-headed Wagtail. Scarce migrants elsewhere totaled seven Long-tailed Skuas, five Bluethroats, four Temminck's Stints, three each of Icterine Warbler and Grey-headed Wagtail, two each of Rose-coloured Starling and Golden Oriole and singles of Woodchat Shrike (Norfolk), White Stork (Angus) and Ring-billed Gull (County Westmeath). |
||
| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Monday 18th May 2009 | ||
|
||
| The highlight of the day was a brief Squacco Heron in Suffolk at Felixstowe Ferry. Elsewhere, both
Red-rumped Swallow and White-winged Black Tern were discovered in Fife, as was a
White-billed Diver in Ayrshire and a Subalpine Warbler in Aberdeenshire. Brief encounters included a Red-rumped Swallow in Kent, single
Red-footed Falcons in both East Yorkshire and Norfolk and Bee-eaters
in Lincolnshire (3) and Lothian. Lingering rarities included the Collared Flycatcher still in Fife, Black-winged Pratincole in Kent, Collared Pratincole in Norfolk, Balearic Woodchat Shrike in County Wexford, Great White Egret in Cleveland and Subalpine Warbler on the Orkney Isles. The Shetland Isles recorded Laughing Gull, Lesser Scaup, Subalpine Warbler, three Icterine Warblers, four Bluethroats and five Grey-headed Wagtails whilst the Isle of Scilly logged Little Bittern, two Red-rumped Swallows and an Iceland Gull. |
||
| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Sunday 17th May 2009 | ||
|
||
| A fine selection of new rarities were discovered today, including a brief
Greenish Warbler in Northumberland, Pallid Swift on Isles of Scilly,
Thrush Nightingale in Aberdeenshire, Red-rumped Swallow in Kent,
Bee-eaters in Lincolnshire (5) and Angus, Red-footed Falcon in
East Yorkshire, Laughing Gull on Mainland Shetland and Black Kites
in Hampshire and Cornwall.
Pratincoles were again popular, the Black-winged remained in Kent and the Collared was still in Norfolk and in Fife the Collared Flycatcher continued to show well near Crail. Other lingering rarities came in the form of Savi's Warbler in Essex, at least one Red-rumped Swallow on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, Pallid Swift in Merseyside and Subalpine Warbler on North Ronaldsay, Orkney. A couple of adult drake Ferruginous Ducks were logged at Chew Valley Lake, Somerset and in Devon the Western or Semipalmated Sandpiper reappeared at Dawlish Warren NNR. Scarcities included two Melodious Warblers (both in Suffolk), eight each of Icterine Warbler and Bluethroat, two Red-backed Shrikes, seven Grey-headed Wagtails, four Temminck's Stints and single Wryneck and Ortolan Bunting. |
||
| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Saturday 16th May 2009 | ||
|
||
| Easterly rarities continued to arrive today, with the star being a male
Collared Flycatcher at Crail, Fife. Single Thrush Nightingales were
in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Suffolk, a second Little Bittern was on
the Isles of Scilly, a Red-footed Falcon flew over the Black-winged
Pratincole in Kent, single Red-rumped Swallows were in Norfolk and
Kent, an Alpine Swift was in Carmarthenshire and a Subalpine Warbler
was on Orkney.
The Collared Pratincole was still in Norfolk, as was Rustic Bunting on Shetland, Pallid Swift in Merseyside, Balearic Woodchat Shrike in County Wexford, Savi's Warbler in Essex and the Great Reed Warbler on the Isles of Scilly, |
||
| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Friday 15th May 2009 | ||
|
||
| As the easterly winds continued the good passage of scarce migrants brought
in a few rarities. A Collared Pratincole was found in Norfolk this
evening, with the Black-winged Pratincole remaining in Kent. A Rustic
Bunting was seen on Shetland, and a Red-throated Pipit was on the
Farne Islands, Northumberland.
Other new rarities included a Black Kite in Norfolk, White-billed Diver in Argyll and a Great White Egret in Northamptonshire. Lingerers included Great Reed Warbler and at least two Red-rumped Swallows on the Isles of Scilly, Balearic Woodchat Shrike in County Wexford and Ferruginous Duck in Somerset. Good numbers of Bluethroats and Icterine Warblers arrived on the east coast and on the Northern Isles, along with smaller numbers of Temminck's Stint, Hoopoe, Grey-headed Wagtail and Golden Oriole. |
||
| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Thursday 14th May 2009 | ||
|
||
| Lingering rarities provided today's highlights - Black-winged Pratincole
(Kent), Citrine Wagtail (Norfolk), Great Reed Warbler, Little
Bittern and Red-throated Pipit (Scilly) and Savi's Warbler
(Essex) were all still on show.
In Merseyside the Pallid Swift reappeared at Crosby Marine Park/Seaforth LWT, two Red-rumped Swallows were seen on Isles of Scilly, the Balearic Woodchat Shrike remained in Co Wexford, White-winged Black Terns visited Great Livermere Lake, Suffolk and and Covenham Reservoir, Lincolnshire and on Mainland Orkney a Snowy Owl was seen again. In Somerset a Black Kite was logged over three different locations. Scarcities included nine Icterine Warblers, thirteen Temminck's Stints, two Kentish Plovers, two Bluethroats, and single Red-backed Shrike, Marsh Warbler, Serin and Wryneck. |
||
| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Wednesday 13th May 2009 | ||
|
||
| 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. |
||
| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Tuesday 12th May 2009 | ||
|
||
| 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). |
||
| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Monday 11th May 2009 | ||
|
||
| 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. |
||
| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
|
||