Daily News Summaries
This page gives you access to all of RBA's daily news summaries (since April 13, 2006), 10 days at a time. The most recent are shown, or you can select a specific date to show (along with the previous 10 days). Prior to April 13, 2006 you can find weekly reviews, located in articles.
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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
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
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
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