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| Friday 12th June 2009 | ||
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| Rare herons continued to provide much of the entertainment today, the rarest
being the male Little Bittern at Walton Heath, Somerset, which showed
very well in flight throughout the day. The Night Heron reappeared at
Porth Hellick, Isles of Scilly this evening, and there was a Cattle Egret
on Anglesey, and a Great White Egret and Purple Heron in Suffolk.
The Black-winged Pratincole was again at Titchwell RSPB, Norfolk, although it was much more erratic in its appearances, and wasn't seen in its favoured field at Thornham all day. The drake Black Duck remained in Cornwall, as did the Forster's Tern in County Wexford. |
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| - Will Soar, 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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| Thursday 11th June 2009 | ||
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| An Iberian Chiffchaff on North Uist (Western Isles), flyover
Bee-eater in Suffolk, Black Kite in Devon and Night Heron in
Isles of Scilly provided today's highlights.
Lingering rarities included Black-winged Pratincole in Norfolk, Forster's Tern in Co Wexford and Little Bittern in Somerset, whilst five Great White Egrets were recorded (in Suffolk, Cornwall, West Midlands, Lancashire and Devon). Scarcities comprised Red-necked Phalarope in Angus, Red-backed Shrike in East Yorkshire, Marsh Warbler in Suffolk and Surf Scoter in Aberdeenshire. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 10th June 2009 | ||
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| Today's highlights included the lingering Black-winged Pratincole still in Norfolk,
Little Bittern in Somerset, Black Duck in Cornwall, Squacco Heron in Cambridgeshire,
Forster's Tern in County Wexford, Wood Duck on the Shetland Isles and single
Great White Egrets in both Lancashire and Norfolk. Notable scarcities comprised single Purple Herons in both Somerset and Suffolk, Ortolan Bunting and Red-backed Shrike together in East Yorkshire, Icterine Warbler in Gwynedd, Red-backed Shrike in Lincolnshire, American Wigeon in Merseyside, Green-winged Teal on the Western Isles and Marsh Warblers in North Yorkshire and the Shetland Isles (2). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 9th June 2009 | ||
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| On Shetland, the male Moltoni's Subalpine Warbler remained on
Unst, showing well at times. Further south, the Paddyfield Warbler
was confirmed as still being present on Hilbre Island, Wirral, as it was trapped
again early afternoon.
In Somerset, the male Little Bittern proved very elusive, and was only seen in flight a few times, although it was calling regularly. The Black-winged Pratincole was still in Norfolk, and both Forster's Tern and White-winged Black Tern remained faithful to the East End Pond at Tacumshin, County Wexford. The Black Duck was still in Cornwall, and single Great White Egrets were seen in Cleveland and Norfolk. Scarcities included a male Red-breasted Flycatcher in Shetland, male Red-backed Shrike in Yorkshire, Surf Scoter in Aberdeenshire, Red-necked Phalarope in County Offaly and an American Wigeon in Lancashire. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Monday 8th June 2009 | ||
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| A probable male Moltoni's Subalpine Warbler is on Shetland, and has been present on Unst for eight days. It was heard
calling, giving the characteristic rattling call which, along with plumage
features proves that it is a very good candidate for this form.
Other lingering rarities includes the Black-winged Pratincole in Norfolk, Little Bittern in Somerset, Squacco Heron in Cambridgeshire and Pallid Swift in Merseyside. A Cattle Egret was in Somerset and a Great White Egret was in Cleveland, but there were no sightings of yesterdays Royal Tern near Inchydoney, County Cork. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 7th June 2009 | ||
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| A presumed Royal Tern was found this evening, south of Inchydoney,
County Cork. Other new arrivals included a White-winged Black Tern at
Tacumshin, County Wexford and a Black Kite in Cornwall.
Otherwise, lingering rarities included the Black-winged Pratincole in Norfolk, Little Bittern in Somerset, Squacco Heron in Cambridgeshire, Pallid Swift in Merseyside, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset and Wood Duck on Shetland. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 6th June 2009 | ||
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| At least one new Little Bittern was found today, both males, with one
near Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset, this evening, and one on St Mary's, Isles of
Scilly, where one was present until the 18th May at least. Other new arrivals
included a first-summer American Golden Plover at Felixstowe Ferry,
Suffolk and a Black Kite over Bawdrip, Somerset.
The Black-winged Pratincole remained in Norfolk, as did the Black Duck in Cornwall, Squacco Heron in Cambridgeshire and Pallid Swift in Merseyside. A Common Rosefinch was still in Essex, a Pectoral Sandpiper was found in Pembrokeshire and another Red-necked Phalarope was found at Belvide Reservoir, Staffordshire, the third record for the site in the last ten days. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Friday 5th June 2009 | ||
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| New arrivals today included a Paddyfield Warbler on the Wirral, which
was trapped and ringed on Hilbre Island before disappearing, a Greenish
Warbler singing near Brixham, Devon and a Red-footed Falcon at
Winterton, Norfolk. Late news concerned an adult Gull-billed Tern
yesterday in Hampshire, and a White's Thrush on Tuesday in Fife.
Lingering rarities included the Black-winged Pratincole in Norfolk, Black Duck in Cornwall, Pallid Swift in Merseyside, four Cattle Egrets in County Waterford and the Squacco Heron in Cambridgeshire. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 4th June 2009 | ||
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| There were no confirmed sightings of the Oriental Pratincole at Dungeness,
Kent today, but a pratincole species was reported from Grove Ferry NNR briefly.
The Black-winged Pratincole remained on show all day at Thornham,
Norfolk, but there was no sign of the Eastern Black-eared Wheatear on the Isles
of Scilly.
A Black Kite was seen in Argyll, a Snowy Owl was on the Western Isles and a Red-rumped Swallow was in Cornwall. The Squacco Heron remained in Cambridgeshire, as did the Red-breasted Goose in Aberdeenshire. Four Cattle Egrets were in County Cork, and a Great White Egret was in Suffolk. A Red-necked Phalarope was at Hickling Broad, Norfolk, and Golden Orioles were seen on the Isles of Scilly and in Gwynedd. A Buff-breasted Sandpiper was seen at Attenborough NR, Nottinghamshire, and a Spotted Crake was heard singing in Angus. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 3rd June 2009 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the relocation of the Oriental Pratincole to Kent. Perhaps first glimpsed in Oxfordshire, at Otmoor on 25th May, it was first seen for certain at Pagham Harbour, West Sussex on 28th-29th May but the true identity was not suspected until after the bird had departed - it had been reported as a Collared Pratincole. However, given that the three previous Oriental Pratincoles in Britian had all lingered for some time, it seemed probable that this bird would show again, and today it did, at Dungeness from late morning until well into the evening. Elsewhere, lingering rarities included the Eastern Black-eared Wheatear still on the Isles of Scilly, Black-winged Pratincole and Great White Egret both in Norfolk, Black Duck in Cornwall, Squacco Heron in Cambridgeshire and both Subalpine Warbler and Great Reed Warbler on the Shetland Isles. A Cattle Egret was found in Oxfordshire and a Great White Egret visited County Tipperary whilst the American Wigeon lingered in Lancashire, single Marsh Warblers were in East Yorkshire and the Shetland Isles, and a Bluethroat reached Gwynedd. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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