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| Saturday 8th August 2009 | ||
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| New discoveries today included a Baird's Sandpiper at Hickling Broad
NWT, Norfolk, a Collared Pratincole at Frampton Marsh RSPB, Lincolnshire
and the presumed returning adult female Snowy Owl on Termon Hill, County
Mayo. A new Great White Egret was in Dorset, with other birds in Suffolk
(2), Shetland and Somerset.
Two Wilson's Petrels were seen off the Isles of Scilly, and a further bird flew past the Bridges of Ross, County Clare. Also in Ireland, the Baird's Sandpiper remained in County Wexford, where the 'lesser golden plover' was also seen again. The Lesser Yellowlegs remained in Lothian, as did the Ferruginous Ducks in Fife and Somerset. Late news from Thursday concerned an Aquatic Warbler in Devon. |
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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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| Friday 7th August 2009 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the arrival of a Baird's Sandpiper at Tacumshin, County Wexford and single
White-winged Black Terns at Staines Reservoir, Surrrey and - briefly - at Humberston Fitties, Lincolnshire. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present comprised the
Marsh Sandpiper on the Isles of Scilly, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian and
Great White Egret in Suffolk, with single Cattle Egrets seen in both Dorset and Somerset. Scarcities included a Kentish Plover in Essex, Melodious Warbler in Dorset, Icterine Warbler on the Shetland Isles, Spotted Crake in Hampshire and single Pectoral Sandpipers in Aberdeenshire, East Sussex, Lincolnshire and Norfolk. Pelagic trips off County Kerry and the Isles of Scilly produced Wilson's Petrels (6:1), Great Shearwaters (0:2), Sabine's Gulls (6:1) and Long-tailed Skuas (2:0). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 6th August 2009 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the discovery of a juvenile Marsh Sandpiper at Bough Beech Reservoir, Kent where it remained late into the evening. Elsewhere, a
White-winged Black Tern paused briefly at Snettisham, Norfolk, the Marsh Sandpiper remained on the Isles of Scilly as did the
Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian, Cattle Egret in Somerset, single Ferruginous Ducks
in both Fife and Somerset and Great White Egrets on the Isles of Scilly, Shetland Isles and Somerset. Scarcities included a Rose-coloured Starling in Cornwall, Marsh Warbler in East Yorkshire, Barred Warbler on the Orkney Isles, Spotted Crake in Hampshire, Ring-necked Duck in Fife and Pectoral Sandpipers in Cleveland, Lincolnshire and Norfolk, whilst a pelagic off County Kerry produced 144 Great Shearwaters and a Sabine's Gull. A total of 198 Black Terns arrived across twelve counties in southern England, including single flocks of 54 in Berkshire, 50 in Oxfordshire, 29 in Cambridgeshire, 24 in Surrey and 20 in Warwickshire. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 5th August 2009 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the reappearance - albeit it only briefly - of the
Caspian Tern in Gloucestershire, now by the Severn Estuary at Lydney. Other brief encounters included single
Great White Egrets in both Hampshire and Kent, with more obliging rarities included the
Great Spotted Cuckoo still in Norfolk, Marsh Sandpiper on the Isles of Scilly,
Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian, Ferruginous Duck in Fife, Great White Egrets in both Suffolk and Somerset; the later with two
Cattle Egrets and a Ferruginous Duck. Scarcities included Pectoral Sandpipers in Cleveland, Lincolnshire and Norfolk (2), Spotted Crake in Hampshire, Ring-necked Duck in Fife, Ring-billed Gull in County Clare, an Icterine Warbler on the Shetland Isles and a family of Marsh Warblers at Kilnsea, East Yorkshire. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 4th August 2009 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was a brief White-winged Black Tern at Frieston Shore, Lincolnshire this evening. Lingering rarities comprised the Great Spotted Cuckoo still in Norfolk, Marsh Sandpiper on the Isles of Scilly, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian and two Cattle Egrets and a Great White Egret in Somerset. Scarcities included a Spotted Crake in Hampshire and single Pectoral Sandpipers in each of Cleveland, Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Northumberland. Seawatchers recorded single Cory's Shearwaters from County Galway and Cornwall and Balearic Shearwaters off County Cork (4), Cornwall (11) and Dorset (9). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 3rd August 2009 | ||
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| Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today comprised the Great Spotted Cuckoo
in Norfolk, Marsh Sandpiper on the Isle of Scilly, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian,
White-rumped Sandpiper in Angus, Ferruginous Duck in Fife and Great White Egret
in Somerset. Seawatching reports included - for the second day running - a possible Yelkouan Shearwater passing Porthgwarra, Cornwall with a belated report that the Black-browed Albatross had been seen offshore from there again yesterday. Of the more expected seabirds, single Cory's Shearwaters were seen from Cornwall and County Cork, a Great Shearwater passed County Cork and Balearic Shearwaters were seen from Cornwall (15), County Waterford, County Wicklow and Dorset (2). On land, scarcities included the Melodious Warbler still in Dorset, Great Grey Shrike in Cumbria, Ring-billed Gull in County Dublin and single Pectoral Sandpipers in Aberdeenshire, Cleveland, Lincolnshire and Norfolk. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 2nd August 2009 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the first Fea's Petrel of the year; passing Galley Head, County Cork late in the afternoon. Other brief encounters included a
Caspian Tern in Gloucestershire and a Black Kite in Northamptonshire, whilst in Lincolnshire a
Whiskered Tern showed well at Fiskerton Fen in the evening. Lingering rarities confirmed as present today comprised the Great Spotted Cuckoo, Pacific Golden Plover and White-rumped Sandpiper all still in Norfolk, Marsh Sandpiper on the Isles of Scilly, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian, White-rumped Sandpiper in Angus, Ferruginous Duck in Fife, two Cattle Egrets together in Somerset and single Great White Egrets in Kent, Somerset and Suffolk. Scarcities included two each of Icterine Warbler, Spotted Crake and Surf Scoter and singles of Melodious Warbler, Hoopoe, Ring-necked Duck, Pectoral Sandpiper, Great Grey Shrike and Ring-billed Gull. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 1st August 2009 | ||
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| The day was dominated by an unprecedented influx of Wilson's Petrels with 27 passing the Bridges of Ross, County Clare, a further 15 off Brandon Point County Kerry, two off Porthgwarra, Cornwall and one passing Strumble Head, Pembrokeshire. Pelagic trips recorded a further nine off the Isles of Scilly and two off St Ives, Cornwall, making a day total of 56 birds: contrasting starkly with the combined total of eighteen bird days throughout June and July 2009. Elsewhere, in Norfolk the Great Spotted Cuckoo was relocated at Weybourne and both the Pacific Golden Plover and White-rumped Sandpiper remained in situ, the Marsh Sandpiper was still on the Isles of Scilly, the Lesser Yellowlegs continued to show in Lothian as did both a Great White Egret and Cattle Egrets (2) in Somerset, and single Ferruginous Ducks were in both Cambridgeshire and Fife. Scarcities included a Purple Heron in London, Ring-necked Duck in Fife, Great Grey Shrike in Cumbria, seven Sabine's Gulls passing County Clare and single Pectoral Sandpipers in Aberdeenshire, Cleveland and Norfolk. Balearic Shearwaters totaled 31 in seven counties (including 24 in Cornwall), Black Terns totaled 45 in ten counties (including 13 in Leicestershire) and Curlew Sandpipers totaled 54 in four counties (including 48 in Hampshire). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Friday 31st July 2009 | ||
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| A White-rumped Sandpiper arrived at Welney WWT (Norfolk) this morning,
where it showed into the evening. Lingering waders included a Marsh Sandpiper
on Isles of Scilly and Pacific Golden Plover in Norfolk. The
Ferruginous Duck was still in Fife, Cattle Egrets remained in
Somerset and Berkshire, the Lesser Yellowlegs was seen again at Aberlady
Bay (Lothian) and Great White Egrets lingered in Somerset and Suffolk.
A Wilson's Petrel was observed from a Scilly pelagic this evening, a Sabine's Gull was logged past Flamborough Head (East Yorkshire), a Serin appeared at Keyhaven (Hampshire) and a Pectoral Sandpiper remained in Aberdeenshire. In Cumbria the surprise news of the day related to the confirmation that a Great Grey Shrike last reported on 14th April was still present at Alston Moor. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 30th July 2009 | ||
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| New rarities included a Whiskered Tern in Derbyshire and Lesser
Yellowlegs in Norfolk, but neither lingered. Cattle Egrets arrived in
Somerset (3) and Berkshire.
Elsewhere the Marsh Sandpiper remained on Isles of Scilly, the Pacific Golden Plover was still in Norfolk and Lesser Yellowlegs remained in East Yorkshire and Lothian. A Pacific or American Golden Plover flew over Tacumshin (Co Wexford) and in Fife both the Ferruginous Duck and Ring-necked Duck were again logged at Lochgelly Loch. Pectoral Sandpipers were recorded in Aberdeenshire, Lincolnshire and Norfolk. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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