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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Wednesday 14th April 2010  
  Two White-billed Divers were seen off Burghead, Moray this afternoon, with one lingering into the evening. On the Western Isles, a male Snowy Owl was found on North Uist, whilst further south, a Lesser Scaup was at Shapwick Heath NNR, Somerset. A Ferruginous Duck also remained in the latter county.

Scarcities seen today included a White Stork in Dorset, Hoopoe in Argyll, Great White Egret in Somerset, two Surf Scoters, two Glaucous Gulls, Iceland Gull in Devon, Caspian Gull in Yorkshire, five Spoonbills, nine Waxwings and seven Shorelarks in Lincolnshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 13th April 2010  
  In Cornwall a Black Kite flew west over Looe this morning. Elsewhere lingering rarities included two Richardson's Canada Geese on Islay (Argyll) and the Hooded Merganser remained at Saltholme Pools RSPB (Cleveland).

In Norfolk a Kentish Plover arrived at Holme NWT, Hoopoes lingered in Worcestershire, Scilly and Devon, a Golden Oriole was reported near Lochgilphead (Argyll), Ring-necked Ducks remained on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) and Islay (Argyll) and in Angus the Great White Egret was still at Balgavies Loch.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 12th April 2010  
  A quiet day for rarities was headlined by the long-staying drake Ferruginous Duck at Chew Valley Lake (Somerset) and a possible Iberian Chiffchaff that was trapped and ringed in the Malvern Hills (Worcestershire).

Elsewhere Hoopoes were logged in Devon (2), Worcestershire and Isles of Scilly, Green-winged Teals were in East Yorkshire, Pembrokeshire and Fife and a Ring-necked Duck was in Highland.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 11th April 2010  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Balearic Woodchat Shrike in Cornwall. Elsewhere, the elusive Two-barred Crossbill remained in Bedfordshire, a King Eider was found in Aberdeenshire, a White-billed Diver showed again on the Western Isles, Glossy Ibis lingered in County Wexford and Somerset (2) and an Alpine Swift flew over Durlston, Dorset.

Scarcities included 22 Shorelarks, five each of Hoopoes and Great White Egret, three each of Iceland Gull and Caspian Gull (Suffolk), two each of Ring-necked Duck, Ring-billed Gull (County Cork) and Glaucous Gull and single Woodchat Shrike (Cornwall), Wryneck (Suffolk), Surf Scoter (Devon), Green-winged Teal (Fife), Black Brant (Norfolk) and Tundra Bean Goose (Lancashire) were all recorded.

In Wales the two White Storks remained on Anglesey until mid morning before disappearing, only to reappear over Penmaenmawr, Conwy late in the afternoon.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 10th April 2010  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Balearic Woodchat Shrike in Cornwall at Ruan Pool. Elsewhere, on the Western Isles six White-billed Divers were located off the Isle of Lewis and in Essex an Alpine Swift flew over Braintree.

Lingering rarities included the elusive Two-barred Crossbill still in Bedfordshire, the Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan and two Glossy Ibises in Somerset.

Scarcities were represented by five Hoopoes, three each of Lapland Bunting and Glaucous Gull, two each of Surf Scoter, Great White Egret, Ring-billed Gull (County Cork), Great Grey Shrike, Green-winged Teal and Iceland Gull and single Woodchat Shrike (Cornwall), Serin (Kent), Ring-necked Duck (Orkney Isles), Snow Goose (Aberdeenshire) and Caspian Gull (Kent). Two White Storks together on Anglesey at Wylfa Head this evening were presumably the same pair reported yesterday in Somerset and last being noted 140 miles southeast of their current location; migrating north over Rogerstone.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 9th April 2010  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Black Duck in Conwy at Glan Conwy, although it proved to be most elusive today. Elsewhere, the two Glossy Ibises remained in Somerset whilst a scattering of scarcities comprised four each of Snow Goose and Great Grey Shrike, three each of Hoopoe, Surf Scoter and Iceland Gull, two each of Serin, Lapland Bunting (Western Isles), Glaucous Gull, Waxwing (Bedfordshire) and Great White Egret and single Woodchat Shrike, Cattle Egret and Dotterel (all in Cornwall), Wryneck (Kent), Ring-billed Gull (County Cork) and Green-winged Teal (Pembrokeshire).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 8th April 2010  
  A male Black-winged Stilt arrived  at Rainham Marshes RSPB (London) today, where it showed well until dusk. This appears to be the same individual that visited Yarmouth on Isle of Wight on 6th April, approximately 93 miles south-west of Rainham Marshes.

In Cleveland a drake Blue-winged Teal was discovered in the Saltholme Pools RSPB area - presumably the same Blue-winged Teal that has intermittently graced this area for the last few years.

Lingering rarities included Black Duck (Conwy), Lesser Scaup and Bonaparte's Gull (Glamorgan), Alpine Swift (Kent), Little Bunting (Highland), Lesser Scaup and two Glossy Ibises (Somerset).

Two Hoopoes and a Woodchat Shrike were logged in Cornwall and a Purple Heron was seen in flight at Weir Wood Reservoir (East Sussex).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 7th April 2010  
  A drake Black Duck on the Conwy Estuary (Conwy) was today's star find - the bird showed intermittently into the evening.

Elsewhere new birds included a Black Kite was at Ringaskiddy (Co Cork), an Alpine Swift flew over Holland Haven Country Park (Essex), a drake Bufflehead was reported in Poole Park (Dorset) and a Marsh Sandpiper was reported at Tices Meadow (Surrey).

An Alpine Swift in Folkestone (Kent), Little Bunting in Highland, Two-barred Crossbill in Bedfordshire and Long-billed Dowitcher in Merseyside all lingered, as did a Woodchat Shrike (Cornwall), Hoopoe (Lothian/Borders) and Cattle Egret in Dorset. An immature White-tailed Eagle toured East Yorkshire and just south of the Humber into Lincolnshire and a Serin flew over Kingsgate (Kent).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 6th April 2010  
  The first Black-winged Stilt of the year arrived on Isle of Wight today, where it showed well in Yarmouth. On Western Isles two White-billed Divers were discovered off northern Lewis.

Lingering rarities included Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, Alpine Swift in Kent, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, Little Bunting in Highland, Pallid Swift in Suffolk and King Eider in Moray.

The best of the rest came in the form of Hoopoes on the Lothian/Borders border, Cornwall and Dorset, American Wigeons in Lancashire and Dumfries & Galloway, Woodchat Shrike in Cornwall and Serin in Dorset.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 5th April 2010  
  Three new rarities were reported today: a Black Kite flew over Ipplepen, near Newton Abbot, in Devon and there were Alpine Swifts at two new locations: at Folkestone in Kent; and briefly at Rainham Marshes in London. Another Alpine Swift remained at Chafford Hundred in Essex, and in Suffolk the Pallid Swift spent another day in the Kessingland sewage works area. The Iberian Chiffchaff was again singing at Stiffkey in Norfolk. A Rose-coloured Starling was found in Weymouth this afternoon.

Other lingering rarities included Lesser Scaups still at Cardiff Bay and Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir in Glamorgan, and the Bonaparte's Gull at Cardiff, also in Glamorgan. The Little Bunting remained in Highland and the King Eider could still be found in Moray. In south east Scotland the Bluethroat was again at Skateraw, with the Hoopoe still nearby at Dunglass, whilst in Cornwall the Woodchat Shrike was still on The Lizard. Of winter birds there were still up to 16 Shorelarks at Holkham and Waxwings could still be found in Yorkshire and Suffolk.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA