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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Sunday 11th July 2010  
  Another day, another White-tailed Plover Mega Alert - this time the wandering Vanellus had relocated to Dungeness RSPB (Kent), 156 miles east-southeast of Slimbridge WWT, where it was last reported at 1550 yesterday.

Elsewhere an Alpine Swift flew south over Spurn (East Yorkshire) whilst Ireland produced both a Semipalmated Sandpiper (at Ring Marsh, Co Wexford) and Terek Sandpiper (at Blennerville, Co Kerry). In Pembrokeshire a Fea's Petrel was seen at sea between Ramsey and Grassholm Islands this evening.

Lingering rarities included the immature drake King Eider at Filey (North Yorkshire), Gull-billed Tern on the Exe Estuary (Devon), Little Bittern at Walton Heath (Somerset), Laughing Gull in Co Antrim and in Norfolk the River Warbler showed well during the final organised viewing at the site with no general access at Thorpe-next-Haddiscoe. Dick Filby's task of organising the River Warbler twitch relied heavily on the enthusiastic support of the landowners and the volunteers without whom this twitch would not have happened. He extends heartfelt thanks to all involved. Titchwell continued to host both Buff-breasted and Pectoral Sandpipers.

In Ayrshire a possible Bulwer's Petrel was reported flying south past Turnberry Point early this afternoon.
-  Stuart Piner and Dick Filby, RBA
Saturday 10th July 2010  
  Birders migrated to Southwest England today, primarily to twitch the White-tailed Plover at Slimbridge WWT (Gloucestershire) but also to collect the supporting cast of Little Bitterns in Somerset (at Walton Heath) and Gull-billed Tern in Devon (on the Exe/Clyst Estuaries).

In Norfolk the River Warbler showed during the early morning and late evening, the King Eider lingered off Filey (North Yorkshire), a 2nd-summer Laughing Gull was still in Co Antrim and the Ferruginous Duck remained at Minsmere RSPB (Suffolk).

In Norfolk a Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Pectoral Sandpiper were both at Titchwell RSPB, another Pectoral Sandpiper lingered in Fife and in Cornwall a probable Yelkouan Shearwater flew past Porthgwarra.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 9th July 2010  
  A White-tailed Plover arrived at Slimbridge WWT (Gloucestershire) this morning, where it showed into the evening - this is almost certainly the same bird that was at Rainham Marshes RSPB on Wednesday, but despite this, the Seaforth LWT record earlier this year and the 2007 Dumfries & Galloway/Lancashire bird, White-tailed Plover still remains a pulse-raising Mega.

Elsewhere the River Warbler remained in Norfolk - to listen to a sound recording of the bird click here.

Elsewhere the Gull-billed Tern lingered in Devon, a Laughing Gull was still in Co Antrim, a King Eider was seen off Filey Brigg (North Yorkshire - apparently the bird that flew past  Flamborough Head on 2nd July) and the Little Bittern was still in Somerset. The Buff-breasted Sandpiper in Norfolk, Great White Egret and Purple Herons in Kent, Great White Egret in Somerset and Pectoral Sandpiper in Fife all lingered.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 8th July 2010  
  Unfortunately yesterday's White-tailed Plover was not seen at Rainham Marshes in London today, and the only new rarity reported was a Black Stork over Capel St.Mary in south Suffolk this afternoon. In Norfolk, Dick Filby and the Allens were very pleased that all their organisational efforts were handsomely rewarded when the assembled crowd at the River Warbler got great scope views early morning. Elsewhere, the Laughing Gull was again at Ballycastle in County Antrim, whilst, in Devon both the House Finch and the Gull-billed Tern continued to be seen, as did the Little Bittern in Somerset.

Dungeness in Kent played host to a Great White Egret as well as the two breeding Purple Herons. Another Great White Egret was in County Cork. A female Dotterel remained at Crimdon in County Durham and the Buff-breasted Sandpiper continued to be elusive at Titchwell in Norfolk. A Pectoral Sandpiper was at Rossie Bog in Fife and there were 10 Spoonbills together at Cley in the evening.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Wednesday 7th July 2010  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a White-tailed Plover in London at Rainham Marshes: first noted late morning the bird remained until dusk. The fifth or sixth British record, and perhaps the same individual as was present during the spring at Seaforth, Merseyside on 27th-28th May and at Bloemendaal, Nord-Holland, Netherlands on 29th May.

Elsewhere, a Laughing Gull was found in County Antrim at Ballycastle, the elusive River Warbler remained at Thorpe Marshes, Norfolk as did both the House Finch and Gull-billed Tern in Devon, the Little Bittern in Somerset and the Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk.

Scarcities included a Buff-breasted Sandpiper in Norfolk, three Surf Scoters together in Aberdeenshire, two Purple Herons together in Kent, Temminck's Stint in East Yorkshire, Ring-necked Duck in Fife and single Great White Egrets in Kent, Northumberland and Somerset.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 6th July 2010  
  Lingering rarities provided today’s highlights with both the House Finch and Gull-billed Tern showing again in Devon and the Little Bittern in Somerset. In Norfolk the territorial River Warbler remained at Thorpe Marshes but unfortunately it favoured an area that is not viewable.

A Bee-eater flew over Northamptonshire whilst scarcities elsewhere included a Buff-breasted Sandpiper still in Norfolk, Serin in Dorset, Purple Heron in Kent, Ring-necked Duck in Fife, Great White Egret in Somerset and a Caspian Gull in Leicestershire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 5th July 2010  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the singing River Warbler in Norfolk at Thorpe Marshes; although unfortunately it proved elusive throughout the arranged viewing this evening. Elsewhere, both the House Finch and Gull-billed Tern remained in Devon, as did the Little Bittern in Somerset, metal-ringed Blue-winged Teal in Cambridgeshire and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk. In Cornwall the first Fea's Petrel of the year passed west off Porthgwarra and in Kent a Red-footed Falcon flew over Dover.

Scarcities included the Buff-breasted Sandpiper and White-spotted Bluethroat still in Norfolk, Purple Heron in Kent, two Surf Scoters together in Aberdeenshire, Ring-necked Duck in Fife, Temminck's Stint in Cleveland and single Great White Egrets in both Somerset and Suffolk.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 4th July 2010  
  Hot news related to a singing River Warbler at Thorpe-next-Haddiscoe in Norfolk, present for its third day. The last truly twitchable River Warbler to be discovered in England occurred in 1996, so despite several records from northern Scotland as well as one or two one-day-wonders further south in recent years, this bird will be a popular attraction if it continues to linger.

Elsewhere, in Devon the House Finch and Gull-billed Tern both remained on show, the Little Bittern was still in Somerset, a Ferruginous Duck lingered at Minsmere RSPB and the Blue-winged Teal reappeared in Cambridgeshire. In Ireland a Bonaparte's Gull was still in Co Kerry and the long-staying Glossy Ibis lingered in Co Wexford. 

The best of the rest included Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Norfolk), Great White Egret (Somerset) and two Surf Scoters (Aberdeenshire).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 3rd July 2010  
  Both today's new rarities put in brief appearances: a Red-footed Falcon was seen near North Creake in north Norfolk before it drifted off towards Holkham; and in County Kerry an adult Bonaparte's Gull was seen briefly at Blennerville.

In Devon the Gull-billed Tern continued it's stay on the Exe Estuary and other long staying rarities included the House Finch in Devon, the Little Bittern in Somerset and the Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk.

About 20 Spoonbills were reported along the east coast, whilst in Scotland two Ring-necked Ducks were reported in Fife with another yesterday in Perth and Kinross. A smattering of Roseate Terns included one at Lodmoor in Dorset and the Temminck's Stint remained at Greatham Creek in Cleveland.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Friday 2nd July 2010  
  In Devon the House Finch remained at East Prawle and a Gull-billed Tern commuted between Bowling Green Marsh RSPB and Exminster Marshes RSPB. A King Eider flew past Flamborough Head (East Yorkshire), a Ferruginous Duck lingered at Minsmere RSPB (Suffolk), the male Little Bittern was still at Walton Heath (Somerset) and a Buff-breasted Sandpiper was discovered at Titchwell RSPB (Norfolk).

Four Surf Scoters were logged off Blackdog (Aberdeenshire), a Great White Egret was observed at Shapwick Heath (Somerset) and two Purple Herons were still at Dungeness RSPB (Kent).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA