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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Saturday 24th July 2010  
  In London, a belated report concerned an adult Whiskered Tern, seen on the outfall at Cross Ness LNR early morning before flying east.

In Staffordshire, the adult Franklin's Gull reappeared at Chasewater briefly, before flying east, and the worn first-summer American Herring Gull was still at Blennerville, County Kerry. The King Eider remained off Filey, North Yorkshire, and another possible Yelkouan Shearwater flew past Gwennap Head, Cornwall.

Scarcity highlights included Common Rosefinch on Fair Isle, Shetland, White-spotted Bluethroat in Norfolk, Grey Phalarope on Lewis, Western Isles, two Ring-necked Ducks in Fife, Purple Heron in Kent, Great White Egrets in Kent and Somerset, Pectoral Sandpipers in Norfolk (2) and Northamptonshire and Caspian Gull in Devon.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 23rd July 2010  
  Lingering rarities included the King Eider in North Yorkshire, American Herring Gull in Co Kerry, Glossy Ibis in Co Wexford and Laughing Gull in Co Antrim whilst in Norfolk a probable Wilson's Petrel was observed off Sheringham and Cley.

In Somerset a couple of sightings of a juvenile Little Bittern at Ham Wall RSPB confirmed that the species has successfully bred in Britain for the first time since 1984,  when a pair raised three young at Potteric Carr YWT (South Yorkshire).

In Angus a Surf Scoter was in Lunan Bay, a Pectoral Sandpiper was at Titchwell RSPB (Norfolk) and in Kent at least one Purple Heron and the Great White Egret lingered at Dungeness RSPB.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 22nd July 2010  
  In County Kerry, the adult Terek Sandpiper remained at Blennerville, with other lingering rarities including female Little Bittern at Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset and King Eider at Filey, North Yorkshire. A Wilson's Petrel was seen from this evening's Scilly pelagic.

There was no sign of either the White-tailed Plover at Dungeness, Kent or the adult Franklin's Gull at Chasewater, Staffordshire.

Scarcity highlights included a new Pectoral Sandpiper at Titchwell RSPB, Norfolk, with another still nearby at Welney WWT. Seabirds included a Cory's Shearwater in Northumberland, Long-tailed Skua in Yorkshire, Grey Phalarope in Pembrokeshire, Roseate Terns in Northumberland (8) and Cornwall (3) and 15 Balearic Shearwaters in three counties. Spoonbills remained on Scilly, in Aberdeenshire (4) and in Norfolk (14), both Purple Heron and Great White Egret continued their stay at Dungeness, Kent and a Red-necked Phalarope was at Loch Barvas, Lewis.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 21st July 2010  
  Lingering rarities again provided the highlights, with the White-tailed Plover still in Kent, Franklin's Gull in Staffordshire, Terek Sandpiper in County Kerry and King Eider in North Yorkshire.

Scarcities included a Purple Heron and Great White Egret together in Kent, a Great White Egret in Nottinghamshire, Pectoral Sandpiper in Norfolk and single Caspian Gulls in both Cambridgeshire and Suffolk.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 20th July 2010  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today comprised the White-tailed Plover in Kent, Franklin's Gull in Staffordshire, Terek Sandpiper in County Kerry and King Eider in North Yorkshire.

Scarcities included two Surf Scoters (together in Aberdeenshire), two Great White Egrets, a Spotted Crake in East Yorkshire, Purple Heron in Kent, Pectoral Sandpiper in Norfolk and Cory's Shearwater briefly off Cleveland.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 19th July 2010  
  The White-tailed Plover remained at Dungeness RSPB (Kent).

Elsewhere, lingering rarities included King Eider (North Yorkshire), Terek Sandpiper (Co Kerry), Little Bittern (Somerset), Franklin's Gull (Staffordshire), at least one White-rumped Sandpiper in Norfolk and a probable Yelkouan Shearwater was logged from a pelagic off the Isles of Scilly. In Co Durham a probable Sociable Plover was observed near Edmundbyers and in Co Cork three Wilson's Petrels were identified off Cape Clear.

The best of the rest came in the form of Buff-breasted and Pectoral Sandpiper (Norfolk), Great White Egret and Purple Herons (Kent) and Great White Egret (Nottinghamshire).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 18th July 2010  
  Seawatching in County Cork produced the day’s highlights where a Madeiran Petrel, 10 Wilson's Petrels, seven Balearic Shearwaters and both Long-tailed and Pomarine Skua all passed Galley Head. There is currently just one accepted record of Madeiran Petrel from Ireland (found dead in County Mayo on 18th October 1931), whilst at least four claims of this species have been made in Britain since 2007.

Two White-rumped Sandpipers were discovered together in Norfolk at Breydon Water, whilst elsewhere lingering rarities comprised the White-tailed Plover still in Kent, Terek Sandpiper in County Kerry, Little Bittern in Somerset, King Eider in North Yorkshire, Laughing Gull in County Antrim, Glossy Ibis in County Wexford and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk. Although the Franklin's Gull showed briefly in Staffordshire at Chasewater, it did not join the roost there later in the day.

Scarcities included Purple Heron and Great White Egret together in Kent, two Surf Scoters together in Aberdeenshire and a Glaucous Gull in County Galway. In Cornwall 64 Balearic Shearwaters flew past Porthgwarra, where a possible Yelkouan Shearwater was again logged.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 17th July 2010  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Spotted Sandpiper in Somerset at Dunster. Elsewhere, a Baird's Sandpiper was reported in County Donegal at Blanket Nook, whilst brief encounters included a Caspian Tern in Suffolk, an Alpine Swift in Northamptonshire and a Black Kite in Cheshire. Off the Isles of Scilly two Wilson's Petrels were seen from an evening pelagic.

Lingering rarities comprised the White-tailed Plover in Kent, Franklin's Gull in Staffordshire, Terek Sandpiper in County Kerry, Little Bittern in Somerset, King Eider in North Yorkshire, Laughing Gull in County Antrim and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk, where the Baltic Gull showed again.

Scarcities included three each of Pectoral Sandpiper and Great White Egret, two each of Purple Heron and Caspian Gull and single Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Norfolk), Ring-necked Duck (Fife) and Cory's Shearwater (East Yorkshire).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 16th July 2010  
  Lingering rarities comprised the White-tailed Plover at Dungeness RSPB (Kent), King Eider at Filey (North Yorkshire), Franklin's Gull at Chasewater (Staffordshire), Little Bittern at Walton Head (Somerset), Terek Sandpiper at Blennerville (Co Kerry) and Laughing Gull at Ballycastle (Co Antrim).

Elsewhere, yet another possible Yelkouan Shearwater was observed from a Cornish headland (Bass Point), the Buff-breasted Sandpiper was still in Norfolk, the Great White Egret and Purple Heron were both still at Dungeness (Kent), a Surf Scoter lingered off Blackdog (Aberdeenshire) and two drake Ring-necked Ducks remained in Fife.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 15th July 2010  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Franklin's Gull this evening at Chasewater, Staffordshire - only the second record for the county.

In Devon an Alpine Swift flew over Berry Head, whilst elsewhere lingering rarities comprised the White-tailed Plover still in Kent, Terek Sandpiper in County Kerry, Little Bittern in Somerset, King Eider in North Yorkshire, Laughing Gull in County Antrim and Glossy Ibis in County Wexford. The territorial River Warbler remained in an area with no general access at Thorpe-next-Haddiscoe, Norfolk (with another viewing session planned for Saturday 17th July between 5am and 8am only).

Scarcities included both Buff-breasted and Pectoral Sandpipers in Norfolk, Purple Heron in Kent, Common Rosefinch in Fife, at least 67 Balearic Shearwaters along the coast between Cornwall and Kent, and a Long-tailed Skua off Devon.
-  Chris Batty, RBA