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 1st May 2011  
  An American Golden Plover was found at the Hayle Estuary in Cornwall, where a Bonaparte's Gull was still present. Other Bonaparte's Gulls were still to be found in Devon and Aberdeenshire with another bird being reported in Flintshire. A Black Kite flew over Tankerton in Kent

The male Collared Flycatcher remained on Fair Isle in the Shetlands as did the Eastern Subalpine Warbler. A White-billed Diver was still off Burghead in Moray and the Collared Pratincole was still near Immingham in Lincolnshire. A Black Stork continued it's wanderings in Dorset, a King Eider remained at the mouth of the Ythan Estuary in Aberdeenshire and the Lesser Scaup was still at Martin Mere in Lancashire.

There were belated reports from yesterday of a Red-rumped Swallow in County Wexford, two different Black Kites in Wiltshire and a Red-footed Falcon in Kent.

A good passage of Pomarine Skuas moving up the Channel was observed from various south coast points and a number of Dotterel were seen around the country. Two Woodchat Shrikes remained as did a White-winged Black Tern in Suffolk.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Saturday 30th April 2011  
  A Collared Flycatcher on Fair Isle (Shetland) was the headline new discovery. Elsewhere new rarities included a flock four Black-winged Stilts in Essex, Red-footed Falcon and Black Kite in Norfolk, Ortolan Bunting in East Yorkshire and Bee-eater in Dorset.

Lingering rarities included Collared Pratincole in Lincolnshire, Lesser Scaup in Lancashire, Bonaparte's Gulls in Cornwall and Aberdeenshire, White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire and Co Wexford, Gyr on Western Isles, Blue-winged Teal in Carmarthenshire, Subalpine Warblers on North Ronaldsay and Fair Isle (2), Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset and Rufous Turtle Dove in Oxfordshire.

Woodchat Shrikes lingered in North Yorkshire, Suffolk and Devon, Purple Herons were in Bedfordshire and Kent, a Hoopoe was in Norfolk, a White-winged Black Tern remained in Suffolk, as did a Kentish Plover in Co Wexford. In London a Wryneck was discovered and in Lincolnshire the White-tailed Eagle remained on show and a Night Heron was still in Co Waterford.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 29th April 2011  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a singing male Iberian Chiffchaff in Gwent at Usk. New rarities elsewhere comprised Subalpine Warblers in Gwynedd on Bardsey Island, Orkney Isles on North Ronaldsay, and Western Isles on North Uist, whilst brief encounters included a Black Stork in Dorset, Black Kite in Cambridgeshire and, in Norfolk, three Red-footed Falcons and a Red-rumped Swallow.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the territorial Barolo Little Shearwater in Devon, Rufous Turtle Dove in Oxfordshire, Collared Pratincole in Lincolnshire, Snowy Owl on the Western Isles, Blue-winged Teal in Carmarthenshire, Bonaparte's Gulls in both Devon and the Western Isles, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, Lesser Scaup in Lancashire, and White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire, Moray (3) and County Wexford.

Scarcities included Woodchat Shrikes in Devon, North Yorkshire and Suffolk, Purple Herons in Bedfordshire and Kent, White-tailed Eagle in Lincolnshire, Kentish Plover in County Wexford, Night Heron in County Waterford, Hoopoe in Hampshire, and Wryneck in Norfolk.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 28th April 2011  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a singing male Iberian Chiffchaff near Drogheda, County Louth. Discoveries elsewhere included two Bee-eaters together on The Mullet, County Mayo, and a Black Kite seen briefly at West Meon, Hampshire.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present comprised the territorial Barolo Little Shearwater in Devon, both Collared Pratincole and Tawny Pipit in Lincolnshire, House Crow in County Cork, Blue-winged Teal in Carmarthenshire, Bonaparte's Gull on the Western Isles, Long-billed Dowitchers in both Ceredigion and Dorset, White-billed Divers in both County Wexford and Moray, and a Black Kite was seen again in Norfolk.

Scarcities included a Kentish Plover in County Wexford, Woodchat Shrikes in both Devon and North Yorkshire, Whiite-tailed Eagle and Pectoral Sandpiper in Lincolnshire, and both Hoopoe and White Stork in Devon.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 27th April 2011  
  A Collared Pratincole was found at Immingham, Lincolnshire mid morning, where it was present until early afternoon, and again in the evening. In Devon, an adult Bonaparte's Gull was seen at Topsham, with the first-winter still at Budleigh Salterton, and another still in Aberdeenshire.

A Subalpine Warbler was at Easington, Yorkshire, and a Black Kite was at Stiffkey, Norfolk, whilst all the other New Rarity messages today involved late news. A Pallid Harrier was present yesterday in County Antrim, as was a Black-bellied Dipper on Fair Isle, Shetland, whilst a Savi's Warbler was in Norfolk on Saturday and a party of seven Bee-eaters was in Sussex on Friday.

Lingering rarities included Borolo Little Shearwater in Devon, Rufous Turtle Dove in Oxfordshire, Black Scoter in Northumberland, Savi's Warbler in Devon, Tawny Pipit in Lincolnshire, Iberian Chiffchaff in Staffordshire, Subalpine Warblers in Dorset and Shetland, Snowy Owl in Western Isles, and Long-billed Dowitchers in Dorset and Ceredigion.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 26th April 2011  
  In Devon, the singing male Barolo Little Shearwater has returned to the Manx Shearwater colony on Lundy, where it has been present over a week. A singing male Iberian Chiffchaff in Staffordshire was also confirmed today, after it was first heard on Sunday near Rudyard.

Other quality rarity discoveries today included a Subalpine Warbler in Weymouth and a Red-rumped Swallow on Portland, both Dorset and Black Kites in Kent (two) and Cornwall. A Snowy Owl is once again present at Grenitote, North Uist, Western Isles.

Lingering rarities seen today included the Black Scoter in Northumberland, Rufous Turtle Dove in Oxfordshire, Savi's Warbler in Devon, single Bonaparte's Gulls in Devon and Western Isles, single Tawny Pipits in Lincolnshire and Scilly, single Long-billed Dowitchers in Ceredigion and Dorset and Blue-winged Teal in Carmarthenshire.

Scarcity highlights included a White-spotted Bluethroat in Worcestershire, a Kentish Plover in County Wexford, a Purple Heron in Bedfordshire and a Woodchat Shrike in Yorkshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 25th April 2011  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of five White-billed Divers together on the sea off Portsoy, Aberdeenshire. Elsewhere, a Tawny Pipit was in Lincolnshire at Tetney Lock, a Bee-eater on Lewis, Western Isles, and a Subalpine Warbler on North Ronaldsay, Orkney Isles. Brief encounters included a Glossy Ibis in flight over Yalding Lees, and Black Kites over-flying Cornwall (2), County Dublin, Hampshire, Kent and Lincolnshire.

Lingering rarities comprised the Rufous Turtle Dove still in Oxfordshire, Bonaparte's Gulls in both Aberdeenshire and Devon, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, Lesser Yellowlegs in Somerset, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, Lesser Scaup in Gloucestershire, Subalpine Warbler on the Shetland Isles, Savi's Warbler in Devon and Tawny Pipit on the Isles of Scilly. A Black Stork was seen again Derbyshire; todat at Youlgreave.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 24th April 2011  
  The most popular bird of the day was probably the male Citrine Wagtail in Norfolk, which spent much of the day in a field at East Runton, where it usually showed very well. Other quality rarities discovered today included a Collared Pratincole at Spurn, Yorkshire, a Savi's Warbler trapped at Slapton, Devon and a Black Stork over Beeley Moor, Derbyshire.

More regular Spring rarities included a Black Kite in Kent, single Subalpine Warblers in Devon, Dorset and Shetland and a Bee-eater in Cornwall.

Lingering rarities included Black Scoter in Northumberland, Rufous Turtle Dove in Oxfordshire, House Crow in County Cork, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, Lesser Yellowlegs in Somerset, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, White-billed Divers in Moray, Highland and County Wexford, Black Kite in Lincolnshire and Lesser Scaup in Gloucestershire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 23rd April 2011  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Long-billed Dowitcher in Ceredigion at Borth. Elsewhere, new rarities included a White-billed Diver in County Wexford off Tacumshin, two White-billed Divers together in Moray at Burghead, two Bee-eaters together in Ceredigion at Aberporth, and a Ferruginous Duck in Somerset at Chew Valley Lake. Brief encounters comprised a Black Stork over Somerset, Glossy Ibis in Cambridgeshire, single Black Kites in both Cornwall and Lincolnshire, Red-rumped Swallow in East Yorkshire, and an Ortolan Bunting in East Sussex.

Lingering rarities comprised the Pallid Harrier still in County Cork, Blue-winged Teal in Cambridgeshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Somerset, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, Bonaparte's Gulls in Aberdeenshire, Devon and the Western Isles, Subalpine Warbler on the Orkney Isles, White-billed Diver on the Western Isles, and a Tawny Pipit on the Isles of Scilly.

Scarcities included seven Purple Herons, six Woodchat Shrikes, four Hoopoes (including three in Cornwall), two each of both Night Heron and Golden Oriole, White-tailed Eagle in Lincolnshire, and territorial White-spotted Bluethroat in Norfolk.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 22nd April 2011  
  The first Pallid Harrier for Ireland was discovered this afternoon in County Cork, where it showed very well at Ballyvergan Marsh. Elsewhere, a scattering a Bee-eaters were recorded, with birds in Kent (six), County Durham (five), Perth and Kinross (two) and Pembrokeshire (two). Other classic Spring rarities included a Red-footed Falcon at Axminster, Devon, a Black Kite at North Foreland, Kent and two more Tawny Pipits on St Martin's, Scilly.

Lingering rarities included the Savi's Warbler in Essex, Rufous Turtle Dove in Oxfordshire, Black Stork in Hampshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Somerset, single Bonaparte's Gulls in Devon and Western Isles, White-billed Diver in Moray, Lesser Scaup in Merseyside and Blue-winged Teal in Cambridgeshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA