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| Tuesday 31st May 2011 | ||
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| Two Black-headed Buntings were discovered today - a male near Mallaig
(Highland) and a female on Farne Islands (Northumberland). A Western
Subalpine Warbler was trapped on Fair Isle (Shetland), Bee-eaters
flew over Durlston Country Park (Dorset) and Upper Stoke (Kent), Black Kites
flew over Gibraltar Point and Kirkby-on-Bain Gravel Pits (Lincolnshire) and a
Red-rumped Swallow was at Mizen Head (Co Cork).
Lingering rarities included King Eider in Aberdeenshire, Savi's Warbler in Dorset, Bonaparte's Gulls in Devon and Gwynedd and Lesser Yellowlegs in Staffordshire. Late news from yesterday related to a Great Reed Warbler at King's Sedgemoor (Somerset). |
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| - Stuart Piner, 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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| Monday 30th May 2011 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Spotted Sandpiper at Brockholes Wetland, Lancashire. Elsewhere, brief encounters included a
Great Reed Warbler in Somerset at King's Sedgemoor, a Red-rumped Swallow in Dorset at Radipole Lake, and a
Bee-eater in Norfolk which was tracked migrating over Northrepps, Overstrand and Cromer. Lingering rarities comprised the Terek Sandpiper in Northumberland, Lesser Yellowlegs in Staffordshire, Bonaparte's Gulls in both Devon and Gwynedd, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, two Subalpine Warblers on the Shetland Isles, Savi's Warbler in Dorset and Bee-eater in Highland. The best of rest included White-winged Black Tern and Purple Heron together in Suffolk, Red-necked Phalaropes in Bedfordshire, Suffolk and Worcestershire (two together), Pectoral Sandpipers in both Aberdeenshire and Lancashire, and three Common Rosefinches together on the Shetland Isles. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 29th May 2011 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Lesser Yellowlegs in Staffordshire at Uttoxeter Quarry. Elsewhere, a
Subalpine Warbler was found on the Shetland Isles at Kergord, and Black Kites
were seen briefly in both Hampshire and the Orkney Isles. Lingering rarities comprised the Terek Sandpiper still in Northumberland, Black Stork in Northamptonshire, Bonaparte's Gulls in both Devon and Gwynedd, American Golden Plover in County Wexford, Red-rumped Swallow in East Sussex, Savi's Warbler in Dorset, and Bee-eater in Highland. Scarcities included Buff-breasted Sandpiper (County Wexford), Purple Heron (Cuffolk), Surf Scoter (Lothian), Ring-necked Duck (Somerset), migrant Red-necked Phalaropes (Cleveland, East Yorkshire, Norfolk and Worcestershire), Common Rosefinch and Red-backed Shrike (both on the Shetland Isles). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 28th May 2011 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the early afternoon discovery of a Terek Sandpiper at Hauxley, Northumberland, where it remained into the evening. Elsewhere, a
Thrush Nightingale arrived on Fair Isle, Shetland Isles, a Red-rumped Swallow lingered in East Sussex at Cuckmere Haven, and
single Black Kites were seen briefly in both East Yorkshire and the Orkney Isles. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Broad-billed Sandpiper in Norfolk, Bonaparte's Gull in Gwynedd, Savi's Warbler in Dorset, Bee-eater in Highland, and American Golden Plover in County Wexford. Scarcities included Red-necked Phalarope (Worcestershire), Buff-breasted Sandpiper (County Wexford), Purple Heron (Suffolk and West Yorkshire), American Wigeon (Shetland Isles), Surf Scoter (Lothian), Pectoral Sandpiper (Aberdeenshire and County Wexford) and five Red-backed Shrikes. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Friday 27th May 2011 | ||
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| New discoveries included a Savi's Warbler on Out Skerries (Shetland) and
Broad-billed Sandpiper at Breydon Water (Norfolk).
The Savi's Warbler in Dorset, Bee-eater in Highland, Bonaparte's Gull in Gwynedd and Red-footed Falcon in Somerset all lingered and late news from yesterday concerned a Tawny Pipit near Ramsgate (Kent). The best of the rest included Buff-breasted Sandpipers in Argyll and Co Wexford, Night Heron Warwickshire, Pectoral Sandpiper in Aberdeenshire, White-tailed Eagle in Lincolnshire, Ring-necked Ducks in Perth & Kinross and Somerset, Common Rosefinch on Orkney and White-spotted Bluethroat in Norfolk. Two Icterine Warblers and four Red-backed Shrikes were also logged. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 26th May 2011 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was a Least Sandpiper at Old Moor, South Yorkshire. After being identified late in the afternoon, it remained until dusk and constituted the third record for Yorkshire (following singles in July 1991 and October 1999) and the third to be discovered in spring the British Isles; the others being in Hampshire in May 1977 and Staffordshire/Warwickshire in 2002. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present comprised the Eastern Subalpine Warbler in the Shetland Isles, Bonaparte's Gulls in both Devon and Gwynedd, Red-footed Falcon in Somerset, Savi's Warbler in Dorset, and American Golden Plover in County Wexford. The best of the rest included Red-breasted Flycatcher (Northumberland), Icterine Warbler (Fife, Orkney Isles and Shetland Isles), Common Rosefinch (Orkney and Shetland), Red-backed Shrike (Orkney and Shetland), Hoopoe (Gwent), Night Heron (Warwickshire), Purple Heron (Lincolnshire and Suffolk), White-tailed Eagle (Lincolnshire), Red-necked Phalarope (Lincolnshire and Orkney) and Great White Egret (County Sligo). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 25th May 2011 | ||
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| In County Kerry, a first summer American Herring Gull was seen at
Tralee Valley Park, whilst in Dorset a Bee-eater was on Portland. An
Ortolan Bunting was reported from Cley, Norfolk.
Lingering rarities included the Trumpeter Finch in Devon, Savi's Warbler in Dorset, Red-footed Falcon in Somerset, Bonaparte's Gull in Gwynedd and Tawny Pipit in Yorkshire. Headline scarcities included a Common Rosefinch, Golden Oriole, Night Heron, Purple Heron, Red-necked Phalarope, Surf Scoter and three White Storks. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 24th May 2011 | ||
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| Highlight of the day would have been the first-winter Ross's Gull at
Port Carlisle, Cumbria if it had lingered, with just three Little Gulls being
present a few minutes after the sighting. In Kent, a female Red-footed Falcon
was seen at Stodmarsh NNR early morning only.
Lingering rarities included the surprise re-appearance of the juvenile Northern Harrier at Tacumshin, County Wexford, where it was again present with an American Golden Plover, a White-billed Diver and a Night Heron. The Trumpeter Finch remained in Devon, as did the Savi's Warbler in Dorset, Red-footed Falcon in Somerset, single Bonaparte's Gulls in Gwynedd and Devon, Tawny Pipit in Yorkshire and Red-rumped Swallow in Isles of Scilly. Scarcity highlights included a Common Rosefinch, White-spotted Bluethroat, Serin, Woodchat Shrike, Spotted Crake, Purple Heron, two Night Herons, two Pectoral Sandpipers and three Red-necked Phalaropes in England (with two others in Western Isles). Sea-watching was, once again, excellent in north-west Scotland, with over a thousand Long-tailed Skuas seen, as well as good numbers of Pomarine Skuas and a few Leach's Petrels and Sabine's Gulls. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Monday 23rd May 2011 | ||
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| A Pallid Swift at Bexhill (East Sussex) and Bonaparte's Gulls
at Cley/Satlhouse (Norfolk) and Porthmadog (Gwynedd) were today's headline discoveries.
Lingering rarities included Trumpeter Finch on Lundy (Devon), Red-rumped Swallow on Isles of Scilly, Red-footed Falcon at Walton Head (Somerset), Rustic Bunting and Eastern Subalpine Warbler on Fair Isle (Shetland), Savi's Warbler at Lodmoor RSPB (Dorset) and Tawny Pipit at Easington (East Yorkshire). Scarcities included Common Rosefinches in Norfolk and Argyll, Pectoral Sandpiper in Worcestershire, Purple Herons in Suffolk and Kent, Woodchat Shrike in Gwynedd and Night Heron in Warwickshire. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 22nd May 2011 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was a Pallid Swift present for a brief period over Graham Water, Cambridgeshire. Elsewhere, other brief encounters included a
Bonaparte's Gull in Norfolk, Black Stork in Glamorgan, Black Kites in both the Orkney Isles and Cornwall, and a
Red-rumped Swallow in Kent. A Red-footed Falcon showed well in the evening at Ham Wall, Somerset. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present comprised the Rustic Bunting in North Yorkshire, Bonaparte's Gulls in both Devon and the Western Isles, Savi's Warbler in Dorset, Red-rumped Swallow on the Isles of Scilly and Tawny Pipit in East Yorkshire. Scarcities included Common Rosefinch (Argyll), Woodchat Shrike (Gwynedd), Night Heron (Warwickshire), Purple Heron (East Yorkshire and Suffolk), Golden Oriole (Cambridgeshire and the Isles of Scilly), Surf Scoter (Lothian) and Ring-necked Duck (Perth and Kinross and Somerset). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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