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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Thursday 30th June 2011  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Bee-eater on the Isles Scilly, and the lingering Bonaparte's Gull in Devon.

Scarcities included a Night Heron in Kent, Red-necked Phalarope and White-tailed Eagle in Lincolnshire, and single Great White Egrets in both Kent and Northamptonshire. 29 Spoonbills were recorded across nine counties, including eight together at Minsmere, Suffolk.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 29th June 2011  
  Today's new discoveries included a Red-rumped Swallow at Talisker (Highland), a flyover Bee-eater at Spurn (East Yorkshire) and a Night Heron arrived at Stodmarsh NNR (Kent), whilst in Lothian a Laughing Gull was reported at Loanhead.

Lingering rarities and scarcities comprised Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, Great White Egrets in Kent and Northamptonshire and White-tailed Eagle in Lincolnshire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 28th June 2011  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Black Scoter in Aberdeenshire, where it remained on the sea off Blackdog, alongside at least three Surf Scoters. Elsewhere, other lingering rarities were represented by a Black Kite still on the Isles of Scilly, and the Bonaparte's Gull still in Devon.

Scarcities included Common Rosefinch (Highland), Red-backed Shrike (Kent), White-tailed Eagle (Lincolnshire), Ring-necked Duck (Orkney Isles) and Great White Egret (Kent). A total of 29 Spoonbills were reported across eight counties (most notably Angus, Carmarthenshire, County Waterford and Gloucestershire).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 27th June 2011  
  Following hot on the heels of the American White-winged Scoter at Murcar in Aberdeenshire, the same scoter flock hosted a drake Black Scoter this evening.

Elsewhere new discoveries included a Glossy Ibis at Stodmarsh NNR (Kent) and a Bee-eater over Durlston Country Park (Dorset). An Alpine Swift again flew south over Spurn Point (on three different occasions today) and elsewhere lingering rarities included Black Kite on Isles of Scilly and Forster's Tern in Co Wexford. A Wilson's Petrel was again logged from an Isles of Scilly pelagic this evening.

The best of the rest came in the form of White-tailed Eagle in Lincolnshire, Common Rosefinch in Highland, two Ring-necked Ducks on Orkney and three Surf Scoters in Aberdeenshire.

Late news from yesterday related to a Red-footed Falcon over Cromer (Norfolk).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 26th June 2011  
  Today was headlined by rare birds of prey, with a Red-footed Falcon seen at Sandwich Bay, Kent, and single Black Kites on both the Isles of Scilly, and at Sancreed, Cornwall.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Black Duck in Highland, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, and Ferruginous Ducks in both Somerset and Suffolk.

Scarcities included two American Wigeons together on the Western Isles, Surf Scoter in Aberdeenshire, White-tailed Eagle in Lincolnshire, Ring-necked Duck in Somerset, Temminck's Stint on the Orkney Isles, Ring-billed Gull in County Antrim, and in Norfolk Pectoral Sandpiper, Temminck's Stint and Great White Egret.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 25th June 2011  
  In East Yorkshire an Alpine Swift flew south over Spurn this afternoon.

Lingering rarities included King Eider in Aberdeenshire and Ferruginous Ducks in Somerset and Suffolk. Having reappeared yesterday following a week-long absence, the Greater Sand Plover at Dornoch (Highland) could not be found today.

The best of the rest included Red-necked Phalarope in Gloucestershire, Ring-necked Ducks in Perth & Kinross and Somerset, White-tailed Eagle in Lincolnshire, Common Rosefinch in Highland, Great White Egret in Kent and both Pectoral Sandpiper and Temminck's Stint in Norfolk, the latter displaying to Dunlin at Titchwell RSPB.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 24th June 2011  
  The only new rarities reported today were a Black Stork circling over Two Dales, near Matlock in Derbyshire and, on Shetland, a female Subalpine Warbler was found on Fetlar. On the Scilly Isles a Bee-eater drifted over Hugh Town on St.Mary's.

In Aberdeenshire the American White-winged Scoter was still to be found off Murcar Golf Links along with 3 Surf Scoters. Other lingering rarities included the Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, the Black Duck in Highland and both Blue-winged Teal and Ferruginous Duck at Chew Valley Lake in Somerset.

A Golden Oriole was again in the Glaven Valley near Cley in Norfolk, a Common Rosefinch was in Highland, and the Rose-coloured Starling remained in Devon, as did the White-tailed Eagle in Lincolnshire. Common Crossbills and Quails were widely reported.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Thursday 23rd June 2011  
  The highlight of day was a Blyth's Reed Warbler on the Orkney Isles, trapped and ringed on North Ronaldsay in the evening: the fifth Blyth's Reed Warbler to be recorded in Britain so far this month, and - of these - the second to be trapped on this island.

Elsewhere, a Ferruginous Duck appeared in Somerset at Chew Valley Lake, whilst lingering rarities comprised both the American White-winged Scoter and King Eider still in Aberdeenshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, Red-footed Falcon in Norfolk, and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk.

Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Devon), Common Rosefinch (Highland), Red-backed Shrike (Shetland Isles), Surf Scoter (Aberdeenshire), Ring-necked Duck (Argyll) and Great White Egret (Kent).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 22nd June 2011  
  Lingering rarities included the American White-winged Scoter and King Eider in Aberdeenshire, Blue-winged Teal in Somerset, Red-footed Falcon in Norfolk, Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk and Bonaparte's Gull in Devon. A Red-footed Falcon was present for at least its second day at Breaston (Derbyshire).

Scarcity highlights comprised Rose-coloured Starling in Devon, Short-toed Lark and Pectoral Sandpiper in Shetland, Purple Heron in Herefordshire, Common Rosefinch in East Yorkshire, White-tailed Eagle in Lincolnshire, Great White Egret in Kent and Red-necked Phalarope in Gloucestershire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 21st June 2011  
  The highlight of the day was the relocation of the Black Duck in Highland at Loch Sunart; near where it had first been seen on 6th June.

Elsewhere, lingering rarities comprised the American White-winged Scoter still with three Surf Scoters and a King Eider in Aberdeenshire, Blue-winged Teal in Somerset, Red-footed Falcon in Norfolk, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, Bee-eater on the Isles of Scilly, and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk.

Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Devon), Common Rosefinch (Gwent), Serin (Dorset), White-tailed Eagle (Lincolnshire), Ring-billed Gull (County Antrim), Red-necked Phalarope (Orkney Isles), and Great White Egret (Kent).
-  Chris Batty, RBA