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.

Choose a starting date
Thursday 14th July 2011  
  The highlight of the day was a Ferruginous Duck at Holme Heath, Dorset. First noted yesterday, the identification being confirmed this morning.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present comprised the Marsh Sandpiper in East Yorkshire, Spotted Sandpiper in Leicestershire, two Pacific Golden Plovers together in County Londonderry, and the territorial Western Bonelli's Warbler in Derbyshire.

Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Argyll), Common Rosefinch (Cambridgeshire), American Wigeon (Lincolnshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (Essex), Red-necked Phalarope (Orkney Isles) and Great White Egret (Kent).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 13th July 2011  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Spotted Sandpiper at Rutland Water, Leicestershire. Elsewhere, in County Cork a Wilson's Petrel was noted off Galley Head, in Somerset a Ferruginous Duck was located at Blagdon Lake, and on the Isles of Scilly a Bee-eater was on St Mary's.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today comprised the Marsh Sandpiper in East Yorkshire, the territorial Western Bonelli's Warbler in Derbyshire, Black-headed Bunting on the Shetland Isles, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, and two Pacific Golden Plovers together in County Londonderry.

Scarcities included Common Rosefinch (Cambridgeshire and Pembrokeshire), Serin (Dorset), Marsh Warbler (Northumberland), Golden Oriole (Isles of Scilly), American Wigeon (Lincolnshire and Western Isles), Pectoral Sandpiper (Essex), Cory's and Great Shearwater (both County Cork).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 12th July 2011  
  In Lincolnshire the Marsh Sandpiper discovered yesterday evening at Alkborough Flats lingered until 0615 before it flew to nearby Blacktoft Sands RSPB (East Yorkshire), where it remained for the rest of today.

Elsewhere lingering rarities included Western Bonelli's Warbler in Derbyshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, Black-headed Bunting on Shetland and House Crow in Co Cork.

In Suffolk a Bee-eater flew over near Woolpit, a Pectoral Sandpiper was discovered at Holland Haven Country Park (Essex) and the Common Rosefinch continued to sing in Melbourn (Cambridgeshire). The Red-backed Shrike was reportedly still present in Northamptonshire and the White-tailed Eagle (Lincolnshire) and Marsh Warbler (Northumberland) also lingered.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 11th July 2011  
  Bird of the day goes to the Marsh Sandpiper at Alkborough Flats in Lincolnshire, although it wasn't discovered until just before dusk.

The singing Western Bonelli's Warbler continues to hold territory in Derbyshire, with other lingering rarities including Semipalmated Sandpiper and two Pacific Golden Plovers in County Derry and Bonapaparte's Gull in Devon.

In Cambridgeshire, the singing Common Rosefinch remained for a second day at Melbourn, whilst other scarcities included the two Night Herons in Kent, Red-backed Shrike in Northamptonshire, Rose-coloured Starling in Argyll, Marsh Warbler in Northumberland, Common Crane in North Yorkshire, single Glaucous Gulls in Devon and Kent, Pomarine Skua in County Cork and Great White Egret in Kent.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Sunday 10th July 2011  
  The highlight of day was a Crag Martin at Stanpit Marsh, Dorset, albeit only present briefly in the late afternoon before it departed to the north.

Elsewhere, a Semipalmated Sandpiper was identified alongside both the Pacific Golden Plovers at Myroe Levels, County Londonderry, and a Red-rumped Swallow was seen briefly at Hayling Island, Hampshire. Lingering rarities comprised the territorial Western Bonelli's Warbler still in Derbyshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk.

Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Argyll), Common Rosefinch (Cambridgeshire), Night Heron (two together in Kent), White-tailed Eagle (Lincolnshire), and Surf Scoter (two together in Aberdeenshire).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 9th July 2011  
  Bird of the day was a Pacific Swift that flew south over Spurn (East Yorkshire) at 1342, before being relocated briefly at Gibraltar Point NNR (Lincolnshire) at 1430. There have been just five previous records of Pacific Swift in Britain, but this is the third for Spurn following records on 1st July 2005 and on 22nd and 26th June 2008.

Lingering rarities included the Black Scoter in Aberdeenshire, Western Bonelli's Warbler in Derbyshire, Lesser Grey Shrike in Pembrokeshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, Red-rumped Swallow in Surrey and Marbled Duck in East Sussex.

The best of the rest included two Night Herons in Kent, White-tailed Eagle in Lincolnshire, Great White Egret in East Yorkshire, White-winged Black Tern and Temminck's Stint on Orkney.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 8th July 2011  
  Several new discoveries were made today, the rarest being a Pacific Golden Plover at Tacumshin, County Wexford, a Lesser Yellowlegs at Chew Valley Lake, Somerset, a Wilson's Petrel off Porthgwarra, Cornwall and a Red-rumped Swallow at Unstead, Surrey.

Other highlights included the reappearance of the Black Scoter off Murcar Links, Aberdeenshire, as well as the continued presence of the Western Bonelli's Warbler in Derbyshire, Lesser Grey Shrike in Pembrokeshire, Marbled Duck in Sussex, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, two Pacific Golden Plovers together in County Derry and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 7th July 2011  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today comprised the territorial Western Bonelli's Warbler in Derbyshire, Lesser Grey Shrike in Pembrokeshire, two Pacific Golden Plovers together in County Londonderry and Marbled Duck in East Sussex, whilst a pelagic off the Isles of Scilly again logged a Wilson's Petrel.

Other notable seabirds today included Cory's Shearwaters (60 off Cornwall, 15 Isles of Scilly, 10 County Cork and one off Devon), Great Shearwater (County Cork), Long-tailed Skua (inland in Dorset) and Sabine's Gull (both County Cork and Isles of Scilly).

Elsewhere, scarcities included Night Heron (Kent), Marsh Warbler (Shetland Isles), White-tailed Eagle (Lincolnshire), Great White Egret (Hampshire) and Surf Scoter (three together in Aberdeenshire).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 6th July 2011  
  New discoveries included a Black Kite over Cooling (Kent) and an Alpine Swift at Gibraltar Point NNR (Lincolnshire).

Lingering rarities comprised the pair of Pacific Golden Plovers in Co Derry, Marbled Duck in East Sussex, Western Bonelli's Warbler in Derbyshire and Lesser Grey Shrike in Pembrokeshire.

A significant passage of Cory's Shearwaters off the coasts of Cornwall, Devon, Isles of Scilly and Co Cork included counts of 1,200 off Galley Head, 121 off Ballycotton, 101 off Seven Heads (Co Cork), 800 off Porthgwarra (Cornwall) and 137 off St Mary's (Isles of Scilly). A Sabine's Gull and Great Shearwater were also recorded past the Cork coastline, whilst a Great Shearwater was also logged past Porthgwarra (Cornwall).

The best of the rest included a Rose-coloured Starling in Highland, Night Heron in Kent, White Stork in Devon and White-tailed Eagle in Lincolnshire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 5th July 2011  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Pacific Golden Plover on North Ronaldsay, Orkney Isles; the third to be discovered in the British Isles this month, and the eighth record of the species on North Ronaldsay.

Elsewhere, two Pacific Golden Plovers remained together in County Londonderry, as did the Lesser Grey Shrike in Pembrokeshire, territorial Western Bonelli's Warbler in Derbyshire, Black-headed Bunting on the Shetland Isles, Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk and Marbled Duck in East Sussex.

Scarcities included Grey Phalarope (Kent), Sabine's Gull (County Cork), White-tailed Eagle (Lincolnshire) and Great White Egret (both Kent and Northamptonshire).
-  Chris Batty, RBA