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 30th July 2011  
  New discoveries included an immature male Two-barred Crossbill on Unst (Shetland), which joined the adult female found there yesterday, and in Carmarthenshire an adult Bonaparte's Gull arrived at Burry Port.

New scarcities comprised a Woodchat Shrike in Gloucestershire, Red-necked Phalarope in Lincolnshire, Pectoral Sandpipers in Kent and Gwent (three other Pectoral Sandpipers lingered - in Lancashire, Lincolnshire and Ceredigion), Purple Heron in Cambridgeshire, Cattle Egret in Suffolk, Montagu's Harrier in Leicestershire, Rose-coloured Starling on Western Isles and Great White Egret in Wiltshire.

Lingering rarities included Marsh Sandpiper in East Yorkshire, Stilt Sandpiper in Dorset, Ferruginous Duck in Cambridgeshire, Western Bonelli's Warbler in Derbyshire, Savi's Warbler in Norfolk, Black Kite in Cornwall and Black Scoter in Aberdeenshire.

A Cattle Egret and Great White Egret in Kent and White-tailed Eagle in Lincolnshire also lingered.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 29th July 2011  
  Today's new discoveries included a Two-barred Crossbill on Unst (Shetland) and a White-rumped Sandpiper on the Ythan Estuary (Aberdeenshire).

Elsewhere a twitchable Black Kite lingered in the Land's End area of Cornwall, the Marsh Sandpiper was still in East Yorkshire, the Stilt Sandpiper remained in Dorset, whilst in Cambridgeshire the Ferruginous Duck was still at Paxton Pits NR.

The best of the rest included a Cattle Egret in Kent, Pectoral Sandpipers in Lincolnshire, Lancashire, Merseyside, Oxfordshire and Norfolk, Great White Egrets in Somerset and Kent and White-tailed Eagle in Lincolnshire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 28th July 2011  
  Highlight of the day was the continued presence of the adult Stilt Sandpiper at Lodmoor RSPB, Dorset. The Western Bonelli's Warbler also remained in-situ in Derbyshire, as did the Savi's Warbler in Norfolk, Marsh Sandpiper in Yorkshire, single Ferruginous Ducks in Somerset and Cambridgeshire and single Black Kites in Devon and Cornwall.

Scarcities included a Melodious Warbler in Dorset, a Marsh Warbler in Suffolk, single Pectoral Sandpipers in Lincolnshire, Ceredigion and Lancashire, Great White Egret in Kent, White-tailed Eagle in Lincolnshire and a Temminck's Stint in Cleveland.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 27th July 2011  
  Today's highlights included a brief Two-barred Crossbill at Kilnsea (East Yorkshire) and a flyover Bee-eater on St Mary's (Isles of Scilly).

Lingering rarities came in the form of Stilt Sandpiper (Dorset), Marsh Sandpiper (East Yorkshire) and Ferruginous Ducks (Somerset and Cambridgeshire).

The best of the rest included Pectoral Sandpipers in Lancashire, Lincolnshire and Ceredigion, Icterine Warbler in Kent and Great White Egrets in Kent and Glamorgan/Carmarthenshire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 26th July 2011  
  In Dorset the Stilt Sandpiper lingered at Lodmoor RSPB, whilst in East Yorkshire the Marsh Sandpiper was again at Blacktoft Sands RSPB.

New discoveries comprised a Black Kite between Drift Reservoir and Sancreed (Cornwall) for ten minutes this evening and in London a Red-footed Falcon was logged over Barking, Rainham Marshes RSPB and Crayford Marshes.

Lingering rarities included Western Bonelli's Warbler in Derbyshire and Ferruginous Duck in Cambridgeshire. Scarcities included Pectoral Sandpipers in Lancashire and Lincolnshire, Common Rosefinch in Cambridgeshire, Great White Egrets in Hampshire and Kent and Cattle Egret in West Sussex.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 25th July 2011  
  Rare waders were the highlight of the day with the Stilt Sandpiper remaining all day at Lodmoor RSPB reserve in Dorset and the Marsh Sandpiper still to be found at Blacktoft Sands RSPB reserve in East Yorkshire. Pectoral Sandpipers were found at Frampton Marsh RSPB reserve in Lincolnshire and Martin Mere WWT reserve in Lancashire.

Other lingering rarities included Western Bonelli's Warbler in Derbyshire, Savi's Warbler in Norfolk and Ferruginous Duck in Cambridgeshire. The Night Heron was still to be found at Stodmarsh in Kent, the Common Rosefinch continued to sing in Cambridgeshire and Cattle Egrets were reported in Dorset and Devon.

Again, there were good numbers of seabirds seen off north eastern coasts, especially Storm Petrels, but also a few Sooty and Balearic Shearwaters and two Long-tailed Skuas past Flamborough Head in Yorkshire. Early signs of autumn passerine migration occurred with falls of common migrants at Portland Bill and Hengistbury Head in Dorset.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Sunday 24th July 2011  
  Highlight of the day is clearly the adult Stilt Sandpiper in Dorset, present for its second day at Lodmoor RSPB, although this second for the county proved elusive and distant. In London, a Red-footed Falcon was reported over Walthamstow.

In Derbyshire, the Western Bonelli's Warbler reappeared at Arnfield Reservoir, as did the Marsh Sandpiper at Blacktoft Sands RSPB, Yorkshire. Other rarities confirmed as still present included the Savi's Warbler in Norfolk, White-rumped Sandpiper in Cleveland and Ferruginous Duck in Cambridgeshire.

The other very notable species was Storm Petrel, with at least one county day record broken (County Durham). The north-east coast had a bumper haul, with county totals of 183 in Fife, 62 in Lothian, 132 in Northumberland, 75 in County Durham, five in Yorkshire and just one off Norfolk. Good numbers of Sooty Shearwaters were also noted, and a Cory's Shearwater was also seen in Norfolk.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 23rd July 2011  
  New discoveries included a Ferruginous Duck at Paxton Pits NR (Cambridgeshire) and a Black Kite between Kennerleigh, Sandford and Cheriton Fitzpaine (Devon). The male Snowy Owl reappeared on Lewis (Western Isles).

Lingering rarities included Ferruginous Duck in Somerset, Black Scoter off Aberdeenshire and White-rumped Sandpiper in Cleveland.

The best of the rest comprised Rose-coloured Starlings in Devon and Argyll, Pectoral Sandpipers in Kent and Co Wexford, Hoopoe in Worcestershire, White-tailed Eagle in Lincolnshire, Cattle Egret in Devon and Great White Egrets in Kent and Glamorgan.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 22nd July 2011  
  A Red-footed Falcon was seen briefly on Inishmore, Aran Islands, County Galway, before it flew off south.

Lingering rarities seen today included the White-rumped Sandpiper in Cleveland and  Ferruginous Duck in Somerset, whilst the Western Bonelli's Warbler was reported again in Derbyshire.

Scarcity highlights included single Rose-coloured Starlings in County Galway and Argyll, single Pectoral Sandpipers in Shetland, Northumberland and Kent, a White Stork in Norfolk, a Great White Egret in Kent, a Cattle Egret in Dorset and a White-tailed Eagle and Temminck's Stint in Lincolnshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 21st July 2011  
  The highlight of the day was a Paddyfield Warbler at The Fleet, Dorset. Trapped and ringed in the morning, the bird was not seen again after release. Meanwhile, in Norfolk a Savi's Warbler was heard singing at Hickling Broad.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present comprised the Marsh Sandpiper in East Yorkshire, White-rumped Sandpiper in Cleveland, and single Ferruginous Ducks in both Somerset and Suffolk.

Scarcities included Common Rosefinch (Cambridgeshire), White-tailed Eagle (Lincolnshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (Aberdeenshire), Long-tailed Skua (County Wexford), Cattle Egret (Devon) and Great White Egret (Kent).
-  Chris Batty, RBA