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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Tuesday 30th April 2013  
  The highlight of the day was a brief Citrine Wagtail in East Yorkshire at Spurn. Spring rarities elsewhere included a Savi's Warbler in Dorset at Holton Heath, Pallid Swift on the Isles of Scilly, Pallid Harrier in Pembrokeshire, Iberian Chiffchaff in East Yorkshire, Western Subalpine Warbler in Gwynedd, Bee-eater in Shropshire, Red-rumped Swallow in County Dublin, and at least one Black Kite in Kent.

Other rarities comprised the Pied-billed Grebe still in Somerset, Gyr on the Orkney Isles, King Eider on the Shetland Isles, two White-billed Divers together in Aberdeenshire, Little Bunting in Lancashire, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Louth, American Golden Plover in County Wicklow, Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk, and single Lesser Scaups in both Lancashire and West Yorkshire.

Scarce migrants included Hoopoe (Cornwall and Lancashire), Woodchat Shrike (Cornwall (2), Norfolk, Pembrokeshire and Somerset), Serin (Devon), Richard's Pipit (Dorset), Montagu's Harrier (Kent and Pembrokeshire), and Dotterel (seven migrants across three counties).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 29th April 2013  
  Today's new discoveries included a Bee-eater in Shropshire, Long-billed Dowitcher on Western Isles, Lesser Yellowlegs in Co Louth and Black Kite in Norfolk. Elsewhere a Richardson's Canada Goose (Dumfries & Galloway), Pallid Harrier (Pembrokeshire), White-billed Diver and King Eider (Aberdeenshire), American Golden Plover (Co Wicklow), Lesser Scaup (Cleveland and Lancashire), Bonaparte's Gull (Kent) and Ferruginous Duck (Suffolk) were also logged.

The best of the rest included Serin in Dorset, Woodchat Shrikes in Cornwall (2), Somerset and Pembrokeshire, Hoopoes in Cornwall and Carmarthenshire and Rose-coloured Starling in Suffolk.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 28th April 2013  
  Another Bonaparte's Gull was discovered today, this time a first-winter in Kent at Elmley Marshes RSPB, with other rare discoveries including an American Golden Plover at Kilcoole, County Wicklow, a White-billed Diver off North Uist, Western Isles, a Black Kite near Angmering, Sussex and a Red-rumped Swallow over Spurn, Yorkshire.

Lingering rarities included the Iberian Chiffchaff in Yorkshire (with another possible trapped and ringed in Dorset), Pallid Harrier in Pembrokeshire, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Wexford, single White-billed Divers in Orkney and Aberdeenshire, Lesser Scaups in Lancashire, Cleveland and Clyde, King Eider in Aberdeenshire and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 27th April 2013  
  New discoveries today included an adult Bonaparte's Gull at Chew Valley Lake, two Black-winged Stilts at Ham Wall RSPB, a Whiskered Tern at Durleigh Reservoir and a Black Kite over Shapwick Heath NNR, all Somerset, an adult Lesser Yellowlegs at Tacumshin, County Wexford, a Bee-eater over Niton, Isle of Wight, a Black-bellied Dipper at Liston, Essex and single Red-rumped Swallows at Dungeness, Kent and Lodmoor RSPB, Dorset.

Lingering rarities included the Eastern Subalpine Warbler in Suffolk, Western Subalpine Warblers in Gwynedd at Pembrokeshire, Iberian Chiffchaff in Yorkshire, 13 White-billed Divers off Portsoy, Aberdeenshire (with another in Orkney), Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Pallid Harrier in Pembrokeshire, Pallid Swift on the Isles of Scilly, Lesser Scaups in Lancashire, Cleveland and Nottinghamshire, King Eiders in Aberdeenshire and Shetland and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 26th April 2013  
  New arrivals today included an Eastern Subalpine Warbler at Landguard NR, Suffolk, an adult Bonaparte's Gull at Theale GPs, Berkshire, two Black-winged Stints at Newport Wetlands, Gwent, a Red-rumped Swallow at Attenborough NR, Nottinghamshire, a Whiskered Tern at Frampton-on-Severn, Gloucestershire, single Black Kites in Hampshire and Sussex and a White-billed Diver off Papa Westray, Orkney.

Lingering rarities included the Rock Thrush and Iberian Chiffchaff in Yorkshire, Iberian Chiffchaff, Red-footed Falcon, Pallid Swift and Western Subalpine Warbler on the Isles of Scilly, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, single Western Subalpine Warblers in Pembrokeshire and Gwynedd, Pallid Harrier in Pembrokeshire, two White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire, single Lesser Scaups in Nottinghamshire and Lancashire, King Eider in Shetland and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 25th April 2013  
  Star billing today went to a female Rock Thrush that was found at Kilnsea in East Yorkshire late this morning and remained for the rest of the day to the delight of the many who travelled to see it. It was the first twitchable individual since the mid nineties. In the late afternoon the assembled crowd were also treated to a fly-by Caspian Tern. Also on the Yorkshire coast a non-singing (but calling) Iberian Chiffchaff was found at Flamborough Head, with other Iberian Chiffchaffs remaining in County Durham and Scilly.

Also on Scilly a new Western Subalpine Warbler was found on St.Mary's and a female Red-footed Falcon was found on St.Martin's. The Woodchat Shrike also remained on St.Mary's. On Skomer, a harrier that had been seen poorly once or twice in recent days was proved to be a Pallid Harrier. A Black Kite flew over Romsey in Hampshire and a Citrine Wagtail was seen briefly at Kelling and Cley in north Norfolk.

A Whiskered Tern was at Chew Valley Lake in Somerset but was believed to be a different bird from that seen there on Tuesday. The Woodchat Shrike also remained there. Other lingering rarities included Western Subalpine Warblers in Gwynedd and Pembrokeshire, the Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, the Harlequin Duck on North Uist and the Lesser Scaup at Holme Pierrepont in Nottinghamshire. Aberdeenshire continued to play host to a White-billed Diver and a King Eider or two and a Gyr was seen again on Mainland Orkney.

A Pectoral Sandpiper was at Rainham Marshes in London, Hoopoes were in Dorset and Ayrshire and the Ring-billed Gull was seen again in Leicestershire.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Wednesday 24th April 2013  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of two singing male Iberian Chiffchaffs: one in County Durham at Boldon Flats, and the other on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly. Elsewhere, a Whiskered Tern paused briefly in Derbyshire at Carsington Water before arriving at Blithfield Reservoir, Staffordshire, in Kent a Red-rumped Swallow was seen briefly at Dungeness, and a Black Kite flew over Sompting, West Sussex.

Further Mediterranean visitors comprised Pallid Swift, Short-toed Lark and Woodchat Shrike on the Isles of Scilly, Western Subalpine Warbler and Woodchat Shrike together in Pembrokeshire, two Night Herons together in Devon, Woodchat Shrike in Somerset, Hoopoe in Cornwall and Golden Oriole in County Galway.

Otherwise, lingering rarities confirmed as still present were both the Harlequin Duck and Richardson's Canada Goose on the Western Isles, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire, Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk, and Lesser Scaups in both Lancashire and Nottinghamshire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 23rd April 2013  
  The highlight of the day was confirmation of a Western Bonelli's Warbler lingering in West Sussex. Other Mediterranean rarities comprised single Whiskered Terns in both Gloucestershire and Somerset (perhaps the same bird), Western Subalpine Warblers in Gwynedd, Lincolnshire and Pembrokeshire, Pallid Swift on the Isles of Scilly, and the possible Ashy-headed Wagtail still in Devon. Associated scarcities were Woodchat Shrikes in Cornwall, Gwynedd, Pembrokeshire, Isles of Scilly (2) and Somerset, Golden Orioles in Anglesey, Devon, County Galway and the Isles of Scilly, Serin in Suffolk, and a Hoopoe remained in County Waterford.

Other, lingering, rarities confirmed as still present were the Harlequin Duck still on the Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire, Little Bunting in County Durham, Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk, two White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire, Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire, and Lesser Scaups in Cleveland, Lancashire and Nottinghamshire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 22nd April 2013  
  In Somerset the two Whiskered Terns remained at Shapwick Heath NNR before they reappeared at Durleigh Reservoir (Somerset) and Witcombe Reservoir (Gloucestershire) later in the day.

In West Sussex a Bonelli's warbler species was seen (but not heard) at Church Norton, a Subalpine Warbler was reported at Boultham Mere (Lincolnshire) and a Lesser Scaup relocated to Holme Pierrepont (Nottinghamshire).

Elsewhere lingering rarities included Western Subalpine Warblers in Lincolnshire and Gwynedd, Glossy Ibises in Pembrokeshire and West Sussex, White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire (2) and Orkney, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset, Lesser Scaups in Lancashire, Herefordshire, Cornwall and Cleveland, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Little Bunting in Co Durham, Pallid Swift on Isles of Scilly, Harlequin Duck on Western Isles and King Eider on Shetland.

Scarcity highlights included American Wigeon in Clyde, Woodchat Shrikes in Cornwall, Pembrokeshire, Gwynedd and Somerset, Hoopoe in Co Waterford, Rose-coloured Starling in Devon, Pectoral Sandpiper in Northumberland, Cattle Egret and Purple Heron in Kent, Common Rosefinch in West Sussex and Wryneck on Isles of Scilly.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 21st April 2013  
  The highlight of the day was the impressive gathering of White-billed Divers off the Portsoy area of Aberdeenshire. At least eight were a couple of miles offshore from a boat during the morning, with another seven seen from land, and yet another four a little further west off Sandend.

Other rarities discovered today included two Whiskered Terns at Shapwick Heath, Somerset, a Subalpine Warbler in Dorset in a Portland garden briefly, a Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire, Black Kites at Bovey Tracey, Devon and Westleton, Suffolk and at least one Red-rumped Swallow at St Just, Cornwall and another on Portland, Dorset. A stunning flava wagtail was present at Northam Burrows Country Park which was probably a Grey-headed Wagtail, but no mention has been made of its call.

Lingering rarities included the Pallid Harrier in Pembrokeshire, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Harlequin Duck and Richardson's Canada Goose in the Western Isles, single Western Subalpine Warblers in Gwynedd and Lincolnshire and Little Bunting in County Durham.
-  Will Soar, RBA