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 9th May 2013  
  New rarities today included a Red-rumped Swallow through Gibraltar Point NNR, Lincolnshire, single White-billed Divers at Burghead, Moray and Broch of Gurness, Orkney, a Black Kite also on Orkney at Kirkwall and a report of a Red-footed Falcon at Petersfield, Hampshire. A Squacco Heron was at Lanreath, Cornwall yesterday.

The Collared Flycatcher remained in Northumberland, as did the Thrush Nightingale on Shetland, Subalpine Warbler on the Isles of Scilly, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Lesser Scaup in Yorkshire and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk.

Scarcity highlights included a Spotted Crake in West Midlands, a Hoopoe, a Short-toed Lark, a Wryneck, a Woodchat Shrike, a Kumlien's Gull, two Red-backed Shrikes, two Surf Scoters, three Temminck's Stints, 13 Dotterel and 47 Pomarine Skuas.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 8th May 2013  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a male Collared Flycatcher at Low Newton-by-the-Sea, Northumberland. A county first, it showed from late afternoon until dusk. Elsewhere, arrivals included Thrush Nightingale, Red-breasted Flycatcher and Icterine Warbler on the Shetland Isles, Subalpine Warbler and Short-toed Lark on the Isles of Scilly, Ortolan Bunting in Dorset at Longham Lakes, and a party of eight Bee-eaters briefly at Briningham, Norfolk.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present comprised a Red-footed Falcon in Suffolk, Western Subalpine Warbler in County Cork, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, King Eider on the Shetland Isles, Lesser Scaup in West Yorkshire, Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire.

Other scarcities recorded included Golden Oriole (County Wexford), Purple Heron (Suffolk), Woodchat Shrike (Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly), Hoopoe (Dorset, East Sussex and Western Isles), Montagu's Harrier (Cambridgeshire, Cleveland and Norfolk), three Pectoral Sandpipers, six Temminck's Stints and 25 migrant Dotterel across four counties.

Significant late news concerns a male Red-footed Falcon present yesterday at New Buckenham Common, Norfolk.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 7th May 2013  
  New rarities discovered today were a Black-winged Stilt in Lincolnshire at Frampton Marsh, a Lesser Yellowlegs in County Mayo on Inishkea Islands, and Subalpine Warblers in both County Cork at Inch Strand, and on Bardsey Island, Gwynedd.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Red-footed Falcon and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll and White-billed Diver on the Orkney Isles, Bonaparte's Gulls in both Devon and County Wexford, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde and Lesser Scaup in West Yorkshire.

Mediterranean scarcities included Woodchat Shrike (Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly), Hoopoe (Devon and Dorset), Golden Oriole (three on the Isles of Scilly), Purple Heron (Suffolk) and Cattle Egret (Kent), whilst notable waders comprised five Temminck's Stints, six Pectoral Sandpipers, and 40 migrant Dotterel across eight counties between England and Wales.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 6th May 2013  
  New discoveries comprised Iberian Chiffchaff in Carmarthenshire, Black-winged Stilt in Essex, Red-rumped Swallows in Ceredigion and Co Wexford, Red-footed Falcons in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, Black Stork over the Devon/Dorset border and Black Kite in Highland. In Argyll a Brunnich's Guillemot was reported off Iona.

Elsewhere Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Bonaparte's Gulls in Devon and Kent, Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire, Red-footed Falcon in Suffolk, Lesser Scaups in Lancashire and West Yorkshire, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire, Orkney and Moray (7) and Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset were also reported today.

The best of the rest included Woodchat Shrikes in Scilly, Cornwall and Norfolk, Purple Herons in Suffolk, Kent and Glamorgan, Hoopoe in Somerset and both Serin and Cattle Egret in Kent. A total of six Pectoral Sandpipers and three Temminck's Stints were also logged.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 5th May 2013  
  A Tawny Pipit was seen at Paull Holme Strays, Yorkshire this morning, a Blue-winged Teal was at Kirkintilloch, Clyde and a Black Kite flew over Ballymun, County Dublin.

Lingering rarities included the Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll in Orkney, Red-footed Falcon in Suffolk, Bonaparte's Gulls in Kent, Devon and County Wexford, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Louth, White-billed Divers in Orkney and Aberdeenshire, King Eiders in Shetland and Aberdeenshire, Lesser Scaup in Yorkshire, Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 4th May 2013  
  A singing male Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on North Ronaldsay, Orkney was the surprise of the day, being the first of nine island records to occur in Spring. A Black Kite was reported from Holme, Norfolk, whilst the drake Lesser Scaup on Lough Shark, County Armagh was confirmed, being present for a fourth day.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today included the Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, single Red-footed Falcons in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk, single Bonaparte's Gulls in Kent, Devon and County Wexford, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Louth, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, five White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire (with another in Orkney), single Lesser Scaups in Lancashire and Yorkshire, Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire.

Spring scarcity highlights included a Hoopoe, a Woodchat Shrike, two Purple Herons, ten Dotterel, eight Long-tailed Skuas and 82 Pomarine Skuas.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 3rd May 2013  
  New discoveries today included a male Red-footed Falcon at Lakenheath RSPB, Suffolk, and the presumed returning Forster's Tern at Tacumshin, County Wexford. An adult Bonaparte's Gull was present on the Exe Estuary, Devon for its second day.

Lingering rarities today included the Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Red-footed Falcon in Cambridgeshire, Bonaparte's Gulls in Kent and County Wexford, Lesser Yellowlegs' in Cornwall and County Louth, American Golden Plover in County Wicklow, eight White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire and another in Orkney, Lesser Scaup in Yorkshire, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 2nd May 2013  
  New discoveries included three Red-footed Falcons in Cambridgeshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall, Red-rumped Swallows in Devon and Kent, White-billed Diver in Moray and Bonaparte's Gulls in Co Wexford. A Lesser Scaup in Merseyside and Black Kite in Norfolk were also reported.

Lingering rarities included Lesser Scaups in West Yorkshire and Lancashire, White-billed Diver in Orkney, Lesser Yellowlegs in Co Louth and Co Wexford, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset, American Golden Plover in Co Wicklow and King Eider in Aberdeenshire.

The best of the rest included Hoopoe in Lancashire, Kentish Plover in Dorset, Woodchat Shrikes in Warwickshire and Cornwall, Purple Heron in Kent and Wryneck in Norfolk. Late news from yesterday, Wednesday, related to a flyover Black Stork in Northumberland.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 1st May 2013  
  The highlight of the day was a Pallid Harrier on Anglesey, seen briefly at Beddmanarch Bay. Elsewhere, a Long-billed Dowitcher arrived on Islay, Argyll, a Bee-eater was on Walney Island, Cumbria, and Black Kites flew over Cornwall, the Orkney Isles and Surrey.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Pallid Swift on the Isles of Scilly, Pallid Harrier and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire, American Golden Plover in County Wicklow, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, and Lesser Yellowlegs in both County Wexford and County Louth.

Scarcities included Woodchat Shrike (Cornwall), Golden Oriole (migrant in Suffolk), Montagu's Harrier (Pembrokeshire), Dotterel (County Kerry and Lancashire), Surf Scoter (Lothian), Ring-necked Duck (Argyll) and Ring-billed Gull (County Cork and Leicestershire).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
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