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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Sunday 26th May 2013  
  New arrivals today included a Balearic Woodchat Shrike on Westray, Orkney, a summer plumaged Spotted Sandpiper at Belvide Reservoir, Staffordshire, a Subalpine Warbler at Copeland Bird Observatory, County Down, a Bee-eater over Salthouse, Norfolk and a Glossy Ibis on Mull, Argyll. The Roller in Hampshire was present until 9.10am, when it flew off north. It was later relocated a few miles away on Thursley Common, Surrey, but it flew off again shortly after and wasn't relocated again.

Lingering rarities included the Harlequin Duck on the Western Isles, Savi's Warbler and Red-footed Falcon in Suffolk, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent and King Eider in Aberdeenshire.

Scarcity highlights included a Woodchat Shrike, a Red-breasted Flycatcher, an Icterine Warbler, a Night Heron, a White-winged Black Tern, two Short-toed Larks, two Bluethroats, two Marsh Warblers, two Red-necked Phalaropes, three Common Rosefinches and 13 Red-backed Shrikes.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 25th May 2013  
  Some good quality rarities were found today, although the highlight, a Roller at Broxhead Common, Hampshire has, in fact, been present three days. A Terek Sandpiper was at Rye Harbour NR, Sussex from late afternoon onwards and a singing Savi's Warbler at Lakenheath RSPB, Suffolk showed quite well on occasions. Less twitchable rarities found today included a Black Stork over Cinder Hill, Sussex, an Eastern Subalpine Warbler on Fair Isle, Shetland, a Tawny Pipit on North Ronaldsay, Orkney and a Bee-eater at Grain, Kent.

Lingering rarities still present today included the Harlequin Duck on the Western Isles, Red-footed Falcon in Suffolk, single Red-rumped Swallows in London and Kent, Forster's Tern in County Wexford, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, King Eider in Aberdeenshire and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 24th May 2013  
  Surprise of the day was the reappearance of the drake Harlequin Duck at Balranald RSPB, Western Isles, after an absence of 28 days. Typical Spring rarities found today included an Alpine Swift at Spurn, Yorkshire, two Bee-eaters in Kent at Dungeness and Folkestone, and Red-rumped Swallows at Weir Wood Reservoir, Sussex, Beddington sewage farm, London and Dungeness RSPB, Kent.

Lingering rarities included the Paddyfield Warbler on North Ronaldsay, Orkney, Red-footed Falcon at Lakenheath RSPB, Suffolk, Forster's Tern at Tacumshin, County Wexford and Bonaparte's Gull at Oare Marshes NR, Kent.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 23rd May 2013  
  A Bee-eater north over Dungeness RSPB, Kent was the only new rarity reported today.

Lingering rarities comprised the Red-footed Falcon at Lakenheath RSPB, Suffolk, Bonaparte's Gull at Oare Marshes KWT, Kent, Snowy Owl at Sollas, North Uist, Western Isles and White-billed Diver off Inishbofin, County Galway.

Seawatching produced at least 1,728 Long-tailed Skuas, including a very impressive 834 inland over The Corran, Highland, late afternoon, with a further 250 just south-west of there mid evening. 150 Pomarine Skuas were also seen, along with a single Little Auk. Other scarcity highlights included a Woodchat Shrike, three Red-backed Shrikes, two Golden Orioles, a Hoopoe, three Red-necked Phalaropes, two Montagu's Harriers, a Purple Heron, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper, three Temminck's Stints, three Ring-billed Gulls, two Glaucous Gulls, a Sabine's Gull, a Caspian Gull, a Surf Scoter, an American Wigeon, a Green-winged Teal and two Ring-necked Ducks.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 22nd May 2013  
  The highlight of the day was a brief Citrine Wagtail on North Usit, Western Isles, whilst a Bonaparte's Gull showed in Kent at Oare Marshes, and in Norfolk a Bee-eater flew over Winterton Dunes.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Paddyfield Warbler on the Orkney Isles, Snowy Owl on the Western Isles, Red-footed Falcon in Suffolk, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, White-billed Diver in County Galway and Lesser Scaup in Highland.

Scarcities included seven Red-backed Shrikes, five Montagu's Harriers, four each of Temminck's Stint and Honey Buzzard, two each of Woodchat Shrike, Golden Oriole, Purple Heron, Cattle Egret and Ring-necked Duck, and single Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Argyll), Red-necked Phalarope (Gloucestershire), Serin (Kent), Marsh Warbler (Orkney Isles), Pectoral Sandpiper (Cambridgeshire), Surf Scoter (Lothian) and American Wigeon (Shetland Isles). Skua passage continued in the northwest, with 1,358 Long-tailed Skuas logged - including 1,125 passing North Uist, Western Isles - and 98 Pomarine Skuas.

Significant late news concerned a male Indigo Bunting present on Monday in a garden at Llansadwrn, Anglesey, but only identified from a photograph today.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 21st May 2013  
  New rarities discovered today comprised two Whiskered Terns briefly in Surrey at Staines Reservoir, Ortolan Bunting in Northumberland at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, a fly-over Bee-eater in East Yorkshire, and brief Red-footed Falcons in both Norfolk and Suffolk. The identity of a White-billed Diver was confirmed in County Galway at Inishbofin.

Lingering rarities confirmed as present were the Paddyfield Warbler on the Orkney Isles, Thrush Nightingale in Cleveland, Great Reed Warbler in Northumberland, Snowy Owl on the Western Isles, Red-footed Falcon in Suffolk, King Eiders both in Aberdeenshire and County Mayo, and Lesser Scaups in both Highland and West Yorkshire.

Scarce migrants included 26 Red-backed Shrikes, five migrant Red-necked Phalaropes, three Temminck's Stints, two each of Red-breasted Flycatcher, Bluethroat, Common Rosefinch and Pectoral Sandpiper, and single Barred Warbler (Northumberland), Woodchat Shrike (Argyll), Serin (Dorset), Lapland Bunting (Norfolk), Buff-breasted Sandpiper (County Mayo) and Cattle Egret (Kent). Skuas continued to pass the north and west, with 465 Long-tailed Skuas and 64 Pomarine Skuas logged today.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 20th May 2013  
  Today's new discoveries included Paddyfield Warbler on North Ronaldsay (Orkney), Red-rumped Swallow at Stodmarsh NNR (Kent), Alpine Swift at Ruan Lanihorne (Cornwall), White-billed Diver off North Uist (Western Isles) and Bee-eater on Isles of Scilly.

The Thrush Nightingale (Cleveland), Lesser Grey Shrike (Northumberland), Red-footed Falcon (Suffolk), Great Reed Warbler (Northumberland) and Lesser Scaups (Cleveland and Highland) all lingered.

Scarcities seen today comprised Common Rosefinch (Angus), Cattle Egret (Kent), Night Heron (Norfolk), Short-toed Lark (Western Isles), White-winged Black Tern (Cambridgeshire), Woodchat Shrike (Argyll), Barred Warbler (Northumberland), Serin (Kent), Marsh Warbler (Lincolnshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (Cleveland), American Wigeon (Shetland), Red-necked Phalarope (Gloucestershire), two Red-breasted Flycatchers (East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire), two Icterine Warblers (Kent and Northumberland), two Purple Herons (Cornwall and Pembrokeshire), two Wrynecks (Fife and Shetland), four Bluethroats and at least 29 Red-backed Shrikes.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 19th May 2013  
  There was no sign of either the Dusky Thrush in Kent or the Collared Flycatcher in Yorkshire today.

It was, however, another very busy day in terms of Spring rarities and scarcities, headlined by both Lesser Grey Shrike and Rustic Bunting on Holy Island, Northumberland, and a Thrush Nightingale at Hartlepool Headland, Cleveland, where it showed very well on the putting green. The former site also held an impressive list of scarcities including two Icterine Warblers, a Common Rosefinch and at least four Red-backed Shrikes. A singing Great Reed Warbler spent the day at East Chevington NWT, Northumberland, and another Rustic Bunting was found on Fair Isle, Shetland, where the Ortolan Bunting remained. Other rarities found today included a Black Stork over Oxenbourne Down, Hampshire, single Bee-eaters over Ventnor, Isle of Wight and on Bryher and Tresco, Isles of Scilly, and Black Kites were over Hamble Common and Pennington Marshes, both Hampshire.

Other lingering rarities were just the Red-footed Falcon in Suffolk, King Eider in Aberdeenshire and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 18th May 2013  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Dusky Thrush in Kent at Margate Cemetery, where it showed throughout the day and became the first Dusky Thrush to be widely twitched in Britain.

New discoveries included a male Collared Flycatcher in East Yorkshire at Easington in the evening, with, nearby, a Broad-billed Sandpiper briefly at Patrington Haven. Brief encounters included Black Stork, Black Kite and Bee-eater all in Hampshire, a Black Kite over London and a Bee-eater in West Sussex.

Lingering rarities comprised Black-winged Stilt in Cambridgeshire, Subalpine Warbler in Cornwall, Red-footed Falcon in Suffolk, Ortolan Bunting on the Shetland Isles, Lesser Scaup in Highland and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire.

Scarcities included 20 Red-backed Shrikes, nine Bluethroats, eight Temminck's Stints, four Grey-headed Wagtails (all on the Shetland Isles), two each of both Red-breasted Flycatcher and Common Rosefinch, and single Marsh Warbler (Orkney Isles), Hoopoe (Somerset), Short-toed Lark and Icterine Wabler (both Shetland Isles).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 17th May 2013  
  A female Dusky Thrush was identified from photographs this evening, having been present in Margate Cemetery, Kent since Wednesday. The only twitchable Dusky Thrush in Britain was back in 1959, a first-winter male in Hartlepool, Cleveland, so there will be fairly large crowd tomorrow if it's still present.

New discoveries today included an Ortolan Bunting at Spurn, Yorkshire, both King Eider and American Golden Plover on Inishkea, County Mayo, single Bee-eaters in Lancashire and Wiltshire and single Black Kites in Dorset and Hampshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA