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.


Friday 19th July 2013

	In Aberdeenshire, the Rock Thrush continued her stay at Scotston, east of St Fergus, and was still present this evening. The Bridled Tern was again on Inner Farne, Northumberland, for the seventh day running. Late news from Tuesday concerned a stunning male Mongolian Sand Plover on the east beach at Lossiemouth, Moray, where it showed well for the camera, but it hasn't been seen since, despite daily searches. Other lingering rarities still present today included the White-rumped Sandpiper in Dorset, Lesser Yellowlegs in Carmarthenshire and single Bonaparte's Gulls in Kent and Lancashire. The drake scoter remained distant off Titchwell RSPB, Norfolk.
- Will Soar, RBA


Thursday 18th July 2013

	The highlight of the day was a female Rock Thrush in Aberdeenshire at St Fergus: discovered mid afternoon, it showed into the late evening. It is the first July record of the species in Britain, and the first in Scotland since 1970, and only the sixth there ever. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Bridled Tern in Northumberland, Pacific Golden Plover in Leicestershire, White-rumped Sandpiper in Dorset, Bonaparte's Gulls in both Kent and Lancashire, and at least two Little Bitterns in Somerset. Scarcities included Red-backed Shrike (Aberdeenshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (Essex), Great White Egret (2) and Balearic Shearwater (21). In Norfolk, a male scoter on the sea off Titchwell was either a Black Scoter or an atypical Common Scoter, but, frustratingly, it remained distant.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Wednesday 17th July 2013

	New rarities today consisted of a White-rumped Sandpiper in Dorset at Lodmoor, a Bonaparte's Gull briefly in Cornwall at Sennen Cove, and a fly-over Black Kite at Allen Dale, Northumberland. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Bridled Tern in Northumberland, Pacific Golden Plover in Leicestershire, Bonaparte's Gull in Lancashire, Gull-billed Tern in County Wexford, Little Bittern in Somerset, Lesser Yellowlegs in Carmarthenshire, and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire. Scarcities included Red-backed Shrike (Aberdeenshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (London), and Cory's Shearwater (passing County Donegal).
- Chris Batty, RBA


Tuesday 16th July 2013

	Rarities today comprised the Bridled Tern still in Northumberland on the Farne Islands, the Pacific Golden Plover in Leicestershire at Rutland Water, Bonaparte's Gull in Lancashire at Heysham, a Lesser Yellowlegs new in County Wexford at Rosslare, and now four Little Bitterns together in Somerset at Ham Wall. Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Highland), Red-backed Shrike (Aberdeenshire), Surf Scoter (Argyll) and Pectoral Sandpiper (London).
- Chris Batty, RBA


Monday 15th July 2013

	Highlight of the day was the discovery of a stonking adult Pacific Golden Plover at Rutland Water (Leicestershire). Elsewhere the adult Bonaparte's Gull reappeared at Heysham (Lancashire), the Bridled Tern again visited Farne Islands (Northumberland) and the Lesser Yellowlegs remained in Carmarthenshire. The long-staying Glossy Ibis was still in Pembrokeshire. Scarcity sightings included Red-backed Shrikes in Aberdeenshire and Norfolk, Pectoral Sandpipers in Essex and London, Ring-necked Duck in North Yorkshire, Cattle Egret in Kent, Common Rosefinch in Perth & Kinross, Great White Egret in Norfolk and Golden Oriole in Lincolnshire.
- Stuart Piner, RBA


Sunday 14th July 2013

	The Bridled Tern spent the afternoon on Inner Farne, Northumberland. Other lingering rarities included the Gull-billed Tern at Tacumshin, County Wexford, Little Bittern at Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset and Lesser Yellowlegs at Llanelli, Carmarthenshire. Late news from yesterday concerned an adult Bonaparte's Gull at Heysham, Lancashire. Scarcities were highlighted by a Red-backed Shrike, a Hoopoe, two Pectoral Sandpipers, a Ring-necked Duck, a Pomarine Skua, a Glaucous Gull, a Ring-billed Gull and a Caspian Gull.
- Will Soar, RBA


Saturday 13th July 2013

	The Bridled Tern reappeared today, surprisingly back on Inner Farne, Northumberland. It was on the rocks by the jetty for around ten minutes before flying north. The Gull-billed Tern was still at Tacumshin, County Wexford, as was the Lesser Yellowlegs at Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Black Kite near Sancreed, Cornwall and the pair of Little Bitterns at Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset.
- Will Soar, RBA


Friday 12th July 2013

	Rarities still present today included the Black Kite in the Sancreed area of Cornwall, the Lesser Yellowlegs at Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, the Bonaparte's Gull at Oare Marshes, Kent and at least one Little Bittern at Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset. Scarcities included a Common Rosefinch, a Pectoral Sandpiper, two Ring-necked Ducks and a Sabine's Gull.
- Will Soar, RBA


Thursday 11th July 2013

	A Caspian Tern flew north west past Walcott in Norfolk early this afternoon. In South Wales, the Lesser Yellowlegs reappeared near Llanelli at the National Wetlands Centre WWT this morning and was present throughout the day and the three Little Bitterns were still to be seen, mostly in flight, at Ham Wall in Somerset. Scarce waders included a Temminck's Stint again at Derwent Reservoir in Northumberland, a Pectoral Sandpiper at Rainham Marshes in London and 2 Grey Phalaropes seen at sea north of Fair Isle. The Common Rosefinch remained in Perth and Kinross, the Ring-necked Duck was still in Lothian, there was a scattering of Spoonbills in Norfolk, Gloucestershire and south Wales and there was a huge total of 470 Mediterranean Gulls in one field at Sopley in Hampshire.
- Pete Hayman, RBA


Wednesday 10th July 2013

	The Bridled Tern started working its way further south today, being seen off Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire at 11.15am. A Caspian Tern headed north past Hopton-on-Sea, Norfolk an hour later, and a Black Kite flew over Hugh Town, Isles of Scilly. Lingering rarities included a single Gull-billed Tern at Tacumshin, County Wexford, a Black Kite near Sancreed, Cornwall, at least two Little Bitterns at Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset, King Eider on the Ythan Estuary, Aberdeenshire and Glossy Ibis at Marloes Mere, Pembrokeshire. Scarcities seen today included a Marsh Warbler, a Roseate Tern, a Ring-necked Duck, two Surf Scoters, two Pomarine Skuas and three Caspian Gulls.
- Will Soar, RBA