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 21st July 2013  
  Three more Two-barred Crossbills were located today, all in Norfolk, and all at Lynford Arboretum. A White-rumped Sandpiper was seen at Blennerville, County Kerry.

Lingering rarities included the Rock Thrush in Aberdeenshire, Bridled Tern in Northumberland, Lesser Yellowlegs in Carmarthenshire, Little Bittern in Somerset and single Bonaparte's Gulls in Lancashire and Kent.

-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 20th July 2013  
  An arrival of at least seven Two-barred Crossbills occurred today, with at least four in Norfolk (two at Holme and singles at Cley and Salthouse), two in Suffolk (on Havergate Island) and one in Yorkshire (at Spurn Point). With a significant Scandinavian movement in progress, more are expected to arrive in the next few days.

Other new discoveries today included a Bee-eater over Aston Pigott, Shropshire, and a Bonaparte's Gull at Rye Harbour NR, Sussex.

Lingering rarities included the Rock Thrush in Aberdeenshire, Bridled Tern in Northumberland, Gull-billed Tern in County Wexford, two Little Bitterns in Somerset, Lesser Yellowlegs in Carmarthenshire, White-rumped Sandpiper in Dorset and single Bonaparte's Gulls in Kent and Lancashire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
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