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 8th August 2013  
  The highlight of the day was the reappearance of the Bridled Tern; today on the Ythan Estuary, Aberdeenshire. After lingering in Northumberland between 1st-24th July - although visiting Cleveland on 6th and East Yorkshire on 10th - it visited the Isle of May, Fife on 26th July, before being relocated 80 miles further north today.

Other rarities included the Swinhoe's Petrel retrapped from the previous night on Fair Isle, Shetland Isles, the Roller still in Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitcher again in Hampshire, and Western Subalpine Warbler on the Shetland Isles.

Scarcities included Night Heron (both Leicestershire and South Yorkshire), Cattle Egret (Kent), Ring-billed Gull (Carmarthenshire), Ring-necked Duck (North Yorkshire), Cory's and Great Shearwater (both County Cork).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 7th August 2013  
  The highlight of the day was a Swinhoe's Petrel trapped and ringed on Fair Isle, Shetland Isles during the early hours. Following a Swinhoe's Petrel heard there on 22nd July 2013, and one trapped and ringed there on 27th July, todays bird was the seventh to be ringed out of the ten individuals encountered in Britain and Ireland since the first passed Bridges of Ross, County Clare on 15th August 1985. Of the 18 'contacts' with Swinhoe's Petrel, an incredible nine were with just one bird; at Tynemouth, Northumberland on dates in July in each year between 1990 and 1994.

Other rarities included the Roller still in Norfolk, Black Duck in County Kerry, Gull-billed Tern and White-rumped Sandpiper together in County Wexford, Blue-winged Teal in Cambridgeshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Carmarthenshire, Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire, a Wilson's Petrel off County Kerry, and a fly-over Two-barred Crossbill in Cambridgeshire.

Scarcities included Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Aberdeenshire and Cambridgeshire), Marsh Warbler (Devon), Surf Scoter (Angus), Ring-necked Duck (County Londonderry), Cattle Egret (Kent), Night Heron (Leicestershire and South Yorkshire), with seabirds including Cory's Shearwater (2 off County Cork), Great Shearwater (2 off County Cork), and Sabine's Gull (North Yorkshire, and 2 off County Kerry).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 6th August 2013  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of another Two-barred Crossbill, this time in Moray at Roseisle Forest. Elsewhere, a White-rumped Sandpiper arrived at Tacumshin, County Wexford, whlist two Bee-eaters flew over Whitburn, County Durham.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present comprised the Roller in Norfolk, Blue-winged Teal in Cambridgeshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Hampshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Carmarthenshire, Bonaparte's Gulls in both Kent and Lancashire, and the Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire.

Scarcities included Night Heron (Leicestershire), Cory's Shearwater (Devon), Spotted Crake (Herefordshire), Ring-necked Duck (County Londonderry), and Pectoral Sandpiper (Berkshire, Lincolnshire and West Sussex).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 5th August 2013  
  The highlight of the day was a Roller at Horsey, Norfolk, that showed throughout the afternoon and into the evening. Elsewhere, in Kent a Caspian Tern flew past St Margaret's at Cliffe, and a Black Kite flew over Margate, whilst at Spurn, East Yorkshire, an American Golden Plover passed by in the morning, and an Alpine Swift moved through in the evening.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present comprised the Black Duck in County Kerry, Long-billed Dowitcher in Hampshire, and Blue-winged Teal in Cambridgeshire.

Scarcities included Night Heron (Leicestershire), Cattle Egret (Kent), Spotted Crake (Herefordshire), Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Kent and County Wexford (2)), and Pectoral Sandpiper (Aberdeenshire, Berkshire, Cheshire and Lincolnshire). Seawatch highlights included Great Shearwater (three passing Devon), and Cory's Shearwater (Cornwall, Devon (3), and County Kerry).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 4th August 2013  
  A very good day to be sea-watching in the south-west. The first Mega came mid morning, when a Fea's Petrel flew west past Gwennap Head, Porthgwarra, Cornwall. This site logged 47 Great Shearwaters and 16 Cory's Shearwaters by 6pm. The second Mega species seen was a Yelkouan Shearwater, which flew past Start Point, Devon, late morning. The same observer at the same site then scored a Barolo Shearwater early evening, as well as a single Cory's Shearwater, two Great Shearwaters and an impressive 255 Balearic Shearwaters.

Other new rarities discovered today included a Red-footed Falcon over Langdale End, North Yorkshire, a Gull-billed Tern at Lady's Island Lake and a White-rumped Sandpiper at The Cull, both County Wexford, and a Black Kite over Carbis Bay, Cornwall.

Lingering rarities included seven Two-barred Crossbills and Western Subalpine Warbler on Shetland, another Two-barred Crossbill in Lancashire, Blue-winged Teal in Cambridgeshire, Black Duck in County Kerry, Long-billed Dowitcher in Hampshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Carmarthenshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 3rd August 2013  
  A juvenile Two-barred Crossbill at Browsholme Hall, Lancashire today is, perhaps surprisingly, a first for the county. A Blue-winged Teal was seen on the Ouse Washes, Cambridgeshire, and a Black-winged Stilt was at Cley NWT, Norfolk very briefly mid afternoon. An Alpine Swift flew over Gibraltar Point NNR, Lincolnshire and a Black Kite flew over Bastreet Downs, Cornwall.

Lingering rarities included the Western Subalpine Warbler and four Two-barred Crossbills on Fair Isle, Shetland, a single Two-barred Crossbill on Orkney, three Little Bitterns (including a juvenile) in Somerset, Long-billed Dowitcher in Hampshire, Black Duck in County Kerry, single Bonaparte's Gulls in Kent and Lancashire and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 2nd August 2013  
  A Black Kite over Porthgwarra, Cornwall was the only new rarity discovered today. Late news of a dowitcher species at Pennington Marshes, Hampshire yesterday prompted a search, with confirmation of a Long-billed Dowitcher being present from early afternoon.

Lingering rarities included four Two-barred Crossbills on Fair Isle, Shetland, two more at Stromness, Orkney and a Bonaparte's Gull at Heysham, Lancashire.

Scarcities included a Night Heron in Leicestershire, a Red-necked Phalarope in County Wexford, a Spotted Crake in Northumberland and Pectoral Sandpipers in Lincolnshire, Cheshire, Gwent and Sussex.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 1st August 2013  
  Seabirds stole the headlines today with a Bulwer's Petrel passing west at Galley Head, County Cork the standout sighting; constituting only the second record for Ireland. In Cornwall a Fea's Petrel and a Great Shearwater both passed Porthwgwarra, off the Isles of Scilly a Wilson's Petrel was seen from a pelagic, a Sabine's Gull moved past County Waterford, and extras in County Cork included a Wilson's Petrel at sea, three Cory's Shearwaters and 17 Great Shearwaters passing Galley Head.

Rarities comprised at least 14 Two-barred Crossbills on the Shetland Isles, a Two-barred Crossbill on the Orkney Isles, Long-billed Dowitcher and Lesser Yellowlegs together in Carmarthenshire, and Bonapartes's Gulls in both Kent and Lancashire.

Scarcities included Marsh Warbler (Shetland Isles), Spotted Crake (Northumberland), Cattle Egret (Kent), Night Heron (Leicestershire and South Yorkshire), and Pectoral Sandpiper (Cheshire, Devon and West Sussex).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 31st July 2013  
  Seawatching produced the highlights today, with, in County Cork, three Fea's Petrels and five Long-tailed Skuas passing Galley Head, and nearby a Wilson's Petrel, 2,500 Cory's Shearwaters and 120 Great Shearwaters counted at Mizen Head. In Cornwall a Fea's Petrel passed Porthgwarra, along with four Cory's and 24 Great Shearwaters, with two Cory's Shearwaters off St Ives, and a Long-tailed Skua was noted off The Lizard.

A Two-barred Crossbill was seen briefly in Surrey at Redlands Wood, a Black Kite flew over Rye Street, Kent, and in Lincolnshire three Baltic Gulls were identified: two at Elsham and one at North Hykeham.

Lingering rarities comprised the Gull-billed Tern and eight Two-barred Crossbills on the Shetland Isles, two Two-barred Crossbills on the Orkney Isles, Long-billed Dowitcher in Carmarthenshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Lancashire, and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire.

Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Highland), Night Heron (Leicestershire), Spotted Crake (Northumberland), Pectoral Sandpiper (West Sussex), and 14 Great White Egrets (including eight together in Somerset).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 30th July 2013  
  Today, Two-barred Crossbills continued to arrive with seven more discovered on the Shetland Isles today, two on the Orkney Isles at Stromness, and one still in Norfolk, at Lynford Arboretum. Other discoveries comprised a Black Kite over-flying the Farne Islands, Northumberland, and a new Baltic Gull at Elsham, Lincolnshire.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Gull-billed Tern on the Shetland Isles, two Little Bitterns in Somerset, Spotted Sandpiper in Northumberland, Long-billed Dowitcher in Carmarthenshire, Bonaparte's Gulls in both Kent and Lancashire, and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire.

Scarcities included Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Western Isles), Pectoral Sandpiper (Devon and Gwent), and Surf Scoter (County Kerry), whilst seabirding featured Cory's Shearwater (17 off the Isles of Scilly and one passing Cornwall), Great Shearwater (10 off Scilly), and a total of 185 Balearic Shearwater sightings logged between Scilly, East Sussex and County Down.
-  Chris Batty, RBA