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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Saturday 31st May 2014  
  Britain's third Short-toed Eagle was discovered at Morden Bog, Dorset at 10am. Sitting in a pine for just ten minutes it then flew east, but was seen again in flight nearby at 2.30pm. Late afternoon it returned to the pines, and became the second twitchable Short-toed Eagle ever, being present until dusk.

Other new discoveries today included a Whiskered Tern at Topsham, Devon (joining the long staying Ross's Gull), a Blyth's Reed Warbler near Girdle Ness, Aberdeenshire, a Pallid Swift over Spurn, Yorkshire and single Black Storks over Dawlish, Devon and Kenilworth, Warwickshire. Black Kites were seen over St Ann's Head, Pembrokeshire and Brenchley, Kent, whilst Bee-eaters were at East Prawle, Devon and Pig Bush, Hampshire.

Other lingering rarity highlights included the Black-headed Bunting in Norfolk, Caspian Stonechat in Shetland, Savi's Warblers in Gwent and Aberdeenshire and Bonaparte's Gull in Surrey.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 30th May 2014  
  New discoveries today included a Broad-billed Sandpiper on Holy Island, Northumberland early morning, a Bonaparte's Gull at Staines Reservoirs, Surrey (the first for the county), single Rustic Buntings at Happisburgh, Norfolk and on Unst, Shetland, single Greenish Warblers at Donna Nook, Lincolnshire and Durlston Country Park, Dorset, an Alpine Swift at Westburn Park, Aberdeenshire and a Black-winged Stilt at Clogheen, County Cork. Bee-eaters were found in Devon and Norfolk (two), and a Savi's Warbler found late evening yesterday at Loch of Strathbeg RSPB, Aberdeenshire was still present tonight.

Lingering rarities were headlined by the Black-headed Bunting in Norfolk, Caspian Stonechat and Rustic Bunting in Shetland, Ross's Gull in Devon, Savi's Warbler in Gwent, three Bee-eaters in Cleveland, Lesser Scaup in Cheshire, single King Eiders in Lothian and Aberdeenshire and two Black-winged Stilts in Sussex.

Scarcity totals included an Ortolan Bunting, a Night Heron, a Woodchat Shrike, a Bluethroat, a Corncrake (in Kent), a Montagu's Harrier, a Temminck's Stint, two Common Rosefinches, three Red-breasted Flycatchers, four Golden Orioles, five Marsh Warblers, five Glossy Ibises, five Roseate Terns, seven Honey Buzzards, 11 Icterine Warblers and 15 Red-backed Shrikes.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 29th May 2014  
  A Ross's Gull was identified in Devon at Bowling Green Marsh (present for its ninth day, having previously been misidentified as a Little Gull). New discoveries comprised Blyth's Reed Warbler in London, Black Kite in Kent, King Eider in Lothian, Greenish Warblers in Norfolk, Northumberland and Co Durham and Bee-eaters in Shetland, Devon, Dorset, West Sussex and Cleveland (3).

Lingering rarities included Collared Flycatcher and Caspian Stonechat on Shetland, Black-headed Bunting in Norfolk, Savi's Warbler in Gwent, Lesser Scaup in Cheshire, King Eider in Aberdeenshire and Black-winged Stilts in Kent and Sussex.

The best of the rest included at least 15 Red-backed Shrikes, 12 Icterine Warblers, four Marsh Warblers, four Golden Orioles, three Red-breasted Flycatchers, three Common Rosefinches, two Red-necked Phalaropes, two Glossy Ibises, Montagu's Harrier (Suffolk), Temminck's Stint (Glamorgan), Rose-coloured Starling (Kent), Woodchat Shrike (Cleveland), Bluethroat (East Yorkshire), Shorelark (Norfolk) and Pectoral Sandpiper (Shetland).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 28th May 2014  
  The highlight of the day was a Collared Flycatcher on Fair Isle, where the Caspian Stonechat remained alongside a Common Rosefinch and six Red-backed Shrikes. Elswehere on the Shetland Isles, Blyth's Reed Warblers were found on both Out Skerries and Whalsay, with Icterine Warbler, Marsh Warbler, Common Rosefinch, Wryneck, Glossy Ibis and two Red-backed Shrikes scattered around the archipelago.

Elsewhere, new discoveries included a Black-headed Bunting in Norfolk at West Runton, with a Eastern Subalpine Warbler on Blakeney Point, a Blyth's Reed Warbler in Kent at Dungeness, Subalpine Warbler in East Yorkshire at Spurn, Black-winged Stilt in County Offaly, and a Bee-eater on the Isle of Wight.

Lingering rarities comprised four Bee-eaters still in Dorset, a pair of Black-winged Stilts in West Sussex, Savi's Warbler in Gwent, White-billed Diver in Highland, King Eider in Aberdeenshire and Lesser Scaup in Cheshire.

Away from the Shetland Isles, scarce migrants included 19 Red-backed Shrikes, four Icterine Warblers, two each of both Common Rosefinch and Cattle Egret, and single Red-breasted Flycatcher (Dorset), Marsh Warbler (Argyll), Woodchat Shrike (Cleveland), Golden Oriole (Isle of Wight), Purple Heron (Cornwall), Pectoral Sandpiper (Gwent), Grey-headed Wagtail and migrant Montagu's Harrier (both Suffolk).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 27th May 2014  
  The Scottish Islands had a outstanding day with, in Argyll a Collared Flycather on Tiree, Rustic Bunting on Iona, and Bee-eater on Mull, on the Western Isles a Blyth's Reed Warbler on North Uist, on the Orkney Isles an Alpine Swift still at Birsay, and on the Shetland Isles Blyth's Reed Warbler and Caspian Stonechat on Fair Isle, and Rustic Buntings at both Pool of Virkie and Out Skerries. Across the archipelagos, scarcity totals comprised six Red-backed Shrikes, two each of Icterine Warbler and Common Rosefinch, and singles of Short-toed Lark, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Bluethroat, Marsh Warbler, Wryneck and Temminck's Stint.

Otherwise, a Greenish Warbler at Landguard, Suffolk was the highlight of the day, whilst four Bee-eaters and a brief Red-footed Falcon were noted in Dorset on Portland, a Blue-winged Teal was new in County Cork at Clonakilty, and both Black Stork and Black Kite overflew East Sussex.

Other lingering rarities comprised the Savi's Warbler in Gwent, Lesser Scaup in Cheshire, and breeding pairs of Black-winged Stilt in both Kent and West Sussex.

Away from Scotland, scarcities included three Golden Orioles, two each of both Woodchat Shrike and Common Rosefinch, and singles of White-winged Black Tern and Red-breasted Flycatcher (Northumberland), Red-backed Shrike (East Yorkshire), Serin (Isle of Wight), and Pectoral Sandpiper (Gwent).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 26th May 2014  
  The highlight of the day was a Slender-billed Gull in Norfolk, present at Titchwell briefly mid afternoon. Elsewhere in Norfolk a Black-headed Bunting was discovered in Cromer, and a Booted Eagle was reported or suspected over Norwich, then North Walsham, then Whitlingham, then Hickling Broad, then Northrepps, and finally Cromer.

Discoveries elsewhere included a Blyth's Reed Warbler in Pembrokeshire on Skomer, a Black Stork over West and East Yorkshire then Lincolnshire, a Two-barred Crossbill in Surrey at Horley, Alpine Swift on the Orkney Isles at Birsay, Lesser Scaup in Cheshire at Frodsham, and brief Bee-eaters in both Kent and the Isles of Scilly.

Lingering rarities comprised the Little Bittern in Greater Manchester, Broad-billed Sandpiper in North Yorkshire, Savi's Warbler in Gwent, Citrine Wagtail in Gwynedd, two Black-winged Stilts together in West Sussex, and both Caspian Stonechat and Subalpine Warbler on Fair Isle.

Scarcities included five Red-backed Shrikes, two each of Golden Oriole, Common Rosefinch, Temminck's Stint and Grey-headed Wagtail, with single Woodchat Shrike (Isles of Scilly), Red-breasted Flycatcher (Fife), Serin (Dorset), Long-tailed Skua (South Yorkshire), Purple Heron (West Yorkshire), Hoopoe (Worcestershire), Bluethroat and Icterine Warbler (Shetland Isles), Marsh Warbler and Grey Phalarope (Orkney Isles).

Significant late news concerned a Semipalmated Sandpiper on South Uist, Western Isles on 24th May.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 25th May 2014  
  In Kent, a pale Booted Eagle flew north over Worth Marsh early afternoon. Further north, several quality rarities were discovered, the best being a Broad-billed Sandpiper at Nosterfield NR, Yorkshire, with a male Little Bittern at Elton Reservoir, Manchester coming a close second. A female Citrine Wagtail spent the afternoon on Bardsey Island, Gwynedd, whilst warblers included a Blyth's Reed Warbler at Long Nab, Yorkshire, a Great Reed Warbler at Saltfleetby, Lincolnshire and a Western Subalpine Warbler at Esha Ness, Shetland, with a male Black-headed Wagtail and a Red-rumped Swallow also on the archipelago, on Fetlar and Mainland respectively.

A White-billed Diver was in Dunnet Bay, Highland and another flew past Lossiemouth, Moray, whilst new or relocating Bee-eaters were seen in Yorkshire (five), Cambridgeshire (five) and Kent (three).

Lingering rarity highlights included the Caspian Stonechat and Subalpine Warbler in Shetland, Great Reed Warbler in Somerset, Savi's Warbler in Gwent, four Bee-eaters in Kent, Black-winged Stilts in Somerset and Sussex (two), King Eider in Aberdeenshire and Two-barred Crossbills in Kent and Norfolk.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 24th May 2014  
  New discoveries today were topped by a singing Great Reed Warbler at Chew Valley Lake, Somerset and a singing Savi's Warbler at Uskmouth NR, Gwent, both of which showed very well. Other new discoveries today included an Alpine Swift and a Blyth's Reed Warbler in Shetland, on Unst and Foula respectively, a Red-footed Falcon and four Bee-eaters in Kent and further Bee-eaters in Oxfordshire and Yorkshire (five).

Lingering rarities seen today included the Black-headed Bunting in Pembrokeshire, Caspian Stonechat, Subalpine Warbler and Citrine Wagtail in Shetland and Black-winged Stilts in Somerset, Sussex (two) and Kent.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 23rd May 2014  
  Highlights today included a Great Reed Warbler trapped at Gibraltar Point NNR, Lincolnshire, a Broad-billed Sandpiper on Islay, Argyll, a Citrine Wagtail at Haroldswick, Shetland and a Snowy Owl on Benbecula, Western Isles. More regular spring rarities included a Black-winged Stilt in Somerset and a Red-rumped Swallow and four Bee-eaters in Suffolk, with further Bee-eaters in Kent (five), Norfolk and County Kerry.

The Baillon's Crake remained in Kent, as did the King Eider in Aberdeenshire and the flock of five Bee-eaters in Yorkshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 22nd May 2014  
  Two Mega-rarities were discovered today - a Baillon's Crake in Kent and Calandra Lark on Fair Isle (where the Caspian Stonechat, Western Subalpine Warbler and Bluethroat all lingered). Elsewhere new discoveries included Bee-eaters in East Yorkshire (5) and Suffolk, Savi's Warbler in Dorset and Great Reed Warbler in Berkshire, whilst lingering rarities included Black-headed Bunting in Pembrokeshire, Two-barred Crossbill in Norfolk, King Eider in Aberdeenshire and Red-rumped Swallow on Shetland.

The best of the rest included Grey-headed Wagtail in Norfolk, Red-necked Phalarope in Buckinghamshire, American Wigeon on Western Isles, Red-breasted Flycatcher in Cornwall, two each of Purple Heron, Red-backed Shrike and Pectoral Sandpiper, three Glossy Ibises, three White-winged Black Terns and 11 Temminck's Stints.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA