 |
|
|
| Wednesday 4th June 2014 | ||
|
||
| The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Caspian Tern at Loch of Hillwell, Shetland
Isles: the first of the year in Britain, and only the fourth to be recorded alive in Shetland. Elsewhere, in Norfolk the territorial Spectacled Warbler remained and the Black Stork showed again briefly, in Devon the Ross's Gull continued to linger, as did the Whiskered Tern on the Western Isles, Great Reed Warbler on the Shetland Isles, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, and the breeding pair of Black-winged Stilts in West Sussex. In Northumberland a Great Reed Warbler was new at Cresswell Pond. Scarcities included a total of seven Red-backed Shrikes, four Glossy Ibises, two Rose-coloured Starlings, Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Woodchat Shrike (both Cleveland), Purple Heron (Cornwall), Marsh Warbler (Shetland Isles), Hoopoe (Aberdeenshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (Suffolk), American Wigeon (Highland), and Ring-necked Duck (County Down). |
||
| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
|
||
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.
|
|
|
| Tuesday 3rd June 2014 | ||
|
||
| The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Spectacled Warbler
at Burnham Overy Dunes (Norfolk). Nearby a Blyth's Reed Warbler was
discovered in Cley and a Black Stork flew over Thornham, Salthouse and
Kelling this evening. Elsewhere new discoveries included Great Reed Warbler
(Shetland), Black Kites (East Sussex and Norfolk), Whiskered Tern
(Western Isles) and Bee-eaters (Hampshire [5] and Isle of Wight [2]).
Lingering rarities comprised Ross's Gull (Devon), Savi's Warblers (Gwent and Aberdeenshire), Lesser Scaup (Cheshire), Black-winged Stilts (pairs in Kent and West Sussex), Rustic Bunting (Argyll), King Eiders (Aberdeenshire and Lothian) and White-billed Diver (Highland). The best of the rest included Glossy Ibises in Kent, Leicestershire and West Yorkshire, Purple Herons in Cornwall and Norfolk, Pectoral Sandpipers in Suffolk and Western Isles (2), Red-backed Shrike in Norfolk, Buff-breasted Sandpiper in Cleveland, Common Rosefinch in Co Cork, Spotted Crake in Dorset and Hoopoe in Aberdeenshire. |
||
| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Monday 2nd June 2014 | ||
|
||
| The highlight of the day was a singing male Spectacled Warbler at Burnham Overy Dunes, Norfolk. Discovered early in the afternoon, it remained
into the late evening and showed well. The eight British record, and the first twitchable record for Norfolk, with the only previous individual there being
on Scolt Head Island on 6th May 2011, and suppressed. New rarities elsewhere comprised a Citrine Wagtail in North Yorkshire at Burniston, Greenish Warbler in Somerset at Sand Point, Rustic Bunting in Argyll on Tiree, a brief Black Kite in Kent, and Bee-eaters in both Hampshire (5) and Somerset (2). Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Ross's Gull in Devon, territorial Savi's Warblers in both Aberdeenshire and Gwent, King Eider in Lothian, Lesser Scaup in Cheshire, and the pair of Black-winged Stilts in Kent. Scarcities included Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Cleveland), Purple Heron (Cornwall), Woodchat Shrike (Kent), Grey-headed Wagtail (Shetland Isles), migrant Red-necked Phalarope (Cambridgeshire), Common Rosefinch and Pectoral Sandpiper (both on the Western Isles), two each of Marsh Warbler and Hoopoe, and three Cattle Egrets (together in Kent). |
||
| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Sunday 1st June 2014 | ||
|
||
| The Short-toed Eagle was, predictably, still at roost in its pine
tree at Morden Bog, Dorset early morning, remaining in position until around
10am when it flew SSW, with no confirmed sightings since.
New discoveries today included a Red-throated Pipit on Unst, Shetland, a Blyth's Reed Warbler at Whitburn, County Durham and a Black Kite over Bolderwood, Hampshire. Bee-eaters were found in Wirral, Devon (five), Dorset and Kent (two). Other lingering rarities included the Black-headed Bunting in Norfolk, Ross's Gull in Devon, Bonaparte's Gull in Surrey, Savi's Warblers in Gwent and Aberdeenshire, King Eiders in Lothian and Aberdeenshire and Lesser Scaup in Cheshire. |
||
| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| 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 | ||
|
||