Daily News Summaries
This page gives you access to all of RBA's daily news summaries (since April 13, 2006), 10 days at a time. The most recent are shown, or you can select a specific date to show (along with the previous 10 days). Prior to April 13, 2006 you can find weekly reviews, located in articles.
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Friday 6th June 2014  
  New discoveries today included a Blyth's Reed Warbler at Spurn, Yorkshire, a Greenish Warbler on Fair Isle, Shetland, a Bonaparte's Gull at Topsham, Devon (joining the long staying Ross's Gull briefly), a Black Kite over North Creake, Norfolk and a Black-winged Stilt at Barnham Brooks, Sussex.

Other lingering rarities included the Spectacled Warbler in Norfolk, Great Reed Warbler in Shetland, Lesser Scaup in Cheshire, King Eider in Lothian and breeding Black-winged Stilts in Kent and Sussex.
Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 5th June 2014  
  The highlight of the day was a Black Stork in Suffolk, where it was tracked overhead between Lowestoft and Covehithe during the late morning.

Rarities elsewhere comprised the Spectacled Warbler still in Norfolk, Ross's Gull in Devon, both Caspian Tern and Great Reed Warbler on the Shetland Isles, Savi's Warbler in Gwent, King Eider in Lothian, Lesser Scaup in Cheshire, the pair of Black-winged Stilts in Kent, and two Bee-eaters briefly in Borders.

Scarcities included 12 Red-backed Shrikes, six Glossy Ibises, two each of both Marsh Warbler and migrant Red-necked Phalarope, Rose-coloured Starling (South Yorkshire), Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Woodchat Shrike (both Cleveland), Purple Heron (Cornwall), Red-breasted Flycatcher and Icterine Warbler (both Shetland Isles), Pectoral Sandpiper (Suffolk) and Ring-necked Duck (County Down).

Significant late news concerned a singing Savi's Warbler present yesterday at Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire.
Chris Batty, RBA
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
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
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
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