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 28th June 2015  
  A Pacific Golden Plover was present for its second day at Breydon Water, Norfolk, whilst five Bee-eaters were nearby over Potter Heigham (with another of the latter over Dungeness, Kent). By amazing coincidence, a male Little Bittern was discovered at Kirkby-on-Bain GPs, Lincolnshire, by the same birder who found yesterday's Squacco Heron at the same site (of which there was no sign).

Lingering rarities seen today included the Hudsonian Whimbrel in Sussex, Greater Yellowlegs in Hampshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wexford, Franklin's Gull in County Derry, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, King Eider in Highland and Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 27th June 2015  
  A Squacco Heron was found at Kirkby-on-Bain GPs, Lincolnshire mid morning, and was present on and off for the rest of the day. A drake King Eider was just west of Nairn, Highland, and Bee-eaters were seen over Uttoxeter Quarry, Staffordshire, Alderton and Aldeburgh (five), both Suffolk and seven were over Kingsdown and Hawkinge, Kent.

Lingering rarities included the Hudsonian Whimbrel in West Sussex, Blyth's Reed Warbler in Aberdeenshire, Franklin's Gull in County Derry and Bonaparte's Gull in Kent.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 26th June 2015  
  Another great day for finding Bee-eaters, with birds recorded at Lympne, Kent, Lewes and Ashdown Forest (three), East Sussex, eight at Marks Tey, Essex, five at Woodbridge, Suffolk and two at Great Ormes Head, Conwy. Otherwise, a Black Kite was reported from Colligan, County Waterford, and a singing Greenish Warbler was reported from Dunball, Somerset.

Lingering rarities seen today included the Hudsonian Whimbrel in West Sussex, Little Bittern in Suffolk, Squacco Heron in Cleveland, Blyth's Reed Warbler in Aberdeenshire, Franklin's Gull in County Derry and Bonaparte's Gull in Kent.

Scarcity highlights involved a Melodious Warbler, a Serin, an Ortolan Bunting, a Ring-billed Gull, a Green-winged Teal, an American Wigeon and two Ring-necked Ducks.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 25th June 2015  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today were the Hudsonian Whimbrel in West Sussex, Greater Yellowlegs in Hampshire, Franklin's Gull in County Londonderry, Blyth's Reed Warbler in Aberdeenshire and Bonaparte's Gull in Kent.

Otherwise, a flock of 10 Bee-eaters moved from Kent to West Sussex, with another briefly in Lothian, the territorial Melodious Warbler remained in the West Midlands, as did the Ortolan Bunting in Highland, Purple Heron on the Isles of Scilly, and both American Wigeon and Red-necked Phalarope together in Aberdeenshire. Elsewhere, a Marsh Warbler arrived on the Shetland Isles, Golden Oriole in Kent and Red-backed Shrike in Suffolk.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 24th June 2015  
  The highlight of the day was a territorial Blyth's Reed Warbler in Aberdeenshire at Inverurie, where it has been present for around a week.

Continuing rarities were the Hudsonian Whimbrel in West Sussex, Greater Yellowlegs in Hampshire, Franklin's Gull in County Londonderry, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent and King Eider on the Shetland Isles.

Otherwise, brief encounters included a Whiskered Tern in Suffolk, Alpine Swift in Ayrshire, and Red-footed Falcon in Greater Manchester, with Bee-eaters noted in Kent (4) and Norfolk (5).

Scarcities included Ortolan Bunting, Icterine Warbler and Common Rosefinch (all Highland), Rose-coloured Starling (Western Isles), Melodious Warbler (West Midlands), Purple Heron (Somerset), Temminck's Stint (Perth and Kinross), Red-necked Phalarope (Aberdeenshire), Golden Oriole and Green-winged Teal (Shetland Isles).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 23rd June 2015  
  Lingering rarities comprised Hudsonian Whimbrel in West Sussex, ten Bee-eaters in East Sussex (early morning only), Franklin's Gull in Co Derry, Greater Yellowlegs in Hampshire and Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, whilst new Bee-eaters were logged in Lothian and Somerset.

The best of the rest included Surf Scoter (North Yorkshire), Marsh Warbler (Norfolk), Melodious Warbler (West Midlands), Purple Heron (Glamorgan), Temminck's Stint (Perth & Kinross), Red-backed Shrike (Orkney) and Red-necked Phalarope (Suffolk).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 22nd June 2015  
  Today's new discoveries included Franklin's Gull in Co Derry, a flock of ten Bee-eaters in East Sussex and Black Kite in West Yorkshire, whilst Terek Sandpiper and Hudsonian Whimbrel (West Sussex), Greater Yellowlegs (Hampshire), Bonaparte's Gull (Kent), King Eider (Shetland) and Gull-billed Tern (Orkney) all lingered.

The best of the rest included Melodious Warbler (West Midlands), Purple Heron (Glamorgan), Golden Oriole (Shetland), Red-backed Shrike (Orkney), Ring-necked Duck (East Yorkshire), two American Wigeons, two Red-necked Phalaropes and three Marsh Warblers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 21st June 2015  
  Significant late news from yesterday concerned an Eyebrowed Thrush in Shetland, which was seen in a garden at Symbister, Whalsay. Unfortunately there were no confirmed sightings of the bird today.

A Terek Sandpiper was found at Church Norton, West Sussex, which spent all day within a few hundred yards of the long staying Hudsonian Whimbrel. Other discoveries included a Tawny Pipit at Seafrd Head, East Sussex, a Rustic Bunting at Sumburgh, Shetland and a Bee-eater at Dunwich Heath, Suffolk.

Other lingering rarities included the Greater Yellowlegs in Hampshire, White-rumped Sandpiper in Norfolk, single Bonaparte's Gulls in Kent and Western Isles (with five Bee-eaters also in the latter county) and a Subalpine Warbler in Orkney.

There was no sign of the Cretzschmar's Bunting in Gwynedd, which therefore matched the first ever British record to the exact date (10th to 20th June), becoming the joint longest staying bird of the six British records.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 20th June 2015  
  New discoveries today included a Gull-billed Tern in Birsay and a Subalpine Warbler sp on North Ronaldsay, both Orkney, a Bonaparte's Gull at Oare Marshes, Kent, a King Eider in Spey Bay, Moray and there are now five Bee-eaters on Barra, Western Isles.

Lingering rarities included the Cretzschmar's Bunting in Gwynedd, Hudsonian Whimbrel in Sussex, Greater Yellowlegs in Hampshire, Great Reed Warbler in Shetland, White-rumped Sandpiper in Norfolk and Bee-eater in Yorkshire.

Scarcity highlights included a Melodious Warbler, an Icterine Warbler, a Rose-coloured Starling, an American Wigeon, a Ring-necked Duck, two Purple Herons, four Marsh Warblers and four Red-necked Phalaropes.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 19th June 2015  
  Highlight of the day was the (presumed) reappearance of the Cedar Waxwing on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly. First described by a non-birder on 2nd June, it was rediscovered a few hundred yards away on Trench Lane late morning today, where it was present on and off until 12.50pm, with no further sightings by the evening.

New Bee-eaters found today included one west over Dowsby Fen, Lincolnshire and ten north over Minsmere RSPB, Suffolk (with three others lingering on Barra, Western Isles).

Other lingering rarities included the Cretzschmar's Bunting in Gwynedd, Hudsonian Whimbrel in Sussex, Greater Yellowlegs in Hampshire, Great Reed Warbler in Shetland and White-rumped Sandpiper in Norfolk.

Scarcity highlights involved singles of Melodious Warbler, Marsh Warbler, Woodchat Shrike, Rose-coloured Starling, Golden Oriole, Spotted Crake, American Wigeon and Purple Heron and two each of Red-backed Shrike and Icterine Warbler.
-  Will Soar, RBA