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| Friday 7th August 2015 | ||
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| Black Storks again stole the show, with a new bird in the Dungeness
area of Kent this morning and others remaining at Spurn (Yorks), Loch of
Strathbeg (Aberdeens) and Gibraltar Point (Lincs). The breeding Bee-eaters
were still in Cumbria, with others reported at Gibraltar Point and Spurn.
Other long staying rarities comprised the Paddyfield Warbler on Shetland, White-rumped Sandpiper in Yorkshire and Bonaparte's Gull in Kent. The showy Sabine's Gull remained in Greater Manchester, with Ring-billed Gulls remaining in Lancashire and Cornwall. There was also an amazing flock of 440 Dunlin inland at Hollowell Reservoir in Northamptonshire. |
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| - Pete Hayman, RBA | ||
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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 6th August 2015 | ||
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| Two Black Storks showed today: in East Yorkshire at Spurn, and in Aberdeenshire at Loch of
Strathbeg. Both of these juveniles bear a white-ring and were ringed in the same nest in France near Bossus-les-Rumigny, Ardennes, on 3rd June. Other rarities today comprised the Paddyfield Warbler still on the Shetland Isles, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, Red-footed Falcon in Staffordshire, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, at least two Bee-eaters in Cumbria, a Red-rumped Swallow new in County Galway at High Island, and a flyby Whiskered Tern at Dungeness, Kent. Scarcities included Hoopoe (Somerset), Purple Heron (Suffolk), Sabine's Gull (Forth and Greater Manchester), Ring-billed Gull (Cornwall and Lancashire), Pectoral Sandpiper (Northumberland and the Isles of Scilly), and Cory's Shearwater (County Cork and the Isles of Scilly). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 5th August 2015 | ||
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| Yet more Black Storks today with four different individuals confirmed late morning:
singles lingering in East Yorkshire at Spurn, in Lincolnshire at Gibraltar Point, and overflying
Cley, Norfolk, and both Wykeham Forest and Mickleby, North Yorkshire. Other rarities comprised the Paddyfield Warbler still on the Shetland Isles, Red-footed Falcon in Staffordshire, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, two Bee-eaters in Cumbria, a brief Alpine Swift in Norfolk at Horsey, and flocks of four Bee-eaters briefly in both Kent and Suffolk. Seawatching records included a Fea's/Zino's Petrel passing Porthgwarra, Cornwall, two Cory's Shearwaters (County Cork), Great Shearwater (Cornwall (6) and County Waterford), Long-tailed Skua (County Cork and County Waterford), Sabine's Gull (East Yorkshire and North Yorkshire), and a total of 160 Balearic Shearwaters. Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Glamorgan), Purple Heron (Suffolk), Sabine's Gull (Greater Manchester), Pectoral Sandpiper (Isles of Scilly), Ring-billed Gull (Cornwall and Lancashire), and a total of 19 Great White Egrets. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 4th August 2015 | ||
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| Black Storks were again the highlight of the day with three seen: one lingered in East Yorkshire at Spurn, a mobile bird toured the Lincolnshire coast, and another flew over Hoveringham, Nottinghamshire. Other rarities comprised a new White-rumped Sandpiper in Cleveland at South Gare, Paddyfield Warbler still on the Shetland Isles, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, at least two Bee-eaters in Cumbria, White-rumped Sandpiper and a brief Whiskered Tern in East Yorkshire. Scarcities included Sabine's Gull (Greater Manchester), Rose-coloured Starling (Glamorgan and the Shetland Isles), Pectoral Sandpiper (Kent and the Isles of Scilly), Ring-billed Gull (Cornwall and Lancashire), Cory's Shearwater (Cornwall) and Great Shearwater (Cornwall and County Wexford). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 3rd August 2015 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the presence of two Black Storks: one lingering in East Yorkshire at Spurn, the other migrating over Blacktoft Sands,
East Yorkshire, before being seen in Lincolnshire at both Alkborough and Tetney Lock. Elsewhere, the Paddyfield Warbler remained on the Shetland Isles, the Red-footed Falcon in Staffordshire, at least two Bee-eaters at the nest in Cumbria, Black Kite briefly in Suffolk, and the Little Bittern reported again in South Yorkshire. Seawatching was again headlined by at least one Fea's/Zino's Petrel making two passes at Galley Head, County Cork, with Cory's Shearwater and Great Shearwater there, Great Shearwater and Sabine's Gull off County Kerry. Scarcities included Kentish Plover (Dorset), Rose-coloured Starling (Glamorgan), Ring-billed Gull (Lancashire), and Pectoral Sandpiper (Isles of Scilly). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 2nd August 2015 | ||
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| The highlight of day was a Black Stork in Northumberland at Haggerston: perhaps the same Black Stork that had been suspected in Suffolk at Wenhaston on 28th July, and seen in flight over Greatham, Cleveland yesterday.
All the other rarities discovered today were brief encounters: a Little Bittern
in Derbyshire, Black Kite in Essex, and single Bee-eaters in both Devon and Suffolk. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Paddyfield Warbler
on the Shetland Isles, Red-footed Falcon in Staffordshire, and at least two
Bee-eaters at the nest in Cumbria. Seawatching brought the first Fea's/Zino's Petrels of the year, with at least two passing County Cork, being noted off Toe Head, Galley Head and Ballycotton. Other seabirds included Sabine's Gull (Isles of Scilly), Long-tailed Skua (County Cork), Cory's Shearwater (County Cork and County Wexford), and Great Shearwater (County Cork). The best of the rest comprised Rose-coloured Starling (Glamorgan), Serin and Purple Heron (Suffolk), Marsh Warbler (Hertfordshire), Glossy Ibis (East Yorkshire), Ring-billed Gull (Lancashire), and a total of 28 Great White Egrets. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 1st August 2015 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was a Caspian Tern that made a brief visit to Holland Haven, Essex. Elsewhere, two
Bee-eaters paused in Lincolnshire at Gibraltar Point, with at least two more still at nests in Cumbria,
Paddyfield Warbler on the Shetland Isles, Red-footed Falcon in Staffordshire,
White-rumped Sandpiper in East Yorkshire, and Lesser Scaup in Somerset. Scarcities included Buff-breasted Sandpiper (East Yorkshire), Rose-coloured Starling (Glamorgan), Common Rosefinch (Shetland Isles), Red-backed Shrike (Oxfordshire), Purple Heron (Cuffolk), Glossy Ibis (East Yorkshire and Pembrokeshire), Ring-billed Gull (County Kerry), Long-tailed Skua (Fife) and Great Shearwater (Cornwall). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Friday 31st July 2015 | ||
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Bee-eaters were the headline birds today, with the announcement of breeding, with up to six birds at two nests near Brampton in Cumbria. Viewing has been organised and over 200 people had visited during the day. Three Bee-eaters were also seen flying south west over St. Margaret's at Cliffe in east Kent. The Paddyfield Warbler remained on Noss in the Shetlands, whilst in Cornwal there was a late report of a Black Kite over the Eden Project yesterday. Other rarities included the Red-footed Falcon in Staffordshire, the Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, a King Eider in Highland and a Black Kite on the Suffolk coast. Scarcities included a Melodious Warbler in Norfolk, Red-necked Phalaropes in Suffolk and Somerset, Red-backed Shrike in Oxfordshire and Rose-coloured Starlings on the Western Isles and in Glamorgan. |
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| - Pete Hayman, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 30th July 2015 | ||
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| Rarities today comprised the Paddyfield Warbler still on the Shetland Isles, the
Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, and the Red-footed Falcon in Staffordshire. Scarcities included Purple Heron (Suffolk), Spotted Crake (Warwickshire), Red-backed Shrike (Oxfordshire), Surf Scoter (Aberdeenshire), Ring-billed Gull (Cornwall), and Long-tailed Skuas (singles passing East Yorkshire, North Yorkshire and Northumberland). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 29th July 2015 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the first Barolo Shearwater of the year; passing Pendeen Watch, Cornwall during the morning. Rarities elsewhere comprised the
Paddyfield Warbler still on the Shetland Isles, Red-footed Falcon in Staffordshire,
Black Kite in Suffolk, and White-rumped Sandpiper in County Antrim. A
Bee-eater made a brief appearance in Kent at Dungeness. Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Western Isles), Red-backed Shrike (Fife, Hampshire and Oxfordshire), Ring-billed Gull (Cornwall), Cory's Shearwater and Golden Oriole (both Norfolk). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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