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 23rd April 2016  
  Highlight of the day was the discovery of a Bonelli's warbler species in Cornwall; the bird was trapped and ringed in Nanjizal Valley, and although it was not heard to call, the bird's biometrics suggested Eastern Bonelli's Warbler. Unfortunately the bird was not seen after it's release in nearby Polgigga.

Elsewhere rarity highlights comprised Iberian Chiffchaffs in Kent and Shropshire, Snowy Owl on Isles of Scilly, Long-billed Dowitchers in Hampshire and Northumberland, White-billed Diver in Moray, Broad-billed Sandpiper in Gwent, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan, Hudsonian Whimbrel in Cornwall, Black Kite in East Sussex and Bonaparte's Gull in Co Wexford.

The best of the rest included Purple Heron (Devon), Wryneck (Norfolk), Richard's Pipit (East Yorkshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (East Yorkshire), two Kentish Plovers (Cornwall), three Dotterels, three Hoopoes and 8 Glossy Ibises.
Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 22nd April 2016  
  Headline discoveries included a Broad-billed Sandpiper in Gwent and two Kentish Plovers in Cornwall, whilst Savi's Warbler (Suffolk), Hudsonian Whimbrel (Cornwall), American Herring Gull (Western Isles), Iberian Chiffchaff (Shropshire), White-billed Diver (Moray and Orkney) and Long-billed Dowitcher (Northumberland) all lingered.

The best of the rest included Hoopoes (Scilly [2] and Worcestershire), Cattle Egret (Suffolk), Spotted Crake (Lancashire) Glossy Ibis (Kent) and five Dotterel.
Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 21st April 2016  
  The annual gathering of White-billed Divers off Portsoy, Aberdeenshire continues, with at least seven birds offshore today, whilst other singletons continued to linger off Burghead (Moray), Herston (Orkney) and Port Skigersta (Western Isles).

Other lingering rarities included the Iberian Chiffchaff in Shropshire, both American Herring Gulls in Cornwall, Long-billed Dowitcher in Northumberland, single King Eiders in Fife and Highland and Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan.
Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 20th April 2016  
  A singing Iberian Chiffchaff was found at Reculver, Kent today, whilst late news from Saturday concerned a drake Bufflehead seen off Oban harbour, Argyll.

Lingering rarities seen today included the Iberian Chiffchaff in Shropshire, American Herring Gull and two White-billed Divers in the Western Isles, King Eider in Highland and Long-billed Dowitcher in Northumberland.

Scarcity highlights included singles of Hoopoe, Great Grey Shrike, Rough-legged Buzzard, Surf Scoter, American Wigeon, Ring-necked Duck, Green-winged Teal and Black Brant and two each of Richard's Pipit, Shorelark, Cattle Egret and Glossy Ibis.
Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 19th April 2016  
  Rarities today comprised both Black Kite and Red-rumped Swallow migrating along the coast of Kent, territorial Iberian Chiffchaffs still in Cornwall, Isles of Scilly and Shropshire, Savi's Warbler in Suffolk, American Herring Gull and two White-billed Divers on the Western Isles, Bonaparte's Gull and Lesser Scaup together in Glamorgan, King Eider and White-billed Diver in Aberdeenshire, King Eider in Highland, and Long-billed Dowitchers in both Hampshire and Northumberland.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (Dorset), Hoopoe (Pembrokeshire), Montagu's Harrier (Devon), Dotterel (Cornwall), Spotted Crake (Lancashire), Surf Scoter (North Yorkshire) and Glossy Ibis (Somerset), with two each of Serin, Richard's Pipit, Ring-necked Duck and Cattle Egret.
Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 18th April 2016  
  A male Snowy Owl was found in the Isles of Scilly this afternoon, firstly on Tresco before relocating to Bryher this evening. A drake King Eider was on the Ythan Estuary, Aberdeenshire, and single Red-rumped Swallows were at North Warren, Suffolk and Blashford Lakes HWT, Hampshire.

Lingering rarities present today included the Hudsonian Whimbrel and Iberian Chiffchaff in Cornwall, other Iberian Chiffchaffs in Shropshire and the Isles of Scilly, Savi's Warbler in Suffolk, single Long-billed Dowitchers in Hampshire and Northumberland and White-billed Diver in Orkney.
Will Soar, RBA
Sunday 17th April 2016  
  New discoveries today included an Iberian Chiffchaff on Tresco, Isles of Scilly, two more Black-winged Stilts joining yesterdays bird at Cliffe Pools RSPB, Kent and the Black Duck reappeared at Strontian, Highland.

Lingering rarities recorded today included the Glaucous-winged Gull in County Cork, Hudsonian Whimbrel, Snowy Owl, Iberian Chiffchaff and American Herring Gull in Cornwall, another Iberian Chiffchaff in Shropshire, Savi's Warbler in Suffolk, Western Subalpine Warbler in Dorset, single Long-billed Dowitchers in Hampshire and Northumberland, American Herring Gull and White-billed Diver in the Western Isles, another White-billed Diver in Orkney, King Eider in Fife and Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan.
Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 16th April 2016  
  A Black-winged Stilt was found at Cliffe Pools RSPB, Kent, and a Red-rumped Swallow was on Portland, Dorset.

Lingering rarities included the Glaucous-winged Gull in County Cork, Hudsonian Whimbrel, Iberian Chiffchaff and American Herring Gull in Cornwall, another Iberian Chiffchaff in Shropshire, Savi's Warbler in Suffolk, Western Subalpine Warbler and another Subalpine Warbler species in Dorset, American Herring Gull in the Western Isles, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, single Long-billed Dowitchers in Hampshire and Northumberland, single King Eiders in Fife and Highland and Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan.
Will Soar, RBA
Friday 15th April 2016  
  New discoveries today included a Savi's Warbler at Hummersea, Cleveland and a Red-rumped Swallow at Freiston Shore RSPB, Lincolnshire, whilst in Cornwall the male Snowy Owl was relocated near Carn Kenidjack.

Lingering rarities seen today included the Hudsonian Whimbrel and Iberian Chiffchaff in Cornwall, another Iberian Chiffchaff in Shropshire, Savi's Warbler in Suffolk, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll in Shetland, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, single King Eiders in Fife and Highland and single White-billed Divers in Orkney and the Western Isles.
Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 14th April 2016  
  The headlines today concerned two significant items of late news: an Alpine Accentor present yesterday in Hampshire at Brownwich, and a Pallid Harrier on Tuesday at Marshfield, Gloucestershire, although neither bird could be relocated today.

Rarities today comprised a new King Eider in Highland at Achiltibuie, a Spotted Sandpiper reported in Dorset at Middlebere, territorial Iberian Chiffchaffs in both Cornwall and Shropshire, Savi's Warbler in Suffolk, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on Fair Isle, King Eider still in Fife, Long-billed Dowitcher in Hampshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, White-billed Divers on the Orkney Isles and the Western Isles, and Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (Dorset), Yellow-browed Warbler (London), Wryneck (Gwynedd), Ring-necked Duck (Somerset), American Wigeon (West Sussex), Montagu's Harrier and Rough-legged Buzzard (both Norfolk), two each of Purple Heron, Shorelark and Glossy Ibis, three Hoopoes, four Cattle Egrets and seven Surf Scoters.
Chris Batty, RBA