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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Friday 28th April 2017  
  New discoveries included Eastern Subalpine Warbler (Dorset), Black Kite (Lothian) and two Red-rumped Swallows (Co Wexford), whilst the Pallid Harrier (Lancashire), Little Bittern (Isles of Scilly), Two-barred Crossbill (Somerset), King Eider and Black Duck (Highland), Lesser Scaup (Cornwall), Pied-billed Grebe (Argyll), Long-billed Dowitcher (Co Down), Gull-billed Tern (Co Cork), two Black-winged Stilts, two Savi's Warblers, five Bonaparte's Gulls, five Red-rumped Swallows and six White-billed Divers all lingered.

The best of the rest included Pectoral Sandpiper and Serin (Isle of Wight), Kentish Plover (Cornwall), Short-toed Lark (Isles of Scilly), White-tailed Eagle (Lancashire) and three Night Herons.<
Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 27th April 2017  
  Today's headline news related to an adult male Pallid Harrier in the Forest of Bowland (Lancashire), where it was present for its second day. A White-tailed Eagle was also present at the same site this evening.

Two sites simultaneously hosted a Bonaparte's Gull and Red-rumped Swallow today - Abberton Reservoir in Essex and Longham Lakes in Dorset. Bonaparte's Gulls also lingered in Hampshire, Oxfordshire and Co Kerry and a further four Red-rumped Swallows were logged (two in Nottinghamshire and singles in Surrey and East Sussex).

Elsewhere new discoveries included Black Kites in Kent and East Sussex, whilst the Gull-billed Tern (Co Cork), Long-billed Dowitcher (Co Down), Squacco Heron (Co Kerry), King Eider (Highland), Savi's Warbler (Norfolk), Black-winged Stilts (Isles of Scilly) and Two-barred Crossbill (Somerset) all lingered.

The best of the rest included Short-toed Lark (Isles of Scilly), Pectoral Sandpiper (Isle of Wight), Temminck's Stint (Conwy), Wryneck (East Sussex), Kentish Plover (Cornwall) and four Night Herons.
Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 26th April 2017  
  New discoveries included a Gull-billed Tern in Co Cork, Tawny Pipit in West Sussex, Long-billed Dowitcher in Co Down, White-billed Diver in Shetland and Bonaparte's Gull in Dorset.

Lingering rarities included Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, Two-barred Crossbill in Somerset, Bonaparte's Gulls in Essex, Hampshire and Oxfordshire, Savi's Warbler in Norfolk, White-billed Diver in Orkney and Little Bittern on Isles of Scilly.

The best of the rest included Yellow-browed Warbler (Somerset), White-tailed Eagle (Suffolk), Pectoral Sandpiper (Isle of Wight), Wryneck (Devon), Short-toed Lark and Golden Oriole (Isles of Scilly), four Night Herons and nine Dotterel.
Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 25th April 2017  
  The highlight of the day was a Red-footed Falcon in Kent at Grove Ferry. Elsewhere rarities comprised the Little Bittern still on the Isles of Scilly, Long-billed Dowitcher on the Orkney Isles, Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, territorial Savi's Warblers in both Norfolk and Suffolk, Black-winged Sitlts in Cambridgeshire (2) and the Isles of Scilly (2), and Bonaparte's Gulls in Essex, Hampshire and Oxfordshire.

Scarcities included Short-toed Lark (Isles of Scilly), Bluethroat (East Sussex), Hoopoe (County Durham), Dotterel (Conwy), Ring-necked Duck (Kent), two each of both Ring-billed Gull and Great Grey Shrike, four Night Herons, 20 Lapland Buntings, 22 Shorelarks and a total of 39 Cattle Egrets.
Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 24th April 2017  
  Mediterranean rarities dominated with a Little Bittern still on the Isles of Scilly, Western Subalpine Warbler in Cornwall, Black Kite in Norfolk, territorial Savi's Warblers in both Norfolk and Suffolk, a Red-rumped Swallow moving from North Yorkshire to East Yorkshire, and Black-winged Stilts in Cambridgeshire (2), Gloucestershire (3), Isles of Scilly (2) and West Sussex (2).

Associated scarcities were Ortolan Bunting (Suffolk), Hoopoe (Derbyshire), Kentish Plover (Dorset), Short-toed Lark and Golden Oriole (both on the Isles of Scilly), two each of Night Heron, Serin and Glossy Ibis, and a total of 39 Cattle Egrets.

Other rarities comprised the Pied-billed Grebe still in Argyll, Black Duck in Highland, Long-billed Dowitcher on the Orkney Isles, two White-billed Divers together in Aberdeenshire, Lesser Scaup in Cornwall and single Bonaparte's Gulls in Essex, Hampshire and Oxfordshire.
Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 23rd April 2017  
  The highlight of the day was a migrating adult male Pallid Harrier in East Yorkshire at Grimston early morning, with other discoveries including a Black Kite in County Cork at Midleton, an Alpine Swift in County Wexford at Tacumshin, two Black-winged Stilts on the Isles of Scilly, and in Cornwall a Subalpine Warbler sp at Land's End and a Red-rumped Swallow at Nanjizal. A Bonaparte's Gull in Aberdeenshire at Loch of Strathbeg was the fourth of that species seen during the day, with lingering birds still in Essex, Hampshire and Oxfordshire.

Other lingering rarities comprised the Squacco Heron still in County Kerry, Little Bittern on the Isles of Scilly, Two-barred Crossbill in Somerset, Lesser Yellowlegs in Kent, Red-footed Falcon and Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, Subalpine Warbler sp in Dorset, territorial Savi's Warblers in both Norfolk and Suffolk, White-billed Diver and Lesser Scaup on the Orkney Isles, Ross's Goose in Lothian, and Black-winged Stilts in Essex (2), Gloucestershire (3) and Northamptonshire (2).

Scarcities included Short-toed Lark, Golden Oriole and Hoopoe (all on the Isles of Scilly), Kentish Plover (Dorset), Night Heron (Shropshire), Spotted Crake (West Sussex), Dotterel (Kent), two each of Purple Heron, Richard's Pipit and Wryneck, and a total of 44 Cattle Egrets.
Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 22nd April 2017  
  New discoveries included a brief Tawny Pipit (Hampshire), Red-footed Falcon (Cornwall), Red-rumped Swallow and Subalpine Warbler (Dorset), Little Bittern (Isles of Scilly), Bonaparte's Gull (Essex), Lesser Yellowlegs (Kent), White-billed Diver (Moray) and Little Bittern (Isles of Scilly).

Lingering rarities included Squacco Heron (Co Kerry), Long-billed Dowitchers (Co Wexford and Orkney), Alpine Swift (Co Wicklow), Bonaparte's Gulls (Hampshire and Oxfordshire), trios of Black-winged Stilts in Essex and Gloucestershire, King Eider (Highland), Savi's Warblers (Norfolk and Suffolk) and White-billed Diver (Orkney).

The best of the rest included at Wryneck (Suffolk), Night Heron (Shropshire), Serin (Dorset), Kentish Plover (Dorset), at least one Purple Heron, two White-tailed Eagles and up to three Hoopoes.
Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 21st April 2017  
  New discoveries included a Subalpine Warbler in Co Wexford, Red-rumped Swallow on Isles of Scilly, two flyover Bee-eaters in London and a report of a Black Kite in Conwy.

Lingering rarities included Savi's Warblers in Norfolk and Suffolk, Two-barred Crossbill in Somerset, Bonaparte's Gulls in Hampshire and Oxfordshire, White-billed Diver in Orkney, Long-billed Dowitchers in Orkney and Co Wexford, Black Duck in Highland, Black-winged Stilts in Gloucestershire (3) and Essex (2), Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, Alpine Swift in Co Wicklow, Squacco Heron in Co Kerry and Pied-billed Grebe in Argyll.

The best of the rest included Hoopoes (West Sussex and Scilly), Purple Heron (Scilly), Wryneck (South Yorkshire), White-tailed Eagle (Norfolk), Kentish Plover (Hampshire), Night Heron (Devon), two Serins (Dorset) and Little Bunting (Cornwall).
Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 20th April 2017  
  Rarity highlights included Two-barred Crossbill in Somerset, Savi's Warblers in Norfolk and Suffolk, Bonaparte's Gulls in Hampshire and Oxfordshire, Black Duck in Highland, Long-billed Dowitcher in Orkney, Alpine Swift in Co Wicklow, Squacco Heron in Co Kerry, Bee-eater on Isles of Scilly, Subalpine Warbler in Pembrokeshire and Black Kite in London. Eleven Black-winged Stilts were also logged (five in Gloucestershire, three on the Northamptonshire/ Leicestershire border, two in Buckinghamshire and a lone bird in Suffolk).

The best of the rest included Purple Heron in West Sussex, White-tailed Eagle in Suffolk, Hoopoe in Norfolk, Serin in Kent, Little Bunting in Cornwall, American Golden Plover in Co Mayo and White Stork in Aberdeenshire.
Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 19th April 2017  
  The outstanding new discovery today was of a Hermit Thrush on the Isle of Noss on the Shetland Islands and it showed well during the afternoon for those who travelled across from mainland Shetland. Of eleven previously accepted records of this species, four have been on the Shetland Islands, and three of those in the spring, so this record is not without precedent.

Other new discoveries were of a Long-billed Dowitcher at Papa Westray on the Orkney Islands, a fly past drake King Eider at Lossiemouth in Moray and Nairn, six Black-winged Stilts at Slimbridge in Gloucestershire and a Savi's Warbler at Minsmere in Suffolk.

Other rarities still present included Bonaparte's Gulls in Hampshire and Oxfordshire, Squacco Heron in County Kerry, Two-barred Crossbill in Somerset, three Black-winged Stilts in Essex, White-billed Diver on Orkney and the long staying Black Duck was still to be found at Strontian in Highland.

Short staying Hoopoes were reported in South Yorkshire, County Durham and Norfolk, Dotterels were reported in Gwynedd and Shropshire and Shorelarks could still be found in Shropshire, North Yorkshire and Norfolk.
Pete Hayman, RBA