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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Wednesday 28th June 2017  
  The highlight of the day was the reappearance of the Black-browed Albatross, East Yorkshire, where it was present amongst the Gannets for several hours in the early afternoon before being lost to view. It had previously been noted at Bempton Cliffs on 13th May, 16th and 18th 2017, after having returned to Germany on 5th April. It was last noted in Germany on 24th June with 2017 being the fourth summer it was spent in the North Sea.

A Pacific Golden Plover was discovered on North Ronaldsay, Orkney Isles, and a Red-footed Falcon was reported briefly in Kent at Sandwich Bay. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Caspian Tern in Carmarthenshire, Iberian Chiffchaff in Cheshire, King Eider in Ceredigion, Little Bittern in Somerset, Red-footed Falcon in Kent and four Bee-eaters together in Nottinghamshire.

Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Western Isles), Purple Heron (Suffolk), Glossy Ibis (Somerset), Sabine's Gull (inland in North Yorkshire), two each of both Marsh Warbler and Commmon Rosefinch, and four Cattle Egrets.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 27th June 2017  
  Lingering rarities included the six Bee-eaters at East Leake, Nottinghamshire, Pied-billed Grebe at Loch Feorlin, Argyll, Caspian Tern at Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, King Eider at Aberaeron, Ceredigion, Savi's Warbler at Minsmere, Suffolk, six Black-winged Stilts at Potter Heigham, Norfolk and Little Bittern at Ham Wall, Somerset.

Scarcity highlights included a Common Rosefinch, a Rose-coloured Starling, a Sabine's Gull, a Purple Heron, a Honey Buzzard, a Glossy Ibis, an American Night Heron and two Marsh Warblers.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 26th June 2017  
  The highlight of the day was the continuing Bee-eaters in Nottinghamshire at East Leake where up to seven birds were noted throughout the day. Elsewhere, the Caspan Tern seen yesterday in Glamorgan was relocated 19 miles to the northwest at Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, and a female King Eider in Ceredigion at Aberaeron was the same individual present four days earlier - and 89 miles to the west - in Ireland at Carnsore Point, County Wexford.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Pied-billed Grebe in Argyll, two Savi's Warblers together in Suffolk, and Black-winged Stilt families in both Kent and Norfolk.

Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Western Isles), Purple Heron (Suffolk), Sabine's Gull (inland in North Yorkshire), Ring-necked Duck (Argyll), Night Heron (Shropshire), Red-backed Shrike (Glamorgan and Norfolk), four Cattle Egrets, Marsh Warbler and Common Rosefinch (together on the Shetland Isles).

Significant late news concerned a Paddyfield Warbler present on 25th June on Mousa, Shetland Isles.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 25th June 2017  
  The highlight of a busy day for new rarities was a Squacco Heron in County Kerry at Ross Castle. Elsewhere, a Caspian Tern showed welll in Glamorgan at Sker, a Little Bittern was found in South Yorkshire at Old Moor, a Red-footed Falcon was new in Kent at Stodmarsh, and in Nottinghamshire a party of three Bee-eaters was discovered at East Leake in the evening.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the territorial Little Bittern in Somerset, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, Savi's Warbler in Suffolk, Red-footed Falcon in Cornwall, and Black-winged Stilts in both Cambridgeshire (2) and Norfolk (6).

Scarcities included six Cattle Egrets, Common Rosefinch (Dorset), Red-backed Shrike (Norfolk), Glossy Ibis (Somerset), Night Heron (Shropshire), Cory's Shearwater and Great Shearwater (both passing Cornwall).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 24th June 2017  
  Today's new discoveries included an Alpine Swift at Lodmoor RSPB (Dorset), Red-rumped Swallow at Bowling Green Marsh RSPB (Devon) and a Bufflehead at Clifford Hill Gravel Pits (Northamptonshire), but a metal ring on the latter bird's leg suggests captive origin.

Lingering rarities included Pied-billed Grebe in Argyll, Black-winged Stilts in Cambridgeshire (2) and Norfolk (6) and at least one Savi's Warbler in Suffolk, whilst the best of the rest included a party of three 1st-summer Sabine's Gulls at Belvide Reservoir (Staffordshire), Rose-coloured Starling on Barra (Western Isles), Red-backed Shrike at Thursley Common (Surrey), American Night Heron in Shrewsbury (Shropshire), Night Heron at Ham Wall RSPB (Somerset), Common Rosefinch on Skomer (Pembrokeshire) and Icterine Warbler at Nigg Bay (Highland).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 23rd June 2017  
  Lingering rarities included the family of Black-winged Stilts in Norfolk and couple of singing Savi's Warblers in Suffolk, whilst the American Night Heron (Shropshire) and Rose-coloured Starling on Islay also remained on show. A Dotterel in Co Durham, Surf Scoter in Fife, three Cattle Egrets (Devon [2] and Greater Manchester) and a Glossy Ibis in Somerset made up the best of the rest.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 22nd June 2017  
  Big news today was the discovery of a White-throated Needletail on Barra. It spent a little over an hour at Gleann near Castlebay late morning, but wasn't seen again during the day. This is the second record for the Western Isles, following the 2013 bird on Harris, which was the first record for 22 years.

Other new discoveries included a Lesser Grey Shrike at Brading, Isle of Wight and a King Eider at Carnsore Point, County Wexford.

Lingering rarities seen today included the Elegant Tern in Dorset, two Savi's Warblers in Suffolk and six Black-winged Stilts in Norfolk.

Scarcity highlights included an Icterine Warbler, a Common Rosefinch, a Glossy Ibis, an American Night Heron, a Sabine's Gull, a Red-necked Phalarope, a Balearic Shearwater, two Iceland Gulls and four Cattle Egrets.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 21st June 2017  
  The highlight of the day was the relocation of the colour-ringed Elegant Tern to Brownsea Island, Dorset where it remained in the Sandwich Tern colony into the night. Breaking news from elsewhere included a Snowy Owl on the Orkney Isles on Westray, a Red-footed Falcon in Cambridgeshire at Folwmere, a Black-winged Stilt in Essex at Wallasea Island, and a total of five Wilson's Petrels at sea off County Cork.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Caspian Tern in Lancashire, Greenish Warbler in Suffolk, Iberian Chiffchaff in Cheshire, Spotted Sandpiper in Cumbria, and Black-winged Stilts in Cambridgeshire (3), Kent (2) and Norfolk (6).

Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Argyll), Marsh Warbler (Cleveland), Common Rosefinch (Dorset), Surf Scoter (Orkney Isles), Night Heron (Shropshire), Great Shearwater (Cornwall) and a totla of four Cattle Egrets.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 20th June 2017  
  New discoveries today included a Caspian Tern in Lancashire, at Holden Wood Reservoir then Leighton Moss RSPB, a Greenish Warbler at Landguard, Suffolk, a second singing Savi's Warbler at Minsmere RSPB, also Suffolk and a Red-footed Falcon at Sandwich Bay, Kent.

Lingering rarities included the Elegant Tern in West Sussex, Iberian Chiffchaff in Cheshire, Little Bittern in Somerset, Bonaparte's Gull in County Derry, two Black-winged Stilts in Cambridgeshire and King Eider in Aberdeenshire.

Scarcities included a Surf Scoter, a Red-necked Phalarope, a Glossy Ibis, a Balearic Shearwater, a Glaucous Gull, three Iceland Gulls and seven Cattle Egrets.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 19th June 2017  
  Rarities today comprised the Elegant Tern still in West Sussex - albeit present early morning only - the Pied-billed Grebe in Argyll, territorial Iberian Chiffchaff in Cheshire, Little Bittern and Red-footed Falcon still together in Somerset, and a Bee-eater briefly in Hampshire.

Scarcities included White-winged Black Tern (Western Isles), Icterine Warbler (Highland), Serin (Suffolk), Cory's Shearwater (Cornwall), two each of Marsh Warbler, Cattle Egret and Night Heron, and four Glossy Ibises.
-  Chris Batty, RBA