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 27th July 2017  
  An incredible 20+ Wilson's Petrels were observed from an Isles of Scilly pelagic this evening. Elsewhere two Wilson's Petrels were logged from a pelagic off Penzance (Cornwall) and another was seen from Valentia Island (Co Kerry).

A third Two-barred Crossbill joined the two already on Unst (Shetland), whilst the lone Two-barred Crossbill remained on Isle of May (Fife). The breeding Bee-eaters (Nottinghamshire), Marsh Sandpiper and Bonaparte's Gull (Kent), Black-winged Stilt families (Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Kent) and Forster's Tern (Co Louth) all lingered.

The best of the rest included American Night Heron (Shropshire), Purple Heron (Isles of Scilly), White-winged Black Tern (Lincolnshire), Rose-coloured Starling (Highland), Temminck's Stint (Essex) and Pectoral Sandpipers (Gloucestershire and Lincolnshire).
Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 26th July 2017  
  Highlight of the day was the discovery of a Gull-billed Tern at Martin Mere WWT (Lancashire), whilst Two-barred Crossbills in Shetland (2) and Fife, King Eider in Ceredigion, Black-winged Stilt familes in Kent and Cambridgeshire, Forster's Tern in Co Louth, Little Bittern in Somerset, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent and Bee-eaters in Nottinghamshire all lingered.

The best of the rest included American Night Heron (Shropshire), Red-backed Shrike (North Yorkshire), White-winged Black Tern (East Yorkshire) and Pectoral Sandpipers in Gloucestershire and Lincolnshire.
Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 25th July 2017  
  New discoveries today included a Marsh Sandpiper at Freiston Shore RSPB, Lincolnshire, a second Two-barred Crossbill at Baltasound, Unst, Shetland, a Wilson's Petrel off Skellig Michael, County Kerry and a Black Kite at Cuckmere, East Sussex. A Black Stork flew over Woodwalton Fen, Cambridgeshire (presumably the lingering bird which departed Dunsby Fen, Lincolnshire late morning), and late news concerned a Collared Pratincole present on Orford Ness, Suffolk last weekend.

Lingering rarities included the Two-barred Crossbill in Fife, Forster's Tern in County Louth, White-rumped Sandpiper in Yorkshire, Little Bittern in Somerset, three Bee-eaters in Nottinghamshire and Bonaparte's Gull in Kent.
Will Soar, RBA
Monday 24th July 2017  
  Two new discoveries probably involved wandering birds, a Black Stork in Lincolnshire and Caspian Tern in Glamorgan and Camarthenshire, whilst a Two-barred Crossbill on Isle of May (Fife) was new in.

Lingering rarities included King Eider (Ceredigion), Forster's Tern (Co Louth), White-rumped Sand (East Yorkshire), Bonaparte's Gull and Marsh Sandpiper (Kent), and families of Bee-eaters in Nottinghamshire and Black-winged Stilts in Cambridgeshire and Kent. Four Wilson's Petrels were logged from an Isles of Scilly pelagic.

The best of the rest included American Night Heron (Shropshire), Short-toed Lark (Lothian) and two Rose-coloured Starlings (Highland and Shetland).
Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 23rd July 2017  
  New discoveries today included a White-rumped Sandpiper on West Burra, Shetland, a Wilson's Petrel past Cape Cornwall, Cornwall and a Black Kite over Leighton Moss RSPB, Lancashire.

Lingering rarities included the American White-winged Scoter in Aberdeenshire, Forster's Tern in County Louth, Marsh Sandpiper, ten Black-winged Stilts and Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, six Black-winged Stilts in Norfolk and four in Cambridgeshire, White-rumped Sandpiper in Yorkshire, Two-barred Crossbill in Shetland and five Bee-eaters in Nottinghamshire.

The best of the rest were a Short-toed Lark, a Hoopoe, a Rose-coloured Starling, a Purple Heron, a Red-necked Phalarope, a Honey Buzzard, two Pectoral Sandpipers, five Cattle Egrets, two Long-tailed Skuas, a Pomarine Skua, eight Roseate Terns, nine Great Shearwaters and 23 Cory's Shearwaters.
Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 22nd July 2017  
  Rarity highlights included a new Two-barred Crossbill on Fair Isle (another remained on Unst, Shetland) and Black Kite over Long Melford (Suffolk), whilst American White-winged Scoter (Aberdeenshire), King Eider (Ceredigion), Forster's Tern (Co Louth), White-rumped Sandpiper (East Yorkshire), Marsh Sandpiper, Bonaparte's Gull and five Black-winged Stilts (Kent), six Black-winged Stilts (Norfolk) and at least four Bee-eaters (Nottinghamshire) all lingered.

The best of the rest included Short-toed Lark (Lothian), American Night Heron (Shropshire), Hoopoe (Forth), American Golden Plover (East Yorkshire), Red-necked Phalarope (Lincolnshire) and three Pectoral Sandpipers.

Seawatching was again excellent in Southwest England; two Wilson's Petrels were logged off Porthgwarra (Cornwall), where the day's peak Cory's Shearwater (147) total was also logged. The peak Great Shearwater count (42) came from Lizard Point (Cornwall), whilst tantalising probable and possible records comprised a Bulwer's Petrel and Scopoli's Shearwater off Porthgwarra (to add to yesterday's report of a possible White-bellied Storm Petrel) and Madeiran Petrel off Prawle Point (Devon).
Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 21st July 2017  
  New discoveries included a Two-barred Crossbill on Unst (Shetland), flyover Black Stork at Wykeham Forest (North Yorkshire), Pacific Golden Plover at North Cave Wetlands (East Yorkshire), White-rumped Sandpiper at Kilnsea Wetlands (East Yorkshire) and Lesser Yellowlegs at Burton Marsh (Cheshire).

Lingering rarities comprised Marsh Sandpiper, Bonaparte's Gull and ten Black-winged Stilts in Kent, family of Bee-eaters in Nottinghamshire, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Co Wexford, Forster's Tern in Co Louth and King Eider in Ceredigion.

Excellent seawatching in Southwest England was the theme of the day; Wilson's Petrels were logged off Porthgwarra and Lizard Point (Cornwall), whilst the passage included Cory's Shearwaters [including 296 Lizard Point, 181 Berry Head (Devon), 82 Start Point (Devon), 26 Portland Bill (Dorset)], Great Shearwater [including 66 Lizard Point, 82 Berry Head, four Portland Bill], three Sabine's Gulls, Long-tailed Skua and nine Pomarine Skuas.

The best of the rest included Rose-coloured Starling (Highland), Hoopoe (Forth), White-winged Black Tern (Shetland) and three Pectoral Sandpipers.
Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 20th July 2017  
  An adult Bonaparte's Gull was at Whitehead, County Antrim.

Lingering rarities included the Caspian Tern at Swillington Ings, West Yorkshire, Forster's Tern at Dundalk, County Louth, Marsh Sandpiper and at least seven Black-winged Stilts at Cliffe, Kent, five Black-winged Stilts at Potter Heigham, Norfolk, Bonaparte's Gull at Oare, Kent and at least three Bee-eaters at East Leake, including at least one young in one of three nest holes.

Scarcity highlights included a Marsh Warbler, a Rose-coloured Starling, a Glossy Ibis, a Red-necked Phalarope, a Temminck's Stint, four Pectoral Sandpipers, a Glaucous Gull, a Balearic Shearwater, two Great Shearwaters and 33 Cory's Shearwaters.
Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 19th July 2017  
  The highlight of the day was the relocation of the long-staying Forster's Tern in Ireland to Dundalk, County Louth, where it has returned to moult most summers since 2006.

Rarities elsewhere comprised the Caspian Tern still in West Yorkshire, Marsh Sandpiper and Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, King Eider in Ceredigion and five Bee-eaters still in Nottinghamshire.

Scarcities included White-winged Black Tern (Western Isles), Rose-coloured Starling (Highland), American Wigeon (North Yorkshire), Red-necked Phalarope (Lincolnshire), Temminck's Stint (Gloucestershire), Cory's Shearwater (County Clare), Glossy Ibis (Suffolk) two Pectoral Sandpipers and four Cattle Egrets.
Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 18th July 2017  
  The highlight of the day was a Caspian Tern in West Yorkshire that was mobile between Swillington Ings and Fairburn Ings for much of the day. In Lincolnshire a juvenile Broad-billed Sandpiper was seen briefly on The Wash at Gibraltar Point.

Rarities elsewhere comrpised the Marsh Sandpiper, Bonaparte's Gull and four Black-winged Stilts all still in Kent, King Eider still in Ceredigion and the flock of four Bee-eaters in Nottinghamshire, but the Amur Falcon could not be found in Cornwall at St Buryan.

Scarcities included Golden Oriole (Gloucestershire), Glossy Ibis (Suffolk), two each of Rose-coloured Starling, Pectoral Sandpiper, Temminck's Stint and Great Shearwater, and a total of seven Cattle Egrets.
Chris Batty, RBA