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 3rd May 2018  
  Rarities today comrpised the Green Heron still in Pembrokeshire, both American Bittern and Savi's Warbler still in Suffolk, Snowy Owl again in Lincolnshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Dorset, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, Iberian Chiffchaffs in both Cornwall and the Wirral, Long-billed Dowitchers in Northumberland and County Wexford, Red-rumped Swallows in Lincolnshire (2), Shetland Isles and Suffolk, Black-winged Stilts in Cambridgeshire and Norfolk and White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire, Moray and the Shetland Isles.

Scarcities included Serin (West Sussex), Golden Oriole (Dorset), Pectoral Sandpiper (Devon), Ring-necked Duck (Cleveland), Cattle Egret (Lancashire), two Purple Herons, two Wrynecks (Norfolk), two Long-tailed Skuas (Western Isles), three Glossy Ibises and a total of 15 migrant Dotterel.
Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 2nd May 2018  
  Rarity highlights comprised Green Heron (Pembrokeshire), American Bittern (Suffolk), Pied-billed Grebe (Argyll), Iberian Chiffchaffs (Cornwall and Wirral), Bonaparte's Gulls (Devon and Dorset), Red-rumped Swallows (Lincolnshire and Suffolk), American White-winged Scoter (Lothian), White-billed Diver (Moray), Long-billed Dowitcher (Northumberland) and Black-winged Stilt (Norfolk).

The best of the rest included Purple Herons (Cornwall and East Yorkshire), Ring-necked Duck (Cleveland), Hoopoe (Hertfordshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (Devon), two Golden Orioles (Dorset), three Glossy Ibises and 18 Dotterels.
Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 1st May 2018  
  The highlight of the day was the reappearance of the Snowy Owl in Lincolnshire by The Wash at Frampton Marsh - the first sighting of this bird since the 22nd March - where it joined a newly arrived Black-winged Stilt on the reserve. Discoveries elsewhere today included an Iberian Chiffchaff on the Wirral at Thurstaston, a Red-rumped Swallow on the Shetland Isles on Foula, a flyover Alpine Swift in Hampshire and a brief Bee-eater in East Sussex.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the American Bittern in Suffolk, Green Heron in Pembrokeshire, American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Iberian Chiffchaff in Cornwall, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, Savi's Warbler in Hampshire and Black-winged Stilt in Norfolk.

Scarcities included Purple Heron (East Yorkshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (Devon), Ring-necked Duck (Cleveland), Snow Goose (Merseyside), Waxwing (Suffolk), Cattle Egret (Dorset), two each both Wryneck and Glossy Ibis, four Golden Orioles and 13 migrant Dotterel (together in East Yorkshire).
Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 30th April 2018  
  More Mediterranean rarities today included a Subalpine Warbler species in County Cork at Mizen Head, a Black-winged Stilt new in Devon at Exminster Marshes, the territorial Iberian Chffchaff still in Cornwall and single Red-rumped Swallows in Devon, Essex, Lincolnshire, Isles of Scilly and Staffordshire.

Rarities from elsewhere comprised the Green Heron still in Pembrokeshire, American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Laughing Gull on the Isles of Scilly, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, King Eider in Aberdeenshire and White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire (2), Moray, Shetland Isles and Western Isles.

Scarcities included American Golden Plover (Cornwall), Purple Heron (East Yorkshire), Hoopoe (Dorset), Ring-billed Gull (Highland), Spotted Crake (Isles of Scilly), Waxwing (Orkney Isles), two each of Golden Oriole, Wryneck, Lapland Bunting, Ring-necked Duck and Glossy Ibis, and a total of six migrant Dotterel.
Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 29th April 2018  
  Rarities today included a Snowy Owl new on the Western Isles on St Kilda, the Green Heron still in Pembrokeshire, American White-winged Scoter still in Lothian, Laughing Gull on the Isles of Scilly, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon and White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire (3), County Donegal, Moray and the Western Isles. Whilst from Continental Europe were an Iberian Chiffchaff new in Cornwall at Chapel Porth, territorial Savi's Warblers still in both Hampshire and Suffolk, single Black-winged Stilts in each of Cambridgeshire, Kent and Norfolk, and Red-rumped Swallows in Essex, Lincolnshire (3), Northumberland, Isles of Scilly and Staffordshire.

Scarcities included American Golden Plover (Cornwall), Montagu's Harrier (Dorset), Dotterel (Lincolnshire), Surf Scoter (Lothian), Snow Goose (Merseyside), Spotted Crake (Isles of Scilly), two each of Golden Oriole, Wryneck, Ring-necked Duck and Cattle Egret, three Glossy Ibises and a total of five Hoopoes.
Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 28th April 2018  
  Highlight of the day was the discovery of a Green Heron in Pembrokeshire, whilst new discoveries elsewhere included Olive-backed Pipit (East Yorkshire), Red-rumped Swallows (two in Lincolnshire and singles in Essex, the Essex/Hertfordshire and in Norfolk), Black-winged Stilt (Cambridgeshire) and White-billed Diver (Co Donegal).

The best of the rest included American Bittern (Suffolk), King Eider (Aberdeenshire), Bonaparte's Gulls (Devon and Dorset), Red-rumped Swallows (Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire), Savi's Warblers (Hampshire and Suffolk), White-billed Divers (14 in Moray and Western Isles), Black-winged Stilt (Norfolk) and Laughing Gull (Isles of Scilly).

Two Wrynecks in East Yorkshire, Purple Herons in East Yorkshire and Co Wexford, a Dotterel in Lincolnshire and Yellow-browed Warbler in East Sussex were the best of the scarcities.
Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 27th April 2018  
  New discoveries comprised a Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, Red-rumped Swallow in Lincolnshire and Snowy Owl on Orkney, whilst Bonaparte's Gull (Dorset), Savi's Warblers (Hampshire and Suffolk), American White-winged Scoter (Lothian), White-billed Diver (Moray), Black-winged Stilt (Norfolk), Ferruginous Duck (Powys) and American Bittern (Suffolk) all lingered.

The best of the rest included Hoopoe (Isle of Man), Purple Heron (East Yorkshire) and Golden Orioles (Isles of Scilly and Dorset).
Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 26th April 2018  
  New discoveries today included an Iberian Chiffchaff on Skokholm, Pembrfokeshire, a Black Kite over South Norwood, London and single Red-rumped Swallows at Rainham Marshes RSPB, London and East Chevington NWT, Northumberland.

Lingering rarities included the American Bittern and Savi's Warbler in Suffolk, American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Pallid Harrier and Black-winged Stilt in Norfolk, two Red-rumped Swallows in Lincolnshire and one in Yorkshire, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, four White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire and one in Moray, Laughing Gull in Scilly and Bonaparte's Gull in Dorset.

Scarcity highlights included a Golden Oriole, a Waxwing, a Grey-headed Wagtail, two Serins, three Hoopoes, an American Golden Plover, a Montagu's Harrier, a Purple Heron, two Glossy Ibises, two or three White Storks, a Ring-necked Duck, a Sabine's Gull and four Pomarine Skuas.
Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 25th April 2018  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Killdeer on the Shetland Isles on Foula. Elsewhere new rarities were represented by a Red-rumped Swallow in East Yorkshire and Hornsea Mere and a brief Black Kite in Cambridgeshire at Abbotsley.

Lingering rarities comprised the American Bittern still in Suffolk, American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, both Pallid Harrier and Black-winged Stilt in Norfolk, Savi's Warblers in both Hampshire and Lancashire, Bonaparte's Gull in Dorset, King Eider and three White-billed Divers together in Aberdeenshire, Black-winged Stilt in West Sussex, Ferruginous Duck in Powys and White-billed Diver in Moray.

Scarcities included Purple Heron (Cornwall and East Yorkshire), Hoopoe (Cornwall and Isle of Wight), Ring-necked Duck (Cleveland and County Kerry), Glossy Ibis (Gloucestershire and County Wexford), American Wigeon (Shetland Isles), Surf Scoter (Lothian) and Cattle Egret (Kent).
Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 24th April 2018  
  Mediterranean rarities today comprised a brief Alpine Swift in Lincolnshire at Gibraltar Point, Red-rumped Swallows in Lincolnshire (2) and East Yorkshire, Black-winged Stilt in both East Sussex and Kent, territorial Savi's Warblers in Hampshire, Lancashire and Suffolk, and mobile Black Kites recorded in East Sussex, Kent, London (2) and Norfolk.

Lingering rarities from elsewhere were the American Bittern still in Suffolk, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Laughing Gull on the Isles of Scilly, Bonaparte's Gull in Dorset, and King Eider and two White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire.

Scarcities included Hoopoe (Dorset), Ring-necked Duck (Lincolnshire), Snow Goose (Cheshire), Cattle Egret (Kent), Dotterel and Glossy Ibis (both Norfolk).
Chris Batty, RBA