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 10th May 2018  
  Rarities noted today were the Snowy Owl again in Lincolnshire at Freiston Shore, territorial American Bittern and Savi's Warbler in Suffolk, Iberian Chiffchaff on the Wirral, Laughing Gull on the Isles of Scilly, Lesser Yellowlegs and White-billed Diver on the Western Isles, King Eider in Aberdeenshire and two Black-winged Stilts in Essex. In Kent both Red-rumped Swallow and Black Kite flew over during the morning.

Scarcities included Red-necked Phalarope (Northumberland), Wryneck (Norfolk), Cattle Egret (Cheshire), Surf Scoter and Grey-headed Wagtail (Lothian), two each of Temminck's Stint and Ring-necked Duck, four Glossy Ibises, six migrant Dotterel, and 16 Long-tailed Skuas passed the Western Isles.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 9th May 2018  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Collared Flycatcher in Highland at Watten albeit it in an area with no general access. New rarities elsewhere comprised a Lesser Yellowlegs on the Western Isles on Vatersay, a Lesser Scaup in County Donegal at Inch Island, a brief Red-footed Falcon in Norfolk and a flyover Black Kite in Suffolk. 

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were both the territorial American Bittern and Savi's Warbler in Suffolk and the King Eider in Aberdeenshire. The Iberian Chiffchaff continued to sing on the Wirral but the individual in Norfolk at Ringstead Downs was reidentified as an atypical Chiffchaff. In Lincolnshire the male Black-winged Stilt returned to Frampton Marsh in search of a female having previously visited this site on 1st May after frequenting the Nene Washes, Cambridgeshire on 28th-29th April, 3rd-4th May and 7th-8th May and Rutland Water, Leicestershire on 5th-6th May.

Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Highland), Serin (Hampshire), Wryneck (Norfolk), Grey-headed Wagtail (Lothian), Purple Heron (West Yorkshire), Red-necked Phalarope (Northumberland), Temminck's Stint (Lincolnshire), Ring-billed Gull (Cornwall), Cattle Egret (Cheshire), two Red-spotted Bluethroats (Shetland Isles), two American Wigeons, three Glossy Ibises, a total of 13 migrant Dotterel, and 55 Long-tailed Skuas passed the Western Isles.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 8th May 2018  
  New rarities today were all brief encounters with an Olive-backed Pipit reported in Norfolk at Cley, single Red-rumped Swallows in Cornwall at Nanjizal and East Yorkshire at Easington and then Spurn, and in Dorset a Savi's Warbler singing at Radipole Lake and a Black Kite over Hartland Moor.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the American Bittern in Suffolk, American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Snowy Owl on the Western Isles, Black Duck in Highland, territorial Iberian Chiffchaffs in each of Cornwall, Norfolk and Wirral, and single Black-winged Stilts in both Cambridgeshire and Essex.

Scarcities included Red-backed Shrike (Devon), Golden Oriole (Norfolk), Temminck's Stint (London), Ring-necked Duck (Cleveland), Ring-billed Gull (Cornwall), Cattle Egret (Cheshire), Grey-headed Wagtail (Lothian), two each of both Purple Heron and Surf Scoter, seven Glossy Ibises and a total of 13 migrant Dotterel.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 7th May 2018  
  Mediterranean rarities today comprised Iberian Chiffchaffs in both Norfolk at Ringstead Downs and continuing on the Wirral, territorial Savi's Warbler and a brief Red-rumped Swallow in Suffolk, Black-winged Stilts in Cambridgeshire and Essex (2), and in Cornwall a Bee-eater seen briefly at Goonhilly Downs.

Rarities from elsewhere comprised the territorial American Bittern still in Suffolk, Green Heron in Pembrokeshire, American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Snowy Owl on Western Isles, Hooded Merganser in Cleveland, Laughing Gull on the Isles of Scilly, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, White-billed Divers in Moray and the Orkney Isles, and in Norfolk a Red-throated Pipit flew over Sheringham.

Scarcities included Short-toed Lark (Norfolk), White-winged Black Tern (Suffolk), Hoopoe (Cornwall), Temminck's Stint (London), American Wigeon (Northumberland), Grey-headed Wagtail (Lothian), two Surf Scoters, three each of Purple Heron, Ring-necked Duck and Glossy Ibis, and five migrant Dotterel.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 6th May 2018  
  New discoveries today included an unringed Hooded Merganser at Seaton Common, Cleveland, a Snowy Owl at Hermaness, Unst, Shetland, a Bee-eater over Flamborough, Yorkshire and single Black-headed Wagtails at Hurn, Dorset and Hen Borth, Anglesey.

Lingering rarities included the Green Heron in Pembrokeshire, American Bittern and Savi's Warbler in Suffolk, American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, two Iberian Chiffchaffs in Cornwall and one in Wirral, Savi's Warbler in Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Northumberland, Black-winged Stilt in Leicestershire and White-billed Diver in Moray.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 5th May 2018  
  Highlight of the day was a female Little Bittern at Budle Bay, Northumberland, which showed very well in Waren Burn and is present for its second day. New discoveries today included an Iberian Chiffchaff at Polgigga, Cornwall, a Savi's Warbler at Strumpshaw, Norfolk, a Red-rumped Swallow at Portland, Dorset and a Black-winged Stilt at Rutland Water, Leicestershire.

Lingering rarities included the Green Heron in Pembrokeshire, American Bittern and Savi's Warbler in Suffolk, American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Snowy Owl in Lincolnshire, single Iberian Chiffchaffs in Wirral and Cornwall, single Bonaparte's Gulls in Devon and Dorset, Long-billed Dowitcher in Northumberland, Black Kite in Orkney, White-billed Diver in County Donegal and King Eider in Aberdeenshire.

Scarcity highlights included a Woodchat Shrike, a Red-backed Shrike, a Serin, a Wryneck, three Purple Herons, four Glossy Ibises, an American Wigeon, a Green-winged Teal, two Tundra Bean Geese, two Honey Buzzards, a Pectoral Sandpiper, 22 Dotterel and 14 Pomarine Skuas.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 4th May 2018  
  New discoveries included a Thrush Nightingale on Isle of May (Fife) and a orange-billed tern species off Mousehole (Cornwall). Rarity highlights included Green Heron (Pembrokeshire), American Bittern (Suffolk), American White-winged Scoter (Lothian), Snowy Owl (Lincolnshire), Iberian Chiffchaffs (Cornwall and Wirral), Bonaparte's Gull (Devon and Dorset), Savi's Warbler (Suffolk), Long-billed Dowitcher (Northumberland), White-billed Divers (Aberdeenshire, Moray and Western Isles), King Eider (Aberdeenshire) and Black-winged Stilt (Cambridgeshire).

The best of the rest included Woodchat Shrike (Isles of Scilly), Pectoral Sandpiper (Devon), Wryneck (Northamptonshire), two Serins, four Purple Herons and 16 Dotterels.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
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