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 23rd May 2018  
  Discoveries today included an unidentified albatross species passing Holme Dunes, Norfolk, a Gull-billed Tern in Cheshire at Burton Mere Wetlands in the evening and nearby now two Iberian Chiffchaffs on the Wirral; one still on territory at Thurstaston and another at Red Rocks. Single Bee-eaters were noted in Cornwall, Dorset, Glamorgan, Kent, Isles of Scilly, Suffolk and West Sussex.

Lingering rarities reported as still present were the American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Forster's Tern in County Wexford, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, Black-winged Stilt in Cambridgeshire, and Iberian Chiffchaffs in both Cornwall (2) and North Yorkshire.

Scarcities included White-winged Black Tern (Norfolk), Rose-coloured Starling and Dotterel (together in East Yorkshire), Marsh Warbler and Red-backed Shrike (together on the Shetland Isles), Red-necked Phalarope (Lincolnshire), Hoopoe (East Sussex), Surf Scoter (Lothian), two each of Red-breasted Flycatcher, Golden Oriole, Pectoral Sandpiper, American Wigeon, Grey-headed Wagtail, three Glossy Ibises and a total of 11 Temminck's Stints.

Significant late news concerned a singing female Little Crake heard at Ouse Fen, Cambridgeshire on 21st May.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 22nd May 2018  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Snowy Owl in County Clare near Ballyvaughan. Elsewhere, an Eastern Subalpine Warbler arrived on Bardsey Island, Gwynedd and another Subalpine Warbler was on Fair Isle, Shetland Isles. A White-billed Diver was logged at Tarbat Ness, Highland and brief Bee-eaters were recorded in Kent, Norfolk and the Isles of Scilly.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Forster's Tern in County Wexford, Black Duck in Highland, Red-throated Pipit on the Isles of Scilly, Long-billed Dowitcher on the Western Isles, Red-rumped Swallow in Essex, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, and territorial Iberian Chiffchaffs in each of Cornwall, North Yorkshire and Wirral.

Scarcities included Short-toed Lark and Golden Oriole (Isles of Scilly), Ring-necked Duck and Ring-billed Gull (Western Isles), American Wigeon (County Wexford), Dotterel (East Yorkshire), Glossy Ibis (Northumberland), two each of Marsh Warbler, White-winged Black Tern and Pectoral Sandpiper, and a total of four Temminck's Stints.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 21st May 2018  
  New discoveries included Long-billed Dowitcher (Western Isles), Red-footed Falcon (Wiltshire), Red-throated Pipit (Isles of Scilly) and Bee-eaters (Dorset and Gloucestershire), whilst Iberian Chiffchaffs (Cornwall [2], North Yorkshire and Wirral), Lesser Scaup (Berkshire), Savi's Warbler (Norfolk), King Eider (Aberdeenshire) and Red-rumped Swallow (Essex) all lingered.

The best of the rest included Marsh Warbler (Kent), Serin (Cornwall), Ring-billed Gull (Western Isles), two each of Red-backed Shrike, Short-toed Lark, Temminck's Stint, American Wigeon and Red-necked Phalarope, four Honey Buzzards and five White-winged Black Terns.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 20th May 2018  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Rustic Bunting on the Shetland Isles on Noss. Elsewhere, the Black-winged Stilt returned to Frampton Marsh, Lincolnshire, Black Kite and Bee-eater were both seen briefly in Cornwall and a Bee-eater flew over in Cleveland.

Lingering rarities confirmed as sill present were the American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Forster's Tern in County Wexford, Lesser Scaup in Berkshire, Bee-eater in Kent and territorial Iberian Chiffchaffs in Cornwall (2) and North Yorkshire, Wirral.

Scarcities included single White-winged Black Terns in Lancashire, Leicestershire and North Yorkshire, Kentish Plover (Kent), Red-backed Shrike (Norfolk), Grey-headed Wagtail (Norfolk), Wryneck (Cornwall), Red-necked Phalarope (South Yorkshire), Purple Heron (Somerset), Pectoral Sandpiper (Anglesey), American Wigeon (County Wexford), Ring-necked Duck (Western Isles), Dotterel (Devon), two each of both Hoopoe and Glossy Ibis, and three of Temminck's Stint and Cattle Egret.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 19th May 2018  
  The highlight of the day was the popular Terek Sandpiper in Sussex, present for its second day at Rye Harbour NR. Other new discoveries included singing Iberian Chiffchaffs at Otley, North Yorkshire and Hayle, Cornwall, a Red-footed Falcon at Worth and a Bee-eater at Dungeness, both Kent, single Alpine Swifts over Skomer, Pembrokeshire and Skewjack, Cornwall, single Red-rumped Swallows over The Naze, Essex and Ventnor Downs, Isle of Wight, single Black Kites over The Lizard, Cornwall and Whitehaven, Cumbria and a White-billed Diver at Talmine, Highland.

Lingering rarities included the Iberian Chiffchaff in Wirral, Savi's Warbler in Suffolk, Black-winged Stilt in Leicestershire, Forster's Tern in County Wexford and King Eider in Aberdeenshire.

Scarcity highlights included a Red-breasted Flycatcher, a Red-spotted Bluethroat, a Hoopoe, a Rose-coloured Starling, an Icterine Warbler, a Marsh Warbler, a Serin, three Red-backed Shrikes, a Red-necked Phalarope, three Dotterel, five Temminck's Stints, a White Stork, two Glossy Ibises, a Ring-necked Duck, two Green-winged Teals, a Kumlien's Gull, two Glaucous Gulls and three Iceland Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 18th May 2018  
  New discoveries today included a female Subalpine Warbler on Tory Island, County Donegal, two Bee-eaters over Lizard and a Black Kite over Sancreed, both Cornwall, a Bee-eater at Sandwich Bay, Kent, a Tawny Pipit at Soar, Devon, a Lesser Scaup at Lower Farm GPs, Berkshire and a Black-winged Stilt at Ferry Meadows Country Park, Cambridgeshire.

Lingering rarities included the Song Sparrow on Fair Isle, Shetland, Iberian Chiffchaff at Thurstaston, Wirral, Black-winged Stilt at Rutland, Leicestershire and the Forster's Tern at Tacumshin, County Wexford.

Scarcity highlights included a Red-breasted Flycatcher, a Common Rosefinch, a Rose-coloured Starling, a Hoopoe, a Golden Oriole, a Marsh Warbler, a Serin, three Red-backed Shrikes, a Spotted Crake, a White-winged Black Tern, a Purple Heron, two Glossy Ibises, seven Long-tailed Skuas, two Glaucous Gulls, four Iceland Gulls, an American Wigeon, two Ring-necked Ducks, two Honey Buzzards, a Dotterel and three Temminck's Stints.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 17th May 2018  
  New discoveries included Eastern Subalpine Warbler and Blyth's Reed Warbler (Shetland) and Red-rumped Swallow (Northumberland), whilst Song Sparrow (Shetland), Eastern Subalpine Warbler (East Yorkshire), Red-rumped Swallow (Suffolk), Lesser Yellowlegs (Western Isles), Iberian Chiffchaffs (Cornwall and Wirral), Black-winged Stilt (Norfolk), Forster's Tern (Co Wexford), Snowy Owl (Western Isles), Pied-billed Grebe (Argyll) and three White-billed Divers (Co Donegal) all lingered.

The best of the rest included Purple Heron (Somerset), Dotterels (Shetland and Isles of Scilly), Marsh Warbler (Highland), Rose-coloured Starling (Northumberland) and Common Rosefinch and Temminck's Stint (Norfolk).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 16th May 2018  
  The Song Sparrow and Crag Martin both remained on Fair Isle (Shetland). New discoveries included Eastern Subalpine Warbler (East Yorkshire) and Lesser Yellowlegs (Western Isles), whilst American Bittern (Suffolk) and King Eider and White-billed Diver (Aberdeenshire) all lingered.

The best of the rest included Ortolan Bunting (Shetland), two Temminck's Stints, three Bluethroats and eight Dotterel.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 15th May 2018  
  Another exciting day on the Shetland Isles where on Fair Isle a Song Sparrow was trapped and ringed early in the morning and then showed throughout the day. Although only the eighth British record it was the fourth for Fair Isle, where the Crag Martin found yesterday remained. Elsewhere on Shetland a Terek Sandpiper arrived at the Pool of Virkie and a Bee-eater flew over Sandwick but on Unst neither the Marmora's Warbler nor Black-faced Bunting could not be found.

Otherwise rarities comprised the Semipalmated Sandpiper still on the Western Isles, Iberian Chiffchaff on the Wirral, territorial Savi's Warbler in Norfolk, King Eider in Aberdeenshire and a Black-winged Stilt new in Essex at Old Hall Marshes.

Scarcities included Red-breasted Flycatcher (Norfolk), Common Rosefinch (Anglesey), Red-backed Shrike (East Yorkshire), Kentish Plover (Essex), Temminck's Stint (Cleveland), American Wigeon (Northumberland) and Cattle Egret (Suffolk), two each of Red-spotted Bluethroat, Purple Heron and Surf Scoter, four Glossy Ibises and a total of eight migrant Dotterel.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 14th May 2018  
  An exceptional day for the Shetland Isles with three mega rarities discovered during the afternoon and evening. First to be found was the seventh British record of Marmora's Warbler on Unst at Baliasta that was quickly followed by the seventh British record of Black-faced Bunting at Norwick, just four miles away. Later in the evening the eleventh British record of Crag Martin was located on Fair Isle. Additional notables around the Shetland Isles today included Red-breasted Flycatcher, Marsh Warbler, two Red-backed Shrikes and a total of six Bluethroats.

Elsewhere new rarities comprised a Rustic Bunting on the Farne Islands, Northumberland, two Bee-eaters briefly in East Yorkshire at Spurn and fly-over Black Kites in both Pembrokeshire and Suffolk, whilst lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Laughing Gull on the Isles of Scilly, Semipalmated Sandpiper on the Western Isles, Iberian Chiffchaff on the Wirral and Savi's Warbler in Norfolk.

Further scarcities included Red-spotted Bluethroat (Dorset), Red-breasted Flycatcher and Red-backed Shrike (both East Yorkshire), Kentish Plover (Essex), Ring-necked Duck (Western Isles), four Glossy Ibises and five migrant Dotterel.
-  Chris Batty, RBA