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 30th May 2018  
  The highlight of the day was the sighting of a Black-browed Albatross at the Skellig Islands (Co Kerry) early in the morning before returning in the afternoon. Elsewhere new discoveries included Snowy Owl (Pembrokeshire), Wilson's Petrel (Cornwall), Savi's Warbler (East Yorkshire), Greenish Warbler (Gwynedd), Bee-eater (Highland), Eastern Subalpine Warbler (Isle of Man), Black Kite (Isle of Wight), Great Reed Warbler (Kent), Pallid Harrier (Kent), Thrush Nightingales (3 on Shetland) and Black-winged Stilts (2 in Suffolk).

Lingering rarities comprised Moltoni's Subalpine Warbler (Highland), Pied-billed Grebe (Argyll), King Eider (Aberdeenshire), Forster's Tern (Co Wexford), Red-footed Falcons (Co Wexford and Somerset), Iberian Chiffchaffs (Cornwall and North Yorkshire), Bonaparte's Gull (Devon), Great Reed Warbler (Kent), Black-winged Stilt (Lincolnshire), Bee-eater (Orkney) and Savi's Warbler (Suffolk).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 29th May 2018  
  In Highland, the male Moltoni's Subalpine Warbler remained at Duncansby Head for its second day. New discoveries today included an Eastern Subalpine Warbler on Bardsey Island, Gwynedd and a White-billed Diver off North Ronaldsay, Orkney.

Other lingering rarities included two Iberian Chiffchaffs and a Baird's Sandpiper in Cornwall, another Iberian Chiffchaff in Yorkshire, Red-footed Falcon in Somerset, Bee-eater in Orkney and Black-winged Stilt in Lincolnshire.

Scarcity highlights included a Short-toed Lark, two Golden Orioles, six Red-backed Shrikes, seven Rose-coloured Starlings, 10 Marsh Warblers, a Kentish Plover, an American Golden Plover, a Pectoral Sandpiper, a Dotterel, three Temminck's Stints, a Purple Heron, a Honey Buzzard, two Iceland Gulls, two Glaucous Gulls and a Glossy Ibis.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 28th May 2018  
  New discoveries comprised Black-headed Bunting (Dorset), Baird's Sandpiper (Cornwall), Black Stork (East Yorkshire), Paddyfield Warbler (Shetland), Bee-eaters (Moray [5+] and Orkney [2]), Red-footed Falcon (Somerset) and Red-rumped Swallow (Suffolk). In Highland a Subalpine Warbler photographed at Duncansby Head appeared to be a Moltoni's Subalpine Warbler, but it was not heard to call.

Elsewhere lingering rarities included Red-footed Falcon and White-rumped Sandpiper (Co Wexford), Iberian Chiffchaffs (Cornwall [2], North Yorkshire and Wirral), Greenish Warbler (Fife), Black Duck (Highland), Black-winged Stilt (Lincolnshire) and Bee-eater (Isles of Scilly).

The best of the rest included Short-toed Lark (Fife), Kentish Plover (Somerset), Purple Heron (Suffolk), American Wigeon (Northumberland), Grey-headed Wagtail (Norfolk), Pectoral Sandpiper (Northumberland), Red-necked Phalarope (Gloucestershire), two each of Hoopoe, Dotterel and Golden Oriole, three Glossy Ibises, five Temminck's Stints, six Common Rosefinches, eight Marsh Warblers, nice Rose-coloured Starlings and 16 Red-backed Shrikes.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 27th May 2018  
  New discoveries today included a Great Reed Warbler at Porth Hellick, Scilly, Blyth's Reed Warblers at Low Newton, Northumberland and Fair Isle, Shetland, Greenish Warblers on Isle of May, Fife and Out Skerries, Shetland, a Red-throated Pipit on Papa Westray, Orkney, five Bee-eaters over Burnham Norton, Norfolk and another at Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire, an Ashy-headed Wagtail at Stanpit Marsh, Dorset, a Red-footed Falcon at Tacumshin, County Wexford, a White-billed Diver at Whitburn, County Durham and Black Kites over St Columb Major at Marazanvose, both Cornwall.

The Gull-billed Tern reappeared in Gloucestershire, and the Subalpine Warbler at Burniston, Yorkshire was confirmed as an Eastern. Other lingerers included the Pied-billed Grebe in Argyll, Blyth's Reed Warbler in Gwynedd, Iberian Chiffchaffs in Yorkshire, Cornwall and Wirral, Bee-eater in Scilly, Black-winged Stilt in Leicestershire, Forster's Tern in County Wexford, Black Duck in Highland and King Eider in Aberdeenshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 26th May 2018  
  New discoveries today included a Blyth's Reed Warbler on Blakeney Point, Norfolk, a Subalpine Warbler at Burniston, North Yorkshire, a Greenish Warbler at Lowestoft, Suffolk, a Bee-eater over Abbotsbury and an Alpine Swift over Hengistbury Head, both Dorset, single Black Kites over Porth Joke, Cornwall, Thurlbear, Somerset and Great Bedwyn, Wiltshire and a White-rumped Sandpiper at Ring Marsh, County Wexford.

Lingering rarities included single Iberian Chiffchaffs in North Yorkshire and Cornwall, Rustic Bunting in Northumberland, single Bee-eaters in Norfolk and Scilly, Tawny Pipit and Forster's Tern in County Wexford, single Black-winged Stilts in Cambridgeshire and Kent and King Eider in Aberdeenshire.

Scarcity highlights included a Serin, two Short-toed Larks, three Common Rosefinches, three Rose-coloured Starlings, three Golden Orioles, three Red-breasted Flycatchers, six Icterine Warblers, six Marsh Warblers, 11 Red-backed Shrikes, a White-winged Black Tern, a Red-necked Phalarope, an American Golden Plover, two Pectoral Sandpipers, two Dotterel, eight Temminck's Stints, three Montagu's Harriers, five Honey Buzzards, a Ring-billed Gull, three Glaucous Gulls, five Iceland Gulls, five Pomarine Skuas and three Glossy Ibises.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 25th May 2018  
  New discoveries today included a Gull-billed Tern at Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, a Tawny Pipit on Great Saltee, County Wexford, a Rustic Bunting on Brownsman, Northumberland, a Blyth's Reed Warbler on Bardsey, Gwynedd, a Bee-eater at Limpenhoe, Norfolk, a White-rumped Sandpiper at Middleton Lakes, Warwickshire and three Black-winged Stilts at Rye Harbour, East Sussex.

Lingering rarities included the Greenish Warbler in Norfolk, single Bee-eaters in Scilly and Kent, Snowy Owl in Western Isles, Black-winged Stilt in Cambridgeshire, Black Duck in Highland, King Eider in Aberdeenshire and two White-billed Divers in County Donegal.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 24th May 2018  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Broad-billed Sandpiper in East Sussex at Rye Harbour. Elsewhere, a Greenish Warbler sang throughout the day in Norfolk at Titchwell, a Black Kite flew over Yell, Shetland Isles, Red-rumped Swallows were in Kent at Kingsdown (2) and Highland at Armadale, and the first Wilson's Petrel of the summer was at sea off Seven Heads, County Cork.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the elusive Gull-billed Tern in Cheshire, Snowy Owl on the Western Isles, Black Duck in Highland, Black-winged Stilt in Cambridgeshire, single Bee-eaters in both Kent and the Isles of Scilly and Iberian Chiffchaffs in North Yorkshire and Wirral (2).

Scarcities included Woodchat Shrike (Devon), Rose-coloured Starling and Marsh Warbler (East Yorkshire), Red-breasted Flycatcher (Fife), Icterine Warbler (Lincolnshire), White-winged Black Tern (Norfolk), American Golden Plover (County Wexford), American Wigeon (Northumberland, Ring-necked Duck (Western Isles) and Long-tailed Skua (Kent), two each of both Common Rosefinch and Red-backed Shrike, three of Glossy Ibis and Dotterel, four Grey-headed Wagtails and a total of 10 Temminck's Stints.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
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