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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Sunday 3rd June 2018  
  A singing River Warbler was discovered at Skirza, Highland this morning. This is the first mainland record since the Norfolk bird in 2010, and the first in Britain as a whole since 2013. Other new discoveries included a singing Savi's Warbler at Barnes, London, a Bee-eater on St Martin's, Scilly, a Black-winged Stilt at Sidlesham, Sussex and a Wilson's Petrel off Black Head, Cornwall.

Lingering rarities included the Moltoni's Subalpine Warbler in Norfolk, Iberian Chiffchaff in Yorkshire and Forster's Tern in County Wexford.

Scarcity highlights included a White-spotted Bluethroat, a Melodious Warbler, a Marsh Warbler, a Common Rosefinch, three Short-toed Larks, four Golden Orioles, seven Red-backed Shrikes, 14 Rose-coloured Starlings, a Spotted Crake, a Green-winged Teal, a Montagu's Harrier, five Honey Buzzards, a Glossy Ibis, three White Storks, a Long-tailed Skua, a Cory's Shearwater, two Balearic Shearwaters, two Glaucous Gulls and four Iceland Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 2nd June 2018  
  The second Moltoni's Subalpine Warbler for Norfolk was discovered today, at the same site which hosted the first in 2015, Blakeney Point. This singing male was still present mid evening, although it remained very elusive for much of the day.

Other new discoveries today included a Black-headed Bunting at Bridlington, Yorkshire, an Eastern Subalpine Warbler at Nanjizal, Cornwall, Greenish Warblers in Aberdeenshire (Girdle Ness), County Wexford (Saltee Islands) and Gwynedd (Bardsey Island), a Red-rumped Swallow at Pegwell Bay, Kent, single Bee-eaters at Drift Reservoir, Cornwall and Medmerry, Sussex and a Black Kite over St Ives, Cambridgeshire.

Lingering rarities included the Forster's Tern in County Wexford, Iberian Chiffchaff in Cornwall, White-billed Diver in County Donegal and King Eider in Aberdeenshire.

Scarcity highlights were a Red-spotted Bluethroat, a Short-toed Lark, two Icterine Warblers, two Marsh Warblers, two Common Rosefinches, three Golden Orioles, nine Rose-coloured Starlings, 12 Red-backed Shrikes, a Spotted Crake, two Red-necked Phalaropes, a Honey Buzzard, a White Stork, a Glossy Ibis, an Iceland Gull, five Glaucous Gulls and a Long-tailed Skua.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 1st June 2018  
  New rarities today included an Eastern Subalpine Warbler on the Shetland Isles on Fair Isle, a Subalpine Warbler in Lancashire at Middleton, a Black-headed Wagtail on the Western Isles on St Kilda, a Red-footed Falcon at sea off the Isles of Scilly, a fly-over Black Kite in Cambridgeshire and now two Savi's Warblers together at Minsmere, Suffolk.

Rarities from Fenno-Scandia comprised a brief Rustic Bunting in East Yorkshire at Kilnsea, a Great Reed Warbler on the Shetland Isles on Unst, Thrush Nightingale in Fife on the Isle of May and single Greenish Warblers in both Aberdeenshire and Gwynedd, whilst a supporting cast of associated migrants included 13 Red-backed Shrikes, 12 Marsh Warblers, six Icterine Warblers, two each of Red-spotted Bluethroat and Common Rosefinch, Golden Oriole (East Yorkshire), Red-breasted Flycatcher (Shetland Isles) and Temminck's Stint (Suffolk).

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Forster's Tern in County Wexford, Baird's Sandpiper in Cornwall, Bonaparte's Gull in Argyll and the Black-winged Stilt in Lincolnshire. Whilst other scarcities were represented by Short-toed Lark (Fife), Purple Heron (Suffolk), Red-necked Phalarope (Leicestershire), American Wigeon and Glossy Ibis (both Northumberland) and a total of eight Rose-coloured Starlings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 31st May 2018  
  New disoveries today included an Eastern Subalpine Warbler at South Gare, Cleveland, single Greenish Warblers at Rattray Head, Aberdeenshire and Scatness, Shetland, an Alpine Swift over Annet, Scilly, five Bee-eaters over Quorn, Leicestershire and one at Goleen, County Cork, and a Bonaparte's Gull on Tiree, Argyll.

Lingering rarities included the Iberian Chiffchaff and Savi's Warbler in Yorkshire, Thrush Nightingale in Shetland, Red-footed Falcons in Somerset and County Wexford, Baird's Sandpiper in Cornwall, Black-winged Stilt in Lincolnshire, Black Duck in Highland and White-billed Diver in County Donegal.

Scarcity totals included an Ortolan Bunting, a Short-toed Lark, a Red-breasted Flycatcher, a Common Rosefinch, two Golden Orioles, five Rose-coloured Starlings, five Icterine Warblers, six Marsh Warblers, 13 Red-backed Shrikes, a Spotted Crake, a Kentish Plover, a Pectoral Sandpiper, a Dotterel, two Temminck's Stints, a Purple Heron, an American Wigeon, a Surf Scoter, a Ring-billed Gull, three Glaucous Gulls and four Iceland Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA
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