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.

Choose a starting date
Sunday 5th May 2019  
  Rarities today comprised the Baikal Teal still in Cambridgeshire, American White-winged Scoter still in Lothian, Great Spotted Cuckoo in Norfolk, Black Duck in Highland, Bufflehead in South Yorkshire, Red-footed Falcon in Suffolk, territorial Iberian Chiffchaff and Ferruginous Duck together in West Yorkshire, King Eider again in Gwynedd, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, Red-rumped Swallows in both East Sussex and Oxfordshire, Spotted Sandpipers in Lothian and County Wexford, and Bonaparte's Gulls in Essex and Hampshire.

Scarcities included Woodchat Shrike (North Yorkshire), Ortolan Bunting (County Wexford), Common Rosefinch and Honey Buzzard (Suffolk), Yellow-browed Warbler (Shetland Isles), Red-necked Phalarope (Lincolnshire), American Wigeon (Cambridgeshire), Glossy Ibis (Cornwall), two each of Little Bunting, Serin, Night Heron, Purple Heron and Temminck's Stint, three Ring-necked Ducks, four Surf Scoters (together in Lothian), four Montagu's Harriers, five White-winged Black Terns (together in Essex), and 18 migrant Dotterel.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 4th May 2019  
  New discoveries today included a male Black-headed Wagtail at Balnakeil, Highland, a Red-rumped Swallow on The Lizard, Cornwall, single Snowy Owls on St Kilda, Western Isles and on Mainland Orkney, a Spotted Sandpiper at Skateraw, Lothian and a White-billed Diver off Aughrusbeg, County Galway. Relocating birds included the female Bufflehead to Old Moor RSPB, South Yorkshire and drake Ferruginous Duck to Bretton Country Park, West Yorkshire.

Lingering rarities included the Baikal Teal in Cambridgeshire, American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Blue-winged Teal and Black Duck in Highland, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, Spotted Sandpiper in County Wexford, single Bonaparte's Gulls in Essex and Hampshire, Red-footed Falcon in Suffolk, Iberian Chiffchaff in West Yorkshire, single Savi's Warblers in Nottinghamshire and Suffolk and a Red-rumped Swallow in Oxfordshire.

Scarcity highlights included a Yellow-browed Warbler, two Hoopoes, a Red-necked Phalarope, a Temminck's Stint, three Dotterel, a Purple Heron, two Night Herons, two Glossy Ibises, three Pomarine Skuas, a Roseate Tern, six White-winged Black Terns, an Iceland Gull, a Ring-necked Duck, four Surf Scoters and a Montagu's Harrier.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 3rd May 2019  
  New discoveries today included a Red-rumped Swallow at Grimsbury Reservoir, Oxfordshire and a Black Kite over Alkborough Flats, Lincolnshire, whilst the King Eider reappeared on the Ythan Estuary, Aberdeenshire.

The Great Spotted Cuckoo reappeared at Weybourne /Salthouse, Norfolk, and other lingering rarities included the Baikal Teal in Cambridgeshire, American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Pied-billed Grebe in Argyll, single Bonaparte's Gulls in Essex, Hampshire and Glamorgan, Iberian Chiffchaff in Yorkshire, Subalpine Warbler in Scilly, Savi's Warbler in Nottinghamshire and another Savi's Warbler and a Red-footed Falcon in Suffolk.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 2nd May 2019  
 

After two days in the ether, the drake Baikal Teal was relocated late in the day in Cambridgeshire on the Nene Washes at March Farmers, where it showed towards dusk. Two Black Kites were seen on the Kent coast and a new Bonaparte's Gull put in a brief appearance at Abberton Reservoir, Essex. The mist nets at Porth Helliick on St.Mary's, Scilly, turned up a new Savi's Warbler, while a female Subalpine Warbler was discovered there later in the day. New Red-rumped Swallows included two together at Southwold, Suffolk, and another through Reculver, Kent.

Suffolk's Red-footed Falcon continued to perform well. Scilly's Red-rumped Swallow remained on St.Mary's. Known Savi's Warblers were still holding territory in Suffolk and Nottinghamshire. Other stayers included the Iberian Chiffchaff in South Yorkshire, American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Bonaparte's Gull in Hampshire, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, Dresser's Eider in Co.Dublin, and Highland's Black Duck, King Eider and Blue-winged Teal all still present.

The day's scarcity roll-call involved Woodchat Shrike (Cornwall), Serin (Dorset), Montagu's Harrier (Essex), an early Balearic Shearwater (Dorset), a late Shorelark (Shetland), White Stork (Norfolk), White-tailed Eagle (Sussex); two Night Herons (Kent and Yorkshire), Purple Herons (Norfolk and Ceredigion) and Glaucous Gulls; three Hoopoes, Ring-necked Ducks, Surf Scoters, Glossy Ibises and Pomarine Skuas; and five migrant Dotterel.
-  David Campbell, RBA
Wednesday 1st May 2019  
  Rarities today from Continental Europe were the elusive Great Spotted Cuckoo still in Norfolk, a Western Subalpine Warbler off Devon on Lundy, Ashy-headed Wagtail and Red-rumped Swallow on the Isles of Scilly, Iberian Chiffchaff still in West Yorkshire, two Red-rumped Swallows together in Kent, territorial Savi's Warblers in Hampshire, Nottinghamshire and Suffolk, and Red-footed Falcons in Essex, South Yorkshire and Suffolk.

Other rarities comprised the American White-winged Scoter still in Lothian, Pied-billed Grebe in Argyll, Black Duck, Blue-winged Teal and King Eider all still in Highland, Black Kite in Shetland, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Hampshire, and White-billed Divers in Moray and the Orkney Isles (5).

Scarcities included Woodchat Shrike (Isles of Scilly), Wryneck (Shetland), Night Heron (County Cork), Purple Heron (Norfolk), Golden Oriole (Worcestershire), Wryneck (Orkney Isles), American Wigeon (Cambridgeshire), two Yellow-browed Warblers (Shetland Isles), Grey-headed Wagtail (Oxfordshire), White-tailed Eagle and Honey Buzzard (Suffolk),  two Montagu's Harriers, three each of Ring-necked Duck, Serin, Glossy Ibis and migrant Dotterel, four Hoopoes and a total of seven Surf Scoters.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 30th April 2019  
  The highlight of the day was a brief Great Spotted Cuckoo in Norfolk at Salthouse. Rarities elsewhere comprised Eastern Subalpine Warblers in Devon on Lundy and in Lincolnshire at Gibraltar Point, Red-footed Falcons in South Yorkshire and Suffolk, a Black-winged Stilt in Cambridgeshire, the American White-winged Scoter still in Lothian, Blue-winged Teal and King Eider in Highland, Black Kite on the Shetland Isles, Iberian Chiffchaff in West Yorkshire, territorial Savi's Warblers in Nottinghamshire and Suffolk, Bonaparte's Gulls in Glamorgan and Hampshire, Dresser's Eider still in County Dublin, and White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire (2) and Moray.

Scarcities included Little Bunting (East Yorkshire), Woodchat Shrike and Night Heron (Isles of Scilly), Wryneck (Orkney Isles), Purple Heron (Norfolk), Pectoral Sandpiper (Staffordshire), American Wigeon (Cambridgeshire), White-tailed Eagle (Norfolk then Suffolk), two each of Hoopoe, Ring-necked Duck and Glossy Ibis, three Serins, five Surf Scoters and Montagu's Harriers and 10 migrant Dotterel.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 29th April 2019  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Mourning Dove on the Orkney Isles on North Ronaldsay. New rarities elsewhere were an Eastern Subalpine Warbler in Lincolnshire at Gibraltar Point, a Subalpine Warbler in Cumbria at Loweswater, an Iberian Chiffchaff on the Wirral at Red Rocks and a Ferruginous Duck in West Yorkshire at South Kirby.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Baikal Teal in Cambridgeshire, American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, both Iberian Chiffchaff and Bufflehead in West Yorkshire, Black Duck in Highland, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire, territorial Savi's Warblers in Nottinghamshire and Suffolk (2), Red-footed Falcon in Suffolk, Black-winged Stilt in Norfolk, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, Spanish Wagtail on the Wirral, Bonaparte's Gulls in both Glamorgan and Hampshire, Black Kites on the Shetland Isles and in West Sussex, and White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire (9) and the Orkney Isles.

Scarcities included Woodchat Shrike and Montagu's Harrier (Isles of Scilly), Lapland Bunting (Highland), Temminck's Stint (South Yorkshire), American Wigeon (Cambridgeshire), Ring-necked Duck (Essex), White-tailed Eagle (North Yorkshire), two each of Serin, Wryneck, Purple Heron, Rough-legged Buzzard, Pectoral Sandpiper and Glossy Ibis, four Surf Scoters, five Hoopoes and seven migrant Dotterel.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 28th April 2019  
  The highlights of the day were a Moltoni's Subalpine Warbler identified at Sands of Forvie, Aberdeenshire, a Baikal Teal in Cambridgeshire at the Ouse Washes, a Kentish Plover in Dorset at Ferrybridge and a Red-rumped Swallow at West Rise Marsh, East Sussex. brief encounters included a Greater Yellowlegs in Argyll on Tiree, a Laughing Gull passing Portland Bill, Dorset, a Dusky Warbler in County Durham at Derwent Gorge, Alpine Swift in East Yorkshire and Black Kites in both Hampshire and the Shetland Isles.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Bufflehead in West Yorkshire, Citrine Wagtail in Gloucestershire, Red-footed Falcon in Suffolk, Subalpine Warbler in Northumberland, Blue-winged Teal in Highland, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire, Spotted Sandpiper in County Wexford, Iberian Chiffchaff in West Yorkshire, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, Black-winged Stilt in Norfolk, Spanish Wagtail on the Wirral, Dresser's Eider in County Dublin, Bonaparte's Gulls in both Glamorgan and Hampshire, territorial Savi's Warblers in Nottinghamshire and Suffolk, and White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire and Moray.

Scarcities included Short-toed Lark and Lapland Bunting (Shetland Isles), White-winged Black Tern (Somerset), Serin and Night Heron (Kent), Purple Heron (Norfolk), Wryneck (Shetland Isles), Honey Buzzard (Gloucestershire), Temminck's Stint (South Yorkshire), Yellow-browed Warbler (Orkney Isles), American Wigeon (Cambridgeshire), two Long-tailed Skuas and Hoopoe, three Glossy Ibises, four each of Ring-necked Duck and Surf Scoter, 12 migrant Dotterel.

On the Isles of Scilly an escaped Godlewski's Bunting briefly masqueraded as a Rock Bunting.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 27th April 2019  
  A male Citrine Wagtail was found at Llwyn-on Reservoir in Glamorgan whilst other new discoveriesn included a Red-footed Falcon at Rendlesham, Suffolk and an Iberian Chiffchaff at Hemsworth, a Bufflehead at Fairburn Ings RSPB, an Alpine Swift at Bempton Cliffs RSPB and a Black Kite at Spurn, all Yorkshire.

Lingering rarities seen today included the Slate-coloured Junco in Devon, Citrine Wagtail in Gloucestershire, Alpine Swift in Norfolk (where it was tracked from it's roost site in Sheringham along the coast to Lowestoft, Suffolk), single Savi's Warblers in Nottinghamshire and Suffolk, Dresser's Eider in County Dublin, American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Blue-winged Teal and Black Duck in Highland, Pied-billed Grebe in Argyll, three White-billed Divers in Moray and another in Aberdeenshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Hampshire, Black-winged Stilt in Norfolk and Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 26th April 2019  
 

The most significant of the day's discoveries were a Spanish Wagtail at Leasowe Lighthouse, Wirral, and a brief Tawny Pipit at Southwold, Suffolk. In Norfolk, an Alpine Swift first seen over Walsey Hills settled at Sheringham in the evening. Another was reported over Ham Wall, Somerset. Red-rumped Swallows were found at Minsmere, Suffolk, and Tacumshin, Co.Wexford. Subalpine Warblers at Beachy Head, East Sussex, and Holy Island, Northumberland, were too fleeting for more precise identification.

In Devon, the male Dark-eyed Junco reappeared in its favoured Westward Ho! garden and was on view into the evening. The Marsh Sandpiper was still in Essex today, though now appears to have switched base to Blue House Farm, North Fambridge. Gloucestershire's Citrine Wagtail showed for much of the day at Pilning Wetland. Savi's Warblers still in voice included the two at Minsmere and the Nottinghamshire bird. Meanwhile, the Bonaparte's Gulls of Hampshire and Glamorgan remained in place. Old favourites still with us were the American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Black Duck in Highland, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, Dresser's Eider in Co.Dublin, Black-winged Stilt in Norfolk and Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire. Nine White-billed Divers included five in Moray and three in Aberdeenshire.

Scarcities included Purple Heron (Norfolk), Rough-legged Buzzard (North Yorkshire), White Stork (Kent), Iceland Gull (Cornwall); two each of Serin, Yellow-browed Warbler, Glossy Ibis and Glaucous Gull; three Green-winged Teal; four Hoopoes, Surf Scoters (all off Musselburgh, Lothian) and Wrynecks; five Ring-necked Ducks, up to seven Pomarine Skuas and 15 Dotterel (including a trip of 10 in Conwy).
-  David Campbell, RBA