 |
|
|
| Saturday 11th May 2019 | ||
|
||
| The day started well with a Black-browed Albatross seen heading north past Blackpool in Lancashire early morning, followed late morning by the discovery of a female Collared Flycatcher at Easington, Yorkshire. Mid afternoon then produced a superb adult male Northern Brown Shrike (nominate form cristatus) at Great Cowden, Yorkshire, only the second Spring record for Britain.
Other new discoveries today included single Savi's Warblers on North Ronaldsay, Orkney and at Carlton Marshes SWT, Suffolk, a Subalpine Warbler species on Lundy, Devon, a Lesser Yellowlegs on Bryher, Isles of Scilly, two Black-winged Stilts at Langford Lakes, Wiltshire and single Black Kites at Zelah, Cornwall, Morston Quay, Norfolk and Leckhampton, Gloucestershire. Lingering rarities seen today included the American Bittern in the Western Isles, Great Spotted Cuckoo in Norfolk, Great Reed Warbler and Iberian Chiffchaff in Yorkshire, Savi's Warbler in Suffolk, Red-rumped Swallow in Oxfordshire, American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Blue-winged Teal and Black Duck in Highland, Spotted Sandpiper in County Wexford, Bonaparte's Gulls in Hampshire and Essex and White-billed Diver in Orkney. Scarcity highlights included a Golden Oriole, a Hoopoe, a Serin, two Woodchat Shrikes, six Wrynecks, a Night Heron, two Purple Herons, c64 Dotterel, four Long-tailed Skuas and 11 Pomarine Skuas. |
||
| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
|
||
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.
|
|
|
| Friday 10th May 2019 | ||
|
||
| An American Bittern was discovered at Loch Stiapabhat today, the second for the Western Isles following one shot in 1932. Other new discoveries included a Great Reed Warbler at Spurn, Yorkshire, a Bee-eater on The Lizard, Cornwall and an Alpine Swift at Athlone, County Westmeath.
Lingering rarities included the Great Spotted Cuckoo in Norfolk, Great Reed Warbler, Iberian Chiffchaff and Ferruginous Duck in West Yorkshire, Iberian Chiffchaff in Lincolnshire, Savi's Warbler in Suffolk, Red-rumped Swallow in Oxfordshire, Bonaparte's Gulls in Essex and Hampshire, American White-winged Scoter in Lothian and Black Duck and Blue-winged Teal in Highland. Scarcity highlights included a Little Bunting, a Golden Oriole, two Woodchat Shrikes, two Hoopoes, three Wrynecks, two Honey Buzzards, a Montagu's Harrier, two Purple Herons, two Roseate Terns, ten Pomarine Skuas, five Temminck's Stints, 29 Dotterel, a Glossy Ibis, a White Stork, two Ring-necked Ducks, four Surf Scoters and three Glaucous Gulls. |
||
| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Thursday 9th May 2019 | ||
|
||
The day's only new rarities were in Norfolk, with a Black Kite near Choseley drying barns and a Red-rumped Swallow for a short while at Horsey. Ongoing attractions included the Great Reed Warbler in West Yorkshire, Iberian Chiffchaffs in West Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, Great Spotted Cuckoo in Norfolk, Savi's Warbler in Suffolk, Spotted Sandpiper in Co.Wexford, American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Pied-billed Grebe in Argyll, Blue-winged Teal in Highland, Bonaparte's Gull in Hampshire and Red-rumped Swallow in Oxfordshire The day's supporting cast comprised Red-spotted Bluethroat (Norfolk), Woodchat Shrike (North Yorkshire), Serin (Suffolk), Lapland Bunting (Co.Durham), Hoopoe (Staffordshire), and Green-winged Teal and Montagu's Harrier in East Yorkshire. There were also two Surf Scoters (Lothian), Purple Herons (Isle of Wight and Norfolk), Temminck's Stints (South Yorkshire and Suffolk) and Glossy Ibises; three Ring-necked Ducks, Golden Orioles and Pomarine Skuas, and 31 migrant Dotterel. The Pied Crow was still roaming Kent. Much of England continued to experience a generous inland passage of Black Tern, Arctic Tern, Knot, Sanderling, Grey Plover and Bar-tailed Godwit. |
||
| - David Campbell, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Wednesday 8th May 2019 | ||
|
||
| The most notable discovery today was a Great Reed Warbler in West Yorkshire at Wintersett Reservoir. Elsewhere, a Citrine Wagtail
paid brief visit to Llangorse Lake, Powys, a Ferruginous Duck arrived in Gloucestershire at Clapton-on-the-Hill, and in North Yorkshire a
Spotted Sandpiper was reported at Fairburn Ings Lingering rarities comprised the American White-winged Scoter still in Lothian, Great Spotted Cuckoo in Norfolk, Blue-winged Teal in Highland, Bonaparte's Gull in Essex and Hampshire, territorial Savi's Warbler in Suffolk, White-billed Diver in Aberdeenshire, and Iberian Chiffchaffs in both Lincolnshire and West Yorkshire. In Oxfordshire the Red-rumped Swallow reappeared at Grimsbury Reservoir. Scarcities included Golden Oriole, Richard's Pipit and Serin (all on the Isles of Scilly), Purple Heron (Norfolk), Surf Scoter (Lothian), two Ring-necked Ducks, three each of both Hoopoe and Temminck's Stint, two However, the higlight of the day was a widespread arrival of Black Terns through much of England and an associated displacement inland of Grey Plovers, Bar-tailed Godwits, Sanderling, Turnstone, Knot, Arctic Tern and Little Tern. |
||
| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Tuesday 7th May 2019 | ||
|
||
| The highlight of the day was an Iberian Chiffchaff new at Gibrltar Point, Lincolnshire.
Rarities discovered elsewhere were all brief encounters: a Citrine Wagtail in County
Wicklow, Kentish Plover in Kent, Black Kite in Suffolk and both Red-rumped Swallow
and Savi's Warbler in Norfolk. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Baikal Teal in Cambridgeshire, Great Spotted Cuckoo in Norfolk, both American White-winged Scoter and Spotted Sandpiper in Lothian, Black Duck in Highland, Iberian Chiffchaff in West Yorkshire, Spotted Sandpiper in County Wexford, Bonaparte's Gulls in both Essex and Hampshire, and territorial Savi's Warblers in Nottinghamshire and Suffolk. Scarcities included White-winged Black Tern (Essex), Ortolan Bunting (County Wexford), Little Bunting (Western Isles), Serin (Norfolk), Hoopoe (Shetland Isles), Night Heron (Isles of Scilly), Red-necked Phalarope (Lincolnshire), Long-tailed Skua (Western Isles), Cory's Shearwater (County Cork), Honey Buzzard (Kent), White-tailed Eagle (Norfolk), Ring-necked Duck (Herefordshire), Glossy Ibis (Gwent), two each of both Woodchat Shrike and Temminck's Stint, three Purple Herons, four Surf Scoters, eight Golden Orioles, 10 Shorelarks and a total of 24 migrant Dotterel. |
||
| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Monday 6th May 2019 | ||
|
||
| Discoveries today included an Eastern Subalpine Warbler in Devon on Lundy, Great Reed Warbler in Norfolk at Pensthrope, Bonaparte's Gull in Cleveland at South Gare, Black-winged Stilt in Dorset at Radipole Lake, White-billed Diver in Shetland on Unst, and Red-rumped Swallows in Derbyshire at Weston-on-Trent and County Wicklow at Buckroney Marsh. Continuing rarities confirmed as still present were the American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Great Spotted Cuckoo in Norfolk, Baikal Teal in Cambridgeshire, Black Duck in Highland, Iberian Chiffchaff in West Yorkshire, Spotted Sandpipers in Lothian and County Wexford, Savi's Warblers in Aberdeenshire, Nottinghamshire, and Suffolk, Bonaparte's Gulls in Essex and Hampshire, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, Red-footed Falcon in Suffolk, and Red-rumped Swallow in Oxfordshire. |
||
| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| 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 | ||
|
||