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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Thursday 27th June 2019  
  Rarities discovered today comprised a Caspian Tern in Devon on the Exe Estuary and a Citrine Wagtail on Fair Isle, Shetland Isles.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Marsh Sandpiper in Kent, Baikal Teal in Northumberland, Black Duck in Highland, territorial Savi's Warbler on Anglesey, Iberian Chiffchaff in County Durham, and in West Yorkshire both Great Reed Warbler and Ferruginous Duck.

Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Shetland Isles), Serin (Kent), Cory's Shearwater (Isles of Scilly), Purple Heron and Green-winged Teal (both Norfolk), Red-necked Phalarope and American Wigeon (together in Northumberland).
Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 26th June 2019  
  The highlight of the day was the reappearance of the Laughing Gull in Pembrokeshire on Skokholm. Rarities elsewhere comprised the elusive Little Bustard still in Gloucestershire, Great Spotted Cuckoo still in Argyll, Marsh Sandpiper in Kent, Baikal Teal in Northumberland, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Antrim, Blyth's Reed Warbler on the Shetland Isles, territorial Great Reed Warbler in West Yorkshire, Savi's Warbler on Anglesey and Iberian Chiffchaff in County Durham whilst in Cornwall a Bonaparte's Gull was seen briefly at Penzance and a Red-footed Falcon flew over near St Columb Major.

Scarcities included Short-toed Lark (Pembrokeshire), White-winged Black Tern (Dorset), Hoopoe (Anglesey), Red-backed Shrike (Gloucestershire), Purple Heron and Green-winged Teal (both Norfolk), Golden Oriole (County Kerry), Ring-necked Duck (Essex) and Long-tailed Skua (Highland).

Significant late news concerned the reidentification of the Greenish Warbler present at Lizard, Cornwall on 10th June 2019 as a Green Warbler based on DNA analysis.
Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 25th June 2019  
  Rarities today comprised the elusive Little Bustard still in Gloucestershire, the Great Spotted Cuckoo still in Argyll, Baikal Teal in Northumberland, Marsh Sandpiper in Kent, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Antrim, Blyth's Reed Warbler on the Shetland Isles, territorial Savi's Warbler on Anglesey, Iberian Chiffchaff in County Durham and Ferruginous Duck still in West Yorkshire, whilst in Cornwall a Tawny Pipit was new at Porthgwarra.

Scarcities included Purple Heron and Green-winged Teal (Norfolk), Glossy Ibis (Dorset) and three Rose-coloured Starlings (Cornwall (2) and Highland).
Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 24th June 2019  
  The highlight of the day was a Sooty Tern first located in East Yorkshire at Bempton Cliffs before heading north at Filey Brigg, North Yorkshire. It seems likely to be the individual present last year in Northumberland between 7th and 19th July and then on the Ythan Estuary, Aberdeenshire on 20th July-5th August.

Rarities elsewhere comprised the Little Bustard still in Gloucestershire, Great Spotted Cuckoo still in Argyll, Marsh Sandpiper in Kent, Baikal Teal in Northumberland, a Subalpine Warbler new in East Yorkshire at Flamborough Head, Blyth's Reed Warblers in Lothian at Livingston and on the Shetland Isles, Long-billed Dowitcher still in County Antrim, territorial Great Reed Warbler in West Yorkshire, Savi's Warbler in Anglesey, Iberian Chiffchaff in County Durham, two Blue-winged Teals in Clyde, and two Bee-eaters flew over both Landguard, Suffolk and Dungeness, Kent.

Scarcities included Marsh Warbler (Dorset), Serin (Kent), Purple Heron and Green-winged Teal (Norfolk), two Glossy Ibises, and four Rose-coloured Starlings brought the total for the summer influx of this species to 37 birds.
Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 23rd June 2019  
 

The national picture sprung to life with a Blue-cheeked Bee-eater near Ullapool at Achnahaird in Highland and a Little Bustard at Slimbridge WWT in Gloucestershire. The bee-eater soon vanished but WWT staff ensured access was arranged for the bustard to be successfully twitched. Another associated arrival was a Great Spotted Cuckoo on Iona in Argyll. Other finds during the day were Blyth's Reed Warbler on Unst in Shetland and two Bee-eaters over Northrepps in Norfolk, while the Iberian Chiffchaff at Swalwell in Co.Durham was confirmed. Late news emerged of a South Polar Skua yesterday 110 miles south of Mizen Head, Co.Cork, from the legendary RV Celtic Explorer.

Among existing rarities seen today were the Baikal Teal in Northumberland, Black-headed Bunting in Shetland, Marsh Sandpiper in Kent, Great Reed Warbler in West Yorkshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Co.Antrim, Savi's Warbler in Anglesey, Iberian Chiffchaff in Lancashire, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Lesser Scaup in Borders and Ferruginous Duck in West Yorkshire.

Scarcities included Short-toed Lark (Pembrokeshire), Marsh Warbler (Dorset), Hoopoe (Suffolk), Night Heron (Essex), Purple Heron (Norfolk), Montagu's Harrier (West Sussex), Rose-coloured Starling (Western Isles), two Serins (Dorset and Kent), Common Rosefinch (Western Isles), Spotted Crake (Norfolk), Glossy Ibis (Dorset), two American Wigeon (both Co.Wexford), Green-winged Teal (Norfolk), Ring-necked Duck (Denbighshire), Red-necked Phalarope (Co.Antrim), two Roseate Terns (Cornwall), two Iceland Gulls, Glaucous Gull and singles of Cory's Shearwater (Cornwall) and Balearic Shearwater.
David Campbell, RBA
Saturday 22nd June 2019  
  A Black-headed Bunting was discovered at Sandwick, Shetland today.

Lingering rarities included Marsh Sandpiper in Kent, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Antrim, Savi's Warbler in Anglesey, Great Reed Warbler in Yorkshire, Iberian Chiffchaffs in Yorkshire and Lancashire, Bee-eater in Scilly, Baikal Teal in Northumberland, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Black Duck and King Eider in Highland and Ferruginous Duck in Yorkshire.

Scarcity highlights included a Short-toed Lark, a Common Rosefinch, a Marsh Warbler, two Serins, three Rose-coloured Starlings, two Purple Herons, three Glossy Ibises, a Temminck's Stint, a Red-necked Phalarope, four Honey Buzzards, a Ring-necked Duck, an American Wigeon and two Green-winged Teals.
Will Soar, RBA
Friday 21st June 2019  
 

Chief among today's discoveries was a Slate-coloured Junco found in the car park at Abbotsbury Swannery mid-afternoon, which continued to show into the evening. In the Western Isles, a Blyth's Reed Warbler was in song on North Uist. A Black Kite flew over Sturton by Stow in Lincolnshire, while Bee-eaters passed over Cliffe in Kent and St.Mary's in Scilly. Bizarrely, an Alpine Swift was rescued from a warehouse in Leigh in Greater Manchester.

Still on offer today were the Black-winged Pratincole in Lincolnshire, Marsh Sandpiper in Kent, Baikal Teal in Northumberland, Great Reed Warbler in West Yorkshire, Iberian Chiffchaff in Lancashire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Co.Antrim, Savi's Warblers in Anglesey and Suffolk, 

The best of the rest included Temminck's Stint (Co.Wexford), two Surf Scoters (Highland), Golden Oriole (Devon), three Rose-coloured Starlings (Devon, Somerset and Lothian),  Marsh Warbler (Cornwall), Serin (Kent), two Purple Herons (Norfolk and Lincolnshire), three Glossy Ibises, Ring-necked Duck (Denbighshire), Green-winged Teal (Norfolk), Spotted Crake (Norfolk) and single migrants of Roseate Tern (Dorset), Red-necked Phalarope (Northumberland) and Honey Buzzard (Shetland).
David Campbell, RBA
Thursday 20th June 2019  
 

Among a movement of over 5,000 Swifts over Spurn was a Pallid Swift. A Snowy Owl was found at Mount Brandon in Co.Kerry.

Ongoing rarities included the Black-winged Pratincole in Lincolnshire, Marsh Sandpiper in Kent, Great Reed Warbler in West Yorkshire, Savi's Warblers in Anglesey and Suffolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Co.Antrim, Lesser Yellowlegs in Shetland, Baikal Teal in Northumberland, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Lesser Scaup in Borders, Ferruginous Duck in West Yorkshire

The scarcity line-up involved Purple Heron (Norfolk), two Montagu's Harriers (Kent and Essex), Woodchat Shrike (Cornwall), two Rose-coloured Starlings (Lothian and Co.Clare), two Serins (Kent and East Yorkshire), two Marsh Warblers (Lincolnshire and Cornwall), Spotted Crake (Dorset), two Surf Scoters (Highland), Green-winged Teal (Norfolk), two Ring-necked Ducks (Dorset and Worcestershire), three Cory's Shearwaters (Scilly), three Glossy Ibises, Roseate Tern in Merseyside, two Iceland Gulls and Glaucous Gull.

purple heron mon
David Campbell, RBA
Wednesday 19th June 2019  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Marsh Sandppiper in Kent at Cliffe whilst on the Shetland Isles a Black-headed Bunting was located at Noness, Mainland, a Lesser Yellowlegs was at Scatness, and on Fair Isle there was an Eastern Subalpine Warbler.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Eastern Olivaceous Warbler on Fair Isle, Black-winged Pratincole in Lincolnshire, Baikal Teal in Northumberland, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Antrim, territorial Great Reed Warblers in both County Durham and West Yorkshire, Savi's Warbler on Anglesey and Iberian Chiffchaffs in Lancashire and Suffolk.

Scarcities included Icterine Warbler (Hampshire), Serin (Kent), Purple Heron, Spotted Crake and Green-winged Teal (all Norfolk), Marsh Warbler and Common Rosefinch (Shetland Isles), Ring-necked Duck (Worcestershire) and two each of both Rose-coloured Starling and Glossy Ibis.
Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 18th June 2019  
  The highlight of the day was a Black-winged Pratincole in Lincolnshire at Frampton Marsh. This arrival, following a Collared Pratincole at this site on 8th-9th August 2009 and an Oriental Pratincole there on 9th-19th May 2010, makes Frampton Marsh only the fourth location in Britain to record all three species of pratincole, following Titchwell (Norfolk), Elmley (Kent) and Pagham Harbour (West Sussex).

Rarities elsewhere comprised the River Warbler still on the Shetland Isles, a Bee-eater flew over the Baikal Teal in Northumberland, the Black Duck remained in Highland as did the Long-billed Dowitcher in County Antrim, two Blue-winged Teals in Clyde, Lesser Scaup in Borders, territorial Great Reed Warblers in both County Durham and West Yorkshire, two Savi's Warblers and an Iberian Chiffchaff in Suffolk, Savi's Warbler on Anglesey, and Iberian Chiffchaff and Ferruginous Duck together in West Yorkshire.

Scarcities included Icterine Warbler (Hampshire), Rose-coloured Starling (Lothian), Serin and Temminck's Stint (Lincolnshire), Common Rosefinch (Shetland Isles), Golden Oriole (Cornwall), Purple Heron (Norfolk), Red-necked Phalarope (Northumberland), Glossy Ibis (Dorset), two Surf Scoters and three Red-backed Shrikes.
Chris Batty, RBA