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 7th May 2020  
 

There were two Bee-eaters in Norfolk and another in Sussex. Black Kites were seen in Norfolk and Lincolnshire. At least two Red-rumped Swallows were on St.Mary's, Scilly, with another at Portland in Dorset. A Subalpine Warbler was also on St.Mary's. The Red-footed Falcon was still in Kent.

A strong selection of scarcities included two Woodchat Shrikes, Grey-headed Wagtail (Orkney), four Golden Orioles, four Temminck's Stints (all Norfolk), Purple Heron (Dorset), Serin (Isle of Wight), Short-toed Lark (Northumberland), Long-tailed Skua (Shetland), American Golden Plover (Pembrokeshire), Wryneck (Lincolnshire), American Wigeon (Northumberland), Montagu's Harrier (Sussex) and Honey Buzzard (Cheshire). 
-  David Campbell, RBA
Wednesday 6th May 2020  
  New discoveries today included a Savi's Warbler at Druridge Bay, Northumberland, a Black Kite near Wedmore, Somerset and two Bee-eaters over Strumble Head, Pembrokeshire.

Scarcity highlights included a Red-backed Shrike, a Serin, a Short-toed Lark, a Golden Oriole, two Hoopoes, a Pectoral Sandpiper, a Red-necked Phalarope, a Glossy Ibis, two Purple Herons, a Montagu's Harrier, two Honey Buzzards, a Balearic Shearwater, two Pomarine Skuas, three Iceland Gulls and three Glaucous Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 5th May 2020  
  Notable sightings today included a Red-backed Shrike in County Durham, single Hoopoes in both Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, at least two Golden Orioles on the Isles of Scilly with another in County Cork, a Balearic Shearwater in Dorset, and both Iceland Gull and Glaucous Gull remain together on the Shetland Isles.

Late news concerned the Steller's Eider still present on the Orkney Isles on Papa Westray on 24th April.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 4th May 2020  
 

A singing Subalpine Warbler went unseen on Bardsey Island in Gwynedd, while a Snowy Owl was reported near St.Just in Cornwall and a Black Kite flew over Gillingham in Dorset. A Bee-eater spent a short while at Dungeness in Kent. The Lesser Kestrel was still on Scilly, the Squacco Heron was relocated briefly in East Yorkshire and a White-billed Diver remained in Orkney.

Scarcities included American Golden Plover, Grey-headed Wagtail, Golden Oriole, Bluethroat, Purple Heron, three Hoopoes, three Pomarine Skuas, Dotterel and Ring-necked Duck.
-  David Campbell, RBA
Sunday 3rd May 2020  
  New discoveries today included a Squacco Heron at High Eske NR, Yorkshire, an Iberian Chiffchaff at Croft, Lincolnshire, female Subalpine Warblers in Shetland at Funzie, Fetlar and in Scilly at Porth Hellick, St Mary's, and a Black Kite over Stoneleigh, London.

The Red-throated Pipit lingered in Scilly, as did the Red-footed Falcon in Kent.

Scarcity highlights included a Wryneck, a Grey-headed Wagtail, two Hoopoes, a Night Heron, eight Dotterel, two Roseate Terns, two Glaucous Gulls, two Iceland Gulls, a Balearic Shearwater and seven Pomarine Skuas.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 2nd May 2020  
  Rarities today comprised a Hudsonian Whimbrel in Highland at Dunnet Bay (where it had first been glimpsed a week ago), and in Kent the Red-footed Falcon remained at Stodmarsh and a Red-rumped Swallow flew over Foreness Point.

Scarcities included Red-breasted Flycatcher (Lincolnshire), Richard's Pipit (Norfolk), Wryneck and Glaucous Gull (Shetland Isles), Lapland Bunting (Gwynedd), Surf Scoter (Fife), Black Brant (East Yorkshire), Hoopoe (Dorset and North Yorkshire), and a total of four Iceland Gulls.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 1st May 2020  
 

A Squacco Heron was found at Rainton Meadows in Co.Durham, a Red-footed Falcon appeared at Stodmarsh in Kent and a Black Kite flew over Walsey Hills in Norfolk.

The Lesser Kestrel on Scilly and King Eider in Highland remained.

Other highlights included Barred Warbler (Shetland), Golden Oriole (Kent), Dotterel, two Purple Herons and two Ring-necked Ducks.
-  David Campbell, RBA
Thursday 30th April 2020  
  New King Eiders were discovered off Coul Links, Highland and off Ardvule, Western Isles, a Bee-eater flew over Woodhorn, Northumberland and a Black Kite flew over Woolmer Pond, Hampshire, with two in the Sizewell/Minsmere area, Suffolk.

Lingering rarities included the Lesser Kestrel in Scilly, Black Kite in Conwy and King Eider in Aberdeenshire.

Scarcity highlights included a Melodious Warbler, a Serin, a Richard's Pipit, a Lapland Bunting, two Hoopoes, three Wrynecks, a Montagu's Harrier, a Corncrake, five Dotterel, a Glossy Ibis, a Roseate Tern, a Ring-necked Duck, a Surf Scoter, four Pomarine Skuas, a Glaucous Gull and two Iceland Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 29th April 2020  
  Rarities today comprised both the Lesser Kestrel and Red-throated Pipit still on the Isles of Scilly, an Alpine Swift on the Isle of Wight at Sandown, a White-billed Diver on the Orkney Isles, and in Aberdeenshire the King Eider returned to the Ythan Estuary.

Scarcities included Purple Heron (East Sussex), Pectoral Sandpiper (Highland), Hoopoe (North Yorkshire), Iceland Gull (Shetland Isles), two Glaucous Gulls, and a total of seven migrant Dotterel.

Significant late news concerned a female Pallid Harrier present yesterday on Shetland on Yell.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 28th April 2020  
 

A Caspian Tern that flew southwest over Tingley in West Yorkshire was an impressive find. The Lesser Kestrel and Red-throated Pipit both remained on Scilly, where an Eastern Subalpine Warbler was found, and a Red-rumped Swallow appeared at Chartham in Kent.

Among the scarcities were three Dotterel, two Hoopoes and singles of Richard's Pipit, Purple Heron and Surf Scoter.
-  David Campbell, RBA