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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Saturday 6th June 2020  
 

The day's finds included a Black-winged Stilt at Rye Harbour in Sussex, a White-billed Diver past Prawle Point in Devon and Blyth's Reed Warblers in Orkney, Suffolk and Northumberland.

Previously found rarities which remained today were the Green Warbler in Orkney, Great Reed Warbler in Northumberland, Iberian Chiffchaff in Suffolk, the two Bee-eaters in Orkney, Red-rumped Swallow on Scilly, Red-footed Falcon in Kent and Lesser Yellowlegs in North Yorkshire.

Scarcities included two Icterine Warblers, three Common Rosefinches, 12 Rose-coloured Starlings, three Red-backed Shrikes, eight Marsh Warblers, two Red-necked Phalaropes, American Wigeon (Northumberland), Green-winged Teal (Leicestershire) and Glossy Ibis (Worcestershire).
-  David Campbell, RBA
Friday 5th June 2020  
  New discoveries today included a Broad-billed Sandpiper at Potter Heigham, Norfolk, a Lesser Grey Shrike at Vidlin, Shetland, a Great Reed Warbler at Druridge Pools, Northumberland, single Blyth's Reed Warblers at The Naze, Essex, Portland, Dorset, Bornish, Western Isles and Scatness, Shetland and single Red-footed Falcons at Dungeness, Kent and Lodmoor RSPB, Dorset. The Bonaparte's Gull at Oare Marshes, Kent returned for its 8th summer.

Lingering rarities included the Little Bittern in County Dublin, Lesser Yellowlegs in Yorkshire, Citrine Wagtail in Shetland, Iberian Chiffchaff in Suffolk and Red-rumped Swallow in Scilly.

Scarcity highlights included a Short-toed Lark, a Serin, a Common Rosefinch, an Icterine Warbler, two Marsh Warblers, three Golden Orioles, four Red-backed Shrikes, 11 Rose-coloured Starlings, a Montagu's Harrier, four Honey Buzzards, a Purple Heron, a Glossy Ibis, a Balearic Shearwater, a Green-winged Teal and a Glaucous Gull.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 4th June 2020  
  Rarities today comprised both Citrine Wagtail and Blyth's Reed Warbler new on the Shetland Isles, on Fair Isle and at Durigarth respectively, a Red-footed Falcon in Dorset at Ferrybridge, Black Kite in Norfolk, Red-rumped Swallow on the Isles of Scilly, and in North Yorkshire the Lesser Yellowlegs remained.

Scarcities included Common Rosefinch (Gwynedd), Glossy Ibis (Worcestershire), Green-winged Teal (Leicestershire), two each of both Night Heron and migrant Red-necked Phalarope, three of Purple Heron and Golden Oriole, four Marsh Warblers, five Red-backed Shrikes, and a total of 14 Rose-coloured Starlings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 3rd June 2020  
  The highlight of the day was confirmation that the Green Warbler remaims on North Ronaldsay, Orkney Isles.

Elsewhere, a Caspian Tern was new in Cleveland at Saltholme, a Red-rumped Swallow was on the Isles of Scilly on St Mary's, Black Kite on the Isle of Wight, Lesser Yellowlegs in North Yorkshire, Lesser Scaup on the Western Isles, two Red-footed Falcons in Kent, and two Bee-eaters still on Orkney.

Scarcities included Red-breasted Flycatcher (Essex), Icterine Warbler (Shetland Isles), Night Heron (Kent), Purple Heron (Somerset), Serin (Cornwall), Red-necked Phalarope (East Yorkshire), Glossy Ibis (Worcestershire), Green-winged Teal (Leicestershire), Grey-headed Wagtail (Suffolk), two each of both Golden Oriole and Marsh Warbler, three Red-backed Shrikes, and a total of nine Rose-coloured Starlings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 2nd June 2020  
  Rarities today comprised a Great Reed Warbler new in Suffolk at Carlton Marshes, a Savi's Warbler in Somerset, Citrine Wagtail still on the Shetland Isles, Lesser Yellowlegs in North Yorkshire, Blyth's Reed Warblers on both the Shetland and the Western Isles, Red-footed Falcons in Cornwall and Kent (2), and Bee-eaters in East Yorkshire, Kent, Norfolk (2) and the Orkney Isles (2). The reported Blue-winged Teal remained in Northumberland but proved to be a hybrid Shoveler.

Scarcities included Red-breasted Flycatcher (Western Isles), Bluethroat (Shetland Isles), American Golden Plover (County Wexford), Green-winged Teal (Leicestershire), and two each of Golden Oriole, Common Rosefinch, Purple Heron and migrant Red-necked Phalaropes, three Red-backed Shrikes, six Marsh Warblers, and a total of eight Rose-coloured Starlings.

Signficant late news from yesterday concerned the redidentification of the Greenish Warbler on the Orkney Isles on North Ronaldsay as a Green Warbler.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 1st June 2020  
 

An apparent Green Warbler was trapped and ringed on North Ronaldsay in Orkney. Mainland Shetland produced a singing Booted Warbler at Bakkasetter and a Blyth's Reed Warbler at Sandwick, while the island of Foula answered back with a male Citrine Wagtail and a female subalpine warbler sp. A Blyth's Reed Warbler sang for much of the day at Knott End in Lancashire and a Black-winged Stilt arrived at Stodmarsh in Kent. 

Bee-eaters included two still on South Ronaldsay in Orkney and others in Surrey and Dorset (two together). A new Red-footed Falcon in Kent made three in the county today, including two at Worth Marsh, while another female appeared in East Yorkshire and a male was found in Norfolk. Other continuing rarities included the Blue-winged Teal in Northumberland and Lesser Yellowlegs in North Yorkshire.

A strong supporting cast included Purple Heron (Kent), five Rose-coloured Starlings, four Golden Orioles, three Icterine Warblers, Serin (Cornwall), two Common Rosefinches, five Marsh Warblers, two Woodchat Shrikes, three Red-backed Shrikes, Red-necked Phalarope (Northumberland) and Green-winged Teal (Leicestershire).
-  David Campbell, RBA
Sunday 31st May 2020  
  A Calandra Lark flew north over Greatham Creek, Cleveland, the first record for the county.

Other new discoveries included single Lesser Grey Shrikes on Unst, Shetland and Westray, Orkney, single Caspian Terns at Stanford Reservoir, Northamptonshire/Leicestershire and at Southampton, Hampshire, a Blue-winged Teal at Castle Island, Northumberland, Subalpine Warblers on Fair Isle, Shetland and at Kilnsea, Yorkshire, single Blyth's Reed Warblers at Beer, Devon and Scousburgh and on Fair Isle, both Shetland, a Red-footed Falcon at Tacumshin, County Wexford and two Bee-eaters at both Filey, Yorkshire and Grimness, Orkney.

Lingering rarities included the Squacco Heron in Norfolk, Iberian Chiffchaff in Suffolk, Lesser Yellowlegs in Yorkshire, Red-footed Falcons in Kent (two) and Norfolk, Red-rumped Swallow in Shetland and Lesser Scaup in Western Isles.

Scarcity highlights included a Serin, a Red-breasted Flycatcher, a Grey-headed Wagtail, two Icterine Warblers, two Hoopoes, two Golden Orioles, three Common Rosefinches, four Red-backed Shrikes, five Rose-coloured Starlings, six Marsh Warblers, two Purple Herons, three Glossy Ibises, a Corncrake, a Pectoral Sandpiper, a Red-necked Phalarope, five Honey Buzzards and two Green-winged Teals.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 30th May 2020  
  New discoveries today included a Squacco Heron at Bayfield Hall, Norfolk, a Little Bittern at St Levan, Cornwall, a Tawny Pipit at Nanjizal, Cornwall, a Black-winged Stilt at Pannel Valley NR, Sussex, a Bee-eater over West Buckland, Somerset and a Red-footed Falcon on Papa Westray, Orkney. A Blyth's Reed Warbler was singing on Ramsdey Island, Pembrokeshire, for its second day.

Other lingering rarities included the Iberian Chiffchaff in Suffolk, Lesser Yellowlegs in Yorkshire, Red-rumped Swallow in Shetland and Red-footed Falcons in Kent (two) and Norfolk.

Scarcity highlights included a Golden Oriole, a Shorelark, two Icterine Warblers, two Rose-coloured Starlings, two Woodchat Shrikes, four Red-backed Shrikes, four Serins, three Common Rosefinches, five Marsh Warblers, a Red-necked Phalarope, a Corncrake, a Glossy Ibis, two Purple Herons, two Pomarine Skuas, a Green-winged Teal, two Glaucous Gulls and seven Honey Buzzards.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 29th May 2020  
  Southeasterly winds brought new birds with Greenish Warblers in East Yorkshire at Spurn and on Bardsey, Gwynedd, Blyth's Reed Warblers on the Orkney Isles on Burray and Papa Westray, and Shetland Isles on Fair Isle, Bee-eaters briefly in East Sussex and North Yorkshire, Rose-coloured Starlings in County Cork, East Sussex and the Isles of Scilly, Red-breasted Flycatcher in Dorset, Woodchat Shrike in Gwynedd, Marsh Warbler in Dorset, Common Rosefinch on the Shetland Isles, Golden Oriole in Suffolk, Hoopoe in Lincolnshire, and Red-backed Shrikes on Anglesey and in East Yorkshire.

Otherwise, a Lesser Yellowlegs was in North Yorkshire at Nosterfield, Lesser Scaup on the Western Isles, territorial Iberian Chiffchaff in Suffolk, both Red-rumped Swallow and Serin still on Shetland, Grey Phalarope in Glamorgan, Red-necked Phalarope in Northumberland, Glossy Ibis in Worcestershire, and Red-footed Falcons in both Kent and Norfolk.

Significant late news from yesterday concerned a Black-and-white Warbler on the Shetland Isles at Aithsetter, Mainland, a Franklin's Gull in Norfolk at Hickling Broad, whilst in Kent both Tawny Pipit and Bee-eater were reported.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 28th May 2020  
 

A Scops Owl was trapped and ringed at Nanjizal Valley in Cornwall was the county's seventh record, the first since the well-twitched bird of 2002. A new Blyth's Reed Warbler was in song at Flamborough Head in East Yorkshire.

Continuing rarities included Iberian Chiffchaffs in London and Suffolk, Whiskered Tern in Hampshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Co.Antrim, Lesser Scaup in Western Isles. A Red-rumped Swallow was on Fair Isle and flyover Bee-eaters were in South Yorkshire, Northumberland and the Isle of Wight. Red-footed Falcons remained in Kent and Norfolk.

Among other highlights were two Rose-coloured Starlings, two Woodchat Shrikes, Icterine Warbler (Fair Isle), three Golden Orioles, Shorelark (Borders), five Red-backed Shrikes, three Montagu's Harriers, Hoopoe (Worcesterhire), Glossy Ibis (Worcestershire), Purple Heron (Dorset), two Red-necked Phalaropes and Temminck's Stint (Lincolnshire).
-  David Campbell, RBA