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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Monday 20th July 2020  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today were the Lammergeier on the border of Derbyshire and South Yorkshire, Caspian Tern in Lincolnshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Merseyside, both Lesser Yellowlegs and Black-winged Stilt in Kent, and Bonaparte's Gulls in both Argyll and Kent.

Scarcities included Marsh Warbler (Suffolk), Purple Heron (North Yorkshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (County Wexford), Glossy Ibis (Gloucestershire), three Rose-coloured Starlings, and a total of five Long-tailed Skuas.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 19th July 2020  
 

A White-rumped Sandpiper appeared at Ferrybridge in Dorset. A second Bonaparte's Gull turned up in Argyll on the Isle of Bute and a Black Kite flew over Maiden Bradley in Wiltshire.

Ongoing rarities comprised the Laughing Gull in Co.Dublin, Caspian Tern in Lincolnshire, Bonaparte's Gulls in Kent, Argyll and Co.Louth and Lesser Yellowlegs in Kent, as well as the Black-winged Stilt family in Somerset and the male in Kent. The Lammergeier remained on the South Yorkshire/Derbyshire moors.

Scarcities included three Pectoral Sandpipers, three Rose-coloured Starlings, seven Long-tailed Skuas (including six on North Ronaldsay, Orkney) and Glossy Ibis (Worcestershire) 
-  David Campbell, RBA
Saturday 18th July 2020  
  New discoveries today included a Long-billed Dowitcher at Marshside RSPB, Merseyside and a Bee-eater at Fishlake Meadows HIWWT, Hampshire, but both birds were only on view briefly.

Lingering rarities included the Lammergeier in South Yorkshire /Derbyshire, Lesser Grey Shrike in Shetland, Caspian Tern in Lincolnshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria, Lesser Yellowlegs, Black-winged Stilt and Bonaparte's Gull in Kent (with another of the latter in County Louth), Laughing Gull in County Dublin and Black Duck in Highland.

Scarcity highlights included three Rose-coloured Starlings, a Honey Buzzard, two Glossy Ibises, two Glaucous Gulls, a Cory's Shearwater, three Great Shearwaters, eight Long-tailed Skuas and two Pectoral Sandpipers.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 17th July 2020  
  A Great Spotted Cuckoo was seen at Thornham, Norfolk briefly early morning only.

Lingering rarities seen today included the Lammergeier in Derbyshire /South Yorkshire, Caspian Tern in Lincolnshire, Lesser Yellowlegs and Bonaparte's Gull in Kent (with another of the latter in Argyll), Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria, two Black-winged Stilts in Somerset and one in Kent, Laughing Gull in County Dublin, Iberian Chiffchaff in Suffolk and King Eider in Moray.

Scarcity highlights included two Rose-coloured Starlings, a Pectoral Sandpiper, a Glossy Ibis, four Honey Buzzards, a Pomarine Skua, two Long-tailed Skuas and a Glaucous Gull.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 16th July 2020  
  Lingering rarities seen today included the Lammergeier in the Peak District in Derbyshire /South Yorkshire, Lesser Grey Shrike in Shetland, Caspian Tern in Lincolnshire, Lesser Yellowlegs and Bonaparte's Gull in Kent (with others of the latter still in County Louth and Argyll), two Black-winged Stilts in Somerset and one in Kent, Laughing Gull in County Dublin and Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria.

Scarcity highlights included three Rose-coloured Starlings, a Pectoral Sandpiper, four Honey Buzzards, a Glossy Ibis, two Pomarine Skuas, four Long-tailed Skuas, 15 Roseate Terns and 46 Balearic Shearwaters.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 15th July 2020  
  Lingering ratities confirmed as still present today were the Lammergeier in the Peak District between Derbyshire and South Yorkshire, Caspian Tern in Lincolnshire, Laughing Gull in County Dublin, Pacific Golden Plover in County Clare, Lesser Grey Shrike on the Shetland Isles, Black Duck in Highland, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria, territorial Iberian Chiffchaff in Suffolk, Lesser Yellowlegs in Kent, and Bonaparte's Gulls in Argyll, Kent and County Louth.

Scarcities included Serin (County Cork), Woodchat Shrike (County Donegal), Hoopoe (Hampshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (Orkney Isles), Glossy Ibis (Worcestershire), Cory's Shearwater (North Yorkshire), Sabine's Gull (East Yorkshire), Long-tailed Skua (Shetland Isles), and a total of five Rose-coloured Starlings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 14th July 2020  
 

A first-summer Laughing Gull appeared on North Bull Island in Co.Dublin and a Blyth's Reed Warbler was trapped and ringed at Portland Bill in Dorset.

The Brown Booby was still in Co.Wicklow until early evening when it was taken into care. Other stayers included the Lesser Grey Shrike in Shetland, Pacific Golden Plover in Co.Clare, Caspian Tern in Lincolnshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Co.Louth, Lesser Yellowlegs (Kent), Long-billed Dowitcher (Cumbria), the family of Black-winged Stilts (now with three young) in Somerset and the lone male in Kent. The Lammergeier remained in South Yorkshire on the moors.

Among other news was Woodchat Shrike (Co.Donegal), two Rose-coloured Starlings, Temminck's Stint (East Yorkshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (Norfolk), two Ring-necked Ducks, Sabine's Gull (Borders), Long-tailed Skua (Western Isles), two Glossy Ibis, Cory's Shearwater (North Yorkshire) and three Great Shearwaters (Cornwall).
-  David Campbell, RBA
Monday 13th July 2020  
  Mega news today concerned a Brown Booby discovered in County Wicklow at Greystones where it showed well into the evening. Meanwhile in Northumberland a Black-browed Albatross was reported at Howick.

Rarities elsewhere comprised the Lammergeier still in South Yorkshire, Lesser Grey Shrike still on the Shetland Isles, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria, Lesser Yellowlegs in Kent, Wilson's Petrel off the Isles of Scilly, Bonaparte's Gulls in both Kent and County Louth, and Black-winged Stilts in Kent and Somerset (2).

Scarcities included Woodchat Shrike (County Donegal), two each of both Pectoral Sandpiper and Ring-necked Duck, and four Rose-coloured Starlings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 12th July 2020  
  Discoveries today included a Lesser Yellowlegs in Kent at Oare Marshes (presumably a returning bird and the same individual as present in Norfolk yesterday), a Red-footed Falcon briefly in South Yorkshire at Redmires Reservoir, and a Bee-eater flew over Bolgarrog, Conwy.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Lammergeier present all day around the South Yorkshire/Derbyshire border, a Lesser Grey Shrike still on the Shetland Isles, Caspian Tern in Lincolnshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria, territorial Iberian Chiffchaff in Suffolk, Bonaparte's Gulls in each og Argyll, Kent and County Louth, and the family of four Black-winged Stilts still present in Somerset.

Scarcities included Night Heron (Cumbria), Temminck's Stint (Northumberland), two Pectoral Sandpipers, and three Rose-coloured Starlings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 11th July 2020  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Lammergeier along the border between South Yorkshire and Derbyshire at Howden Moors where it remained until dusk.

New rarities discoveries comprised a Great Reed Warbler on the Shetland Isles at Scousburgh, a Lesser Yellowlegs in Norfolk at Wells, White-rumped Sandpiper in County Wicklow at Kilcoole, and in Cornwall a Bee-eater flew over Goss Moor.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present comprised the Caspian Tern still in Lincolnshire, Pacific Golden Plover in County Clare, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria, Bonaparte's Gulls in each of Argyll, Kent and County Louth, the territorial Iberian Chiffchaff in Suffolk, and Black-winged Stilts in Kent and Somerset (2), but in Dorset there was no sign of the Yelkouan Shearwater off Portland Bill.

Scarcities included Night Heron (Bedfordshire/Cambridgeshire), Red-backed Shrike (Pembrokeshire), Temminck's Stint (Northumberland), and four Rose-coloured Starlings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA