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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Wednesday 5th August 2020  
  The highlight of the day was a Fea's or Desertas Petrel in County Cork that flew past Galley Head, with other seawatching highlights including a Sabine's Gull seen from County Waterford, and totals of 23 Cory's and 22 Great Shearwaters logged between County Cork and Cornwall.

Rarities elsewhere comprised a White-rumped Sandpiper new in Northumberland at Druridge Pools, the Lammergeier still in Derbyshire, Gull-billed Tern in Suffolk, and Bonaparte's Gull still in Kent.

Scarcities included Melodious Warbler in Dorset, and Rose-coloured Starling in Wiltshire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 4th August 2020  
 

The Gull-billed Tern in Suffolk reappeared at Alton Water late in the day, while the Caspian Tern still in Co.Kerry early morning arrived at the Gann Estuary in Pembrokeshire by the evening. Still present were the Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, the Black-winged Stilt family in Somerset and the Lammergeier in Derbyshire.

Among other highlights were two Melodious Warblers (Cornwall and Dorset), Purple Heron (East Yorkshire), two Rose-coloured Starlings, 15 Cory's Shearwaters and six Great Shearwaters.
-  David Campbell, RBA
Monday 3rd August 2020  
  New rarities discovered today were a Gull-billed Tern in Norfolk at Snettisham, Caspian Tern in County Kerry at Inny Strand, and in Aberdeenshire a Bee-eater at Rattray Head.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Lammergeier in Derbyshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lancashire, Lesser Yellowlegs in North Yorkshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, and Black-winged Stilts in both Kent and Somerset (3).

Scarcities included Icterine Warbler (Devon), Marsh Warbler (Kent), Rose-coloured Starling (Gwynedd), Pectoral Sandpiper (Northumberland), Spotted Crake (Gloucestershire), Long-tailed Skua (Shetland Isles), Sabine's Gull (Gwynedd), and Cory's Shearwater (East Yorkshire and Norfolk).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 2nd August 2020  
 

Two Brown Boobies were reported past St.Levan in Cornwall in the early evening. A Gull-billed Tern made a brief appearance at Seaton Sands in Cleveland and two Black Kites flew over Wheldrake Ings in North Yorkshire.

Still present were the Long-billed Dowitcher in Lancashire, Lesser Yellowlegs in North Yorkshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, Black-winged Stilts in Kent and Somerset and the Lammergeier in Derbyshire.

Scarcities included Icterine Warbler (Devon), Melodious Warbler (Dorset), Hoopoe (Norfolk), Temminck's Stint (North Yorkshire), Ring-billed Gull (Co.Galway) and Long-tailed Skua (Shetland).
-  David Campbell, RBA
Saturday 1st August 2020  
  Shorebird highlights included Lesser Yellowlegs in North Yorkshire, at least one Pacific Golden Plover in Co Donegal, Black-winged Stilts in Somerset (2) and Kent and Red-necked Phalarope in East Yorkshire.

Elsewhere a Rose-coloured Starling remained in Gwynedd, the Glossy Ibis continued its residence in Gwent, and Honey Buzzards were logged in Nottinghamshire (3) and East Yorkshire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 31st July 2020  
  A Bonaparte's Gull was on Berneray, Western Isles, a Black Kite was on St Mary's, Scilly and single Red-footed Falcons were at Bromeswell, Suffolk and Kingsdown and Grove Ferry, both Kent.

Lingering rarities included the Gull-billed Tern in County Wexford and Lesser Yellowlegs, Black-winged Stilt and Bonaparte's Gull all in Kent.

Scarcity highlights included a Melodious Warbler, a Hoopoe, a Pectoral Sandpiper, a Montagu's Harrier, seven Honey Buzzards, a Purple Heron, a Glossy Ibis, a Long-tailed Skua, a Cory's Shearwater and seven Balearic Shearwaters.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 30th July 2020  
  A probable Zino's Petrel was seen from the evening pelagic off the Isles of Scilly. This would be the first record for Britain if confirmed. Six Wilson's Petrels were also seen, along with both Great and Cory's Shearwaters.

Other new discoveries, or relocations, today included a Caspian Tern at Lunt Meadows, Merseyside, then on the Kent Estuary in Cumbria and at Leighton Moss RSPB, Lancashire, and a Long-billed Dowitcher at Martin Mere WWT, Lancashire. A Gull-billed Tern was present at Alton Water, Suffolk, yesterday.

Lingering rarities included the Gull-billed Tern in County Wexford and Lesser Yellowlegs and Black-winged Stilt in Kent.

Scarcity highlights included a Melodious Warbler, a Rose-coloured Starling, a Purple Heron, a Glossy Ibis, four Honey Buzzards, an Iceland Gull, two Glaucous Gulls, five Great Shearwaters, six Cory's Shearwaters, a Pomarine Skua, five Long-tailed Skuas and three Balearic Shearwaters.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 29th July 2020  
  In Northumberland the Sooty Tern was again around Cullernose Point from late afternoon. The Gull-billed Tern remained at Tacumshin, County Wexford, as did the Lesser Yellowlegs and Bonaparte's Gull at Oare Marshes and Black-winged Stilt at Dungeness, both Kent (with the pair of stilts still in Somerset), Pacific Golden Plover at Derrybeg, County Donegal, Long-billed Dowitcher at Marshside RSPB, Merseyside and the Lammergeier was reported a couple of times in Derbyshire.

Scarcity highlights included a Rose-coloured Starling, a Purple Heron, a Glossy Ibis, six Honey Buzzards, a Red-necked Phalarope, a Glaucous Gull, two Cory's Shearwaters, two Great Shearwaters, two Balearic Shearwaters and a Pomarine Skua.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 28th July 2020  
 

In Northumberland, the very mobile Sooty Tern appeared at Howick mid-afternoon before visiting Embleton in the evening. Lingering rarities included the Gull-billed Tern in Co.Wexford, Caspian Tern in Hampshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Merseyside, Lesser Yellowlegs and Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, the Black-winged Stilt family in Somerset. The Lammergeier was reported over Froggat in Derbyshire.

Among other highlights were two Rose-coloured Starlings, Pectoral Sandpiper (Northumberland), Grey Phalarope (Pembrokeshire), two Long-tailed Skuas, seven Cory's Shearwaters and Great Shearwater (Co.Donegal).
-  David Campbell, RBA
Monday 27th July 2020  
 

Fishlake Meadows in Hampshire hosted a Caspian Tern. The day's Scilly pelagic produced four Wilson's Petrels, while another was seen from land at Deelick Point in Co.Kerry. A Fea's or Desertas Petrel was seen from Polperro in Cornwall.

The only continuing rarities reported were the Lesser Yellowlegs and Bonaparte's Gull in Kent.

Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Oxfordshire), three Pectoral Sandpipers and five Long-tailed Skuas. There was a good movement of Cory's and Great Shearwaters, mainly off Cornwall, where highest counts were 48 of the former past Porthgwarra and 40 Greats off Lizard Point. 

 
-  David Campbell, RBA