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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Tuesday 27th April 2021  
  Today rarities and scarcities from the near-continent included both Eastern Subalpine Warbler and Purple Heron in Cornwall, Black-winged Stilt, Night Heron, and Hoopoe in Devon, territorial Iberian Chiffchaff still in Suffolk, Woodchat Shrike, Purple Heron, Wryneck, and two Golden Orioles all on the Isles of Scilly, Golden Oriole and Hoopoe on the Isle of Wight, Purple Heron and Serin in Norfolk, Purple Heron in Herefordshire, Hoopoe in Buckinghamshire, Wryneck in Dorset, and single Glossy Ibises in both Cambridgeshire and Oxfordshire.

Otherwise rarities comprised a Bonaparte's Gull discovered in Worcestershire at Upton Warren, the Black Scoter in Northumberland again, Dusky Warbler still in Norfolk, single Little Buntings in both Surrey and the Shetland Isles, and in Scotland five White-billed Divers logged across three counties.
Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 26th April 2021  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a female Rock Thrush on the Isles of Scilly on St Mary's with elsewhere around the archipelago Red-footed Falcon, Bee-eater, Woodchat Shrike, Purple Heron, Serin, Richard's Pipit, and two Golden Orioles.

Elsewhere, other notables from the continent comprised an Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Woodchat Shrike and Bee-eater all in Cornwall, Eastern Subalpine Warbler on the Shetland Isles, Black Stork over Denbighshire then Cheshire, territorial Iberian Chiffchaff still in Suffolk, Black-winged Stilt in County Cork, Black Kites over both Anglesey and Essex, Red-rumped Swallows in County Dublin and Kent, Night Heron still in Devon, Serins in Dorset and West Sussex, Purple Herons in Herefordshire and Kent, Wrynecks in East Sussex and Gwynedd, four Hoopoes, and a total of six Glossy Ibises.

Other rarities comprised the American Herring Gull still in Cornwall, Pied-billed Grebe still in Argyll, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll and Little Bunting together on the Shetland Isles on Fair Isle, Dusky Warblers in both Mereyside and Norfolk, two Bonaparte's Gulls still together in Glamorgan, and 13 White-billed Divers between Aberdeenshire and Moray.
Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 25th April 2021  
  Rarities and scarcities from the continent dominated today with an Eastern Subalpine Warbler new on the Shetland Isles on Foula, both Iberian Chffchaff and Wryneck in Suffolk, Black Kite and Short-toed Lark on the Orkney Isles, Red-rumped Swallow in Cornwall, Black-winged Stilt in County Cork, Woodchat Shrike, Golden Oriole, and at least one Bee-eater on the Isles of Scilly, Woodchat Shrike and Bluethroat in Cornwall, Night Heron in Devon, Purple Heron in Herefordshire, Wryneck in East Sussex, single Temminck's Stints in both Lincolnshire and Norfolk, six Hoopoes, and a total of seven Glossy Ibises.

Elsewhere, the Belted Kingfisher remained in County Cork, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll, King Eider, and two White-billed Divers were all noted on the Shetland Isles, two Bonaparte's Gulls still together in Glamorgan, Dusky Warbler in Merseyside, and a White-billed Diver in Highland, and four Little Buntings.
Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 24th April 2021  
 

An adult summer White-billed Diver was tracked along the east coast between Whitburn (Co.Durham) and Holy Island (Northumberland); additionally there were two in Moray and three in Shetland. Black Kites were seen over Snettisham in Norfolk and Samphire Hoe in Kent.

Still with us were the American Herring Gull in Cornwall, Iberian Chiffchaff in Suffolk, Red-throated Pipit in Northumberland, Eastern Subalpine Warbler in Cornwall, Black-winged Stilt in Co.Cork, Bonaparte's Gulls in Glamorgan and Leicestershire, Bee-eater on Scilly, and Dusky Warblers in Merseyside and Norfolk.

Other national highlights included Red-backed Shrike (Kent), two Temminck's Stints and Serins, three Purple Herons and Wrynecks, Night Heron (Devon) and four Hoopoes, as well as Sabine's Gull (Cumbria), Dotterel (Isle of Wight), Yellow-browed Warbler (Shetland), Grey Phalarope (Norfolk), Kumlien's Gull (Shetland), Green-winged Teal (Co.Wexford), Black Brant (Norfolk), three Little Buntings, plus four Ring-necked Ducks and Glossy Ibises.
David Campbell, RBA
Friday 23rd April 2021  
  New discoveries today included a Pallid Harrier over Pitsford Reservoir, Northamptonshire, a Red-throated Pipit at Low Newton, Northumberland, a King Eider and a White-billed Diver off Unst, Shetland (with another new bird off Fair Isle), single Bee-eaters on Tresco, Scilly and over Rainham Marshes, London and a Black Kite near Grassington, North Yorkshire.

Late news from Wednesday concerned a Greater Sand Plover at Schull, County Cork, but there has been no sign of it since.

Lingering rarities included the Belted Kingfisher, Sardinian Warbler and Black-winged Stilt in County Cork, two Eastern Subalpine Warblers and American Herring Gull in Cornwall, Iberian Chiffchaff in Suffolk, Dusky Warbler in Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Yorkshire, Spotted Sandpiper in Ayrshire, Bonaparte's Gulls in Leicestershire and Glamorgan and three White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire.
Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 22nd April 2021  
  Arrivals from the continent continue to be discovered with a Collared Pratincole on the Wirral at Leasowe briefly, Sardinian Warbler, Black-winged Stilt, and two Hoopoes in County Cork, the territorial Iberian Chiffchaff still in Suffolk, Bee-eater on the Isles of Scilly, Hoopoes in both Buckinghamshire and Nottinghamshire, Night Herons in Devon and the Isle of Wight, Purple Heron in Herefordshire, Wrynecks in East Sussex and Lincolnshire, and a total of eight Glossy Ibises.

Rarities elsewhere comprised a Pallid Harrier in Northumberland at East Chevington albeit briefly, the Double-crested Cormorant still in County Kerry, Belted Kingfisher still in County Cork, Bonaparte's Gulls in both Leicestershire and County Wexford, Lesser Scaup in County Donegal, Long-billed Dowitcher in North Yorkshire, Dusky Warbler in Norfolk, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Highland, White-billed Diver on the Western Isles, and two Little Buntings together in Surrey.
Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 21st April 2021  
  Southern rarities continued to arrive today with in County Cork a Sardinian Warbler discovered on Knockadoon Head, a Black-winged Stilt new at Clonakilty, and a Hoopoe at Sheep's Head, in Cornwall Eastern Subalpine Warblers at both Land's End and Porthgwarra, and a Black-winged Stilt at Par, a Kentish Plover new in Leicestershire at Rutland Water, the territorial Iberian Chiffchaff still in Suffolk, Bee-eater on the Isles of Scilly, Wryneck in Norfolk, Night Heron in both Devon and the Isle of Wight, Purple Heron in both Herefordshire and Kent, and a total of 11 Glossy Ibises.

Other rarities today comprised the American Herring Gull still in Cornwall, Bonaparte's Gull still in Leicestershire, Spotted Sandpiper in Ayrshire, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Highland, Dusky Warbler in Norfolk, two Little Buntings together in Surrey, and in Scotland seven White-billed Divers were logged.
Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 20th April 2021  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of an Eastern Subalpine Warbler in Cornwall at Treeve Moor, whilst a Bonaparte's Gull was indentified in Leicestershire at Rutland Water, and the first Black-winged Stilt of the spring arrived at Rainham Marshes, London.

Rarities elsewhere comprised the American Herring Gull still in Cornwall, the territorial Iberian Chiffchaff still in Suffolk, Bee-eater on the Isles of Scilly, Long-billed Dowitcher in North Yorkshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, Lesser Scaup in County Fermanagh, Richardson's Cackling Goose in both Highland and the Western Isles, and White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire and the Orkney Isles.

Scarcities included Woodchat Shrike and Pectoral Sandpiper (Cornwall), Serin (Norfolk), Hoopoe (County Cork), Night Heron (Devon), American Wigeon (Shetland Isles), Green-winged Teal (East Yorkshire), Great Grey Shrike (Hampshire), two each of both American Golden Plover and Wryneck, three Glossy Ibises, five Lapland Buntings, and a total of eight Ring-necked Ducks.

Significant late news concerned a Subalpine Warbler present yesterday in Cheshire at Burton Marsh.
Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 19th April 2021  
  A Kentish Plover was found at Ballycotton, County Cork, and the identity of the Richardson's Cackling Goose at Udale Bay, Highland was confirmed.

Other lingering rarities included the Iberian Chiffchaff in Suffolk, Bee-eater in Scilly, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Waterford and Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan.

Scarcity highlights included a Serin, a White-spotted Bluethroat, a Wryneck, a Hoopoe, a Great Grey Shrike, an American Golden Plover, a Pectoral Sandpiper, two Dotterel, a Night Heron, three Kumlien's Gulls, a Rough-legged Buzzard, a Surf Scoter, three Green-winged Teals and eight Ring-necked Ducks.
Will Soar, RBA
Sunday 18th April 2021  
 

An Iberian Chiffchaff was found singing in Ipswich in Suffolk and, later in the day, an Alpine Swift was seen near Broad Haven in Pembrokeshire.

Still present were the Belted Kingfisher and Bufflehead in Co.Cork, American Herring Gull in Cornwall, White-throated Sparrow in Sussex, Spotted Sandpiper in Ayrshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in North Yorkshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, Dusky Warbler in Merseyside and Bee-eater on Scilly. There were seven White-billed Divers in Moray, with eight in Aberdeenshire and singles in Shetland and Lothian.

Other highlights included White-spotted Bluethroat (Norfolk), four Hoopoes and Night Heron (Devon), as well as Pectoral Sandpiper (Northumberland), Great Grey Shrike (Hampshire), Yellow-browed Warbler (Sussex), Grey Phalarope (Norfolk), Surf Scoter (Lothian), two Dotterel (together in Anglesey), two Kumlien's Gulls, three Green-winged Teal, four Little Buntings, 10 Glossy Ibises and 16 Ring-necked Ducks.
David Campbell, RBA