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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Friday 7th May 2021  
  The Northern Mockingbird remained in Newbiggin, Northumberland throughout the day.

New discoveries today included a Black Kite over High Coniscliffe, County Durham and single Red-rumped Swallows at Hollesley, Suffolk, Little Wooldon Moss, Greater Manchester and Brading, Isle of Wight.

Other lingering rarities seen today included the Collared Pratincole in Merseyside, Tawny Pipit in Dorset, Iberian Chiffchaff in Suffolk, Savi's Warblers in Bedfordshire and Carmarthenshire, Eastern Subalpine Warbler in Shetland, Hooded Merganser in Angus, Blue-winged Teal in Cornwall, American Herring Gull in Cornwall, Bonaparte's Gull in Worcestershire, Whiskered Tern in Dorset and three White-billed Divers in Shetland and one in Aberdeenshire.
Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 6th May 2021  
 

Incredibly, news emerged of a Northern Mockingbird present in a garden in Newbiggin, Northumberland, and already there for a few days. Reeling Savi's Warblers were found in Bedfordshire and Carmarthenshire. A Red-rumped Swallow was found at Audenshaw Reservoirs in Greater Manchester, while Dorset had a Tawny Pipit at Cogden Beach.

Still present were the American Herring Gull and Blue-winged Teal in Cornwall, Broad-billed Sandpiper and Iberian Chiffchaff in Suffolk, Whiskered Tern in Dorset, Bonaparte's Gulls in Glamorgan and Worcestershire, Black Kite in Aberdeenshire and White-billed Diver in Orkney.

The best of the rest included Woodchat Shrike (Essex), Night Heron (Herefordshire), Serin (Scilly), Montagu's Harrier (Worcestershire), two Hoopoes, Wryneck (Co.Durham), Grey-headed Wagtail (North Yorkshire), two Golden Orioles, Shorelark (Cleveland), Red-necked Phalarope (the returning female in Northumberland), two Buff-breasted Sandpipers, four Temminck's Stints, Little Bunting (Fair Isle), Black Brant (Essex), Green-winged Teal (Angus), Ring-necked Duck (Dorset), Surf Scoter (Lothian), Kumlien's Gull (Shetland), six Glossy Ibises and seven migrant Dotterel.
David Campbell, RBA
Wednesday 5th May 2021  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Broad-billed Sandpiper in Suffolk on the Alde Estuary, with a Black Kite seen briefly nearby at Minsmere

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Black Kite in Aberdeenshire, American Herring Gull in Cornwall, Whiskered Tern in Dorset, Lesser Yellowlegs in Worcestershire, territorial Iberian Chiffchaff in Suffolk, White-billed Diver on the Orkney Isles, and Bonaparte's Gulls in both Highland and Worcestershire.

Scarcities included Woodchat Shrike (Essex), Golden Oriole (East Yorkshire), Little Bunting (Shetland Isles), Hoopoe (Buckinghamshire), Night Heron (Herefordshire), Surf Scoter (Lothian), Green-winged Teal (Angus), two each of both Wryneck and Temminck's Stint, five Glossy Ibises, and five migrant Dotterel.

Significant late news concerned a Blue-winged Teal present yesterday at Walmsley Sanctuary, Cornwall.
Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 4th May 2021  
  Discoveries today included a Red-rumped Swallow in East Yorkshire at Kilnsea, and Black Kites in both Aberdeenshire at Collieston, and Norfolk at Bawsey.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the American Herring Gull in Cornwall, Gull-billed Tern in County Donegal, Whiskered Tern in Dorset, Eastern Subalpine Warbler on the Shetland Isles, Spotted Sandpiper in Lothian, Lesser Yellowlegs in Worcestershire, Kentish Plover in Suffolk, White-billed Diver in Moray, Marbled Duck in London, and singles Bonaparte's Gulls in each of Glamorgan, Highland, and Worcestershire.

Scarcities included Woodchat Shrike (Essex), Golden Oriole (East Sussex), Purple Heron (Isles of Scilly), Surf Scoter (Lothian), Ring-necked Duck (Dorset), Green-winged Teal (Angus), Shorelark and Grey-headed Wagtail (Norfolk), two each of Hoopoe, Wryneck, and Temminck's Stint, and five migrant Dotterel.
Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 3rd May 2021  
  New discoveries today included a Hooded Merganser at Loch of Kinnordy RSPB, Angus, a Pallid Harrier over Waxham, Norfolk, a Kentish Plover at Iken, Suffolk, a Lesser Yellowlegs at Clifton, Worcestershire, single Red-throated Pipits over Sidestrand, Norfolk and Kenidjack, Cornwall and a Red-rumped Swallow at New Hythe, Kent.

Lingering rarities included the Black Stork on the Isle of Wight, Whiskered Tern in Dorset, Bonaparte's Gulls in Worcestershire and Highland, Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Rustic Bunting and three White-billed Divers in Shetland (with two of the latter still in Moray) and Black Kite in Suffolk.
Will Soar, RBA
Sunday 2nd May 2021  
  New discoveries today included a Rustic Bunting on Fair Isle, Shetland, a Whiskered Tern at Abbotsbury, Dorset, a Black Stork at Ventnor, Isle of Wight, a King Eider off Burghead, Moray, a Black Kite over Leziate, Norfolk and White-billed Divers off Port Nis, Lewis, Western Isles (four) and off Lamba Ness, Unst, Shetland.

Lingering rarities included the American Herring Gull in Cornwall, Bonaparte's Gulls in Glamorgan (two), Worcestershire and Highland, Pied-billed Grebe in Argyll, Eastern Subalpine Warbler in Shetland, Red-throated Pipit in Scilly, Black Kite in Suffolk, King Eider in Aberdeenshire and three White-billed Divers in both Moray and Shetland.
Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 1st May 2021  
 

The best new finds today were a Collared Pratincole near Kirkby in Merseyside, Black Stork over Burley in Hampshire, Bonaparte's Gull at Dunnet in Highland, and Red-footed Falcons in Kent and Scilly.

Still present were the Double-crested Cormorant in Co.Kerry, Gull-billed Tern in Co.Donegal, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, Eastern Subalpine Warbler in Shetland, Red-throated Pipit on Scilly, Bonaparte's Gulls in Glamorgan (two) and Worcestershire. There were five White-billed Divers in Shetland, and singles in Moray and Aberdeenshire.

Further highlights included three Woodchat Shrikes, Little Bunting (Fair Isle), Grey-headed Wagtail (Norfolk), Hoopoe (Suffolk), Wryneck (Norfolk), three Dotterel and Temminck's Stints, four Purple Herons, Great Grey Shrike (Hampshire), Balearic Shearwater (Sussex), Ring-necked Duck (Dorset), four Surf Scoters and eight Glossy Ibises.
David Campbell, RBA
Friday 30th April 2021  
  New discoveries today included a Red-throated Pipit on St Mary's and a Pallid Harrier on several islands in Isles of Scilly, a Black Stork over Bishop's Dyke, Hampshire, Black Kites over Loughrigg Fell, Cumbria and North Warren RSPB, Suffolk, and two Black-winged Stilts at both Elmley NNR, Kent and Lodmoor RSPB, Dorset.

Lingering rarities still present included the Double-crested Cormorant and Franklin's Gull in County Kerry, American Herring Gull in Cornwall, Bonaparte's Gulls in Worcestershire and Glamorgan and two White-billed Divers in Moray and one in Orkney.
Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 29th April 2021  
 

A Franklin's Gull showed up at Ballyheigue in Co.Kerry and a drake Lesser Scaup was found at Chapel Pit in Lincolnshire. In Suffolk, a Black Kite flew over Carlton Marshes, while a Red-rumped Swallow appeared at Farlington Marshes, Hampshire.

Still present were the Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on Fair Isle, Gull-billed Tern in Co.Donegal, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Highland, Bonaparte's Gull in Worcestershire, Olive-backed Pipit in Cornwall, Snowy Owl on St.Kilda, two White-billed Divers in Moray, and Dusky Warblers in Merseyside and Norfolk

Further highlights included Purple Heron (Scilly), five Hoopoes; two Golden Orioles, Dotterel and Richard's Pipits; Grey-headed Wagtail (Northumberland), Wryneck (Buckinghamshire), Honey Buzzard (Suffolk), Rough-legged Buzzard (Angus), Little Bunting (Fair Isle), Green-winged Teal (Co.Wexford), Todd's Canada Goose (Cumbria), two Ring-necked Ducks, three Temminck's Stints and four Glossy Ibises.
David Campbell, RBA
Wednesday 28th April 2021  
  New rarities discovered today comprised a Franklin's Gull in County Kerry at Black Rock Strand, a Olive-backed Pipit in Cornwall at Kenidjack, a Citrine Wagtail briefly in Somerset at Weston, and a flyby Whiskered Tern in Dorset at West Bay.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the American Herring Gull in Cornwall, Eastern Subalpine Warbler on the Shetland Isles, territorial Iberian Chiffchaff in Suffolk, Dusky Warbler in Norfolk, Bonaparte's Gulls in both Glamorgan (2) and Worcestershire, two White-billed Divers together in Aberdeenshire, and the Marbled Duck in London.

Scarcities included Little Bunting (East Sussex), Sabine's Gull (Cumbria), Hoopoe and Black Brant (Highland), Dotterel (Lincolnshire), Ring-necked Duck (Cornwall), and two each of Purple Heron, Wryneck, and Glossy Ibis.

Significant late news concerned a Gull-billed Tern present yesterday in County Donegal at Carrickfinn.
Chris Batty, RBA