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.

Choose a starting date
Tuesday 6th July 2021  
  An Alpine Swift cruised south past Kilnsea in East Yorkshire, while two Wilson's Petrels were seen from the RV Celtic Explorer off Co.Donegal.

The Western Rufous Turtle Dove remained in East Yorkshire, while the Elegant Tern in Anglesey, Black-browed Albatross in East Yorkshire, Short-billed Dowitcher in Co.Cork and two Black-winged Stilts in Norfolk all extended their stays.

Among other news were two Cory's Shearwaters (Devon), seven Rose-coloured Starlings and Long-tailed Skua (Shetland).
David Campbell, RBA
Monday 5th July 2021  
  New discoveries today included an Alpine Swift at Broom GPs, Bedfordshire and a Bee-eater over Morston, Norfolk.

Lingering rarities included the Elegant Tern in Anglesey, Black-browed Albatross and Western Rufous Turtle Dove in Yorkshire, Short-billed Dowitcher in County Cork, Pacific Golden Plover and two Black-winged Stilts in Norfolk and Red-footed Falcon in Scilly.

Scarcity highlights included a Serin, four Rose-coloured Starlings, a Honey Buzzard, a Long-tailed Skua, four Balearic Shearwaters, a Glaucous Gull and two Iceland Gulls.
Will Soar, RBA
Sunday 4th July 2021  
 

An Elegant Tern appeared in the tern colony at Cemlyn Bay, Anglesey. The RV Celtic Explorer picked up a Wilson's Petrel in Co.Galway waters.

Continuing rarities comprised the Short-billed Dowitcher in Co.Cork, Black-browed Albatross in East Yorkshire, Western Rufous Turtle Dove in East Yorkshire, Pacific Golden Plover in Norfolk (relocating from Hickling Broad to Cley), Great Reed Warbler in Nottinghamshire, King Eider and Bonaparte's Gull in Shetland, two Black-winged Stilts in Norfolk and Red-footed Falcon on Scilly. At least nine Bee-eaters were in Norfolk.

Scarcities included Purple Heron (Isle of Wight), Red-backed Shrike (Norfolk), six Rose-coloured Starlings and Long-tailed Skua (Shetland).
David Campbell, RBA
Saturday 3rd July 2021  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Short-billed Dowitcher in County Cork at Clonakilty whilst nearby an albatross species flew past Cape Clear, whilst in Norfolk a Pacific Golden Plover joined the two Black-winged Stilts at Hickling Broad, and the flock of nine Bee-eaters flew over Sheringham.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Western Rufous Turtle Dove in East Yorkshire, Least Tern in County Dublin, Pied-billed Grebe in Argyll, and Red-footed Falcon on the Isles of Scilly.

Scarcities included Glossy Ibis (Oxfordshire), Long-tailed Skua (Shetland Isles), and a total of six Rose-coloured Starlings.
Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 2nd July 2021  
  A Western Rufous Turtle Dove was an unexpected discovery at Easington, East Yorkshire today. In West Yorkshire a Caspian Tern visited Fairburn Ings YWT before relocating to St Aidan's RSPB, whilst, elsewhere, Bee-eaters were at Cromer (nine) and Stiffkey, Norfolk and Iken, Suffolk (two) and a Black Kite flew over Studland, Dorset.

Lingering rarities included the Great Reed Warbler in Nottinghamshire, White-spotted Bluethroat in Gloucestershire, two Caspian Terns in East Yorkshire, two Black-winged Stilts in Norfolk, King Eider and Bonaparte's Gull in Shetland and Red-footed Falcon in Scilly.

Scarcity highlights included a Serin, a Grey-headed Wagtail, five Rose-coloured Starlings, a Montagu's Harrier, two Honey Buzzards, a Glossy Ibis, three Roseate Terns, four Pomarine Skuas and an Iceland Gull.
Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 1st July 2021  
  A Pterodroma initially identified as a Fea's/Desertas was tracked north along the east coast between Flamborough Head and Bamburgh. Later examination of photographs revealed it to be nothing short of a Soft-plumaged Petrel, the first for Britain and the third for the Western Palearctic.

Other finds included a first-summer Baltic Gull at Appleford GPs in Oxfordshire in the evening, as well as White-billed Diver in Sandside Bay, Highland, and Savi's Warbler in the Wiltshire section of the Cotswold Water Park. Nine Bee-eaters flew over Sandwich in Kent.

The Roller in Suffolk, Black Scoter in Aberdeenshire, King Eider in Shetland, two Caspian Terns in Yorkshire, Red-footed Falcon on Scilly, the pairs of Black-winged Stilts in Norfolk and Gloucestershire,

Other highlights included Pectoral Sandpiper (Cleveland), five Rose-coloured Starlings, Red-backed Shrike (Sussex) and Red-necked Phalarope (Suffolk).
David Campbell, RBA
Wednesday 30th June 2021  
  The Black-browed Albatross in East Yorkshire was again the highlight of the day where it spent most of the day at Bempton Cliffs.

Rarities elsewhere comprised the Least Tern still in County Dublin, the Roller still in Suffolk, Black Scoter in Aberdeenshire, two Caspian Terns together in East Yorkshire, Bonaparte's Gull on the Shetland Isles, and Black-winged Stilts in both Gloucestershire (2) and Norfolk (2).

Scarcities included Cory's Shearwater (Lothian), Red-necked Phalarope (Suffolk), and three Rose-coloured Starlings.
Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 29th June 2021  
  The highlight of the day was the Black-browed Albatross that showed all day at Bempton Cliffs, East Yorkshire.

Rarities elsewhere comprised the Least Tern still in County Dublin, Roller still in Suffolk, Gull-billed Tern in Cornwall, Caspian Terns in Carmarthenshire, East Yorkshire, and Lincolnshire, both Bonaparte's Gull and King Eider on the Shetland Isles, and Black-winged Sitlts in Gloucestershire (2) and Norfolk (2).

Scarcities included Short-toed Lark (Shetland), Common Rosefinch (Perth and Kinross), Temminck's Stint (Buckinghamshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (Western Isles), Red-necked Phalarope (Norfolk), Purple Heron and Glossy Ibis (Suffolk), two each of both Icterine Warbler and Marsh Warbler, and four Rose-coloured Starlings.

Significant late news from yesterday concerned a Fea's/Desertas Petrel at sea off Lamorna.
Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 28th June 2021  
  The Black-browed Albatross returned to East Yorkshire today, being seen in flight off Thornwick Bay at Flamborough heading towards Bempton Cliffs RSPB this evening. A Gull-billed Tern was present on the Hayle Estuary in Cornwall.

Lingering rarities seen today included the Least Tern in County Dublin, Roller in Suffolk, Caspian Terns in Lincolnshire, East Yorkshire and Carmarthenshire, Black Scoter in Aberdeenshire, two Black-winged Stilts in both Norfolk and Gloucestershire, Bonaparte's Gull in Shetland, White-spotted Bluethroat in Gloucestershire and Wilson's Petrel and Red-footed Falcon in Scilly.

Scarcity highlights included a Melodious Warbler, a Rose-coloured Starling, a Purple Heron, two Glossy Ibises, a Spotted Crake, a Honey Buzzard, two Red-necked Phalaropes, a Long-tailed Skua, three Roseate Terns, two Glaucous Gulls and an Iceland Gull.
Will Soar, RBA
Sunday 27th June 2021  
  The highlight of the day was the presence of a Pacific Swift in Glamorgan on Gower at Fall Bay although it only present there briefly.

Elsewhere rarities comprised the Least Tern still in County Dublin, Forster's Tern still in County Galway, Roller still in Suffolk, Caspian Terns in both Carmarthenshire and Lincolnshire, territorial Great Reed Warbler still in Nottinghamshire, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, Bonaparte's Gull on the Shetland Isles, Red-footed Falcon on the Isles of Scilly, Black-winged Stilts in both Gloucestershire (2) and Norfolk (2), and two Bee-eaters new in Lincolnshire at Tetney.

Scarcities included Melodious Warbler (Dorset), Purple Heron (Suffolk), Red-necked Phalarope (Northumberland), Long-tailed Skua (Shetland), and two each of both American Golden Plover and Glossy Ibis.
Chris Batty, RBA