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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Saturday 31st July 2021  
 

The second Western Sandpiper of the year was discovered at Clonea Beach in Co.Waterford in the early evening. White-rumped Sandpipers were new at Kilnsea Wetlands in East Yorkshire and at Tacumshin in Co.Wexford. A minimum of 12 Wilson's Petrels were seen during the day's Scilly pelagic.

The Black-browed Albatross in East Yorkshire, Least Tern in Co.Dublin, Pacific Golden Plover in Lincolnshire, and Bonaparte's Gulls in Kent and Shetland all continued their stays.

Other highlights included Purple Heron (Suffolk), three Pectoral Sandpipers, four Rose-coloured Starlings, four Long-tailed Skuas, three Cory's Shearwaters, two Great Shearwaters and Glossy Ibis (Cambridgeshire).
-  David Campbell, RBA
Friday 30th July 2021  
  New discoveries today included a White-rumped Sandpiper at Annagh Beach, County Mayo and at least six Wilson's Petrels from the evening Scilly pelagic.

Lingering rarities seen today included the Western Sandpiper in Norfolk, Black-browed Albatross in Yorkshire, Elegant Tern in Anglesey, Least Tern in County Dublin, Long-billed Dowitchers in Cheshire and Norfolk, Pacific Golden Plover in Lincolnshire, Black-winged Stilt in Devon and Bonaparte's Gull in Shetland.

Scarcity highlights included a Hoopoe, a Red-necked Phalarope, six Glossy Ibises, a Great Shearwater, a Cory's Shearwater and a Long-tailed Skua.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 29th July 2021  
 

A Black-winged Stilt was again at Wrafton in Devon, while the Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk relocated to Hickling Broad. A Wilson's Petrel passed Pendeen in Cornwall and a Black Kite flew north over Ruddons Point, Fife. Late news concerned an adult Semipalmated Sandpiper at Rossbeigh in Co.Kerry yesterday and a White-rumped Sandpiper at Muckrush in Co.Galway on Tuesday.

The Least Tern in Co.Dublin, Black-browed Albatross in East Yorkshire, Elegant Tern in Anglesey, Western Sandpiper in Norfolk, Pacific Golden Plovers in Anglesey and Lincolnshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cheshire, Bonaparte's Gulls in Kent and Shetland and King Eider in Shetland all remained.

Other highlights included Night Heron (Norfolk), four Rose-coloured Starlings, Cory's and Great Shearwaters in Cornwall.

-  David Campbell, RBA
Wednesday 28th July 2021  
  Lingering Mega-rarities comprised Elegant Tern on Anglesey, Western Sandpiper in Norfolk and Least Tern in Co Dublin, whilst Pacific Golden Plovers (Anglesey and Lincolnshire), Long-billed Dowitcher (Cheshire), Subalpine warbler species (Western Isles), King Eider and Bonaparte's Gull (Shetland), Bonaparte's Gull (Kent) and Black Scoter Aberdeenshire all lingered. A new 1st-summer Baltic Gull was discovered in Oxfordshire.

The best of the rest included Pectoral Sandpiper (South Yorkshire), four Rose-coloured Starlings (all on Northern Isles), two Glossy Ibises (Norfolk and Cambridgeshire) and Cory's Shearwaters off the East Yorkshire and Cornish coastlines.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 27th July 2021  
  New discoveries comprised Pacific Golden Plover on Anglesey and Citrine Wagtail in Norfolk, whilst the Elegant Tern (Anglesey), Western and White-rumped Sandpipers (Norfolk), Black-browed Albatross (East Yorkshire), Pacific Golden Plovers (Norfolk and Lincolnshire), Subalpine warbler species (Western Isles), Bonaparte's Gull (Kent), Short-billed Dowitcher (Co Cork) and Black Scoter (Aberdeenshire) all lingered.

The best of the rest included Rose-coloured Starlings (Orkney and Shetland) and Pectoral Sandpiper (Norfolk).

Late news from Co Galway related to a Black-winged Stilt at Muckross yesterday and a Snowy Owl on Inishmore on 18th July.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 26th July 2021  
  New discoveries today included a Gull-billed Tern in Suffolk, initially at Minsmere RSPB before relocating to Carlton Marshes SWT, a Semipalmated Sandpiper at Lower Rosses, County Sligo, a Subalpine Warbler species on Barra, Western Isles, a Pacific Golden Plover at Burnham Norton, Norfolk (present for its 4th day) and the Long-billed Dowitcher in the county was relocated at Potter Heigham Marshes. Late news from June concerned a Short-toed Eagle seen in Highland on 20th.

Lingering rarities included the Western Sandpiper in Norfolk, Least Tern in County Dublin, Elegant Tern in Anglesey, Black-browed Albatross in Yorkshire, Snowy Owl in Western Isles, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cheshire, Pacific Golden Plover in Lincolnshire, Caspian Tern in Cleveland, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent and King Eider in Shetland.

Scarcity highlights included two Hoopoes, two Rose-coloured Starlings, a Pectoral Sandpiper, an American Golden Plover, a Grey Phalarope, two Dotterel, a Honey Buzzard, a Glossy Ibis and two Pomarine Skuas.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Sunday 25th July 2021  
  Long-billed Dowitchers were discovered at Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB, Cheshire and at Dickleburgh Moor, Norfolk, whilst a Red-rumped Swallow was reported at Alkborough Flats, Lincolnshire.

Lingering rarities seen today included the Western Sandpiper in Norfolk, Least Tern in both County Dublin and County Louth, Elegant Tern in Anglesey, Caspian Tern in Lincolnshire, Black-browed Albatross in Yorkshire, Pacific Golden Plover in Lincolnshire, Western Bonelli's Warbler in Cornwall and Bonaparte's Gull in Shetland.

Scarcity highlights included a Hoopoe, two Pectoral Sandpipers, three Glossy Ibises, two Honey Buzzards and a Pomarine Skua.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 24th July 2021  
 

The Western Sandpiper remained on The Wash at Snettisham in Norfolk, while other continuing rarities comprised the Least Tern in Co.Louth, Elegant Tern in Anglesey, Western Bonelli's Warbler in Cornwall, Pacific Golden Plover in Lincolnshire, Caspian Tern in Cleveland, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent and White-rumped Sandpipers in Shetland and Suffolk.

Other news was light, with two Pectoral Sandpipers (Norfolk and Northumberland), a migrant Red-necked Phalarope (East Yorkshire) and Glossy Ibis (Norfolk) the pick of the bunch.
-  David Campbell, RBA
Friday 23rd July 2021  
  Highlight of the day was the discovery of a Western Sandpiper at Snettisham RSPB (Norfolk).

New discoveries elsewhere included a Western Bonelli's Warbler in Cornwall and a Caspian Tern in Cleveland, whilst the Elegant Tern (Anglesey), Pacific Golden Plover (Lincolnshire), Bonaparte's Gulls (Kent and Shetland), White-rumped Sandpipers (Shetland and Suffolk) and Pectoral Sandpipers (Norfolk and South Yorkshire) all lingered.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 22nd July 2021  
  New discoveries today included single Gull-billed Terns at Chartham, Kent and Stallingborough, Lincolnshire, single White-rumped Sandpipers at Snettisham, Norfolk and Pool of Virkie, Shetland and a Bee-eater over Gunwalloe, Cornwall.

Lingering rarities included the Elegant Tern in Anglesey, Black-browed Albatross in Yorkshire, American Black Tern in Northumberland, Pacific Golden Plover in Lincolnshire, White-rumped Sandpiper in Suffolk and Bonaparte's Gull in Kent.

Scarcity highlights included a Melodious Warbler, two Rose-coloured Starlings, two Pectoral Sandpipers, two Glossy Ibises, four Balearic Shearwaters and an Iceland Gull.
-  Will Soar, RBA