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| Tuesday 15th August 2023 | ||
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| The Red-footed Booby remained in-situ on Bishop Rock lighthouse in the Isles of Scilly, whilst visitors to the islands also recorded a Fea's or Desertas Petrel from the Scillonian III, three Wilson's Petrels, 400 Cory's Shearwaters and 30 Great Shearwaters.
Elsewhere, a Squacco Heron was at Great Livermere, Suffolk, a Pacific Golden Plover was on Holy Island, Northumberland and a Greenish Warbler was on West High Down, Isle of Wight. Other lingering rarities still present included the Hudsonian Godwit in Shetland, Long-billed Dowitcher and White-rumped Sandpiper in Orkney, Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk, seven Black-winged Stilts in Lincolnshire and five in Yorkshire, Stejneger's Scoter and King Eider in Lothian, Black Stork in Kent, Forster's Tern in Dorset and Bonaparte's Gulls in County Dublin and Kent. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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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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| Monday 14th August 2023 | ||
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| In Scilly, last weeks Red-footed Booby was relocated from the evening pelagic, sitting on Bishop Rock lighthouse. Further north, the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper returned to Langness, Isle of Man.
Other new discoveries included a Bonaparte's Gull at Skerries, County Dublin, an Alpine Swift at Bempton Cliffs RSPB, Yorkshire and a Bee-eater at West Hougham, Kent. Lingering rarities included the Stejneger's Scoter and King Eider in Lothian, Forster's Tern in Dorset, Hudsonian Godwit in Shetland, Black-winged Pratincole in County Donegal, Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk, White-rumped Sandpiper in Orkney, five Black-winged Stilts in Yorkshire and four in Lincolnshire and Black Stork in Kent. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 13th August 2023 | ||
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| A Semipalmated Sandpiper was found at Pool of Virkie, Shetland today, whilst the first Wilson's Petrel for Ceredigion was taken by a Peregrine off New Quay. A further ten of the latter were seen from a pelagic off Courtmacsherry, County Cork, six were off Scilly and singles were seen from both Pendeen and Porthgwarra, Cornwall. A Bee-eater flew over Pegwell Bay, Kent and a Black Kite flew over Honing, Norfolk.
Lingering rarities still prsent included the Stejneger's Scoter and King Eider in Lothian, Hudsonian Godwit in Shetland, Black-winged Pratincole in County Donegal, White-rumped Sandpiper in Orkney, Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk, seven Black-winged Stilts in Lincolnshire and five in Yorkshire, Forster's Tern in Dorset, Black Stork in Kent and Bonaparte's Gull in Argyll. Scarcity highlights included a Short-toed Lark, a Marsh Warbler, three Red-backed Shrikes, a Honey Buzzard, a Montagu's Harrier, a Ring-necked Duck, eight Glossy Ibises, a Spotted Crake, an American Golden Plover, two Pectoral Sandpipers, 13 Grey Phalaropes, a White-winged Black Tern, seven Sabine's Gulls, 19 Balearic Shearwaters, 149 Great Shearwaters, around 4,067 Cory's Shearwaters, two Pomarine Skuas and five Long-tailed Skuas. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 12th August 2023 | ||
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Another great day for seawatching with a Barolo Shearwater in Cornwall passing Porthgwarra (the sixth sighting there since 14th July), Scopoli's Shearwaters in County Clare and County Mayo, Long-tailed Skua in County Clare, and totals of 13 Wilson's Petrels, 19 Sabine's Gulls, 688 Great Shearwaters, and 6,862 Cory's Shearwaters. In Lothian the Stejneger's Scoter reappeared in the Firth of Forth, now at Musselburgh Lagoons, having last been seen in Fife on 13th May. Rarities elsewhere comprised the Hudsonian Godwit still on the Shetland Isles, Forster's Tern still in Dorset, Black-winged Pratincole in County Donegal, Black Storks in both Kent and Lincolnshire, Pacific Golden Plover and White-rumped Sandpiper on the Orkney Isles, Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk, King Eider in Lothian, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, and five Black-winged Stilts together in Lincolnshire. Scarcities included Short-toed Lark (Pembrokeshire), Montagu's Harrier (Essex), American Golden Plover (County Londonderry), Ring-billed Gull (County Galway), Ring-necked Duck (Suffolk), two Pectoral Sandpipers, and three each of Red-backed Shrike and Glossy Ibis. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Friday 11th August 2023 | ||
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The highlight of the day was the discovery of Black Storks both in Kent at Pegwell Bay and in Lincolnshire at Freiston Shore, and on the Orkney Isles a White-rumped Sandpiper on Westray. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Hudsonian Godwit on the Shetland Isles, Forster's Tern in Dorset, Black-winged Pratincole in County Donegal, Pacific Golden Plover on the Orkney Isles, Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk, and Black-winged Stilts in Lincolnshire (7) and South Yorkshire (5). Seabirding highlights were a Scopoli's Shearwater and two Wilson's Petrels at sea off the Isles of Scilly, Long-tailed Skua in Highland, two Sabine's Gulls in County Cork, and totals of at least 387 Great Shearwaters and 6,423 Cory's Shearwaters; including 4,542 passing Toe Head, County Cork. Scarcities included Short-toed Lark (Pembrokeshire), Night Heron (Hampshire), Ring-billed Gull (County Galway), Corncrake (Cornwall), Glossy Ibis (Cambridgeshire), and two each of Purple Heron and Pectoral Sandpiper. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 10th August 2023 | ||
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The highlight of the day was a Franklin's Gull discovered in County Londonderry at the Bann Estuary. Otherwide rarities today were the Hudsonian Godwit still on the Shetland Isles, Forster's Tern still in Dorset, Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk, King Eider in Lothian, a Red-rumped Swallow briefly in Fife at St Andrews, and Black-winged Stilts in both Lincolnshire (3) and South Yorkshire (5). Seabirds included Wilson's Petrels at sea off the Isles of Scilly (2) and in County Waterford, Sabine's Gull (East Yorkshire), five Long-tailed Skuas, and totals of 72 Great Shearwaters and 190 Cory's Shearwaters. Scarcities included Short-toed Lark (Pembrokeshire), American Golden Plover (County Derry), Purple Heron (Scilly), Red-backed Shrike (Shetland), Ring-necked Duck (Suffolk), two of Montagu's Harrier and Pectoral Sandpiper, and four Glossy Ibises. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 9th August 2023 | ||
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| Highlights today included a Wilson's Petrel in Cornwall off Godrevy, Black Stork in Suffolk flew over Butley, and a Black Kite in Wiltshire east of East Grimstead.
Lingering rarities included the Hudsonian Godwit in Shetland, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, Forster's Tern in Dorset, Bridled Tern in Gwynedd, Black-winged Pratincole in County Donegal, Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk, eight Black-winged Stilts in South Yorkshire (4) and Lincolnshire (4), and King Eider in Lothian. Other seabird totals included five Pomarine Skuas, a Long-tailed Skua, five Balearic Shearwaters, 10 Great Shearwaters, and 120 Cory's Shearwaters. Other scarcities included a Spotted Crake, two Montagu's Harriers, three Pectoral Sandpipers, Red-necked Phalarope, 14 Roseate Terns, Honey Buzzard, Ring-necked Duck, Wood Warbler, and two Glossy Ibises. |
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| - Ben Clark, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 8th August 2023 | ||
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Highlights today was a late report of a Black-winged Stilt in Norfolk at Buckenham Marshes RSPB, 26 Wilson's Petrels at various sites across Cornwall and Scilly, and a Scopoli's S'water off Scilly south-west of Bishop Rock. Lingering rarities included the Hudsonian Godwit in Shetland, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, Forster's Tern in Dorset, Bridled Tern in Gwynedd, Black-winged Pratincole in County Donegal, Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk, 5 Black-winged Stilts in Yorkshire (4) and Lincolnshire (1), and King Eider in Lothian. Other seabird totals included a Sabine's Gull, six Pomarine Skuas, 17 Balearic Shearwaters, over 125 Great Shearwaters, and 668 Cory's Shearwaters. Other scarcities included an American Golden Plover, Montagu's Harrier, four Pectoral Sandpipers, Red-necked Phalarope, two Leach's Petrels, nine Roseate Terns, Honey Buzzard and four Glossy Ibises. |
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| - Ben Clark, RBA | ||
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| Monday 7th August 2023 | ||
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| The Scilly pelagic hit the jackpot, again, today, with a flyby Red-footed Booby (the second for Britain following a moribund bird on a Sussex beach in 2016), along with a further two Scopoli's Shearwaters, making a total of nine of the latter from the pelagics since 28th July and another ten Wilson's Petrels. Seven more Wilson's Petrels were seen off Cornwall with four also off County Cork, with other seabirds totalling 277 Cory's Shearwaters, 128 Great Shearwaters, two Balearic Shearwaters, and singles of Sabine's Gull, Grey Phalarope, Leach's Petrel, Pomarine Skua and Long-tailed Skua.
A Bee-eater was discovered at Elton Reservoir, Greater Manchester, whilst lingering rarities included the Bridled Tern in Gwynedd, Forster's Tern in Dorset, Hudsonian Godwit in Shetland, Black-winged Pratincole in County Donegal, Long-billed Dowitchers in Orkney and Norfolk, Pacific Golden Plover in Orkney, White-rumped Sandpiper in County Wexford and five Black-winged Stilts in Lincolnshire. Scarcity highlights included three Red-backed Shrikes, a Honey Buzzard, two Montagu's Harriers, a Glossy Ibis, three Pectoral Sandpipers, a Ring-necked Duck and an Iceland Gull. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 6th August 2023 | ||
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| A Bridled Tern was discovered at Afon Wen, Gwynedd late morning. It returned for a while mid afternoon before flying out to sea. Further north, a drake Harlequin Duck was at the mouth of Loch Fleet off Littleferry, Highland for its second day.
Other new discoveries today included another Scopoli's Shearwater from the Scilly pelagic, a Caspian Tern at Herne Bay, Kent, a Bonaparte's Gull on Sanday, Orkney, a Bee-eater at Ventnor, Isle of Wight and the Azorean Yellow-legged Gull returned to Annagh Beach, County Mayo. Lingering rarities seen today included the Hudsonian Godwit in Shetland, Least Tern in County Dublin, Forster's Tern in Dorset, Double-crested Cormorant in County Leitrim, Black-winged Pratincole in County Donegal, Long-billed Dowitchers in Norfolk and Orkney, five Black-winged Stilts in Yorkshire and four in Lincolnshire, five Wilson's Petrels off Cornwall and two off Scilly and King Eider in Lothian. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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