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 23rd August 2025  
  The highlight of the day was a Bridled Tern in Fife that lingered at Fife Ness for over three hours, and in Lincolnshire a Black-winged Pratincole was discovered at Kirton in Lindsey.

Rarities confirmed as still present were the family of up to five Zitting Cisticolas and the Black Stork in Suffolk, Marsh Sandpiper in Devon, White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Western Bonelli's Warblers in Pembrokeshire and Scilly, Eastern Subalpine Warbler in Shetland, Long-billed Dowitchers in both Orkney and County Wexford, White-rumped Sandpipers in East Yorkshire and County Wexford, Bonaparte's Gull in Aberdeenshire, Black Kite in Cornwall, and two Lesser Scaups together in Staffordshire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 22nd August 2025  
  The highlight of the day was news that Zitting Cisticolas have bred in Suffolk at Walberswick with at least five birds present there today. Elsewhere, in Cornwall an Aquatic Warbler was found at Cadgwith and a Black Kite was at Drift Reservoir.

Continuing rarities confirmed as still present today were the Marsh Sandpiper in Devon where it had relocated to Seaton, Black Stork in Suffolk, Western Bonelli's Warbler and Subalpine Warbler species together in the Isles of Scilly, Eastern Subalpine Warbler in Shetland, Citrine Wagtail in  the Western Isles, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lancashire, Long-billed Dowitcher and White-rumped Sandpiper in County Wexford, Bonaparte's Gull in both Aberdeenshire and Kent, and Lesser Scaups in Greater Manchester and Staffordshire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 21st August 2025  
  In Gloucestershire, the Black-winged Kite remained in the Frampton area until mid morning, when it flew east.

New discoveries included single Booted Warblers at Holland Haven, Essex and on Grassholm, Pembrokeshire, a Subalpine Warbler species on St Mary's, Scilly, a Citrine Wagtail at Kildonan, Western Isles and a Black Kite at Ormesby, Norfolk.

Other lingering rarities included the Zitting Cisticolas in both Kent and Suffolk, Western Bonelli's Warbler in Pembrokeshire, Black Stork and White-rumped Sandpiper in Suffolk, another of the latter in County Wexford, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lancashire, two Lesser Scaups in Staffordshire and Bonaparte's Gulls in Kent and Aberdeenshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 20th August 2025  
  Today.'s major discover was of a Black-winged Kite at Splatt Bridge in Gloucestershire. It was also seen nearer to Slimbridge but flew north again back towards Splatt Bridge in the eveing. This species was only added to the British List in 2023, with records in Powys, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.

Three other new rarities found today were Bonelli's Warbler on Gugh in Scilly, a White-rumped Sandpiper at Blanket Nook in County Donegal and a Fea's Petrel sp past Nybster in Highland.

The two Zitting Cisticolas were still to be found today, in Kent and in Suffolk and the long staying Western Sandpiper was again at Turnberry in Ayshire. Other lingering rarities included Black Stork in Suffolk, Lesser Scaups in Staffordshire (2) and Greater Manchester, Ferruginous Duck in Leicestershire, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, Laughing Gull in County Kerry, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lancashire, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wexford, White-rumped Sandpipers in Suffolk, Lothian and County Wexford, Western Bonelli's Warbler on Scilly, and the long staying Eastern Subalpine Warbler still on Fair Isle in Shetland.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Tuesday 19th August 2025  
  Discoveries today included a Fea's Petrel species in Orkney passing North Ronaldsay, and in Wales an Aquatic Warbler in Gwent at Uskmouth, and a White-rumped Sandpiper new on Anglesey at Malltraeth.

Elsewhere, continuing rarities confirmed as still present were Zitting Cisticola, Black Stork, and White-rumped Sandpiper in Suffolk, Zitting Cisticola and Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, Western Bonelli's Warbler in the Isles of Scilly, Long-billed Dowitchers in both Orkney and County Wexford, and two Lesser Scaups together in Staffordshire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 18th August 2025  
  A Greenish Warbler was a new discovery on Fair Isle (Shetland), where the long-staying Eastern Subalpine Warbler also remains. There was a belated report of a Barolo Shearwater seen flying past Nybster in Highland yesterday. After an absence of over a week, the Western Sandpiper was relocated at Turnberry in Ayrshire.

Both the Zitting Cisticolas were still to be found today - one in Kent, although it was not seen after mid morning, and one is Suffolk. Other lingering rarities included Western Bonelli's Warbler on Scilly, Greenish Warbler and Black Stork in Suffolk, Lesser Scaups in Staffordshire (2) and Greater Manchester, Ferruginous Duck in Leicestershire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lancashire. Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wexford, White-rumped Sandpiper in Suffolk and Bonaparte's Gull in Kent.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Sunday 17th August 2025  
  Zitting Cisticola was again the highlight of the day with a new bird discovered in Kent at Lydd Ranges and confirmation of two together in Suffolk at Walberswick.

Elsewhere, rarities comprised a White-winged Scoter still in Angus, Laughing Gull still in County Kerry, Western Bonelli's Warblers still in both the Isles of Scilly and Pembrokeshire, Black Stork, Greenish Warbler, and White-rumped Sandpiper in Suffolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wexford, White-rumped Sandpiper in East Yorkshire, Bonaparte's Gulls in Aberdeenshire and Kent, Lesser Scaup in Greater Manchester, and a Ferruginous Duck in Leicestershire.

Significant news from yesterday concerned a Black-winged Pratincole reported in Angus at Carnoustie.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 16th August 2025  
  Warblers again featured in the new discoveries today with a Greenish Warbler found at Lowestoft in Suffolk, a Bonelli's Warbler sp found on Skomer Island in Pembrokeshire and a Blyth's Reed Warbler trapped and ringed at Stanford Reservoir on the Leicestershire/Northamptonshire border. This latter being an unseasonally early record. A Pacific Golden Plover was seen for about 20 minutes in a field in Waxham. Other excitement was provided by Saker Falcons: with a juvenile on Scilly proving to be an escape and another seen flying past Bempton in Yorkshire, which is thought possibly to be an escaped bird seen recently at Flamborough.

Lingering rarities included the Zitting Cisticola and Black Stork in Suffolk, White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Lesser Scaups in Staffordshire (2) and Greater Manchester, Ferruginous Duck in Leicestershire, Black Kite in Cornwall, Lesser Yellowlegs in Hampshire, two Long-billed Dowitchers at Tacumshin in County Wexford, White-rumped Sandpipers in East Yorkshire (2), Norfolk and Lincolnshire and Bonaparte's Gull in Kent.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Friday 15th August 2025  
  Rarities today comprised the territorial Zitting Cisticola and Black Stork both still in Suffolk, White-winged Scoter still in Lothian, Western Bonelli's Warbler still in the Isles of Scilly, Eastern Subalpine Warbler still in Shetland, White-rumped Sandpiper in East Yorkshire, Black Kite in Cornwall, Ferruginous Duck in Leicestershire, and Bonaparte's Gulls in Aberdeenshire, Argyll, and Kent.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 14th August 2025  
  Another White-rumped Sandpiper was found this morning, this one at Frampton in Lincolnshire, with lingering White-rumped Sandpipers confirmed still present at Kilnsea in East Yorkshire (two), Snettisham in Norfolk and Thorntonloch in Lothian.

There was no sign of the Black-winged Pratincole in Northumberland but lingering rarities still present included the Western Bonelli's Warbler on Scilly, the Zitting Cisticola and Black Stork in Suffolk, the Lesser Scaup in Greater Manchester and Bonaparte's Gulls in Aberdeenshire and Kent.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA