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| Friday 12th May 2006 | ||
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| Bird of the day was without doubt a Calandra Lark on Isle of
May, Fife. The bird was found in the morning and remained till at least 5.30pm.
Fingers and toes are crossed that this notoriously difficult to twitch species
stays throughout tomorrow, but access to the island isn't going to be helped by
the fact that the island ferry broke-down this evening! An unconfirmed report of a Laughing Gull at Dungeness, Kent, provided the only other interest on what could have been an uneventful day. Belatedly, yet another American Robin was reported from 4th May in Lothian, and further belated news was from Wednesday, of a Red-throated Pipit reported over Rainham Marshes RSPB, London. In Devon the showy Iberian Chiffchaff remained on Dartmoor and the long-staying Franklin's Gull was still at Northam Burrows Country Park, whilst in Lancashire the 3 Black-winged Stilts were still at Marton Mere and Suffolk's second Lesser Scaup spent it's third day at Bramford. |
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| - Stuart Piner, 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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| Thursday 11th May 2006 | ||
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| A fairly quiet day started poorly with the Shetland dynamic duo of Scops
Owl and Collared Flycatcher no longer present. The Red-throated
Pipit on Fair Isle was but small compensation. Other new rarities included a Subalpine Warbler on North Ronaldsay, Bee-eater in west Cornwall, Red-rumped Swallow at Portland and a Black Kite reported from Anglesey. In Suffolk the drake Lesser Scaup remained popular at Suffolk Water Park, while other birds of note included several trips of Dotterel, a few Golden Orioles and a handful of Temminck’s Stints. |
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| - Richard Moores, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 10th May 2006 | ||
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| Shetland once again stole the limelight with a superb Scops Owl on
Mainland at Swining. Like the Collared Flycatcher - that remained nearby at Brow
Marsh – Scops Owl is becoming something of a Shetland speciality with four
records in the last six years. Notable finds elsewhere included a Lesser Scaup at Bramford, Suffolk in the evening (only the second county record) and a Black Stork present briefly on North Ronaldsay, Orkney. Both the Iberian Chiffchaffs remained at Postbridge, Devon and Pressmennan Lake, Lothian with sonograms of the latter bird's song confirming its identity. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 9th May 2006 | ||
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| A stunning male Collared Flycatcher at Brow Marsh, Shetland was the
prize find today. Although a very rare bird anywhere in Britain it is the tenth
spring record for Shetland – with five of these falling in the last nine years. Another exciting find came in the form of a pair Gull-billed Terns tracked moving north along the English northeast coast. Initially passing Hartlepool, Cleveland they were later noted past various coastal sites in Co.Durham and Northumberland. Elsewhere a Long-billed Dowitcher was found on North Uist, Western Isles, a Black Stork flew over Wester Clunes, Highland, a Great White Egret appeared at Roadford Reservoir, Devon and a Black Kite flew over the Isle the Grain then Cliffe Pools, Kent. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 8th May 2006 | ||
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| The discovery of three Subalpine Warblers in Scotland was the high
point of day. In Fife one was on the Isle of May whilst on Shetland a male
Eastern Subalpine Warbler was singing at Vidlin with a Western Subalpine
Warbler at nearby Grutness. No doubt associated with this arrival, Fair Isle
enjoyed a bumper day with Short-toed Lark, six Bluethroats, three
Red-backed Shrikes and a Waxwing all logged. Both Iberian Chiffchaffs – at Pressmennan Lake, Lothian and Postbridge, Devon – continued to deliver their charactersistic song, whilst the Citrine Wagtail remained a popular attraction at Holland Haven, Essex. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 7th May 2006 | ||
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| The rarest find of the day was a fine male Caspian Stonechat (of the
form variegatus) at Virkie on Mainland, Shetland. This is only the second record
of this form in Britain. A Laughing Gull found at Cromer in Norfolk (and
later seen at Cley) was not altogether unexpected given the chance of some of
last autumns influx moving north through the country this spring. Another good
find was a female Citrine Wagtail at Holland Haven in Essex. Other new rarities found during the day included a Red-rumped Swallow in off the sea at Dungeness in Kent, an Eastern Subalpine Warbler at Sumburgh Head, Mainland, Shetland, a Laughing Gull at Marazion, Cornwall, Black Kites in Lancashire and East Sussex, and a Black Stork briefly near Holt in Norfolk. Two belated reports included an American Robin on the 4th near Aviemore in Highland and a Bee-eater on the 6th on Stronsay, Orkney. Records of Roseate Terns at inland waters are always unusual, so six different birds found inland during the day was exceptional. They were in Derbyshire, Northamptonshire, North Yorkshire and Staffordshire. Other notable birds included a Common Rosefinch at Blakeney Point, Norfolk, Hoopoes in Dorset and East Yorkshire, Woodchat Shrikes in Cornwall, Hampshire and Cumbria, a Short-toed Lark in Cleveland, a Serin over The Gower, Glamorgan and a smattering of Temminck's Stints. |
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| - Pete Hayman, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 6th May 2006 | ||
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| Red-rumped Swallows were the flavour of the day, with one reaching as
far north as Shetland and another arriving on Cape Clear Island, Co.Cork. Other
singles were found in Cleveland, Isle of Wight and Devon. Equally prominent were
Black Kites, the lions share being found in Kent; two flew over Abbot's
Cliff, whilst singles were logged over Bockhill Farm and Walland Marsh, Another
drifted north over Minsmere RSPB, Suffolk. A Greenish Warbler was reported at Gringley Carr, Nottinghamshire, singing and showing well for thirty minutes; if genuine, this is a truly remarkable inland record, especially so early in the year. A far more expected passerine for the time of year was a male Western Subalpine Warbler on St.Mary's, Isles of Scilly. In Scotland an adult drake King Eider graced the Ythan Estuary and a probable Iberian Chiffchaff was singing at Pressmennan Lake, near Dunbar, Lothian, for it's second day. In Lancashire, the 3 Black-winged Stilts continued to entertain at Martin Mere WWT, along with a Pectoral Sandpiper. Also in the Northwest, the elusive Subalpine Warbler continued to frustrate would-be observers on Hilbre Island. Yesterdays Rose-breasted Grosbeak was reported again at Holme early morning, but if still present, it did an excellent job of hiding for the rest of the day. The long-staying Franklin's Gull remained at Northam Burrows Country Park and in Ireland the drake Blue-winged Teal was still in Co.Down, and the adult Laughing Gull remained in Galway. Pick of the bunch from the national scarcities was a Woodchat Shrike at Torver Low Common, Cumbria, but an Hoopoe at Beeley Moor, Derbyshire was also an excellent local record. Other highlights included Short-toed Lark on Fair Isle, Woodchat Shrike on North Ronaldsay, Grey Headed Wagtail at Black Rock Sands, Gwynedd and Tawny Pipit at Flamborough Head, whilst Norfolk contributed Grey-headed Wagtail at West Runton, Kentish Plover at Snettisham and Purple Heron at Titchwell. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Friday 5th May 2006 | ||
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| Biggest and most surprising news of the day came in the form of a 1st-summer female Rose-breasted Grosbeak that had been trapped and ringed in the Holme/Thornham area of Norfolk after having previously been in care due to flying into a window the day before. This is the first record of this species outside of autumn/winter and represents the first record for Norfolk. Unfortunately, it was only seen by a select few observers. Other new rarities included up to four Black Kites, with two each in Norfolk and Suffolk, a total of three Great White Egrets with individuals at Butterstreet Cove (Dorset), Slimbridge WWT (Glos) and North Duffield Carrs (N.Yorks), White-billed Diver off Lewis, Blue-winged Teal in Co. Down, Laughing Gull in Dorset and Bee-eater in West Yorkshire. The three Black-winged Stilts that were at Far Ings NR yesterday appeared at Martin Mere WWT in Lancashire and stayed throughout the day. A possible Iberian Chiffchaff was found singing at Holland Haven Country Park (Essex). | ||
| - Richard Moores, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 4th May 2006 | ||
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| A busy day yielded no less than eight new rarities including a Brunnich’s
Guillemot that was found dead on Yell. Most popular of the extant rares were
a party of three Black-winged Stilts that appeared at Far Ings RSPB
reserve during the afternoon. The birds were mobile around the reserve but
continued to show until dusk. In Ireland a brace of White-winged Black Terns
showed in Co. Westmeath. These birds were part of a notable influx of Black
Terns into Britain and Ireland during the day. A Red-throated Pipit
in Kent showed to only the early risers at Bockhill Farm while a drake King
Eider again appeared off Blackdog, Aberdeenshire. A duo of new Laughing
Gulls appeared in Cornwall and Co. Galway and a Great White Egret was
reported over Storwood, S.Yorks to complete the new rares. Best of the rest included a Buff-breasted Sandpiper in Lothian that moved from Tyninghame Bay to Aberlady Bay, Pectoral Sandpiper at Martin Mere WWT, male Red-backed Shrike at Land’s End, singing Yellow-browed Warbler at Dungeness, and a decent passage of Pomarine Skuas past the south coast. An influx of Garganey was also notable. |
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| - Richard Moores, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 3rd May 2006 | ||
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| Portland, Dorset was certainly the place today with highlights including three Red-rumped Swallows, two Serins, a male Ashy-headed Wagtail and a Wryneck. Elsewhere a Black-winged Stilt arrived on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent and a Blue-winged Teal was found at Brodgar, Orkney, whilst a Bee-eater flew over Sheringham, Norfolk. The most notable discoveries amongst the national scarcities were a Serin at Landguard, Suffolk, a Wryneck at Horsey, Norfolk and a Kentish Plover at Dawlish Warren, Devon. | ||
| - Richard Moores and Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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