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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Tuesday 11th July 2006  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of the first Stilt Sandpiper for Wales at Conwy RSPB, Conwy in the afternoon. Thanks to an impromptu extension of the reserve opening hours the bird - thought most likely to be a first-summer - showed well until dusk.

In East Sussex a first-summer Laughing Gull spent the evening at Arlington Reservoir, no doubt a wandering remnant of the incredible influx into Europe in late autumn 2005.

The Black Stork showed again by the Eye Water, Borders and the female Lesser Grey Shrike continued to delight admirers at Shingle Street, Suffolk. However, the Semipalmated Sandpiper at Back Saltholme Pool, Cleveland, having spent an hour calling flew off strongly to the south at dusk.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 10th July 2006  
  An eclipse male Lesser Scaup discovered at Hornsea Mere, East Yorkshire this evening was - given the strong site fidelty traditionally shown by ducks - presumably the bird that spent last autumn at this site.

Other moulting ducks included a male American Wigeon at Goldcliff, Gwent and singles of both King Eider and Surf Scoter at the traditional seaduck hotspot of Blackdog, Aberdeenshire.

In England the female Lesser Grey Shrike at Shingle Street, Suffolk and the Semipalmated Sandpiper at Back Saltholme Pool, Cleveland remained popular whilst in Scotland the Black Stork at Auchencrow, Borders and Great Reed Warbler at Loch of Kinnordy, Angus remained frustratingly elusive.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 9th July 2006  
  An Alpine Swift over Wheal Rose, Cornwall and a Great White Egret at Grove Ferry, Kent. were the two most noteworthy finds today. After being absent for several weeks, the Squacco Heron reappeared at Shapwick Heath NNR, Somerset; the bird was initially seen in mid June. Two Great White Egrets were at Blashford Lakes HWT, Hampshire and the female Lesser Grey Shrike continued to entertain an appreciative crowd at Shingle Street, Suffolk. In Cleveland the adult Semipalmated Sandpiper was still at Back Saltholme Pool and in Borders the Black Stork was seen again. It followed the same pattern as on Friday evening, initially by the Eye Water near South Renton, then roosting in a tree near Auchencrow late in the evening.


The main talking point of the day was a breeding-plumage Red-necked Grebe present at Deeping Lakes LWT, Lincolnshire for its second day. It was initially flagged up as a possible American Red-necked Grebe (form holboelli) due to the extensive amount of yellow on the bird's lower mandible. When sporting breeding attire, this feature is thought to be indicative of the American and East Siberian form. However, it appears that there is a significant amount of variation in bill colour within nominate grisegena, and coupled with the lack of any truly diagnostic features of holboellii, the Lincolnshire bird's progression beyond 'a possible holboelli' seems unlikely.


There was again no sign of the male Pine Grosbeak; this bird really does seem to have performed a remarkable disappearing act, evading all but the fortunate few.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 8th July 2006  
  Finally, after days of secrecy and rumours, the details of the exact location of the Pine Grosbeak in Essex were in the public domain. However, after putting in a brief early morning appearance at the site east of Chipping Ongar, it disappeared for the rest of the day, following a bizarrely similar pattern to the last Pine Grosbeak to occur in Britain; news was slow to leak out, and virtually as soon as it did, the bird vanished!

The outstanding find of the day was a cracking Lesser Grey Shrike at Shingle Street, Suffolk, which showed well around tennis courts. Another class find was a Long-billed Dowitcher at Goldcliff Pools Nature Reserve, Gwent, but the bird was only on view for fifteen minutes early afternoon. In Dorset, the colour-ringed Great White Egret seen earlier in the week in neighbouring Hampshire was located at Sturminster Marshall Gravel Pits.

The adult Semipalmated Sandpiper remained at Back Saltholme Pool, Cleveland and in Scotland the eclipse drake King Eider was still in Ayrshire and the Great Reed Warbler continued to sing in Angus. Yesterday evening's Black Stork however, was nowhere to be seen at dawn, but the Common Rosefinch was still at Newmachar, Aberdeenshire, and the adult Rose-coloured Starling remained on Harris, Western Isles.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 7th July 2006  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a (the?) Black Stork inland of Eyemouth, Borders. First seen late afternoon by the Eye Water near South Renton it soon flew off south before being relocated roosting in a tree near Auchencrow late in the evening. It will presumably remain overnight and prove to be a popular attraction. It was also seen in this area nearly a fortnight ago.

Elsewhere a fist-summer male Red-footed Falcon made a brief early morning appearance at Gorleston, Norfolk whilst in Cleveland the Semipalmated Sandpiper continued to show well on occasion at Back Saltholme Pool.

However, the main talking point remained the continued presence of a male Pine Grosbeak at an undisclosed site in Essex. Whilst it is perhaps impossible to ascertain the origin of this bird, it has been twitched by three birders who, at the request of the landowner, are keeping the location a closely guarded secret; a great shame given the success of other similar twitches in recent years.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 6th July 2006  
  The day started in superb fashion as a Semipalmated Sandpiper was identified at Back Saltholme Pool (Cleveland). The bird had been present yesterday evening but at the time it was not seen well enough for the identification to be clinched. It showed well throughout the day and represents the third record for Cleveland.

Intriguing news from Essex concerned a male Pine Grosbeak that has been frequenting a garden somewhere near Ongar since Saturday. However, the time of year, combined with its' scruffy plumage and worn legs would all point to it being an escape.

In Mainland Shetland a Bee-eater flew over Virkie, and in the Western Isles an adult Rose-coloured Starling was found at the south-west end of Harris (Western Isles). The first UK Cory's Shearwaters of the season were logged off Porthgwarra (Cornwall) in a brief afternoon seawatch and a pelagic off Scilly once again produced a Wilson's Petrel. The singing male Great Reed Warbler remained at the Loch of Kinnordy RSPB reserve (Angus) and the Great White Egret was again reported from Blashford Lakes HWT reserve (Hants).
-  Richard Moores, RBA
Wednesday 5th July 2006  
  The heatwave continued throughout most of the country but a few new birds were found. A mobile female Red-necked Phalarope gave birders the run-around at Cley NWT, Norfolk in the morning, an Alpine Swift was reported flying southeast over Stretham, Cambridgeshire early evening and and a Great White Egret was in Portsmouth harbour; the latter is likely to be the same bird that was reported recently off Gosport Park.

In Ireland a Great White Egret was reported at Quoile Pondage Nature Reserve. Spoonbills continue to be widespread and Caspian Gulls are beginning to show up at some of their favourite haunts.

Belated news for yesterday came in the form of an eclipse drake Lesser Scaup at an undisclosed site.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 4th July 2006  
  The highlight of the day was a Snowy Owl on North Uist, Western Isles at Sollas, present at this site for the second day. Indeed it is likely this bird has been on North Uist for sometime with reported in January, April and May likely to relate to the same elusive individual.

Elsewhere the Gull-billed Tern remained by the Camel Estuary, Cornwall and the Common Rosefinch contiuned to sing at Newmachar, Aberdeenshire. In Ayrshire the long-staying King Eider at Troon began acquiring eclipse plumage.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 3rd July 2006  
  The only 'new' rarity discovered today was presumably an old friend, a colour-ringed Great White Egret at Mockbeggar, Hampshire is presumably the bird that has intermittently frequented the numerous waters in that vicinity over the last four years. A belated report of a Great White Egret seen recently in Portsmouth Harbour, Hampshire may well be the same bird.

An adult male Common Rosefinch remained on territory at Newmachar, Abderdeenshire having been present at this site for at least eleven days.

In Greater Manchester the adult male aythya at Pennington Flash that on Saturday had been identified as a Lesser Scaup was today confirmed to be just a Scaup.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 2nd July 2006  
  Sunday began with an adult Caspian Tern flying south past Whitburn, County Durham and then later past Hartlepool Headland, Cleveland. The remainder of the day was comparatively quiet but the adult Gull-billed Tern continued to show well on the Camel Estuary, Cornwall and the adult drake Lesser Scaup was still at Pennington Flash Country Park, Greater Manchester.

An adult Forster's Tern at Belfast Lough RSPB, County Down created the Irish headlines and in Scotland the Great Reed Warbler continued to sing in Angus and the dapper drake King Eider was still off the Ayrshire coast. A few Honey Buzzards where on the move in the southeast and Spoonbills were typically widespread.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA