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.

Choose a starting date
Sunday 20th August 2006  
  A busy autumn day with the highlight being a Little Shearwater watched flying west past Pendeen Watch, Cornwall. Elsewhere discoveries included a Blue-winged Teal at Hanningfield Reservoir, Essex, a White-winged Black Tern at Meare Heath, Somerset and a Ferruginous Duck at Chew Valley Lake, Somerset. The first-winter Woodchat Shrike, present since Friday, on Fair Isle, Shetland shows advanced moult and a large amount of white in the primaries suggesting it may well be of the eastern form niloticus.

The east coast between Shetland and East Yorkshire enjoyed a good showing of drift migrants with six Greenish Warblers (three in Aberdeenshire, singles in Cleveland, East Yorkshire and Northumberland), 17 Barred Warblers, nine Icterine Warblers, ten Wrynecks, seven Red-backed Shrikes and a Common Rosefinch all logged. An unusual autumn phenomena was the arrival of five Dotterel trips totaling 188 birds and including 51 together at Terrington Marsh, Norfolk.

The Stilt Sandpiper remained all day on Brownsea Island, Dorset but the Broad-billed Sandpiper at Aberlady Bay, Lothian only put in a brief appearance during the morning. Popular Aquatic Warblers remained at both Simbridge, Gloucestershire and Seasalter, Kent.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 19th August 2006  
  Yesterday's upturn in good birds continued, although it seems that the juvenile Roller did depart from South Gare (Cleveland) the previous night as there were no reported sightings today. Once again, the east coast between Yorkshire and Aberdeenshire proved the place to be, with five Greenish Warblers including two new birds on Holy Island (N'berland) and another at Flamborough Head (E.Yorks). Wrynecks, Red-backed Shrikes, Barred Warblers and Icterine Warblers were also seen at various sites along this stretch of coast, with Flamborough also claiming a brief Common Rosefinch. These welcome early autumn scarcities arrived with a good supporting cast of Pied Flycatchers, Whinchats, Garden Warblers and Wood Warblers.

The wader highlight was undoubtedly a juvenile Broad-billed Sandpiper at Aberlady Bay (Lothian), with honourable mentions going to the adult Buff-breasted Sandpiper relocated at Warham Greens (Norfolk), and lingering Stilt Sandpiper, White-rumped Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher and Lesser Yellowlegs. The unusually co-operative Aquatic Warblers at Slimbridge WWT (Glos) and Seasalter (Kent) further helped remove thoughts of over-friendly pelicans from many birders' minds, while a brief adult Laughing Gull on the Lune Estuary (Lancs) was a reminder that gulls are well worth checking even in August.
-  Andy Symes, RBA
Friday 18th August 2006  
  A spectacular day with the highlight being a juvenile Roller that was found at South Gare (Cleveland) during the morning. It showed well throughout the day but was seen flying strongly out to sea just before dark. This bird represents the 5th record for Cleveland (and 2nd for South Gare following a bird in 1993) and is the first twitchable individual since the long-stayer in Co. Durham in July 2000. 

In Lancashire the near-adult White Pelican that had flown over Norfolk and Lincolnshire on Wednesday (and had previously been in The Netherlands and Germany earlier in the summer) was located on the River Ribble near Brockholes Quarry. Its' keenness to accept a fish from a local angler will not have done much for its' credentials and is presumably an escape. 

Other headline birds include a brief Thrush Nightingale at Spurn (E.Yorks), new Aquatic Warblers at Slimbridge WWT, Pannel Valley NR (East Sussex) and on St. Agnes (Scilly), Red-footed Falcon, in Suffolk and Greenish Warblers at Hartlepool (Cleveland), Fair Isle (Shetland) and two on The Farne Islands (part of a remarkable fall during the afternoon). On top of these, there were plenty of scarce migrants to keep birders happy (at least from East Yorkshire northwards) with the best of the rest comprising of a Hoopoe in Northumberland, 11 Wrynecks, 8 Barred Warblers, Common Rosefinch, Melodious Warbler, Woodchat Shrike, 3 Red-backed Shrikes and 4 Icterine Warblers
-  Richard Moores, RBA
Thursday 17th August 2006  
  A twitchable Aquatic Warbler near Seasalter in Kent provided highlight of the day. Usually this species is only found when pulled out a mist-net, but this individual, an adult, often showed well and engaged in sub-song in a patch of juncus sedge throughout the afternoon and evening. Wader passage continues to pick-up, the first Baird’s Sandpiper of the autumn was noted in Shetland, a juvenile on Unst, while a brace of Buff-breasted Sandpipers comprised a bird on South Uist and a fleeting individual at Holme and then Titchwell RSPB reserve (Norfolk). Also in Norfolk, an adult Pacific Golden Plover was reported from Snettisham RSPB reserve during the early part of the afternoon. In Lincolnshire the Lesser Yellowlegs was again noted at Gibraltar Point where the Long-billed Dowitcher remained for another day. The White-rumped Sandpiper in Northumberland and the Stilt Sandpiper in Dorset also notched up another day at their respective hangouts. Two Icterine Warblers in Northumberland are also worthy of mention.
-  Richard Moores, RBA
Wednesday 16th August 2006  
  The main talking point of the day was a near-adult White Pelican which was tracked along the north Norfolk coast during the morning, before finally being seen flying over the River Nene mouth, Lincolnshire at midday. Photographs proved it was the same bird as present in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany 5th-15th July then Noord-Holland, Texel and Den Helder, Netherlands 20th July-13th August. If a White Pelican is ever going to be tickable in Britain, surely this individual has to be as good a candidate as any. The presumed escaped White Pelican remained at Bough Beach Reservoir, Kent.

A less controversial yet still exceptionally rare discovery was an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler at Boddam, on Mainland Shetland. Initially identified as an Icterine Warbler, the bird was correctly identified early evening. This is the third record for Shetland, following singles on Fair Isle in June 1995 and a ten-day bird on Mainland in August 2002.

In Norfolk the north coast also produced an adult Gull-billed Tern past Salthouse at 6.15am. Elsewhere the adult Stilt Sandpiper remained at Brownsea Island National Trust Lagoon, Dorset and the adult White-rumped Sandpiper was at East Chevington NWT North Pool for it's second day.

A juvenile Purple Heron briefly on Portland, Dorset was the first site record and a Wryneck remained there as the support-act. Red-backed Shrikes were discovered near Shotley, Suffolk and at Little Atherfield, Isle of Wight. North Ronaldsay hosted at Bluethroat.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 15th August 2006  
  The star find today was a colour-ringed juvenile Aquatic Warbler trapped at Sandwich Bay, Kent. The BTO confirmed that it was originally ringed as a nestling at Sporovsky Ramsar Site in southern Belarus on 17 June. Another Aquatic Warbler was reported at Uskmouth Nature Reserve, Gwent. A truly twitchable Aquatic Warbler is no doubt high on the 'wish list' of many British twitchers.

Other new rarities came in the form of an adult White-rumped Sandpiper at East Chevington NWT, Northumberland and a Lesser Yellowlegs in Dundrum Inner Bay, County Down. A female Blue-winged Teal was reported at Marbury Country Park, Cheshire. In Dorset the adult Stilt Sandpiper remained on Brownsea Island National Trust Lagoon, the drake Ferruginous Duck was still at Blithfield Reservoir, Staffordshire and the adult Long-billed Dowitcher reappeared at Gibraltar Point NNR, Lincolnshire.

A male Ortolan Bunting was a top find at Llanbradach, Glamorgan and new Barred Warblers were located at South Gare, Cleveland and Winterton South Dunes, Norfolk. The Blakeney Point bird was also still present for it's third day. Red-necked Phalaropes were located at Newport Wetlands Nature Reserve, Gwent and Sandbach Flashes, Cheshire and Spotted Crakes were at Marazion Marsh, Cornwall and Blacktoft Sands RSPB, East Yorkshire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 14th August 2006  
  Whilst a Greenish Warbler on Inner Farne, Northumberland was the only new rarity discovered the day enjoyed a reasonable variety of birds. At Portland Bill, Dorset both Melodious Warbler and Wryneck were found and North Sea seawatchers enjoyed a scattering of Long-tailed Skuas, Balearic Shearwaters and Leach's Petrel.

The Stilt Sandpiper remained on Brownsea Island, Dorset with a Red-necked Phalarope new in at Elton Hall Flash, Cheshire and Spotted Crakes at both Blacktoft Sands, East Yorkshire and Beddington, London. A Long-tailed Skua was well inland at Rutland Water, Leicestershire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 13th August 2006  
  A Paddyfield Warbler at Kilnsea, East Yorkshire was an astonishing find so early in the autumn. The bird was trapped and ringed early evening then released along Beacon Lane. This is the first August record in Britain, although one was trapped on Guernsey, Channel Islands on 19th August 2003.

Elsewhere there was significantly more rarity action than in recent days. New finds in Norfolk included a White-rumped Sandpiper at Snettisham RSPB and a Great White Egret flew northwest near Reepham. In Scotland an adult Laughing Gull was discovered at Brora, Highland. The adult Stilt Sandpiper remained on Brownsea Island National Trust Lagoon and the Snowy Owl was again seen on North Uist, Western Isles. Ferruginous Ducks remained at Blithfield Reservoir, Staffordshire and Loch Gelly, Fife and the Cattle Egret was seen again in Northamptonshire, albeit briefly. Off Scilly another Wilson's Petrel was seen from a pelagic this evening and in Ireland the adult Long-billed Dowitcher remained at Shannon Airport Lagoon, County Clare.

Scarce migrants were also a little more abundant than they have been, with Norfolk producing two Barred Warblers, singles on Blakeney Point and East Hills. Spurn and Kilnsea, East Yorkshire both hosted a Wryneck, as did Dursey Island, County Cork. The Red-backed Shrike remained in West Sussex and Spotted Crakes were again seen at Grove Ferry, Kent and Beddington sewage farm, London.

East-coast Seawatchers were again rewarded with some impressive totals; Cory's, Great and Balearic Shearwaters, Long-tailed and Pom Skuas and Leach's Petrels all featured in the totals from several watchpoints, with the odd Sabine's Gull also noted.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 12th August 2006  
  An adult Stilt Sandpiper at Brownsea Island National Trust Lagoon, Dorset was the outstanding find of the day. This constitutes the first county record; Dorset narrowly missed out in 2002 when neighbouring Hampshire hosted a stunning adult at Pennington Marshes from 21st July to 3rd August. Could this even be the same individual?

In Northamptonshire the Cattle Egret continued to attract a steady stream of admirers around Summer Leys Nature Reserve and in Staffordshire yesterday's Ferruginous Duck was relocated at Blithfield Reservoir. The long-staying Ferruginous Duck in Fife was the only other rarity today had to offer.

Norfolk enjoyed the majority of the seawatching highlights but a scattering of Long-tailed and Pomarine Skua reports were received from several coastal watchpoints around the country. In North Yorkshire a Cory's Shearwater flew past Long Nab, Burniston and an adult Sabine's Gull was logged off Minehead, Somerset.

The Southeast region scored two Spotted Crakes, at Grove Ferry NNR, Kent and Beddington sewage farm, London. Pectoral Sandpipers were at Salthouse, Norfolk and Southwold, Suffolk and the male Red-backed Shrike remained in West Sussex, but otherwise notable scarcities were few and far between.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 11th August 2006  
  A Cattle Egret at Summer Leys Nature Reserve, Northamptonshire and a drake Ferruginous Duck at Croxall Gravel Pits, Staffordshire were the top finds in an otherwise quiet day. Elsewhere the Ferruginous Duck remained at Loch Gelly, Fife and adult Long-billed Dowitchers were still at Shannon Airport Lagoon, County Clare and Gibraltar Point NNR, Lincolnshire. The colour-ringed Great White Egret reappeared to Blashford Lakes HWT, Hampshire.

Fair Isle hosted a classic set of early-autumn scarce migrants in the form of single Icterine, Barred and Marsh Warblers. In Lincolnshire the Woodchat Shrike remained at Friskney and the Red-backed Shrike was still near Greatham Bridge, West Sussex. The adult Pectoral Sandpiper continued to grace Southwold boating lake, Suffolk and low counts of Leach's Petrels were noted off North Ronaldsay, Orkney and Peterhead, Aberdeenshire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA