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| Wednesday 6th June 2007 | ||
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| Whilst birding at Caerlaverock WWT, Dumfries and Galloway this morning,
Richard Hesketh made a discovery that put a huge smile on very many birders'
faces - the first twitchable White-tailed Plover in Britain for thirty
two years. This species, despite an increase in the records in continental
Europe in recent years, has failed to make an appearance here since 1984.
Indeed, it was as long ago as July 1975 when Britain’s only twitchable one was
at Packington Gravel Pits, Warwickshire, from 12th-18th, so apart from the few
that saw that bird, its re-occurrence in Britain has been eagerly awaited. With
two records in northern Europe whetting the appetite already this spring, one in
Sweden on 24th May, and another (or the same?) in Denmark on 29th May, for those
who travelled to see it today the long wait is over. It was well worth the
journey! Elsewhere, new discoveries included two more Squacco Herons (at Radipole Lake RSPB, Dorset, and Eyebrook Reservoir, Leicestershire), continuing the excellent run of records of this species in recent weeks. A Subalpine Warbler was trapped and ringed on Calf of Man, a Black Kite flew over Hill Head and Stubbington, Hampshire and an adult Laughing Gull made a brief appearance at Dungeness, Kent. |
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| - Stuart Piner and Dick Filby, 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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| Tuesday 5th June 2007 | ||
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A Collared Pratincole on The Mullet, Co Mayo was the most notable discovery of the day. Birders on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly enjoyed arrivals of both Black-headed Bunting and Bee-eater whilst another Bee-eater made a brief appearance at Porthgwarra, Cornwall with a Red-backed Shrike nearby at Land's End. Elsewhere, a Great White Egret showed well in the evening at Tophill Low, East Yorkshire, Squacco Herons continued to be seen at both Erith Marshes, London and Oare Marshes, Kent and the Glossy Ibis remained at Newton Marsh, Lancashire. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 4th June 2007 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Black-winged Stilt near Pett, East Sussex. In the Shetland Isles a
Bee-eater appeared on Fair Isle whilst on Unst the Little Crake remained. Notable scarcities included a Woodchat Shrike at Dawlish Warren, Devon, a Kentish Plover at Rue Point, Isle of Man, a Red-necked Phalarope at Martin Mere, Lancashire and Marsh Warblers in both Dorset and London. Significant late news received today included the Black-browed Albatross seen again on Sula Sgeir, Western Isles yesterday and the continued presence of the Marbled Duck at Saul Warth, Gloucestershire. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 3rd June 2007 | ||
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| The most notable discovery of the day was again on the Shetland Isles where a
Blyth's Reed Warbler was located on Whalsay. Elsewhere in the archipelago the
Little Crake remained on Unst with Killdeer still at Exnaboe and Lesser Grey
Shrike, Rustic Bunting and presumed Black-headed Bunting all on Fair Isle. In recent days an impressive arrival of scarce migrants in Shetland has comprised perhaps as many as thirty
Red-backed Shrikes, fourteen Icterine Warblers, eight Marsh
Warblers, eight Common Rosefinches and two each of Red-breasted
Flycatcher, Golden Oriole and Grey-headed Wagtail along with single Barred
Warbler, Bluethroat, Lapland Bunting and Corncrake. The Squacco Heron in Kent appeared at Oare Marshes briefly and in London the Squacco Heron remained at Erith Marshes. A male Red-footed Falcon flew over Drums, Aberdeenshire whilst singing Marsh Warblers were popular discoveries at Rainham Marshes, London and Kessingland Suffolk. Long-staying rarites seen today included the territorial Iberian Chiffchaff at Colney, Norfolk, Snowy Owl on North Uist, Western Isles and the Glossy Ibis at Newton Marsh, Lancashire. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 2nd June 2007 | ||
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| Despite fewer scarce migrants it was still an exciting day for new rarities.
The star attraction was a Booted Warbler found early morning on Blakeney
Point, Norfolk. Other new rarities included a Rustic Bunting at Foveran
Bushes, Aberdeenshire and another Squacco Heron in the SE, this one found in the late evening
at Nickoll's Quarry, Kent. In Clyde a drake Lesser Scaup was found near
Glasgow - a species that was not so long ago a mega but now increasingly regular in
Britain.
The Little Crake was still on Shetland as was the Killdeer, with several other scarcities found there too. The full breeding plumage Squacco Heron at Erith, London was deservedly popular, and the Iberian Chiffchaff is still at Colney, Norfolk. Easterly winds continue to prevail along the entire eastern seaboard, surely there's an incredible mega waiting to be found?. |
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| - Simon Mitchell, RBA | ||
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| Friday 1st June 2007 | ||
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| Another busy day, with plenty of new rarities found, though the majority of
scarce drift migrants were limited the Northern Isles. Unsurprisingly Shetland
produced the best new bird of the day; a female Black-headed Bunting on
Fair Isle. Also new today were at least two (possibly up to four) Bee-eaters in
the Spurn area, East Yorkshire. A Red-rumped Swallow was reported in Northamptonshire
early morning, but unfortunately could not be found later. Five possible Glossy
Ibises were seen flying north from Upton Warren in Worcestershire. New
scarcities from the Scottish mainland and on the Northern Isles included a Barred
Warbler, an Ortolan Bunting a Red-breasted Flycatcher and at
least six Icterine Warblers
Burrafirth on Unst, Shetland was undoubtedly the best single location in the country today, with the Little Crake and Blyth's Reed Warbler both remaining from yesterday now joined by a Marsh Warbler also showing well in the same burn! Two Buff-breasted Sandpipers together at Rattray Head, Aberdeenshire continue a remarkable spring for Nearctic waders. A Night Heron was seen briefly in Suffolk during the late evening Away from Scotland it was rather quiet in many parts, but South-easterly winds set to continue throughout the weekend and next week there is still a sense that the major rarity may be just around the corner. There were still enough remaining birds to keep twitchers occupied for the time being however; the Broad-billed Sand was still in Cleveland, the Iberian Chiffchaff still in Norfolk and the Squacco Heron still in London |
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| - Simon Mitchell, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 31st May 2007 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was a fall of displaced Nordic migrants along the Scottish east coast and in particular the Shetland Isles. On Shetland a
Blyth's Reed Warbler was the star discovery alongside the lingering Little Crake
on Unst, Rustic Buntings arrived at Grutness and Fair Isle - the latter accompanying the
Lesser Grey Shrike - whilst Icterine Warblers and Red-backed Shrikes featured prominently with smaller numbers of
Marsh Warblers and Grey-headed Wagtails alongside single Golden
Oriole, Bluethroat and Red-breasted Flycatcher. Elsewhere in Scotland the Baird's Sandpiper was still in Argyll and the Snowy Owl remained on the Western Isles whilst a Buff-breasted Sandpiper was new in Aberdeenshire. Late news was received of a Dark-eyed Junco yesterday on St Kilda, Western Isles. In England a Spotted Sandpiper was a new arrival at Messingham Sand Quarry, Lincolnshire and likewise a Woodchat Shrike at Holme, Norfolk. The Greater Yellowlegs remained elusive at Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire and the Squacco Heron lingered at Erith Marshes, London as did both the Cleveland Broad-billed Sandpiper and Norfolk Iberian Chiffchaff. Bee-eaters over flew both Northumberland and Suffolk. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 30th May 2007 | ||
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| Today's main highlight was a Greater Yellowlegs found with Greenshank
at Gibraltar Point in Lincolnshire. Frustratingly for many, it was seen in the
morning and then again in the early evening, but did not linger on either
occasion. In Highland, belated news came of a Baltimore Oriole seen last
week at John o' Groats. Other new rarities found today included a Squacco
Heron at South Slob in County Wexford, a Baird's Sandpiper on Tiree
in Argyll, an American Herring Gull in Cornwall and a first summer Bonaparte's
Gull which was seen briefly in the evening at Deeping Lakes in Lincolnshire.
The Little Crake was again on Unst in the Shetlands, while at the other end of the country Squacco Herons remained popular in London and on The Scillies. The Broad-billed Sandpiper was again on show at Back Saltholme Pool in Cleveland and the pair of Lesser Scaup were still at Cresswell Pond in Northumberland. The recent Scandinavian flavour was still evident with up to three Red-backed Shrikes in Norfolk and further birds in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and the Shetlands as well as Scarlet Rosefinches in Norfolk and Lancashire and a new Icterine Warbler on Fair Isle. |
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| - Pete Hayman, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 29th May 2007 | ||
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| After a disappointingly damp Bank Holiday weekend, today saw the injection of
a little excitement into proceedings. The highlight was the
discovery of a male Little Crake on Unst, Shetland, but far more popular
amongst the masses was a Squacco Heron at Erith Marshes, London. Earlier
in the day a Purple Heron had been seen at the same site - quite a pair
for Capital City! Other new rarities came in the form of Great White Egret
at Bough Beech Reservoir, Kent, White-winged Black Tern at Loch of
Kinnordy RSPB, Angus and three Cattle Egrets at Lewes Brooks RSPB, East
Sussex.
Birders on the east coast enjoyed some long-awaited drift migrants, with East Anglia producing the majority of scarcities. The Norfolk coastline hosted an Icterine Warbler, Bluethroat, Common Rosefinch and five Red-backed Shrikes whilst in neighbouring Suffolk an Icterine Warbler was trapped and ringed at Landguard NR, the second to be caught there this month. Further north a Hoopoe was at Gibraltar Point NNR, Lincolnshire, three Red-backed Shrikes were in East Yorkshire and another was on St.Mary's, Isles of Scilly. In West Sussex a Red-necked Phalarope was at Pagham Harbour this evening and a Kentish Plover on Anglesey was an excellent North West record. The Rose-coloured Starling remained on South Uist. Lingering rarities included the Iberian Chiffchaff in Norwich, Lesser Grey Shrike on Fair Isle, pair of Lesser Scaup in Northumberland, Subalpine Warbler on Bardsey Island and Squacco Heron on Isles of Scilly. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Monday 28th May 2007 | ||
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| Heavy rain in southern Britain ensured today was far from a vintage Bank
Holiday Monday, but a few rarities gave themselves up to those who braved the
elements. A male Rustic Bunting was located at Spurn Point, East
Yorkshire, early evening and a male Red-backed Shrike and Bluethroat
were also on the famous peninsula. Elsewhere new discoveries included Great
White Egret in the Slimbridge area, Gloucestershire, Bee-eater in
Worcestershire (only the third county record), Red-rumped Swallow at
Baron's Haugh RSPB, Clyde and Squacco Heron in Dorset at Lodmoor RSPB.
Popular attractions included the Broad-billed Sandpiper at Back Saltholme Pool, Cleveland (which was joined by a Temminck's Stint, one of four available in the country today), male Snowy Owl on North Uist, pair of Lesser Scaup in Northumberland and Scops Owl in Oxfordshire. On Fair Isle the Lesser Grey Shrike remained in situ and was joined on the island by a Rose-coloured Starling. At the other end of Great Britain, the Squacco Heron remained on Isles of Scilly. The best of the rest included Red-backed Shrikes on Dartmoor, Devon and Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire and Bluethroat on Isle of May, Fife. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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