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| Sunday 16th September 2007 | ||
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| Today's main talking points were three mega rarities; unfortunately all were brief flyovers and were not seen by anyone other than the lucky finders. In Northumberland a
White-rumped Swift found over Cresswell Pond mid morning before flying south may constitute the first record for the British Isles. About four and half hours later - and 145 miles to the southwest - another (or the same?) swift with a white-rump was reported flying southeast over West Kirby, Wirral although this time the identification was suspected as
Pacific Swift. Meanwhile, in Kent a pale morph Booted Eagle flew over Grove Ferry late morning but unfortunately could not be relocated. A Lesser Scaup was a new arrival at Rutland Water, Leicestershire as was an American Golden Plover briefly at Balgray Reservoir, Clyde. On the Isles of Scilly Citrine Wagtails were seen on both St Martin's and Tresco and the Spotted Sandpiper remains on St Mary's. Other lingering rarities comprised the Killdeer and a Baird's Sandpiper both on the Shetland Isles, Wilson's Phalarope in County Down, Glossy Ibis in Merseyside and single Great White Egrets still in Hampshire, Lancashire and Somerset. |
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| - Chris Batty, 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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| Saturday 15th September 2007 | ||
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| It was certainly quiet for new rarities on this mid-September Saturday, with
only one discovered, a Citrine Wagtail on Isles of Scilly. The
archipelago also hosted the long-staying Spotted Sandpiper, a new
Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Icterine Warbler and Ortolan Bunting.
At the other end of the British Isles the 8th Night Heron for Shetland was discovered on Bressay, and on Mainland the Baird's Sandpiper and King Eider remained. On Orkney, a possible Wilson's Snipe was observed briefly on South Ronaldsay. In Co Down the Wilson's Phalarope was at Belfast Lough RSPB and in Co Donegal the American Golden Plover remained at Keadew Strand and a Buff-breasted Sandpiper was at Bloody Foreland. A female American Wigeon was discovered at Tacumshin. Back across the Irish Sea, Great White Egrets remained at Leighton Moss, Lancashire and Westhay Moor, Somerset. An adult white morph Snow Goose was tracked south along the English east coast with returning Pink-footed Geese, before it finally arrived at Holkham NNR mid afternoon. The best of the rest included a scattering of Wrynecks and Pectoral Sandpipers and several Honey Buzzards were reported, with the vast majority moving through Cambridgeshire. In Lincolnshire, the Red-necked Phalarope remained at Gibraltar Point NNR, in Devon the Temminck's Stint was still at Colford Common and in Conwy, a confiding Dotterel graced Great Ormes Head. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Friday 14th September 2007 | ||
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| In Ireland a Fea's Petrel flew past Kilcummin Head, County Mayo, the
Wilson's Phalarope was still on Belfast Lough RSPB, County Down and the
Black Kite was again over South Slobs, County Wexford. In Gwent, the Aquatic Warbler was still at Uskmouth NR, but continued to be very elusive. The Spotted Sandpiper was still on St.Mary's, Isles of Scilly and in Somerset both the Great White Egret and Ferruginous Duck remained. The long staying Great White Egret was still at Leighton Moss, Lancashire. Scarcities included the Barred Warbler at Winterton, Norfolk, which showed very well for much of the day, a returning drake American Wigeon in Pembrokeshire at Angle Bay, Spotted Crakes at Farlington Marshes, Hampshire and Ladywalk NR, Warwickshire, several Pectoral Sandpipers and a reasonable showing of seabirds in the north. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 13th September 2007 | ||
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| A rather quiet day, with just two new rarities. A Red-throated Pipit
was on Tresco, Isles of Scilly, with the Spotted Sandpiper
remaining on St.Mary's, and a new Great White Egret was found at Maldon,
Essex, just 1.5miles from the long staying Spotted Crake at Dump Pool. An Aquatic Warbler remained for its second day in Gwent, at Uskmouth NR, and the Grey Phalarope and Red-necked Phalarope were both still in Surrey and Lincolnshire respectively. The Black Kite was relocated in County Wexford, being seen over the South Slobs early morning, although there was no sign of yesterdays Richardson's Canada Goose at Belfast Lough RSPB, County Down, but an Azorean Yellow-legged Gull was present there. Two juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpipers were found on South Uist, and a possible Wilson's Phalarope or Marsh Sandpiper was reported this evening at Titchwell RSPB, and will undoubtedly be looked for in the morning. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 12th September 2007 | ||
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| Today's star find was an Aquatic Warbler that showed on and off
throughout the afternoon and into the evening at Uskmouth Nature Reserve, Gwent.
A Citrine Wagtail was a new discovery on Foula (along with four
Buff-breasted Sandpipers and a couple of Pectoral Sandpipers) and an
American Golden Plover arrived in Co Wexford.
In Cornwall the Black Stork showed again in the Polgigga area and on Shetland the Baird's Sandpiper was still at Esha Ness, Mainland. Great White Egrets continued to perform at Leighton Moss RSPB, Lancashire and Westhay Moor, Somerset and in Cleveland the eclipse drake Blue-winged Teal remained at Haverton Hole. The Wilson's Phalarope remained at Belfast Lough RSPB, Co Down and in Highland a probable Little Shearwater lingered at the Loch Fleet mouth for half an hour early afternoon. A Purple Heron was at Thrapston Gravel Pits, Northamptonshire and Pectoral Sandpipers were in Shropshire, Kent, Western Isles, Leicestershire, West Sussex and Clyde. A Barred Warbler was at Winterton, Norfolk and a Red-necked Phalarope was discovered at Gibraltar Point NNR, Lincolnshire. In Glamorgan there was an unconfirmed report of an Audouin's Gull past Sker Point this morning; unfortunately, photographs of the reported Audouin's Gull in Somerset show an aberrant Herring Gull. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 11th September 2007 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was a Fea's Petrel watched distantly from Whitburn, County Durham in the early evening. A
Booted Warbler was discovered on Barra, Western Isles and - following a late report from the Isle of Sheppey, Kent yesterday - a mobile
Black Stork was present near Polgigga, Cornwall this evening. The Audouin's Gull reappeared briefly in the evening at Hinkley Point, Somerset and the Baird's Sandpiper remained on the Shetland Isles as did the Wilson's Phalarope in County Down, Spotted Sandpiper on the Isles of Scilly, American Golden Plover on Orkney Isles, Glossy Ibis in Merseyside and Great White Egrets in both Lancashire and Somerset. Great Shearwaters were again delighting North Sea seawatchers with county totals comprising: Orkney Isles (72), East Yorkshire (35), Northumberland (13) and three each in County Durham, Norfolk and North Yorkshire. Sabine’s Gulls were associated with this movement with several seen between East Yorkshire and Kent, including six passing Sheringham, Norfolk. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 10th September 2007 | ||
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| The most notable discovery of the day was an Audouin's Gull at Hinkley Point, Somerset. Discovered in the
evening near the power station outfall before drifting west and out of sight. Single Baird's Sandpipers and Buff-breasted Sandpipers were discovered on both the Western Isles and Shetland Isles, with four of the latter seen together in Argyll. Following a late report of an American Golden Plover yesterday in County Donegal one was seen briefly today on the Isles of Scilly. Otherwise, a Wilson's Petrel was off County Donegal, a Black Kite flew over Devon and a Red-rumped Swallow was released on the Isle of Wight (having been trapped in a Swallow roost yesterday evening). The Wilson's Phalarope remained in County Down as did the Laughing Gull in Devon, Glossy Ibis in Merseyside, Great White Egret in Lancashire and two Citrine Wagtails on the Shetland Isles. However, the highlight of the day was the large and widespread movement of Great Shearwaters with a massive 4,164 counted passing Annagh Head, County Mayo. Other county maximum counts comprised Western Isles (1,076), Orkney Isles (35), Norfolk (15), County Donegal (10), Argyll (5), Shetland Isles (5), County Durham (4), East Yorkshire (4), Borders (3), Northumberland (2) and singles off Cleveland, Highland, Kent and North Yorkshire. Associated with this movement were smaller numbers of Sabine's Gulls, Long-tailed Skuas and Leach's Petrels. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 9th September 2007 | ||
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| Most of today's news was created by lingering rarities - in fact, the only
new rarities were a Great White Egret at Westhay Moor, Somerset and a
Black Kite in Co Wexford (for its second day).
The Blue-winged Teal in Cleveland, American Golden Plover in Lincolnshire, Wilson's Phalarope in Co Down, Lesser Yellowlegs in Co Donegal, Great White Egret in Lancashire and Glossy Ibis in Merseyside all remained on show. In Norfolk the Red-necked Phalarope at Buckenham Marshes and Pectoral Sandpiper at Titchwell both proved to be popular attractions, whilst in Lincolnshire a Barred Warbler was at Saltfleet Haven and in East Sussex a Woodchat Shrike was at Beachy Head. Buff-breasted Sandpipers arrived in Cornwall, Devon, Argyll and Co Galway and a handful of Spotted Crakes remained in situ. A couple of Temminck's Stints were in Hampshire and a juvenile Dotterel reappeared at Oare Marshes KWT, Kent. Wrynecks appeared on Isles of Scilly and Lancashire and in Somerset the Purple Heron was still at Aller Moor. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 8th September 2007 | ||
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| A Sharp-tailed Sandpiper spent a brief period on the Humber at Sammy's
Point, East Yorkshire mid afternoon, before being pushed off its feeding area by
the high tide - subsequent searching in the surrounding area throughout the rest
of the day unfortunately drew a blank.
The rest of today's new waders were all of Nearctic origin - Baird's Sandpiper and two Buff-breasted Sandpipers on Mainland Shetland, Lesser Yellowlegs and Buff-breasted Sandpiper on Tory Island, Co Donegal, Wilson's Phalarope at Belfast Lough RSPB, Co Down and American Golden Plover and Buff-breasted Sandpiper on South Uist, Western Isles. The other hot news on the Western Isles came from Butt of Lewis, where a staggering 7,114 Great Shearwaters were logged flying past between 7am and 5.30pm. A Fea's Petrel flew past Annagh Head early afternoon and in Worcestershire a Great White Egret was at Grimley new workings until late morning. Lingering rarities included the Wilson's Phalarope in Dorset, Great White Egret in Lancashire, Blue-winged Teal in Cleveland, Pallid Harrier and Citrine Wagtail on Shetland, White-winged Black Tern in Kent, White-rumped Sandpiper in Norfolk, Spotted Sandpiper on Isles of Scilly and two American Golden Plovers in Lincolnshire. The best of the rest included Barred Warbler at Bockhill Farm, Kent, Spotted Crakes in Essex, London, Warwickshire, Cornwall and Hampshire, a scattering of Wrynecks, Red-necked Phalarope at Buckenham Marshes RSPB and Pectoral Sandpiper at Tichwell RSPB, Norfolk, Woodchat Shrike on Isles of Scilly, Red-backed Shrike at Oare Marshes KWT, Kent and two Pectoral Sandpipers in Cambridgeshire. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Friday 7th September 2007 | ||
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| A Greenish Warbler was located at Hastings, East Sussex late morning,
where it remained on show until 2pm. A second adult American Golden Plover
joined the bird found yesterday in Lincolnshire, and Great White Egrets
arrived at Blashford Lakes HWT and Vyne Watermeadows, Hampshire, and Otmoor
RSPB, Oxfordshire (the latter a county first). A Bonaparte's Gull was
discovered at Kilshannig, Co Kerry and the Semipalmated Sandpiper
remained at nearby Ventry Harbour.
In Dorset the juvenile Wilson's Phalarope remained at Stanpit Marsh, the Blue-winged Teal was still at Haverton Hole, Cleveland, the Pallid Harrier put in another appearance on Mainland Shetland, Great White Egrets were still at Cotswold Water Park, Wiltshire, and Leighton Moss RSPB, Lancashire and in neighbouring Merseyside, the Glossy Ibis was still present. The best of the rest included Ortolan Bunting on Hengistbury Head, Dorset, Woodchat Shrike on Isles of Scilly, Purple Heron at Aller Moor, Somerset, Pectoral Sandpiper at Titchwell RSPB, Norfolk and Spotted Crakes at Ladywalk NR, Warwickshire, Maldon, Essex and Rainham Marshes RSPB London. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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