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| Thursday 16th April 2009 | ||
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| New rarities today included a Black Kite on the Isles of Scilly and a
Great White Egret in Suffolk, with another of the latter still in Clyde.
Lingering rarities included Red-rumped Swallow in Wirral, White-throated Sparrow in Hampshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Oxfordshire and lesser golden plover in Norfolk. The Lesser Scaup remained in County Down, and four Cattle Egrets were in County Cork. A drake Wood Duck was present on Shetland this afternoon. |
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| - Will Soar, 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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| Wednesday 15th April 2009 | ||
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| The common hirundines continued to move north today, bringing with them three
Red-rumped Swallows, in Highland, Wirral and Norfolk, and a probable
Crag Martin at Attenborough Nature Reserve, Nottinghamshire. An Alpine
Swift was seen briefly in Lancashire, a Subalpine Warbler was in
County Cork and single Black Kites were in East Sussex and on the
Staffordshire /Derbyshire border.
Lingering rarities included the White-throated Sparrow in Hampshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Oxfordshire, American Golden Plover in Norfolk, White-billed Divers in Highland and Orkney, and Lesser Scaups in East Yorkshire, Glamorgan and Forth. A probable Glaucous-winged Gull was reported from Dumfries and Galloway. The Great White Egret remained in Clyde and Cattle Egrets were still present in Cornwall, Devon and County Cork. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 14th April 2009 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the discovery of a male Lesser Scaup at Hornsea Mere, East Yorkshire. Elsewhere, brief encounters included a
Whiskered Tern in Essex at Hanningfield Reservoir, a Red-rumped Swallow in Worcestershire at Lower Bittell Reservoir, a
Black Kite in East Sussex over Seaford and a Great White Egret in London over Rainham Marshes. Lingering rarities comprised the White-throated Sparrow still in Hampshire, Snowy Owl on the Western Isles, Bonaparte's Gull in Oxfordshire, American Golden Plover in Norfolk, two King Eiders in County Sligo, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan, Great White Egrets in both Ceredigion and Clyde and single Cattle Egrets in Cheshire, County Cork, Devon and Pembrokeshire. Scarcities included three Great Grey Shrikes, two Lesser Snow Geese together in Aberdeenshire, a Kentish Plover in Norfolk, Rough-legged Buzzard in Cambridgeshire, Ring-necked Duck in Dorset, Green-winged Teal in Leicestershire and a Surf Scoter on the Orkney Isles. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 13th April 2009 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the singing male
White-throated Sparrow at Old Winchester Hill, Hampshire. Elsewhere other
popular rarities included Red-rumped Swallow in Leicestershire and
American Golden Plover in Norfolk.
In Essex a Lesser Yellowlegs was discovered at Heybridge Basin and elsewhere a Black Kite flew over Stoke Newington, London, a Bonaparte's Gull reappeared at Farmoor Reservoir, Oxfordshire and Lesser Scaups remained in Nottinghamshire and Glamorgan. Seven White-billed Divers were located off Lewis, Western Isles, whilst a lone bird was discovered in Gruinard Bay, Highland. Great White Egrets were observed in Co Cork, Norfolk, Clyde, Ceredigion and Kent, 11 Cattle Egrets consisted of ten in Co Cork and a single bird in Pembrokeshire and on Western Isles a male Snowy Owl lingered on North Uist. In Co Cork a Gyr visited Lisgoold and in Co Clare the adult Long-billed Dowitcher returned to Shannon Airport Lagoon. The best of the rest included Little Bunting in East Sussex, White Stork on Isles of Scilly and Wryneck in Suffolk. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 12th April 2009 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the discovery in the evening of five White-billed Divers
together in Loch Ewe, Highland. Elsewhere, in Lincolnshire an Alpine Swift
paused briefly over Gibraltar Point, in Ireland a Subalpine Warbler was found at Carnsore Point, County Wexford and a
Lesser Scaup was at Bracklagh Lough, County Cavan. A Great White Egret was seen briefly in Dorset and single
Black Kites flew over both Kent and West Sussex during the afternoon. Lingering rarities comprised the White-throated Sparrow still in Hampshire, Red-rumped Swallow in Leicestershire, Forster's Tern in County Galway, American Golden Plover in Norfolk, Lesser Scaup in Clyde and Cattle Egrets in Cheshire, Cornwall (4), Devon and Dorset (2). Scarcities included five Ring-necked Ducks, four Great Grey Shrikes, three Surf Scoters, two each of both Lesser Snow Goose and Green-winged Teal and singles of Little Bunting, Kentish Plover, Hoopoe, Pectoral Sandpiper, Greenland Redpoll, Montagu's Harrier and White Stork. Belated news concerned a Great Spotted Cuckoo at Pentire Point East, Cornwall on 12th April - the fourth individual so far this spring, so equaling the previous best spring for this species (four between Devon, Kent and West Sussex during 23rd February-1st May 1990). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 11th April 2009 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was a White-throated Sparrow in Hampshire at Old Winchester Hill. Discovered by birders early this morning, it later transpired that it has been present at this site since 8th November 2008. This is only the fifth instance of this species wintering in the British Isles. Elsewhere, new rarities comprised a Bonaparte's Gull in Oxfordshire, Alpine Swifts in both Essex and West Sussex, a Red-rumped Swallow in Leicestershire, Subalpine Warblers on the Isle of Scilly and in Couunty Cork (2), White-billed Divers in Ayrshire and Highland (2) and single Great White Egrets in both Ceredigion and Norfolk. Lingering rarities included the Forster's Tern in County Galway, American Golden Plover in Norfolk, Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire, Great White Egret in Clyde, Hooded Merganser in Dorset and Cattle Egrets in Cheshire, Cornwall (3), Dorset (2) and Pembrokeshire. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Friday 10th April 2009 | ||
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| New discoveries today included in County Cork a Subalpine Warbler on Mizen Head and a
Great White Egret at Glounthaune, in County Dublin a Bonaparte's Gull
on the Swords Estuary and on the Isle of Scilly a Red-rumped Swallow on St Martin's. Lingering rarities comprised the Bonaparte's Gull on the Western Isles, single Lesser Scaups in both Glamorgan and Nottinghamshire, the Great White Egret in Clyde, Hooded Merganser in Dorset, Cattle Egrets in Cornwall (3), Cheshire, Devon, Dorset and Pembrokeshire and, in Norfolk, the unidentified American or Pacific Golden Plover remained. Scarcities were represented by six Ring-necked Ducks, three each of Wryneck and Green-winged Teal, two each of Hoopoe, Lesser Snow Goose, Great Grey Shrike and Lapland Bunting and single Kentish Plover, Purple Heron, Surf Scoter and Rough-legged Buzzard. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 9th April 2009 | ||
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| An Alpine Swift over Snettisham RSPB, Norfolk and a Red-rumped
Swallow at Bishop Middleham, Co Durham were both sighted briefly today. A
Purple Heron in Suffolk (for its second day), Bluethroat in Berkshire
and a Sabine's Gull past Cornwall were also notable.
Lingering rarities and scarcities included White-billed Diver in Highland, Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset and six Cattle Egrets in southwest England. In Norfolk a golden plover sp at Breydon Water continued to cause an identification headache. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 8th April 2009 | ||
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| A male Snowy Owl on North Uist, Western Isles, Great White Egret
in Lincolnshire and a reported Glossy Ibis in Cheshire were all new
discoveries whilst long stayers included Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire,
Hooded Merganser in Dorset and three Cattle Egrets in Cornwall.
A Richard's Pipit was located at Osmington Mills, Dorset, a Common Rosefinch briefly visited a Birdham garden, West Sussex and in Oxfordshire a Ring-necked Duck arrived at Otmoor RSPB. In Norfolk the identification of a possible Pacific Golden Plover continued to cause debate amongst observers. Late news from yesterday related to the reappearance of the Gyr on Tiree, Argyll. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 7th April 2009 | ||
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| A male Citrine Wagtail reported in Warwickshire would have been a
superb addition to many observers' Draycote Water lists, had it been twitchable.
The only other new rarity reported today was a Black Kite, which flew
over Pegwell Bay, Kent.
Fourteen Cattle Egrets remained in Cornwall, with further singletons in Cheshire, Dorset and on the Isle of Man. A lesser golden plover was at Breydon Water, Norfolk, for its second day. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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