Daily News Summaries
This page gives you access to all of RBA's daily news summaries (since April 13, 2006), 10 days at a time. The most recent are shown, or you can select a specific date to show (along with the previous 10 days). Prior to April 13, 2006 you can find weekly reviews, located in articles.
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Wednesday 24th June 2009  
  The highlight of the day was the confirmation of the presence of a Stilt Sandpiper at The Cull, County Wexford for a second day.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still being present today comprised the Lesser Scaup in the Shetland Isles at Loch of Benston and the Ferruginous Duck at Chew Valley Lake, Somerset.

Scarcities included a Red-breasted Flycatcher on Fair Isle, Shetland Isles, and singing Marsh Warblers in Hertfordshire at Amwell and Oxfordshire at Otmoor, with another suspected on the Isle of Portland, Dorset.
Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 23rd June 2009  
  New arrivals today included a male Western Subalpine Warbler on Ramsey Island, Pembrokeshire, a Black Kite over Crampmoor, Hampshire, and at least one Bee-eater in Dorset, on Portland at 9.23am and at Durlston Country Park at 4.10pm. Long staying rarities included the male Little Bittern and drake Ferruginous Duck in Somerset.

Single male Marsh Warblers were present in Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, Gwynedd and on Orkney, and a Pectoral Sandpiper was at Greatham Creek, Cleveland this evening. The rather unseasonal summer plumaged Snow Bunting reappeared at Cley, Norfolk.
Will Soar, RBA
Monday 22nd June 2009  
  The only rarity reported in the country today was the male Little Bittern, which continued to sing and show sporadically at Walton Heath, Somerset. Again, there was no sign of the African Royal Tern in the Llandudno area, and no sign on Anglesey in a very thorough search by Norfolk birders.

Scarcities included a male Red-spotted Bluethroat on the Isle of May, Fife, the Marsh Warbler in Hertfordshire, Woodchat Shrike in Glamorgan, Night Heron on the Isles of Scilly and a Red-necked Phalarope on the Western Isles. Two Common Cranes did a tour of the Midlands area, being seen in Leicestershire, Warwickshire and Staffordshire, a Pomarine Skua was in Argyll and the family of Golden Orioles were still at the nest at Lakenheath Fen RSPB, Suffolk.
Will Soar, RBA
Sunday 21st June 2009  
  An Eastern Olivaceous Warbler was a rather unseasonal surprise on Fair Isle today, although not unprecedented, with a previous June record on Fair Isle and an early July record on Portland Bill in Dorset. In north Wales there were one or two sightings of what was possibly the African Royal Tern at Llandudno, although it did not give itself up to the crowds. In Yorkshire the Spotted Sandpiper was present early morning at North Cave Wetlands but then flew south and was not relocated. In Somerset the Little Bittern remained at Walton Heath near Glastonbury.

In Suffolk a Woodchat Shrike was found at Orford during the afternoon and another popular bird was a Red-necked Phalarope which was found at Upton Warren in Worcestershire. The Marsh Warbler continued to sing at Amwell in Hertfordshire and both Marsh Warblers were still singing at Herrington Country Park in County Durham. Three Roseate Terns continued to show well at Minsmere RSPB in Suffolk and an early Great Shearwater flew past Carnsore Point in County Wexford.
Pete Hayman, RBA
Saturday 20th June 2009  
  Once again a quiet June day was shattered by the news of the re-appearance of the African Royal Tern. This time it was fishing off the beach at Llandudno in Conwy. Found at 2.30pm, it was present on and off to early evening allowing a number of birders to connect with it, but it was not, however, seen later in the evening.

A summer plumaged Spotted Sandpiper was an excellent find at North Cave Wetlands in East Yorkshire. Other new rarities included brief Great White Egrets near Cley in Norfolk and at Bangor in Gwynedd, and probable Black Kites over Kelling in Norfolk and Watford in Hertfordshire.

The Little Bittern remained in Somerset and there were three Cattle Egrets near Youghal in County Waterford. The Woodchat Shrike remained on The Gower in Glamorgan. Two Marsh Warblers were at Herrington Country Park in County Durham, with singles on Bardsey Island (Gwynedd) and Amwell (Hertfordshire). Red-backed Shrikes were on the Isle of May (Fife) and near Brockholes Quarry (Lancashire), there was a Red-necked Phalarope at Titchfield Haven in Hampshire and a Serin was seen again at Portland in Dorset.
Pete Hayman, RBA
Friday 19th June 2009  
  A Laughing Gull is present on Hirta, Western Isles, along with a Green-winged Teal. Other rarities reported today included the Black Duck at Colliford Lake, Cornwall, Great White Egret at Benacre Broad, Suffolk and a Cattle Egret at Dungeness RSPB, Kent.

Scarcities included a Woodchat Shrike in Glamorgan, a Serin in Dorset, and several Spoonbills, Honey Buzzards and Roseate Terns at various sites across the country.
Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 18th June 2009  
  In County Mayo, the first-summer female Snowy Owl reappeared on The Mullet yesterday, and was still present today near Annagh Head, after last being seen on the 20th May on the Inishkea Islands. Other rarities recorded today included the male Little Bittern at Walton Heath, Somerset, Lesser Grey Shrike on Bressay, Shetland and Black Duck at Colliford Lake, Cornwall.

Scarcities included Woodchat Shrike in Glamorgan, Red-backed Shrikes in Fife and on Shetland, Marsh Warblers in County Durham and on Shetland, Common Rosefinches in Yorkshire and County Durham, Serin in Dorset and migrant Golden Orioles in Northumberland and Lincolnshire.
Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 17th June 2009  
  The Terek Sandpiper stayed overnight at Saltholme Pools RSPB, Cleveland, where it was seen early morning, before it, or another, was found further south at Gibraltar Point NNR, Lincolnshire. This bird remained all day, and was still showing very well at dusk.

Other lingering rarities included the Lesser Grey Shrike on Shetland and the Black Duck in Cornwall. Scarcities included a Red-necked Phalarope on Orkney and a Green-winged Teal on the Western Isles.
Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 16th June 2009  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Terek Sandpiper in Cleveland, at Back Saltholme Pool. Elsewhere, a Lesser Grey Shrike arrived on Bressay, Shetland Isles and Bee-eaters were reported briefly in Aberdeenshire and County Monaghan.

Although the African Royal Tern did not linger overnight in Gwynedd, the territorial Little Bittern remained in Somerset as did the Black Duck in Cornwall, Red-footed Falcon in South Yorkshire and Great White Egret in Lancashire.

Scarcities included a Woodchat Shrike in Glamorgan, Purple Heron in Suffolk, migrant Red-necked Phalarope on the Orkney Isles, single Red-backed Shrikes in both Fife and Forth and Marsh Warblers in County Durham, Norfolk, Orkney Isles and the Shetland Isles.
Chris Batty, RBA
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