 |
|
|
| Sunday 11th April 2010 | ||
|
||
| The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Balearic Woodchat Shrike
in Cornwall. Elsewhere, the elusive Two-barred Crossbill remained in Bedfordshire, a King Eider was found in Aberdeenshire, a
White-billed Diver showed again on the Western Isles, Glossy Ibis lingered in County Wexford and Somerset (2) and an
Alpine Swift flew over Durlston, Dorset. Scarcities included 22 Shorelarks, five each of Hoopoes and Great White Egret, three each of Iceland Gull and Caspian Gull (Suffolk), two each of Ring-necked Duck, Ring-billed Gull (County Cork) and Glaucous Gull and single Woodchat Shrike (Cornwall), Wryneck (Suffolk), Surf Scoter (Devon), Green-winged Teal (Fife), Black Brant (Norfolk) and Tundra Bean Goose (Lancashire) were all recorded. In Wales the two White Storks remained on Anglesey until mid morning before disappearing, only to reappear over Penmaenmawr, Conwy late in the afternoon. |
||
| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
|
||
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.
|
|
|
| Saturday 10th April 2010 | ||
|
||
| The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Balearic Woodchat Shrike in Cornwall at Ruan Pool. Elsewhere, on the Western Isles six
White-billed Divers were located off the Isle of Lewis and in Essex an Alpine Swift flew over Braintree. Lingering rarities included the elusive Two-barred Crossbill still in Bedfordshire, the Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan and two Glossy Ibises in Somerset. Scarcities were represented by five Hoopoes, three each of Lapland Bunting and Glaucous Gull, two each of Surf Scoter, Great White Egret, Ring-billed Gull (County Cork), Great Grey Shrike, Green-winged Teal and Iceland Gull and single Woodchat Shrike (Cornwall), Serin (Kent), Ring-necked Duck (Orkney Isles), Snow Goose (Aberdeenshire) and Caspian Gull (Kent). Two White Storks together on Anglesey at Wylfa Head this evening were presumably the same pair reported yesterday in Somerset and last being noted 140 miles southeast of their current location; migrating north over Rogerstone. |
||
| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Friday 9th April 2010 | ||
|
||
| The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Black Duck in Conwy at Glan Conwy, although it proved to be most elusive today. Elsewhere, the two Glossy Ibises remained in Somerset whilst a scattering of scarcities comprised four each of Snow Goose and Great Grey Shrike, three each of Hoopoe, Surf Scoter and Iceland Gull, two each of Serin, Lapland Bunting (Western Isles), Glaucous Gull, Waxwing (Bedfordshire) and Great White Egret and single Woodchat Shrike, Cattle Egret and Dotterel (all in Cornwall), Wryneck (Kent), Ring-billed Gull (County Cork) and Green-winged Teal (Pembrokeshire). | ||
| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Thursday 8th April 2010 | ||
|
||
| A male Black-winged Stilt arrived at Rainham Marshes RSPB
(London) today, where it showed well until dusk. This appears to be the same
individual that visited Yarmouth on Isle of Wight on 6th April, approximately 93
miles south-west of Rainham Marshes.
In Cleveland a drake Blue-winged Teal was discovered in the Saltholme Pools RSPB area - presumably the same Blue-winged Teal that has intermittently graced this area for the last few years. Lingering rarities included Black Duck (Conwy), Lesser Scaup and Bonaparte's Gull (Glamorgan), Alpine Swift (Kent), Little Bunting (Highland), Lesser Scaup and two Glossy Ibises (Somerset). Two Hoopoes and a Woodchat Shrike were logged in Cornwall and a Purple Heron was seen in flight at Weir Wood Reservoir (East Sussex). |
||
| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Wednesday 7th April 2010 | ||
|
||
| A drake Black Duck on the Conwy Estuary (Conwy) was today's star find
- the bird showed intermittently into the evening.
Elsewhere new birds included a Black Kite was at Ringaskiddy (Co Cork), an Alpine Swift flew over Holland Haven Country Park (Essex), a drake Bufflehead was reported in Poole Park (Dorset) and a Marsh Sandpiper was reported at Tices Meadow (Surrey). An Alpine Swift in Folkestone (Kent), Little Bunting in Highland, Two-barred Crossbill in Bedfordshire and Long-billed Dowitcher in Merseyside all lingered, as did a Woodchat Shrike (Cornwall), Hoopoe (Lothian/Borders) and Cattle Egret in Dorset. An immature White-tailed Eagle toured East Yorkshire and just south of the Humber into Lincolnshire and a Serin flew over Kingsgate (Kent). |
||
| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Tuesday 6th April 2010 | ||
|
||
| The first Black-winged Stilt of the year arrived on Isle of Wight
today, where it showed well in Yarmouth. On Western Isles two White-billed
Divers were discovered off northern Lewis.
Lingering rarities included Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, Alpine Swift in Kent, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, Little Bunting in Highland, Pallid Swift in Suffolk and King Eider in Moray. The best of the rest came in the form of Hoopoes on the Lothian/Borders border, Cornwall and Dorset, American Wigeons in Lancashire and Dumfries & Galloway, Woodchat Shrike in Cornwall and Serin in Dorset. |
||
| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Monday 5th April 2010 | ||
|
||
| Three new rarities were reported today: a Black Kite flew over
Ipplepen, near Newton Abbot, in Devon and there were Alpine Swifts at two
new locations: at Folkestone in Kent; and briefly at Rainham Marshes in London.
Another Alpine Swift remained at Chafford Hundred in Essex, and in
Suffolk the Pallid Swift spent another day in the Kessingland sewage
works area. The Iberian Chiffchaff was again singing at Stiffkey in
Norfolk. A Rose-coloured Starling was found in Weymouth this afternoon.
Other lingering rarities included Lesser Scaups still at Cardiff Bay and Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir in Glamorgan, and the Bonaparte's Gull at Cardiff, also in Glamorgan. The Little Bunting remained in Highland and the King Eider could still be found in Moray. In south east Scotland the Bluethroat was again at Skateraw, with the Hoopoe still nearby at Dunglass, whilst in Cornwall the Woodchat Shrike was still on The Lizard. Of winter birds there were still up to 16 Shorelarks at Holkham and Waxwings could still be found in Yorkshire and Suffolk. |
||
| - Pete Hayman, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Sunday 4th April 2010 | ||
|
||
| The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Pallid Swift in Suffolk at Kessingland, whilst other rarities comprised the three
Penduline Tits still together in Kent, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan,
Alpine Swift in Essex, King Eider in Moray, Little Bunting in Highland and a
Ferruginous Duck newly discovered at Holmethorpe, Surrey. Elsewhere, brief encounters included a
Black Kite in Somerset, the Iberian Chiffchaff in Norfolk and Two-barred Crossbill in Bedfordshire: the latter two are proving to be most elusive. Scarce spring migrants consisted of four Hoopoes and single Kentish Plover (Kent), Woodchat Shrike (Cornwall) and Bluethroat (Lothian). Lingering winter visitors included 24 Waxwings, 12 Shorelarks, five Iceland Gulls, three each of Great White Egret and Green-winged Teal, two each of Great Grey Shrike, Glaucous Gull and Black Brant and single American Wigeon (Dumries and Galloway), Tundra Bean Goose (Cumbria) and Caspian Gull (Suffolk). |
||
| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Saturday 3rd April 2010 | ||
|
||
| A couple of top class passerines were discovered today - a Black-throated
Thrush at Hartlepool Headland (Cleveland) and a singing Iberian
Chiffchaff in Stiffkey (Norfolk).
Lingering rarities included Pied-billed Grebe in Co Clare, four Penduline Tits in Kent, Pallid Swift in Suffolk, Little Bunting in Highland and Black Duck on Isles of Scilly. An Alpine Swift reappeared at Fleet Pond (Hampshire) whilst another made a brief appearance at Warren Gorge, Essex. In Cornwall a Woodchat Shrike lingered on The Lizard, Hoopoes remained in Co Cork and Dorset (whilst another was seen briefly in Kent) and a female Kentish Plover was on Isle of Sheppey for its second day. |
||
| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Friday 2nd April 2010 | ||
|
||
| The highlight of the day was the reappearance of the Lesser Kestrel in Suffolk at Westleton Heath, although it only showed briefly and could not be relocated later in the day. Nearby the
Pallid Swift remained at Kessingland, as did two of the Penduline Tits in Kent, the
Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, Little Bunting in Highland, single
Lesser Scaups in both Glamorgan and Somerset, and the Hooded Merganser in Cleveland. A Black-bellied Dipper was discovered on the Shetland Isles on Bressay and in Lancashire a
Glossy Ibis flew over Caton. Spring scarcities comprised Woodchat Shrike and Montagu's Harrier in Cornwall, Kentish Plover in Kent, Serin in Dorset, Bluethroat in Northumberland and single Hoopoes in both County Cork and Pembrokeshire. Whilst vestiges of winter included 12 Waxwings, six Iceland Gulls, five Ring-necked Ducks, four Ring-billed Gulls, two each of American Wigeon, Great White Egret and Glaucous Gull and single Surf Scoter (Devon), Cattle Egret (Dorset), Green-winged Teal (Leicestershire) and Shorelark (Norfolk). |
||
| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
|
||