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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Monday 9th August 2010  
  All today's new rarities were Nearctic waders - a White-rumped Sandpiper at South Gare (Cleveland), Lesser Yellowlegs on St Agnes (Isles of Scilly) and a possible Semipalmated Sandpiper at Blacktoft Sands RSPB (East Yorkshire). In Nottinghamshire the Baird's Sandpiper lingered at Lound.

Elsewhere, lingering rarities included Whiskered Tern in Cleveland, American Herring Gull in Co Kerry, Pacific Golden Plover on Western Isles and a probable Greenish Warbler was on Mainland Orkney.

A Wilson's Petrel was logged from an Isles of Scilly pelagic, a juvenile Kentish Plover joined a high tide wader roost at Seasalter (Kent), Melodious Warblers were on Farne Islands (Northumberland) and Portland (Dorset), two Purple Herons and a Great White Egret lingered at Dungeness (Kent) and Great White Egrets were also seen in Somerset (2) and Cornwall. A Spotted Crake was briefly at Dorman's Pool (Cleveland).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 8th August 2010  
  New discoveries today included a White-rumped Sandpiper at Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire, another at Tacumshin, County Wexford and a Wilson's Petrel past Bridges of Ross, County Clare.

Lingering rarities still present included Baird's Sandpiper in Nottinghamshire, Pacific Golden Plover on the Western Isles, Glossy Ibis in County Wexford, American Herring Gull in County Kerry, Whiskered Tern in Cleveland and single Ferruginous Ducks in Suffolk and Somerset.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 7th August 2010  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Baird's Sandpiper in Nottinghamshire. Elsewhere, lingering rarities included the Whiskered Tern in Cleveland, Lesser Yellowlegs in Cheshire, Alpine Swift on the Orkney Isles, Glossy Ibis in County Wexford and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk. An American Golden Plover was seen briefly along the Norfolk/Lincolnshire border at the mouth of the River Nene.

Scarcities today comprised two each of both Great White Egret and Ring-billed Gull, Buff-breasted Sandpiper in Aberdeenshire, Kentish Plover, White-spotted Bluethroat and Pectoral Sandpiper in Norfolk, Serin in London, Purple Heron and Cattle Egret together in Kent and a Ring-necked Duck in Fife, whilst at least 34 Balearic Shearwaters were recorded from coastal watchpoints in eight counties between Cornwall, County Durham and County Mayo.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 6th August 2010  
  On Shetland, a Paddyfield Warbler on Unst was just the fourth August record, with September being by far the best month for records of this species. A Baird's Sandpiper at the Idle Valley NR, Nottinghamshire, was the second for both county and site whilst a Lesser Yellowlegs in County Dublin was more expected, being the seventh for the county.

Lingering rarities included Whiskered Tern in Cleveland and Alpine Swift on Orkney, whilst a Wilson's Petrel was seen again from a Scilly pelagic and two probable Yelkouan Shearwaters flew past Porthgwarra, Cornwall.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 5th August 2010  
  The highlight of the day was the confirmation of both the identity and the continued presence of two Semipalmated Sandpipers in England: one at Port Carlisle, Cumbria present since 28th July and one at Lodmoor, Dorset present since 3rd August.

Elsewhere, lingering rarities comprised the House Finch still in Devon, American Herring Gull in County Kerry, Whiskered Tern in Cleveland, Little Bittern in Somerset, Lesser Yellowlegs in Cheshire, Alpine Swift on the Orkney Isles and Glossy Ibis in County Wexford.

Scarcities included a Surf Scoter on the Shetland Isles and, at Dungeness, Kent, two Purple Herons, a Cattle Egret and a Great White Egret.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 4th August 2010  
  A Pacific Golden Plover was discovered on South Uist (Western Isles) and in Kent a Black Stork flew over Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve. Lingering rarities included Lesser Yellowlegs (Cheshire), Laughing Gull (Co Antrim), House Finch (Devon), Whiskered Tern (Cleveland) and Alpine Swift (Orkney).

Elsewhere at Cattle Egret remained in Leicestershire, two Purple Herons (an adult and a juvenile) and a Great White Egret were still at Dungeness RSPB (Kent) and in Nottinghamshire a Common Crane visited Hoveringham Gravel Pits.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 3rd August 2010  
  Rarities recorded today comprised the House Finch still in Devon, the Whiskered Tern in Cleveland, an Alpine Swift briefly in the Orkney Isles and the debated Semipalmated Sandpiper still in Cumbria: although it may be a Little Stint.

Scarcities included two Icterine Warblers (together in the Shetland Isles), two Cattle Egrets (Kent and Leicestershire), Purple Heron and Great White Egret (together in Kent), Ring-necked Duck (Fife), a Great Shearwater (Cornwall) and five scattered Caspian Gulls.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 2nd August 2010  
  A brief Long-billed Dowitcher at Caerlaverock WWT (Dumfries & Galloway), Buff-breasted Sandpiper near Collieston (Aberdeenshire) and a Black Stork over Burrator Reservoir (Devon) were today's headline finds.

Lingering rarities included House Finch in Devon, Whiskered Tern in Cleveland, White-rumped Sandpiper and Glossy Ibis in Wexford, Laughing Gull in Co Antrim and Lesser Yellowlegs in Cheshire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 1st August 2010  
  The Lesser Yellowlegs lingered at Inner Marsh Farm RSPB (Cheshire), the juvenile Whiskered Tern was still at Saltholme RSPB (Cleveland) and in Staffordshire the  Franklin's Gull reappeared at Gailey Reservoir. In Cumbria the stint species, either a Semipalmated Sandpiper or Little Stint continued to show near Port Carlisle.

In Kent the Purple Heron and Great White Egret at Dungeness RSPB were joined by a Cattle Egret, the Ferruginous Duck was still at Minsmere RSPB (Suffolk) and a Pectoral Sandpiper was again at Elmley Marshes RSPB (Kent).

The Flintshire Grey-headed Purple Gallinule origin debate ended today, when the bird's owner arrived at Saltney to recapture it!  
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 31st July 2010  
  A Lesser Yellowlegs was discovered at Inner Marsh Farm RSPB, Cheshire mid morning, where it was present until midday, when it flew high east. In Staffordshire, the adult Franklin's Gull relocated to Gailey Reservoir from late afternoon.

The adult Semipalmated Sandpiper remained at Port Carlisle, Cumbria early morning and again mid evening, with other lingering rarities including American Herring Gull in County Kerry, Whiskered Tern in Cleveland, Laughing Gull in County Antrim, House Finch in Devon and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk.

Scarcity highlights included Pectoral Sandpiper, Purple Heron and Great White Egret in Kent (with another of the latter in Somerset), Cory's Shearwater in Devon and good numbers of Spoonbills, Roseate Terns and Balearic Shearwaters at various sites.
-  Will Soar, RBA