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 4th May 2011  
  The highlight of the day was confirmation of a territorial Iberian Chiffchaff present in Blackpool, Lancashire for a second day. Elsewhere, a Black-headed Wagtail was on Tresco, Isles of Scilly, whilst brief encounters included an Alpine Swift in Lancashire, Red-rumped Swallow in East Yorkshire, Bee-eater in Lothian, and Black Kites in both Kent and the Orkney Isles.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today comprised Collared Flycatcher on the Shetland Isles, Barolo Little Shearwater in Devon, Rufous Turtle Dove in Oxfordshire, Bonaparte's Gulls in both Cornwall and Devon, single Subalpine Warblers in East Yorkshire, Orkney Isles and Shetland Isles, White-billed Divers in Moray, Shetland Isles and Western Isles, American Golden Plover in Cornwall and Lesser Scaup in Gloucestershire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 3rd May 2011  
  New discoveries included a Spotted Sandpiper at Westwood Pool (Worcestershire - the first county record), Rustic Bunting and Subalpine Warbler at Spurn (East Yorkshire), Black Kite at Gibraltar Point (Lincolnshire), Great Snipe on Mainland Shetland, Red-rumped Swallow on Fair Isle (Shetland) and Bee-eater at Portland (Dorset).

The Rufous Turtle Dove in Oxfordshire, Bonaparte's Gull and American Golden Plover in Cornwall, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, Lesser Scaup in Lancashire, White-billed Diver in Moray, Red-rumped Swallow in Kent and Subalpine Warblers on Shetland (2) and Orkney all lingered.

The best of the rest included Kentish Plover in Lancashire, White-winged Black Terns in West Sussex and Suffolk, Wrynecks in West Sussex and Dorset, Hoopoes in Norfolk and Gloucestershire, Woodchat Shrike in Suffolk and Night Heron in Dorset.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 2nd May 2011  
  New discoveries included Great Snipe on Shetland, Glossy Ibis in Essex, Red-rumped Swallows in Dorset and Kent and Black Kite on Orkney. The Collared Pratincole in Lincolnshire, Lesser Scaup in Lancashire, Subalpine Warbler in Orkney, Bonaparte's Gull and American Golden Plover in Cornwall and Bonaparte's Gull in Devon all lingered.

White-billed Divers were recorded off Lewis and Moray (2), White-winged Black Terns were in Suffolk and West Sussex, Woodchat Shrikes lingered in Devon and Suffolk and Purple Herons remained in Bedfordshire and Kent. Wrynecks were logged in Shetland (3), Dorset (2), Norfolk (2) and Northumberland, a Night Heron lingered in Co Waterford and a Cattle Egret was still in Dorset. A Kentish Plover was discovered in Somerset whilst another lingered in Co Wexford. The White-tailed Eagle was still on show in Lincolnshire. Fifty Dotterel, four Montagu's Harriers and three Temminck's Stints were also recorded today.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 1st May 2011  
  An American Golden Plover was found at the Hayle Estuary in Cornwall, where a Bonaparte's Gull was still present. Other Bonaparte's Gulls were still to be found in Devon and Aberdeenshire with another bird being reported in Flintshire. A Black Kite flew over Tankerton in Kent

The male Collared Flycatcher remained on Fair Isle in the Shetlands as did the Eastern Subalpine Warbler. A White-billed Diver was still off Burghead in Moray and the Collared Pratincole was still near Immingham in Lincolnshire. A Black Stork continued it's wanderings in Dorset, a King Eider remained at the mouth of the Ythan Estuary in Aberdeenshire and the Lesser Scaup was still at Martin Mere in Lancashire.

There were belated reports from yesterday of a Red-rumped Swallow in County Wexford, two different Black Kites in Wiltshire and a Red-footed Falcon in Kent.

A good passage of Pomarine Skuas moving up the Channel was observed from various south coast points and a number of Dotterel were seen around the country. Two Woodchat Shrikes remained as did a White-winged Black Tern in Suffolk.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Saturday 30th April 2011  
  A Collared Flycatcher on Fair Isle (Shetland) was the headline new discovery. Elsewhere new rarities included a flock four Black-winged Stilts in Essex, Red-footed Falcon and Black Kite in Norfolk, Ortolan Bunting in East Yorkshire and Bee-eater in Dorset.

Lingering rarities included Collared Pratincole in Lincolnshire, Lesser Scaup in Lancashire, Bonaparte's Gulls in Cornwall and Aberdeenshire, White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire and Co Wexford, Gyr on Western Isles, Blue-winged Teal in Carmarthenshire, Subalpine Warblers on North Ronaldsay and Fair Isle (2), Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset and Rufous Turtle Dove in Oxfordshire.

Woodchat Shrikes lingered in North Yorkshire, Suffolk and Devon, Purple Herons were in Bedfordshire and Kent, a Hoopoe was in Norfolk, a White-winged Black Tern remained in Suffolk, as did a Kentish Plover in Co Wexford. In London a Wryneck was discovered and in Lincolnshire the White-tailed Eagle remained on show and a Night Heron was still in Co Waterford.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 29th April 2011  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a singing male Iberian Chiffchaff in Gwent at Usk. New rarities elsewhere comprised Subalpine Warblers in Gwynedd on Bardsey Island, Orkney Isles on North Ronaldsay, and Western Isles on North Uist, whilst brief encounters included a Black Stork in Dorset, Black Kite in Cambridgeshire and, in Norfolk, three Red-footed Falcons and a Red-rumped Swallow.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the territorial Barolo Little Shearwater in Devon, Rufous Turtle Dove in Oxfordshire, Collared Pratincole in Lincolnshire, Snowy Owl on the Western Isles, Blue-winged Teal in Carmarthenshire, Bonaparte's Gulls in both Devon and the Western Isles, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, Lesser Scaup in Lancashire, and White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire, Moray (3) and County Wexford.

Scarcities included Woodchat Shrikes in Devon, North Yorkshire and Suffolk, Purple Herons in Bedfordshire and Kent, White-tailed Eagle in Lincolnshire, Kentish Plover in County Wexford, Night Heron in County Waterford, Hoopoe in Hampshire, and Wryneck in Norfolk.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 28th April 2011  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a singing male Iberian Chiffchaff near Drogheda, County Louth. Discoveries elsewhere included two Bee-eaters together on The Mullet, County Mayo, and a Black Kite seen briefly at West Meon, Hampshire.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present comprised the territorial Barolo Little Shearwater in Devon, both Collared Pratincole and Tawny Pipit in Lincolnshire, House Crow in County Cork, Blue-winged Teal in Carmarthenshire, Bonaparte's Gull on the Western Isles, Long-billed Dowitchers in both Ceredigion and Dorset, White-billed Divers in both County Wexford and Moray, and a Black Kite was seen again in Norfolk.

Scarcities included a Kentish Plover in County Wexford, Woodchat Shrikes in both Devon and North Yorkshire, Whiite-tailed Eagle and Pectoral Sandpiper in Lincolnshire, and both Hoopoe and White Stork in Devon.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 27th April 2011  
  A Collared Pratincole was found at Immingham, Lincolnshire mid morning, where it was present until early afternoon, and again in the evening. In Devon, an adult Bonaparte's Gull was seen at Topsham, with the first-winter still at Budleigh Salterton, and another still in Aberdeenshire.

A Subalpine Warbler was at Easington, Yorkshire, and a Black Kite was at Stiffkey, Norfolk, whilst all the other New Rarity messages today involved late news. A Pallid Harrier was present yesterday in County Antrim, as was a Black-bellied Dipper on Fair Isle, Shetland, whilst a Savi's Warbler was in Norfolk on Saturday and a party of seven Bee-eaters was in Sussex on Friday.

Lingering rarities included Borolo Little Shearwater in Devon, Rufous Turtle Dove in Oxfordshire, Black Scoter in Northumberland, Savi's Warbler in Devon, Tawny Pipit in Lincolnshire, Iberian Chiffchaff in Staffordshire, Subalpine Warblers in Dorset and Shetland, Snowy Owl in Western Isles, and Long-billed Dowitchers in Dorset and Ceredigion.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 26th April 2011  
  In Devon, the singing male Barolo Little Shearwater has returned to the Manx Shearwater colony on Lundy, where it has been present over a week. A singing male Iberian Chiffchaff in Staffordshire was also confirmed today, after it was first heard on Sunday near Rudyard.

Other quality rarity discoveries today included a Subalpine Warbler in Weymouth and a Red-rumped Swallow on Portland, both Dorset and Black Kites in Kent (two) and Cornwall. A Snowy Owl is once again present at Grenitote, North Uist, Western Isles.

Lingering rarities seen today included the Black Scoter in Northumberland, Rufous Turtle Dove in Oxfordshire, Savi's Warbler in Devon, single Bonaparte's Gulls in Devon and Western Isles, single Tawny Pipits in Lincolnshire and Scilly, single Long-billed Dowitchers in Ceredigion and Dorset and Blue-winged Teal in Carmarthenshire.

Scarcity highlights included a White-spotted Bluethroat in Worcestershire, a Kentish Plover in County Wexford, a Purple Heron in Bedfordshire and a Woodchat Shrike in Yorkshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 25th April 2011  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of five White-billed Divers together on the sea off Portsoy, Aberdeenshire. Elsewhere, a Tawny Pipit was in Lincolnshire at Tetney Lock, a Bee-eater on Lewis, Western Isles, and a Subalpine Warbler on North Ronaldsay, Orkney Isles. Brief encounters included a Glossy Ibis in flight over Yalding Lees, and Black Kites over-flying Cornwall (2), County Dublin, Hampshire, Kent and Lincolnshire.

Lingering rarities comprised the Rufous Turtle Dove still in Oxfordshire, Bonaparte's Gulls in both Aberdeenshire and Devon, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, Lesser Yellowlegs in Somerset, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, Lesser Scaup in Gloucestershire, Subalpine Warbler on the Shetland Isles, Savi's Warbler in Devon and Tawny Pipit on the Isles of Scilly. A Black Stork was seen again Derbyshire; todat at Youlgreave.
-  Chris Batty, RBA