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| Sunday 14th August 2011 | ||
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| Once again, today the Shetland Isles stole the show with Pallid Harrier,
Greenish Warbler and Red-backed Shrike on Fair Isle, two Two-barred
Crossbills, Greenish Warbler, Icterine Warbler and Red-backed Shrike
around Mainland, and a Common Rosefinch on Unst. Elsewhere, a Wilson's Phalarope arrived in County Antrim at Belfast Lough, a Subalpine Warbler was seen briefly in Essex at Holland Haven, single Bonaparte's Gulls were found in both in Highland at Dornoch, and on the Western Isles on Lewis, whilst a White-rumped Sandpiper was found in Kent at Dungeness, with now two together in Norfolk at Snettisham. Lingering rarities comprised Wilson's Phalarope and Blue-winged Teal together in Cleveland, Black Duck in County Mayo, Bonaparte's Gull in County Durham, American Golden Plover in County Clare, Bee-eater on the Isles of Scilly, and single Black Kites in both Cornwall and Devon. Scarcities included Melodious Warbler (Pembrokeshire), Icterine Warbler (Orkney Isles), Woodchat Shrike (Gloucestershire and the Isles of Scilly), White-winged Black Tern (Cambridgeshire), Purple Heron (Kent), Pectoral Sandpiper (Lincolnshire and Norfolk), Temminck's Stint (Lincolnshire), Great Shearwater (Isles of Scilly), Cattle Egret (Essex (2) and West Sussex), and Great White Egret (Kent, Northumberland and Somerset). |
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| - Chris Batty, 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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| Saturday 13th August 2011 | ||
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| A Wilson's Phalarope in Cleveland was probably the highlight today,
with a fairly dull adult spending some of the evening in the Greatham Creek
/Seal Sands area. A Citrine Wagtail was a new arrival on Fair Isle,
Shetland (where the Pallid Harrier and Greenish Warbler both
remained). Late news concerned the confirmation of an adult Sooty Tern,
which flew south past Kessingland, Suffolk on Wednesday.
Lingering rarities included the Black Scoter in Aberdeenshire, Blue-winged Teal in Cleveland, Semipalmated Sandpiper in County Kerry, White-rumped Sandpiper in Norfolk, American Golden Plover in County Clare, Black Kite in Cornwall, Bonaparte's Gull in County Durham and Ferruginous Duck in Somerset. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Friday 12th August 2011 | ||
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| Several quality new rarities were discovered today, but none were easily
gettable by more than a few observers. The highlight was a juvenile Pallid
Harrier, which was present on Fair Isle from mid evening, along with a
Greenish Warbler and a Short-toed Lark. Two Two-barred Crossbills
were seen very briefly in Kilnsea, Yorkshire, before flying off north, and a
Wilson's Petrel was off a pelagic out of the Isles of Scilly this evening.
An unringed Baltic Gull was seen at Blackborough End, Norfolk.
Lingering rarities included the Semipalmated Sandpiper in County Kerry, Black Kite in Cornwall and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk. Autumn scarcities continued to arrive, with a Wryneck and three Icterine Warblers on the east coast. Single Melodious Warblers were in Dorset and Pembrokeshire, whilst other scarcities included White-winged Black Tern in Cambridgeshire, single Woodchat Shrikes in Gloucestershire and Isles of Scilly, Red-backed Shrike in Shetland and Buff-breasted Sandpiper in Orkney. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 11th August 2011 | ||
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| Lingering rarities seen today included the House Crow in County Cork,
Bonaparte's Gull in County Durham, Semipalmated Sandpiper in
County Kerry, Black Kite in Cornwall and Ferruginous Duck in
Somerset.
Scarcity highlights involved a White-winged Black Tern in Cambridgeshire, single Woodchat Shrikes in Gloucestershire and Isles of Scilly, a Red-backed Shrike in Shetland, single Melodious Warblers in Gwynedd and Pembrokeshire and a Buff-breasted Sandpiper in Orkney. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 10th August 2011 | ||
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| Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today comprised the Western Bonelli's Warbler on the Shetland Isles,
Semipalmated Sandpiper in County Kerry, Bonaparte's Gull in County Durham,
American Golden Plover in County Clare, Black Kites in both Cornwall and Devon, and single
Ferruginous Ducks in both Somerset and Suffolk. Scarcities included Melodious Warbler (Dorset and Pembrokeshire), Woodchat Shrike (Gloucestershire and the Isles of Scilly), Marsh Warbler (Norfolk), Cattle Egret (Hampshire), Great White Egret (Kent), Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Pectoral Sandpiper (together on the Western Isles). Seawatching from County Cork produced a Cory's Shearwater, six Great Shearwaters and a Sabine's Gull. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 9th August 2011 | ||
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| In Shetland a Western Bonelli's Warbler was found on Mainland at
Gulberwick. On Scilly a Bee-eater was seen on St.Mary's and the
Woodchat Shrike remained on the same island.
In Ireland the Semi-palmated Sandpiper was again seen at Ventry in County Kerry and the American Golden Plover remained at Doonbeg in County Clare. Other lingering rarities included the Black Kite in Cornwall and Ferrunginous Ducks in Somerset and Suffolk. In Pembrokeshire the Melodious Warbler continued to perform well at Martin's Haven, the Woodchat Shrike was still to be found in Gloucestershire, the Cattle Egret remained in Hampshire and a Pectoral Sandpiper was still in Norfolk. |
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| - Pete Hayman, RBA | ||
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| Monday 8th August 2011 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Blue-winged Teal at Haverton Hole,
Cleveland, although it only seen there briefly. In Suffolk a Black Kite flew over
Stutton Mill, whilst others lingered in both Cornwall and Devon, the Semipalmated Sandpiper
remained in County Kerry, as did the Bonaparte's Gull in County Durham, and
a Ferruginous Duck in Somerset. Scarcities included Melodious Warbler (Pembrokeshire), Woodchat Shrike (Gloucestershire and the Isles of Scilly), Pectoral Sandpiper (Norfolk), Great White Egret (Hampshire) and Cattle Egret (Essex (2) and Hampshire). Notable seabirds included nine Cory's Shearwaters and eight Great Shearwaters between Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, three Long-tailed Skuas passing County Mayo, and a Sabine's Gull off Northumberland. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 7th August 2011 | ||
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| The highlight of the day the discovery of the third Semipalmated Sandpiper
of the autumn: at Ventry, County Kerry. Elsewhere, lingering rarities comprised the
Stilt Sandpiper in Dorset (albeit elusive), Black Scoter in Aberdeenshire,
Bonaparte's Gull in County Durham, American Golden Plover in County Clare, and
Black Kites in both Cornwall and Devon. Scarcities included Short-toed Lark (Shetland Isles), Rose-coloured Starling (Isle of Wight and Western Isles), Woodchat Shrike (Gloucestershire and Isles of Scilly), Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Cornwall), White-tailed Eagle (Lincolnshire), Surf Scoter (Aberdeenshire (4) and Angus), Purple Heron (Kent), Spotted Crake (Lincolnshire and West Midlands), Red-necked Phalarope (East Yorkshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (Essex and Norfolk), Great White Egret (Hampshire) and Cattle Egret (two together in Essex). Seawatching highlights included 89 Cory's Shearwaters logged passing five counties between County Cork and East Yorkshire, with 18 Great Shearwaters also noted between County Cork and Cornwall. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 6th August 2011 | ||
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| A potential new bird for Britain was reported today when a probable
Atlantic Petrel was seen off Porthgwarra in Cornwall for 5 minutes at about
11.30am but unfortunately it was not seen subsequently. In Kent, a Marsh
Sandpiper was seen at Cliffe Pools RSPB in the afternoon, but it too was not
seen later in the day.
In County Durham the Bonaparte's Gull remained at Whitburn, whilst in Aberdeenshire, the Black Scoter was still to be found off Blackdog. Lingering rare waders included the Stilt Sandpiper in Dorset and the White-rumped Sandpiper in Norfolk but the Semi-palmated Sandpiper in Teesside was only seen early in the morning. A Black Kite remained in Cornwall and the Western Bonelli's Warbler was still in Derbyshire, tho elusive. A new Woodchat Shrike was found on the Scillies, with the long staying bird still to be found in Gloucestershire. A Melodious Warbler was trapped at Beachy Head in Sussex and an Icterine Warbler was found at Flamborough Head in Yorkshire. A Purple Heron was at Elmley in Kent. |
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| - Pete Hayman, RBA | ||
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| Friday 5th August 2011 | ||
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| A slightly busier day today, with the highlight probably being an adult
Bonaparte's Gull in the Whitburn area of County Durham this evening. Single
Black Kites were at Breydon Water, Norfolk and Ruckland, Lincolnshire, and
an adult American Golden Plover was at Doonbeg, County Clare.
In Dorset, the adult Stilt Sandpiper remained for a 14th day, whilst other lingering rarities included Black Scoter in Aberdeenshire, Western Bonelli's Warbler in Derbyshire, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Cleveland, White-rumped Sandpiper in Norfolk, single Black Kites in Devon and Cornwall and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk. Scarcity highlights were Woodchat Shrike in Gloucestershire, Red-backed Shrike in Suffolk and Spotted Crake in Lincolnshire. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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