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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Thursday 25th April 2013  
  Star billing today went to a female Rock Thrush that was found at Kilnsea in East Yorkshire late this morning and remained for the rest of the day to the delight of the many who travelled to see it. It was the first twitchable individual since the mid nineties. In the late afternoon the assembled crowd were also treated to a fly-by Caspian Tern. Also on the Yorkshire coast a non-singing (but calling) Iberian Chiffchaff was found at Flamborough Head, with other Iberian Chiffchaffs remaining in County Durham and Scilly.

Also on Scilly a new Western Subalpine Warbler was found on St.Mary's and a female Red-footed Falcon was found on St.Martin's. The Woodchat Shrike also remained on St.Mary's. On Skomer, a harrier that had been seen poorly once or twice in recent days was proved to be a Pallid Harrier. A Black Kite flew over Romsey in Hampshire and a Citrine Wagtail was seen briefly at Kelling and Cley in north Norfolk.

A Whiskered Tern was at Chew Valley Lake in Somerset but was believed to be a different bird from that seen there on Tuesday. The Woodchat Shrike also remained there. Other lingering rarities included Western Subalpine Warblers in Gwynedd and Pembrokeshire, the Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, the Harlequin Duck on North Uist and the Lesser Scaup at Holme Pierrepont in Nottinghamshire. Aberdeenshire continued to play host to a White-billed Diver and a King Eider or two and a Gyr was seen again on Mainland Orkney.

A Pectoral Sandpiper was at Rainham Marshes in London, Hoopoes were in Dorset and Ayrshire and the Ring-billed Gull was seen again in Leicestershire.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Wednesday 24th April 2013  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of two singing male Iberian Chiffchaffs: one in County Durham at Boldon Flats, and the other on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly. Elsewhere, a Whiskered Tern paused briefly in Derbyshire at Carsington Water before arriving at Blithfield Reservoir, Staffordshire, in Kent a Red-rumped Swallow was seen briefly at Dungeness, and a Black Kite flew over Sompting, West Sussex.

Further Mediterranean visitors comprised Pallid Swift, Short-toed Lark and Woodchat Shrike on the Isles of Scilly, Western Subalpine Warbler and Woodchat Shrike together in Pembrokeshire, two Night Herons together in Devon, Woodchat Shrike in Somerset, Hoopoe in Cornwall and Golden Oriole in County Galway.

Otherwise, lingering rarities confirmed as still present were both the Harlequin Duck and Richardson's Canada Goose on the Western Isles, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire, Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk, and Lesser Scaups in both Lancashire and Nottinghamshire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 23rd April 2013  
  The highlight of the day was confirmation of a Western Bonelli's Warbler lingering in West Sussex. Other Mediterranean rarities comprised single Whiskered Terns in both Gloucestershire and Somerset (perhaps the same bird), Western Subalpine Warblers in Gwynedd, Lincolnshire and Pembrokeshire, Pallid Swift on the Isles of Scilly, and the possible Ashy-headed Wagtail still in Devon. Associated scarcities were Woodchat Shrikes in Cornwall, Gwynedd, Pembrokeshire, Isles of Scilly (2) and Somerset, Golden Orioles in Anglesey, Devon, County Galway and the Isles of Scilly, Serin in Suffolk, and a Hoopoe remained in County Waterford.

Other, lingering, rarities confirmed as still present were the Harlequin Duck still on the Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire, Little Bunting in County Durham, Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk, two White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire, Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire, and Lesser Scaups in Cleveland, Lancashire and Nottinghamshire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 22nd April 2013  
  In Somerset the two Whiskered Terns remained at Shapwick Heath NNR before they reappeared at Durleigh Reservoir (Somerset) and Witcombe Reservoir (Gloucestershire) later in the day.

In West Sussex a Bonelli's warbler species was seen (but not heard) at Church Norton, a Subalpine Warbler was reported at Boultham Mere (Lincolnshire) and a Lesser Scaup relocated to Holme Pierrepont (Nottinghamshire).

Elsewhere lingering rarities included Western Subalpine Warblers in Lincolnshire and Gwynedd, Glossy Ibises in Pembrokeshire and West Sussex, White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire (2) and Orkney, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset, Lesser Scaups in Lancashire, Herefordshire, Cornwall and Cleveland, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Little Bunting in Co Durham, Pallid Swift on Isles of Scilly, Harlequin Duck on Western Isles and King Eider on Shetland.

Scarcity highlights included American Wigeon in Clyde, Woodchat Shrikes in Cornwall, Pembrokeshire, Gwynedd and Somerset, Hoopoe in Co Waterford, Rose-coloured Starling in Devon, Pectoral Sandpiper in Northumberland, Cattle Egret and Purple Heron in Kent, Common Rosefinch in West Sussex and Wryneck on Isles of Scilly.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 21st April 2013  
  The highlight of the day was the impressive gathering of White-billed Divers off the Portsoy area of Aberdeenshire. At least eight were a couple of miles offshore from a boat during the morning, with another seven seen from land, and yet another four a little further west off Sandend.

Other rarities discovered today included two Whiskered Terns at Shapwick Heath, Somerset, a Subalpine Warbler in Dorset in a Portland garden briefly, a Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire, Black Kites at Bovey Tracey, Devon and Westleton, Suffolk and at least one Red-rumped Swallow at St Just, Cornwall and another on Portland, Dorset. A stunning flava wagtail was present at Northam Burrows Country Park which was probably a Grey-headed Wagtail, but no mention has been made of its call.

Lingering rarities included the Pallid Harrier in Pembrokeshire, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Harlequin Duck and Richardson's Canada Goose in the Western Isles, single Western Subalpine Warblers in Gwynedd and Lincolnshire and Little Bunting in County Durham.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 20th April 2013  
  The highlight of a busy day was a Pallid Harrier on Skomer, Pembrokeshire which, perhaps surprisingly, is a first for Wales. A singing Iberian Chiffchaff was on The Lizard, Cornwall, with a Red-rumped Swallow in the same county at Porthgwarra. Further east two Black Storks were seen flying over Dorchester, Dorset, whilst a Western Subalpine Warbler was at Gibraltar Point NNR, Lincolnshire, a Penduline Tit at Dungeness, Kent and a Black Kite was over Croydon, London. In Scotland a white Gyr was seen at Orphir, Orkney, a White-billed Diver was on Mull, Argyll and two Richardson's Canada Geese were at Balelone, North Uist, Western Isles.

Highlights of the lingering rarities were the Harlequin Duck on the Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, two Northern Harriers in County Wexford, Western Subalpine Warblers in Gwynedd and Lincolnshire, Pallid Swift on the Isles of Scilly, Blue-winged Teal in Cheshire and Little Bunting in County Durham.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 19th April 2013  
  New rarities discovered today included an adult male Pallid Harrier over Forfar Loch, Angus, a female Citrine Wagtail at Swillington Ings, Yorkshire, single Subalpine Warblers at Poole Harbour, Dorset and Mynydd Mawr, Gwynedd, a Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on Islay, Argyll, a drake Blue-winged Teal at Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB, Cheshire /Flintshire and a female Ferruginous Duck at Barrow Gurney Reservoirs, Somerset.

Lingering rarities included the Harlequin Duck and White-billed Diver on the Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Pallid Swift on the Isles of Scilly, Red-rumped Swallow in Suffolk, Little Bunting in County Durham, single Lesser Scaups in Glamorgan and Lancashire, Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk, Red-breasted Goose in Argyll and Glossy Ibis in Sussex.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 18th April 2013  
  Two Red-rumped Swallows were found today, one at Waltham Brooks, Sussex and one at Kessingland, Suffolk, whilst an Alpine Swift was at Lade gravel pits, Kent. An Alpine Swift was at Castlerock, County Derry yesterday.

Lingering rarities included the Harlequin Duck on the Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Alpine Swift in Yorkshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Lesser Scaup in Lancashire, Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk, Little Bunting in County Durham and Glossy Ibis in Sussex.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 17th April 2013  
  The highlight of the day was the presence of at least five Alpine Swifts, with singles noted in County Dublin at Glasnevin, Kent at both Cliftonville and Dungeness, Norfolk at Lopham Fen, and North Yorkshire at both Filey and Seamer.

Other rarities comprised the Pied-billed Grebe still in Somerset, Pallid Swift on the Isles of Scilly, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire, single Lesser Scaups in both Cleveland and Lancashire, Glossy Ibis in West Sussex, a new Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk at Minsmere, and Little Buntings in Durham and Dorset, the latter seen only briefly at Hengistbury Head.

The best of the rest included Hoopoes in Ceredigion and County Waterford, Rough-legged Buzzards in East Yorkshire and Norfolk, Sabine's Gulls off the Isles of Scilly and Wirral, Dotterel in Conwy and Derbyshire, and a showy Corncrake in East Sussex.

Finally, remarkable news from Gloucestershire concerned a Baillon's Crake picked up dead at Slimbridge.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 16th April 2013  
  Today's new discoveries included a Pallid Swift on Isles of Scilly, Red-rumped Swallow in Devon and Alpine Swifts in North Yorkshire and East Yorkshire.

Lingering rarities comprised Pied-billed Grebe (Somerset), Glossy Ibises (West Sussex and Pembrokeshire), Little Bunting (Co Durham), Lesser Scaups (Cleveland and Gwent) and Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon.

Scarcity highlights included Hoopoes in Somerset and Glamorgan, Wryneck in Gloucestershire, Cattle Egret in Co Down, Bluethroat and Purple Heron in Norfolk, Pallas's Warbler on the Berkshire/Hampshire border, Rose-coloured Starling in Devon and Dotterels in Lancashire and Orkney.

The Flamborough Head Baikal Teal had departed overnight.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA