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 15th May 2013  
  New rarities discovered today comprised a Bonaparte's Gull in Cornwall at Siblyback Lake, Subalpine Warbler in Cumbria at Rampside, Black Kite in East Sussex at Lewes, and an Alpine Swift at Ascot, Berkshire.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were both the Collared Flycatcher and Ortolan Bunting on the Shetland Isles, Snowy Owl on the Western Isles, Subalpine Warbler in Aberdeenshire, Black-winged Stilt in Cambridgeshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, Red-footed Falcon in Suffolk, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset, and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire.

A notable arrival of scarce migrants occurred between the Shetland Isles and North Yorkshire with 11 Red-backed Shrikes, three Wrynecks, and two each of both Icterine Warbler and Red-spotted Bluethroat logged. Elsewhere, single Serin and Hoopoe (Dorset), Golden Oriole and Lapland Bunting (Isles of Scilly), Cattle Egret (Anglesey), and two Pectoral Sandpipers, three Temminck's Stints, 25 Long-tailed Skuas and 54 Pomarine Skuas.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 14th May 2013  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Pied-billed Grebe in County Mayo on Achill Island. Elsewhere, a Great Reed Warbler at Grimley, Worcestershire was a county first, a Western Subalpine Warbler was in Aberdeenshire at Cruden Bay, a Black Kite noted briefly in Kent, and a Black-winged Stilt arrived with three Pectoral Sandpipers at Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were both the Collared Flycatcher and Ortolan Bunting on the Shetland Isles, Snowy Owl on the Western Isles, Red-footed Falcon in Suffolk, Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, Bonaparte's Gulls in both Devon and County Kerry, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, White-billed Diver in Moray, and Ferruginous Duck in Somerset.

Scarcities included Red-breasted Flycatcher, Red-backed Shrike and Wryneck on the Shetland Isles, Marsh Warbler in Suffolk, Serin in West Sussex, Red-backed Shrike on the Orkney Isles, as well as two each of Woodchat Shrike, Hoopoe, Cattle Egret (inlcuding one on Anglesey) and Surf Scoter (including one in Northumberland), three Golden Orioles, 19 Dotterel, 16 Long-tailed Skuas and 86 Pomarine Skuas.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 13th May 2013  
  On the Western Isles the adult male Snowy Owl reappeared once again at Sollas, North Uist. Single Red-rumped Swallows were found at Dungeness, Kent and Whitlingham Country Park, Norfolk, an adult Bonaparte's Gull was at Castlegregory, County Kerry and a drake Ferruginous Duck was at Chew Valley Lake, Somerset.

Lingering rarities included the Black-headed Wagtail and Glossy Ibis at Marloes, Pembrokeshire, Red-footed Falcon at Lakenheath, Suffolk, Spotted Sandpiper at Wadebridge, Cornwall, single Lesser Scaups at St John's Loch, Highland and Saltholme RSPB, Cleveland and single Bonaparte's Gulls on the Exe Estuary, Devon and at Tacumshin, County Wexford.

Skua watching in the west produced the bulk of the rest of today's messages, with 494 Long-tailed Skuas and 724 Pomarine Skuas logged, along with 11 Leach's Petrels.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Sunday 12th May 2013  
  New discoveries today included a smart male Black-headed Wagtail at Marloes Mere, Pembrokeshire, a Red-rumped Swallow at the same site with others at Spurn, Yorkshire and Beddington, London, a Savi's Warbler which sang all day at Minsmere RSPB, Suffolk, an Alpine Swift at Staines Reservoir, Surrey, an Ortolan Bunting on Fair Isle, Shetland and nine Bee-eaters flew over Colne Point, Essex.

Lingering rarities included the Collared Flycatcher on Whalsay, Shetland, Spotted Sandpiper in Wadebridge, Cornwall, Red-footed Falcon at Lakenheath, Suffolk, Bonaparte's Gulls at Topsham, Devon and Tacumshin, County Wexford, Lesser Scaup at Saltholme, Cleveland and White-billed Divers on Orkney and in Aberdeenshire (five).

Scarcity highlights involved a Red-breasted Flycatcher, a Hoopoe, two Red-backed Shrikes and three Serins, whilst seawatching produced 268 Long-tailed Skuas, 496 Pomarine Skuas and three Leach's Petrels.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 11th May 2013  
  Rarities today comprised the Collared Flycatcher still in Shetland on Whalsay, Spotted Sandpiper still in Cornwall, Subalpine Warbler in Scilly, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, Lesser Scaup in Highland, Red-footed Falcon in Suffolk, Red-rumped Swallows in Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire, and Bonaparte's Gulls in Devon and County Wexford.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 10th May 2013  
  Another male Collared Flycatcher was found today, this time on Whalsay, Shetland, but there was no sign of the Northumberland bird. A summer plumaged Spotted Sandpiper was in Wadebridge, Cornwall, a Red-throated Pipit flew south over Spurn, Yorkshire and a Lesser Scaup was on St John's Pool, Highland.

Lingering rarities included the Thrush Nightingale on Shetland, Subalpine Warbler on the Isles of Scilly, Bonaparte's Gulls in Devon and County Wexford, Red-footed Falcon in Suffolk, White-billed Diver in Moray, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Lesser Scaup in Yorkshire and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire.

An impressive skua passage included 30 Long-tailed Skuas (27 off Criccieth, Gwynedd) and at least 378 Pomarine Skuas. A single Leach's Petrel was also seen, off Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 9th May 2013  
  New rarities today included a Red-rumped Swallow through Gibraltar Point NNR, Lincolnshire, single White-billed Divers at Burghead, Moray and Broch of Gurness, Orkney, a Black Kite also on Orkney at Kirkwall and a report of a Red-footed Falcon at Petersfield, Hampshire. A Squacco Heron was at Lanreath, Cornwall yesterday.

The Collared Flycatcher remained in Northumberland, as did the Thrush Nightingale on Shetland, Subalpine Warbler on the Isles of Scilly, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Lesser Scaup in Yorkshire and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk.

Scarcity highlights included a Spotted Crake in West Midlands, a Hoopoe, a Short-toed Lark, a Wryneck, a Woodchat Shrike, a Kumlien's Gull, two Red-backed Shrikes, two Surf Scoters, three Temminck's Stints, 13 Dotterel and 47 Pomarine Skuas.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 8th May 2013  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a male Collared Flycatcher at Low Newton-by-the-Sea, Northumberland. A county first, it showed from late afternoon until dusk. Elsewhere, arrivals included Thrush Nightingale, Red-breasted Flycatcher and Icterine Warbler on the Shetland Isles, Subalpine Warbler and Short-toed Lark on the Isles of Scilly, Ortolan Bunting in Dorset at Longham Lakes, and a party of eight Bee-eaters briefly at Briningham, Norfolk.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present comprised a Red-footed Falcon in Suffolk, Western Subalpine Warbler in County Cork, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, King Eider on the Shetland Isles, Lesser Scaup in West Yorkshire, Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire.

Other scarcities recorded included Golden Oriole (County Wexford), Purple Heron (Suffolk), Woodchat Shrike (Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly), Hoopoe (Dorset, East Sussex and Western Isles), Montagu's Harrier (Cambridgeshire, Cleveland and Norfolk), three Pectoral Sandpipers, six Temminck's Stints and 25 migrant Dotterel across four counties.

Significant late news concerns a male Red-footed Falcon present yesterday at New Buckenham Common, Norfolk.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 7th May 2013  
  New rarities discovered today were a Black-winged Stilt in Lincolnshire at Frampton Marsh, a Lesser Yellowlegs in County Mayo on Inishkea Islands, and Subalpine Warblers in both County Cork at Inch Strand, and on Bardsey Island, Gwynedd.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Red-footed Falcon and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll and White-billed Diver on the Orkney Isles, Bonaparte's Gulls in both Devon and County Wexford, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde and Lesser Scaup in West Yorkshire.

Mediterranean scarcities included Woodchat Shrike (Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly), Hoopoe (Devon and Dorset), Golden Oriole (three on the Isles of Scilly), Purple Heron (Suffolk) and Cattle Egret (Kent), whilst notable waders comprised five Temminck's Stints, six Pectoral Sandpipers, and 40 migrant Dotterel across eight counties between England and Wales.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 6th May 2013  
  New discoveries comprised Iberian Chiffchaff in Carmarthenshire, Black-winged Stilt in Essex, Red-rumped Swallows in Ceredigion and Co Wexford, Red-footed Falcons in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, Black Stork over the Devon/Dorset border and Black Kite in Highland. In Argyll a Brunnich's Guillemot was reported off Iona.

Elsewhere Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Bonaparte's Gulls in Devon and Kent, Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire, Red-footed Falcon in Suffolk, Lesser Scaups in Lancashire and West Yorkshire, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire, Orkney and Moray (7) and Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset were also reported today.

The best of the rest included Woodchat Shrikes in Scilly, Cornwall and Norfolk, Purple Herons in Suffolk, Kent and Glamorgan, Hoopoe in Somerset and both Serin and Cattle Egret in Kent. A total of six Pectoral Sandpipers and three Temminck's Stints were also logged.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA