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 6th June 2013  
  News was released today of the breeding Little Bitterns in Somerset which, for the fourth year running (fifth for the male) have returned to Ham Wall RSPB on the Avalon Marshes.

New rarities discovered today included a heard only Bee-eater over Thorpeness, Suffolk, and a King Eider at Blackdog, Aberdeenshire (which may be the Ythan Estuary individual).

Lingering rarities still present today included the Thrush Nightingale at Easington, Yorkshire, Red-footed Falcon at Ouse Fen, Cambridgeshire, River Warbler and Western Subalpine Warbler on Fair Isle, Shetland, Savi's Warbler at Lakenheath Fen RSPB, Suffolk, Bonaparte's Gull at Oare Marshes NR, Kent and Glossy Ibis at Marloes Mere, Pembrokeshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 5th June 2013  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a River Warbler on Fair Isle, Shetland Isles, whilst in Essex a Bee-eater flew over Bradwell.

Lingering rarities comprised Red-footed Falcon and Savi's Warbler together in Suffolk, Red-footed Falcon in Cambridgeshire, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, and Subalpine Warblers in both Pembrokeshire and the Shetland Isles.

Scarcities included Short-toed Lark, Icterine Warbler and Red-backed Shrike in Norfolk, Red-backed Shrike, Corncrake and Ring-necked Duck in East Yorkshire, Hoopoe in Pembrokeshire, Ring-billed Gull in Argyll, and Long-tailed Skuas in Cleveland, off East Yorkshire (5), and Northumberland.

The territorial warbler at Newton Abbot, Devon, that yesterday was believed to be a Western Orphean Warbler, was reidentified as a Lesser Whitethroat with an atypical song.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 4th June 2013  
  Breaking mega news tonight was of a territorial male Western Orphean Warbler present in Devon by the Teign Estuary at Newton Abbot, and still singing there this evening, although it proved elusive. First noted and sound-recorded on 22nd May, the true identity was not suspected until today. Previously, there has been a similar record from Cornwall, where a singing male was reported near Saltash on 20th-22nd May 1991.

Elsewhere, a Pallid Harrier was present briefly in Argyll near Inverary, a Bee-eater was heard in Dorset at Portland, and in Nottinghamshire a Lesser Scaup was identified at Lound.

The best of rest included a Red-footed Falcon still in Cambridgeshire, Subalpine Warbler on the Shetland Isles, Glossy Ibis and Purple Heron in Pembrokeshire, Golden Oriole in County Cork, Red-necked Phalarope in Gloucestershire, Common Rosefinch and Marsh Warbler together in East Yorkshire, Red-backed Shrikes in Lincolnshire, Shetland (2) and Suffolk, and Pectoral Sandpipers in Aberdeenshire, Lincolnshire and the Orkney Isles.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 3rd June 2013  
  Today's new discoveries comprised Pallid Harrier, Rustic Bunting and Subalpine Warbler on Fair Isle (Shetland), Subalpine Warbler in Gwynedd, Black Kite on Orkney, White-rumped Sandpiper in Co Wexford, Greenish Warbler on Isles of Scilly and two Black-winged Stilts in Lincolnshire.

Lingering rarities included Red-footed Falcons in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk, Savi's Warbler in Suffolk and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire.

Scarcity highlights included Purple Heron in Cornwall, Red-breasted Flycatcher in Suffolk, Hoopoe in Somerset, Pectoral Sandpiper, Common Rosefinch and Serin in Lincolnshire, Common Rosefinch in Highland, White-spotted Bluethroat in Norfolk, Red-backed Shrike and Marsh Warbler on Fair Isle, Red-backed Shrike in East Yorkshire and Marsh Warbler in Gwynedd.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 2nd June 2013  
  The highlight of the day was an Eastern Subalpine Warbler in Dorset at Portland Bill. Found early in the afternoon, it showed into the evening.

Rarities elsewhere, comprised the Thrush Nightingale still in East Yorkshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire, two Savi's Warblers in Suffolk, and single Red-footed Falcons in Cambridgeshire, Greater Manchester and Suffolk.

Scarce migrants included three each of Golden Oriole and Red-necked Phalarope, two each of Icterine Warbler, Common Rosefinch, Red-backed Shrike and Pectoral Sandpiper, and single Red-breasted Flycatcher and Marsh Warbler (both Shetland Isles), White-spotted Bluethroat and Temminck's Stint (both Norfolk), Serin (Kent), Hoopoe (Oxfordshire), Wryneck (Hampshire), Purple Heron (Cornwall) and Surf Scoter (Aberdeenshire).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 1st June 2013  
  The rarest bird seen today was a Crested Lark in Kent, which was at Bockhill Farm briefly early morning, before it flew north and wasn't seen again. A female Red-footed Falcon was at Ouse Fen, Cambridgeshire, a Greenish Warbler was at Quendale, Shetland and single Black Kites flew over Ratcliffe-on-Soar, Nottinghamshire and Termon Hill, County Mayo.

Lingering rarities included the Harlequin Duck at Balranald, Western Isles, Savi's Warbler at Lakenheath RSPB, Suffolk, Thrush Nightingale at Easington, Yorkshire, Blue-winged Teal at Kirkintilloch, Clyde and Bonaparte's Gull at Oare Marshes KWT, Kent.

Scarcity totals included a White-spotted Bluethroat, two Icterine Warblers, five Marsh Warblers, two Woodchat Shrikes, ten Red-backed Shrikes, a Serin, a Golden Oriole, a Common Rosefinch, a Red-necked Phalarope and two Long-tailed Skuas.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 31st May 2013  
  The first ever May Wilson's Petrel was recorded off the Isles of Scilly this evening, from a pelagic south-west of Bishop Rock. Rare warblers discovered today included a Paddyfield Warbler at Shorne Marshes RSPB, Kent, Great Reed Warblers on the Out Skerries, Shetland and in Dover, Kent and a Greenish Warbler at Gibraltar Point NNR, Lincolnshire. A Thrush Nightingale was singing at Easington, Yorkshire.

Lingering rarities still present today included the Savi's Warbler at Lakenheath RSPB, Suffolk, Blyth's Reed Warbler on Fair Isle, Shetland, Snowy Owl on Arranmore Island, County Donegal, Bonaparte's Gull at Oare Marshes KWT, Kent and King Eider on the Ythan Estuary, Aberdeenshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 30th May 2013  
  Shetland hosted a Thrush Nightingale, two Blyth's Reed Warblers, Red-breasted Flycatcher, three Marsh Warblers and seven Red-backed Shrikes.

Away from Shetland new discoveries comprised a Black-headed Bunting in Northumberland, Black Kite in London and Savi's Warbler in Devon.

Elsewhere lingering rarities included Savi's Warblers in Suffolk (2), Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, Red-footed Falcon in Suffolk, Subalpine Warbler and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire and probable Black-headed Wagtail in Cheshire.

Scarcity totals away from Shetland included Pectoral Sandpiper (Cambridgeshire), Purple Heron (Cornwall), Marsh Warbler (Hampshire), Icterine Warbler (Fife), two Red-necked Phalaropes, three Common Rosefinches and twelve Red-backed Shrikes.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 29th May 2013  
  Shetland hosted a fine selection of rare and scarce birds today, including two Thrush Nightingales on Fair Isle, Rustic Bunting on Foula, Blyth's Reed Warblers on Fair Isle and Fetlar and Red-rumped Swallow on Mainland. The archipelago also held Red-spotted Bluethroat, two Short-toed Larks, three Common Rosefinches, three Icterine Warblers, five Marsh Warblers and at least 11 Red-backed Shrikes.

Elsewhere headline birds included White-throated Sparrow and Greenish Warbler in Lincolnshire, Subalpine Warbler and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire, Bee-eaters in Orkney and Kent, White-billed Diver on Western Isles, Savi's Warbler (2) and Red-footed Falcon in Suffolk and Snowy Owl in Co Donegal.

The best of the rest included Purple Heron in Cornwall, Bluethroat in Fife, Icterine Warbler in Norfolk, Marsh Warbler in Hampshire, two Common Rosefinches, three Pectoral Sandpipers, three Wrynecks and at least 12 Red-backed Shrikes were logged away from Shetland.

A white-rumped swift photographed in Suffolk this afternoon could possibly be a Pacific Swift.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 28th May 2013  
  A White-throated Sparrow was found in a garden in Spalding, Lincolnshire. Other new rarities found today included a Black-headed Wagtail at Filey and a Greenish Warbler at Scarborough, both Yorkshire, and a Rustic Bunting, Little Bunting and Subalpine Warbler on Shetland, on Foula, Unst and Mainland respectively.

Lingering rarities included the Savi's Warbler and Red-footed Falcon at Lakenheath RSPB, Suffolk, Blyth's Reed Warbler on Fair Isle, Shetland, King Eider on the Ythan Estuary, Aberdeenshire and Glossy Ibis at Marloes Mere, Pembrokeshire.

Scarcity totals included two Red-breasted Flycatchers, two Woodchat Shrikes, 22 Red-backed Shrikes, a Bluethroat, a Wryneck, a Short-toed Lark, a Golden Oriole, three Common Rosefinches, four Icterine Warblers, four Marsh Warblers, four Grey-headed Wagtails, a Red-necked Phalarope and three Pectoral Sandpipers.
-  Will Soar, RBA