 |
|
|
| Saturday 12th April 2014 | ||
|
||
| The highlight today was the reappearance of the Crag Martin in East Yorkshire at Flamborough Head; where it showed well from mid afternoon into the evening. Elsewhere, the pair of Black-winged Stilts present yesterday in Essex had relocated overnight to Wareham, Dorset, whilst a record-breaking flock of 10 Black-winged Stilts arrived on the Isle of Wight at Brading Marshes. In Norfolk a Red-rumped Swallow visited Felbrigg Hall during the evening, and in Borders a White-billed Diver was located at St Abbs. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the American Coot and Franklin's Gull in Highland, Pied-billed Grebe on the Western Isles, Tawny Pipit in East Yorkshire, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Kent, Dusky Warbler in Suffolk, Two-barred Crossbills in Greater Manchester and Norfolk (3), Lesser Yellowlegs in Hampshire, single King Eiders in County Donegal, Fife and Lothian, and Lesser Scaup in Cornwall. Scarcities included Bluethroat (Herefordshire), Yellow-browed Warbler (Worcestershire), Shorelark (Kent), Cattle Egret (Cambridgeshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (Devon), Serin (East Yorkshire (2) and Western Isles), Hoopoe (Kent and Somerset), Dotterel (Conwy (2) and Lancashire), Ring-necked Duck (Cambridgeshire (2) and Essex). |
||
| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
|
||
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.
|
|
|
| Friday 11th April 2014 | ||
|
||
| The highlight of the day was a Crag Martin in East Yorkshire, present at Flamborough Head for just under four hours before it flew off west in the early afternoon. The
ninth British record of Crag Martin, but only the second that has proved in any way
twitchable; the fiest twitchable being the individual that visited Leicestershire then West Yorkshire
on 17th-18th April 1999. The first Tawny Pipit of the year in Britain
and Ireland was discovered at the same site. Otherwise, rarities comprised two Black-winged Stilts together new-in in Essex at Bowers Marsh, the Forster's Tern again in County Galway, the American Coot still in Highland, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Kent, Dusky Warbler in Suffolk, Lesser Yellowlegs and Long-billed Dowitcher in Hampshire, and Two-barred Crossbills in Greater Manchester, Surrey and South Yorkshire (5). Scarcities included three Hoopoes (County Cork, Dumfries and Galloway, and Kent), Serin (Western Isles), White-tailed Eagle (North Yorkshire), Dotterel (Lancashire), Ring-necked Duck (Cambridgeshire), Surf Scoter and Pectoral Sandpiper (both Devon). Significant late news concerned a Snowy Owl found yesterday in Angus on Glas Maol. |
||
| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Thursday 10th April 2014 | ||
|
||
| In Leicestershire the Pied-billed Grebe remained all day at Rutland
Water, at Edith Weston, in the sailing club area and was much appreciated by
many, whilst the Pied-billed Grebe also remained in place on North Uist
in the Western Isles. On the Isles of Scilly the Sora showed again this
morning at Lower Moors on St.Mary's. The only new rarity to be reported was a
Red-rumped Swallow, seen briefly at Owenahincha in County Cork.
In Highland the American Coot continued its sojourn at Loch Flemington and other long staying rarities included the Dusky Warbler at Oulton Marshes in Suffolk and the Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler at Dungeness in Kent, with three Two-barred Crossbills at Lynford in Norfolk and one still at Dove Stone RSPB in Greater Manchester. A Pectoral Sandpiper was notable in south Devon, there were three Hoopoes reported (one in Kent and two in Sussex) and there was a bit of an arrival of common summer migrants across southern counties, with a good scattering of Ring Ouzels and Redstarts noted. |
||
| - Pete Hayman, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Wednesday 9th April 2014 | ||
|
||
| News of a Pied-billed Grebe in the East Midlands livened up what was
shaping up to be another fairly quiet day. This first for Leicestershire was found
mid afternoon, and was present until dusk at Rutland Water.
The only other new arrival was a Black Kite along the north Norfolk coast at Scolt Head Island and Holme, whilst lingering rarities included the American Coot in Highland, Sora in the Isles of Scilly, Dusky Warbler in Suffolk, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Kent, single Two-barred Crossbills in Yorkshire and Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitcher and Lesser Yellowlegs in Hampshire and Ferruginous Duck in Northumberland. |
||
| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Tuesday 8th April 2014 | ||
|
||
| Rarities today comprised the Red-rumped Swallow still in Dorset, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler
in Kent, Dusky Warbler in Suffolk, Two-barred Crossbill in both Norfolk (2) and Shropshire,
Ferruginous Duck confirmed in Northumberland, and a Bee-eater heard in West Sussex. Scarcities included five Hoopoes, four each of both Glossy Ibis and Lapland Bunting, three each of Surf Scoter and Ring-necked Duck, two Snow Geese, Cattle Egret (Buckinghamshire), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk) and Little Auk (Cumbria). Gull totals included eight Glaucous, six Iceland and a Ring-billed. |
||
| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Monday 7th April 2014 | ||
|
||
| Lingering rarities comprised American Coot in Highland, Dusky Warbler in
Suffolk, Sora in Isles of Scilly, Red-rumped Swallow in Dorset, Pied-billed Grebe in Western Isles and
Two-barred Crossbill in Greater Manchester.
The best of the rest included Ring-necked Duck (Merseyside), Surf Scoter (Co Cork), Hoopoes (Kent and Dumfries & Galloway) and Great Grey Shrikes (Orkney and Worcestershire). |
||
| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Sunday 6th April 2014 | ||
|
||
| This week's diver boat trip off the Aberdeenshire coast found at least 14
White-billed Divers off Portsoy. Further south, the identity of the
Coues's Arctic Redpoll at Barton-upon-Humber, Lincolnshire was confirmed,
with the bird now present for it's 6th day.
Lingering rarities seen today included the Sora on the Isles of Scilly, American Coot in Highland, White-billed Diver in Moray, Dusky Warbler in Suffolk, Red-rumped Swallow in Dorset and Two-barred Crossbills in Greater Manchester and Norfolk (three). The first three Little Terns were seen along the south coast, a Black Tern was in Gloucestershire and a Sooty Shearwater was off the Western Isles, with growing numbers of Ring Ouzels and Redstarts reported elsewhere. |
||
| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Saturday 5th April 2014 | ||
|
||
| New discoveries included Red-rumped Swallows in East Yorkshire (2) and
Dorset, White-billed Diver in Highland and Pacific Diver in Co Galway, whilst in
Cambridgeshire the Baikal Teal relocated to the Ouse Washes.
Lingering rarities included Sora (Isles of Scilly), American Coot (Highland), Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler (Kent), Red-flanked Bluetail (Shetland), Two-barred Crossbills (Norfolk [3], Greater Manchester, Kent and South Yorkshire), Dusky Warbler (Suffolk), King Eider (Fife) and White-billed Diver (Moray). The best of the rest included four Hoopoes, three Glossy Ibises, two Ring-necked Ducks and Wryneck (East Yorkshire). |
||
| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Friday 4th April 2014 | ||
|
||
| The fourth Great Spotted Cuckoo for Devon was discovered today at Beer
Head, where it was present all afternoon and evening.
Lingering rarities included the Baikal Teal in Cambridgeshire, American Coot in Highland, Sora in the Isles of Scilly, Dusky Warbler in Suffolk, King Eider in County Mayo and White-billed Diver in Moray. Scarcity highlights included a Wryneck, a Hoopoe, two Yellow-browed Warblers and five Great Grey Shrikes. |
||
| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Thursday 3rd April 2014 | ||
|
||
| The highlight of the day was the reappearance of the Sora on the Isles of Scilly, again at Lower Moors, St Mary's, where it had preivously been seen on 19th October 2013 and 2nd-3rd February 2014. Rarities elsewhere comprised a King Eider new in Highland on Loch Erribol, the Baikal Teal still in Cambridgeshire, a Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, and the Red-breasted Goose migrating from Dorset; later passing east along the Sussex coast with Dark-bellied Brent Geese. Scarcities included Purple Heron (Cornwall), Hoopoe (County Cork, Cornwall and Dorset), American Wigeon (Cambridgeshire), two Yellow-browed Warblers, three Surf Scoters, and five each of both Snow Goose and Glossy Ibis. Significant late news concerned the Chinese Pond Heron in Kent, which is now known to have still been visiting gardens in Saltwood on 13th March, before being found dead there on 25th March. |
||
| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
|
||